If you use Rekordbox, you have the benefit of being able to use your media in Pioneer gear, and when you stick it in Denon hardware (some) have to ability to convert the Rekordbox library into an Engine DJ library. If you update the Rekordbox library, youāll have to re-run the conversion, so depending on how often you add new tracks, this may be a solution for you. This would mean you only need to set CUE points in a single app, vs both.
For me, things like Lexicon are not an option. Iām willing to pay for software, but it needs to be a perpetual license, not a monthly fee. I understand if they provide updates they need to be funded for that, but if Iām sticking to specific versions of Rekordbox/Engine DJ and not upgrading those, then I should be able to use the same Lexicon version and only pay once.
Some people like to use Serato, as Engine DJ Desktop is somewhat streamlined for this process. For example, Engine DJ doesnāt properly evaluate BPM or set beatgrids for track already containing this information, meaning someone using Serato can use Serato to provide this information and then import the tracks into Engine DJ. Iām not really sure how CUE or other details work from Serato ā Engine DJ.
So, the biggest āconā of using Engine DJ is that youāll have to duplicate your CUE work to have that within Rekordbox, or paying a monthly fee to do it. Doing this work in Rekordbox, you have options within the Denon ecosystem to convert this into a Engine DJ library.
Maybe when you play on the Prime Go, you are doing more listening/testing/casual play, using Engine DJ to manage the Library and Sync to the hardware, and then you only bring your favourite or set-specific tracks into Rekordbox, meaning you have far less cue work to perform in Rekordbox, and that works for you.
Be sure to have a pen and paper though, because we donāt have On-Device Track Rating (but you can vote for it there), so youāll have to write down or take photos of the tracks you want to remember. Without that or On-Device Color, there is no way to play a set on Engine DJ OS and mark/flag tracks for any purpose such as fixing beatgrids or placing into your next real set.
Itās too bad that the online services donāt support storing this information and force all the players involved to support such functionality. Imagine if when I loaded up something from Beatport on the live service on my Prime 4+, made some CUEās, those get stored in a profile on my account. Then when I login to Beatport on a Pioneer product, those CUEs are loaded in. And the only way any company gets access to this Beatport service on their hardware is if they play ball and become compatible. This would be a major paint point reduction and a big incentive to use these services and to continue paying over time since they store all your information in a cross-platform-compatible way, simultaneously giving you access to the latest and greatest tracks.
