My Prime 2 is back from Algam, the official Denon DJ repair center here in France.
I sent it in regarding a problem with phantom touch detection on the right jog wheel when vinyl mode was activated.
Apparently, the problem was the Q3 and Q5 spacers in the unit, which were replaced.
They also informed me that the crossfader was starting to show some wear.
It’s true that I scratch a bit and it’s used quite a bit.
I’m considering replacing it eventually with a Mini Innofader Plus, which is admittedly more expensive than the original crossfader, but Innofaders are magnetic and therefore wear-resistant.
The original crossfader used by Denon is quite low-end and clearly not designed to withstand thousands of scratch cycles.
Have any of you changed your crossfader to a mini innofader plus on the prime 2 or 4 unit?
Yes, of course, it’s possible to do it yourself from the top without opening the unit. Algam offered to replace the crossfader (out of warranty, so at my expense), but I told them I’d replace it myself later with a mini innofader plus, which will certainly be better and more durable than the original crossfader.
I just wanted to know if anyone here had done it and had any feedback on it.
Without a doubt, innofaders magnetic crossfaders are timeless and stand the test of time, capable of millions of use cycles. This is incomparable to traditional contact crossfaders.
I think I must be one of the few people scratching on a Prime 2.
i just cant scratch, otherwise id probably give it a go… i am investing in a crosssfader mixer for playing 45s though so will be leanring how to cut etc at some point.
I’m not an expert either; I do pretty basic things, often to bring a track into the mix rather than simply pressing play. It still adds a lot of dynamics to mixes for good transitions. Activate the quantized echo fader on 1 beat, assign your channels to each side of the crossfader, and let the magic happen with a few baby scratches. When you start to master a few basic techniques, you’ll see how fun it is.
But keep in mind that even baby scratches put quite a bit of strain on the crossfader, and if this is something you want to develop, you’ll need to consider a magnetic crossfader at some point.
@Gaian Have you tried to do the repair as suggested in the following post? That way you also use the second channel of the crossfader that is normally unused and everything becomes more reliable. You can always try and if it doesn’t solve, then replace it:
I wish all the dj gear had the same pins voltage when it comes to replacing cross faders into channels faders lol. Unfortunately this thing not gonna happen, just damage the mixers and give some smoke. Allen health faders are the longest and I liked it. Pioneers faders not so long just standard fader length
This is exactly the problem I sometimes encounter: there’s a bit of sound coming through when the crossfader is in the fully closed position and set to cut mode.
That’s a great tip! I’ll try it! Doesn’t this modification cause problems using the crossfader with VDJ in controller mode?
Yes, this was what happened to me, even though I use the cross fader once a year! You will see that with the modification I explained in that post, you solve the problem permanently at zero cost.
Absolutely not. Your VDJ will work smoothly and better than before.
Actually, I haven’t switched to the innofader yet, but I probably will sooner or later. I’m quite familiar with the mini innofaders because my Z2, which I still love, comes equipped with them.
For now, I’ve used the tip suggested by @DjAj , and it seems to do the job. In any case, the mini innofader plus doesn’t seem complicated to install, according to your video.
@DjDuctape
The PNP Pro 3 doesn’t seem to be compatible with prime 2 ; only the mini innofader plus seems to be.
I replaced the crossfader in my Prime 4+ but as mentioned in that install video it sits way too high. I can’t seem to figure out how to bring the cap closer to the faceplate.
Looking to upgrade the crossfader on my Denon Prime 2 and would love to hear from anyone who’s done this or has experience with different options.
My mixing style: I’m all about long, smooth crossfades between tracks rather than quick cuts or scratching. Precision and smoothness throughout the entire fade range is what I’m after.
Anyone upgraded their Prime 2 crossfader? What did you go with and how’s it working out?
For long crossfades specifically, what xfader should I prioritise or am I limited to just a few options?
Any compatibility issues I should know about with the Prime 2?
I’m not looking to scratch or do quick cuts - just want that buttery smooth precision for seamless long transitions. The current fader works fine but I’m hoping an upgrade might give me even better control.
Are the channel faders not the best option for that type of mixing?
I’d say in your case if you really want to use the Crossfader, it’s the curve setting that’s most important, an innofader will give you a nicer feel overall, but you want that curve setting dialled in.
