What do you like and hate the most about the SC Live standalone?

Engine DJ Hardware Standalone Controllers
12

Hopefully given that the whole computing world is embracing the power of USB-C, the DJ world follows.

I got a new Dell monitor at work and it has a built in USB hub and displayport daisy chaining for additional monitors. I now turn up to work and plug my surface laptop in clamshell mode to a single USB-C cable which then connects all the devices on my desk, 2 screens and powers the laptop in return, I don’t even have to take my charger out of my bag anymore…. After being sceptical about USB-C for DJing to begin with, this has completely changed my train of thought.

Of course the same interface could and should be utilised by laptops too, like the M1 MacBooks etc.

13

USB-C is already a cool invention - video, sound, data and power over a single cable.

I use it at home with a new HP 32" monitor - no more cable clutter.

But we’re getting off topic… :slight_smile:

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14

Very much so, I guess back ‘on topic’ the live series are ultra simple to take somewhere and plug in to just use, minimum fuss… and I think that’s where the DJ world needs to be heading overall, Denon are very much leading the way in that aspect.

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15

Just to stay “off topic” for a minute… :slight_smile:

My main rig is Traktor based, but one feature from this i’m very happy with is the USB-C docking station mounted under & permanently connected to my Kontrol S4 in its flightcase.

This means i can do as suggested above. Just power & XLR outs to the main flightcase, then a single USB-C lead from the docking station to my MacBook air

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16

That’s the type of stuff these companies should be looking to eliminate, and the type of ideas they should be using.

17

Hi there, here are mine:

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT DENON SC LIVE 4:

__When my body is too tired, I can take this on to my lap and have only one wire going out and just use it - laidback playing is possible.

__Speed of using it - really runs fast with no lags.

__Truely 4 channel stand-alone.

__Effects are more closer and thus more handy to use.

__The effect parameter changes are well organized!

__Speakers are great! For what I want them for, they really are.

__There are no excess buttons - I basically use allmost all of the buttons - thus nothing is wasted, it’s minimal while being full of function.

__Portability is great! Weights less and really easy to enter existing dj tables at live events.

__In Jog screens help a lot. Sometimes it’s good to swhitch off excess information.

__The way you loop and beat jump - it’s just so much better with Denons way of doing it.

__No texts or logos around the crossfader - I like the clean way, as in general it has nice layout.

__Loop shifting, loop saving and active loops - a game changer for me.

__Grid editor!

WHAT I DON’T LIKE:

__Not possible to write tags to the search section (I used to do that in Serato). When I add the tag to comment section, Engine would not find them. Simple tag searches would be lot of help.

__Continueous mode does not play tracks from the same playlist. If there are tracks on both decks, then the next track will be coming from other decks playlist. I could not return to previous track, because it decided to select tracks from other deck-s playlist (when continous mode is on). I wish both decks played theyr own playlists.

__Lack of smooth key change. What they’ve done is good, but fine-tuning the key could be there. Could also have the key info inside the In-Jog Screens.

__The roll effect could have more than 4 beats.

__Sometimes when nudging with side of jog, it considers it as a vinyl touch and throws me a bit off the beat. Same happens time-to time in grid editor (I swear I had my sleeves up!).

__Sometimes at start of device the button lights are not lit at all. Then I shut it down and open again and then it’s all right. This tends to happen more and more. Don’t know why.

__(So mainly the issue side is connected with Engine OS and not so much SC Live 4.)

18

did you include comments as part of your search categories on the engine os device? the engine os devices I have (5/6000m) allows one to choose all tags or selected few e.g. title, artist etc.

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19

That’s nice, I didn’t know SC 5/6000M allows such option. The SC Live 4 with the Engine OS version of 2.4.0 does not have that. Pressing that arrow down menu next to search button - there is no option for comments. My computer version of Engine does have that, but it’s not on the device.

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2 Likes
21

I have experienced and reported the same issue HERE. So far no official reply from the Denon staff. I hope they are aware and gonna fix that soon. Now to the topic:

:green_square: MY PROS:

  • Good Portability (more compact and much lighter than the Prime 4)
  • The speakers are darn good, actually. Much better than on the Mixstream Pro and overall very convenient for fun / spontaneous / outdoor sets, since…
  • … you can also power the entire unit with a powerbank, thanks to the 12VDC input
  • Tilted screen with dedicated, big buttons for menu and lighting
  • Sleek design, good and efficient mixer layout
  • Jog wheels feel nice and have more useful screen info than the P2/P4
  • Linefaders feel better than on the P2/P4
  • Full size and smooth pitch faders with zero-pos LED
  • All outputs covered: RCA, XLR and TRS Booth
  • Big Autoloop encoders (like the SC6000 have)
  • Dedicated track skip and beatjump buttons
  • Full Serato DJ Pro support (unlock device)
  • Proper 4 channels… which devices twice as expensive don’t offer (XZ, cough)
  • All the bells and whistles EngineOS offers (Lighting/DMX, Ableton Link, Streaming…)
  • Compatible with LC6000
  • Fair pricing for what you get

:yellow_square: NEUTRAL:

  • Lack of SSD slot is no dealbreaker, 2x USB + 1x SD is perfectly fine for me and most people. And since my Macbook has a SD slot, transferring music is very convenient. While the P2/P4 require a direct wired connection for sync which is impractical
  • The whole unit is quite flat, hence I raised the feet with a DIY hack
  • The screen is quite small, especially for 4 deck mixing. Switching to 2-deck-active-only mode helps a bit, but the GUI / library needs improvements (example/vote HERE)
  • EFX quality is acceptable, neither great nor bad → has been fixed / much improved!
  • Plastic build, however the quality is good

:red_square: MY CONS:

  • Absolutely no deck color indicators, not even the deck switch buttons have any LED
  • Some buttons, including the performance (!) pads are too hard to press. Dunno how the engineers let that pass. Even the pads on the Mixstream felt better
  • Beat EFX would have greatly benefited from a small, dedicated OLED screen. Now it wastes valuable screen space.
  • There is an AUX-IN, but you can’t prelisten/cue it like on the P2, which ■■■■■ hard and renders it pretty much useless for anything more than an absolute emergency backup. Please VOTE HERE to add this feature!
  • Mediocre Crossfader which is not directly serviceable
  • No Ethernet port
2 Likes
22

No ethernet port is not a problem - usb hubs with ethernet work fine. Tested a 25€ usb dongle with 3 USB ports and LAN port, and it worked good. With my SC6000 (yes, data link, file sharing, ableton link, sync, etc), and also with my Akai Force using Ableton link.

23

Tested this in the past with Mixstream Pro as well. It isn’t officially supported perhaps, but it works as most of these USB-to-ethernet adapters are Realtek based and drivers exist in every OS thinkable.

24

Yes, I am aware (I actually own a Force myself, just didn’t buy + test an adapter yet due to the aforementioned lack of Aux-In CUE). I still would have preferred a dedicated port, considering even the Prime Go features one. But it’s certainly only a minor drawback + another good example of EngineOS’s flexibility.

My overall score for the SC Live 4 would be a 8 out of 10, with the two missing points resulting from the four upmost negative bullets in my list (-0.5 * 4). All in all, I am satisfied.

25

I see that the live series offers a standalone package that includes the use of music streaming services and and offers a little more than basic lightning control in one tight package meant for the new generation of users.

The real “Prosumers” will have to wait for a flagship replacement of the Prime4 which is meant to tick a lot of boxes which some are mentioning here.

26

How confident are we that they are even going to replace the Prime units? some people think this is the direction Denon are moving now and the primes are gone.

27

Nope, in my opinion these are middle tear units, perfectly hitting in the bedroom djs and streamers market that developed during covid times.

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28

Oh i fully agree with your assessment, im just hearing rumblings that they are not going to renew the upper tier market and focus on this kind of stuff.

Some are saying that these SC Live units should have been under the Numark umbrella and not Denon.

I hope its wrong and they do continue to focus on the more professional type of gear.

29

I think they are focused in the right places. SC6000’s are still new and good devices. No need for a newer deck yet. Probably they are working on a more feature packed mixer - this is very needed as the community is not happy with X1800/1850. After new mixer they would focus on upgrading the decks or Prime 4. For now the SC live series perfectly fills the gap in the market.

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30

That would be me. :saluting_face: For me those units are pure Numark and were slapped with Denon branding just for the sake of perceived brand quality and bigger price that a Numark brand could get them.

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31

Hey @MrKooks , my main unit is currently a Traktor S4 Mk3, and considering moving to SC Live 4 due to laptop issues a few times over the years, so you’ve just done similar to I’m about to…

Are the cue/loop bads on the SC Live 4 as bad/stiff as people are saying compared to the Traktor? And is there anything else you miss from the Traktor software/hardware?

I have already demo’d one in a store, but not used it for hours of mixing yet when any real issues would show.

My tinkering side wonders if it’d be easy to open up the unit and swap the pads out for something better or make them more sensitive. There was a good hack for the Akai LPD8 that involved putting a a few layers of tape under the pads that caused them to be closer to the microswitches that actually worked well. (though obviously we shouldn’t be having to do anything like this with +£1000 worth of gear!)