Why I will not buy a Prime 4 after testing

Hi guys, Just got back from a two hour test on the denon dj prime 4. What a amazing machine, also what you get for your money. Wow! I work as a allround dj and play songs from all genre’s and mix or mash them up the whole night. I do this really fast, switching tracks around a minute. For me the reason to use sync so I can focus on cool transitions instead of bpm matching. Now here is the problem. When a track is playing on the prime 4 everytime you load a new track you have to punch the sync button (on the loaded deck) so it’s lit up and activated. On the XDJ-RX2 it does this automaticly. Pioneer has a master clock or tempo. Everything you do will be in sync when quantize is activated. In prime it does not. Not only on loading tracks but also when you play with the loops or hotcue’s on the performing pads. I tried it many times. When a track is playing on deck A and sync is on you must turn sync on the new deck everytime you load a new song. But when you use a stored hotcue or loop, everytime after pressing it you must push the sync button again to stay in sync with the masterdeck. Why??? On the XDJ-RX2 I can do whatever I want. If a track is playing on deck A I load a new track on deck B and it will sync. Because sync was already on and stays on. Even if deck A is playing and I will start the new track on deck B with a stored loop or hotcue; nomatter what I do or if I miss my beat it will jump to the grid of the mastertempo (deck A) because sync is on and everyting is quantized. So; Denon DJ Crew or forum: How can we fix this? How can we have a mastertempo or clock? So everything we do and stays in sync when enabled? Thank you…

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Thank heaven for the prime 4 NOT making every track played over a whole set the same bpm as the first track - I’ve heard those sort of sets at amateur nights, with some songs getting automatically sped up or slowed down beyond belief and beyond tolerance, my tolerance at least.

Hurrah for human influence and choice at the track loading stage.

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I think that’s down to the DJ and not the gear. You can still have variations of bpm in a DJ set with sync in use.

A typical bar gig when I use sync can go from 65bpm to 140bpm.

Play a few tracks locked to 65, move up to 70, then 80 then 90 etc.

“amateur nights”…plural…meaning you went to a few…you must have liked something :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

No reason why this cant be a feature request. Whilst I like control over when i use sync there is no reason why there cant be a “sync on load” option for folks that use it.

Same here as well. Why I still use Serato exclusively with a controller. Right tool for the right job. I’m not hauling 2 SC5000M and a mixer to a gig that I can do perfectly well with a 2 channel controller and a Macbook pro.

#LiveandLetLive

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Hey @D-Creator, thanks for posting! I agree with @mufasa on your quote:

This totally should be a Feature Request! Too bad that you won’t be getting a PRIME 4 for yourself, but your Feature Request can help other DJs that do have it or are going to get one. Help out the Denon DJ community and submit here: https://community.enginedj.com/c/feature-requests/prime-4

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This only happens on the SC5000 if the tracks are not analyzed, were you using pre analyzed tracks?

Never say never. Lol.

@D-Creator may change his mind later in the future.

Whilst I don’t have any plans for the Prime 4 now, I’m quite happy to see that the uptake has been mostly positive…with the obvious teething issues.

It a joy to see other styles of djing being catered to by Denon because if I’m going to be the honest…the SC5000 appears to be more suited for certain style of djs/djing.

Now we are seeing requests for automix, parallel waveforms, tracks suggestions etc…I bet the purist are going into an overdrive of disdain and absolute meltdown.

To all the purist (ie lock out the sync, use your ears, export only 25 songs, why do you need 90k tracks in your library etc)…brace yourself for more requests lol.

There is room for everyone!

It’s my hope that this Denon DJ Prime boat can accommodate most if not all styles of djs.

:v:t5:

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sync is for amateurs. moreover, not all tracks are cleanly gridded. then you have to intervene anyway. sorry but that with the focus on the transitions is an excuse. as a dj you know your tracks and you have a good sense of rhythm to play the track when starting the track so that it needs only a small turn of the jog wheel to play the song perfectly.

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You are so right @mufasa but I didn’t actually use the word ‘never’ haha

The cheap beer :beer:

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If taking the half second it takes to press a button after loading a tune (which is something which may be alleviated in a later update through feature requesting) is what is keeping you from buying a piece of gear, there is something else behind your buyer’s remorse.

What is the real reason you are not buying the Prime4?

That aside, you need to check out Nicro, if you want to see someone who mixes 4 decks on the Prime Series (2 X SC5000 and X1800) without using sync. He loads and mixes in tracks within 16 bars of each other at 174 bpm.

At a wedding? Bar? Pub? Sweet Sixteen? Bar Mitzvah? Strip club?

:stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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maybe he‘s working for pioneer?!?

That’s my question too.

On the Prime 4, sync stays on when your tracks are analyzed in Engine Prime indeed. So no issues whatsoever with Sync. Tested it with 4 decks simultaneously and works excellent!

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Exactly! lol

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YouTube, Twitch :-p

Hi @D-Creator,

If the track has been analysed then sync will stay on track after track.

If the song has not been analysed then the unit will turn SYNC off as the BPM at the stage is unknown.

To get the best from sync, and indeed many of the features on PRIME 4 and the SC range, I’d strongly recommend pre-analysing all of your music in advance.

Thanks J

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Guys guys guys. Just because someone uses sync or dont like the Prime 4 doesnt mean hes a Amateur or works for Pioneer thats just typical Fanboy speak. I dont use sync but i can bet my life that hes a better DJ then me but in the long run its up to him what DJ equipment he uses and how he uses. Thx @D-Creator for the post and i hope in the future you give the Prime 4 another go and see if there as been any changes. For the Fanboys in here well you keep up the good Fanboyism lolz

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Thanks Jay for your answer. I tested it with 2 usb sticks with analyzed rekordbox tracks. The prime 4 did his own analyizing very fast. And all the stored loops/cue’s were there. When analysed I tought it all will be good. So your telling me you should always pre-analyse everyting in the prime software if you don’t want sync or other issues. So no matter what you do by hitting hotcue’s or loops the track will stay in sync ones activated? I will return to the store later this week and will bring pre-analyzed prime tracks. If it all works fine I will be getting a prime 4.

Thanks for all other comments. Sync is for amateurs is not a real discussion here. Are you telling people who are using automatic transmission in their car that they are not really drivers? I started my career 20 years ago using vinyl, so I know where I came from. The focus on this topic should be that Denon is competing with the Pioneer gear for many years now. Which is great. And I love what they did now releasing the prime 4. But comparing it with a same sort of controller like the xdj-rx it is not working proberly when using sync testing it. On the release of the xdj-rx I reported some bugs to Pioneer that were all fixed in de firmupdate after that. They and a lot of dj’s were very happy with the this feedback. Stay positive and there is room for all kind of dj’s. If you want to work like the old skool times using no waveforms, beatgrids or perparing your tracks in rekordbox youre more than welcome. And if youre really that serious about it??? Start dj-ing without any cuepoints, hotcue’s and loops. And if you are a mobile dj just bring a mirrorball to your gigs instead of soundactivated dmx light fixtures. :wink:

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Hi to all. I am from australia to be precise Perth western australia. I am the first and the only one at this stage in my state to purchase the Prime 4. I’ve only had for 3 weeks and loving it. Personally for me most of the time I don’t use Sync. I love the challenge and keeps things interesting but I have used it on the odd occasion however if D-Creator and others do that doesn’t mean they are amateurs or not true DJ’S. Each to there own whatever makes you happy. The way I see it I am not here to critcise and be negative. I believe that we are all passionate about being a DJ and we are all here to learn on this forum. Peace