My point wasn’t about DVS particularly, but about the broader “computer software” side. InMusic, as an umbrella, already maintains a wide range of software: Engine DJ OS, Engine DJ Desktop, InMusic Software Center (AKAI/AIR), BFD Drums, MixMeister DAW, Moog Effects, and SoundSwitch lighting software.
Given these ‘in-house’ capabilities, it doesn’t seem far-fetched that the computer-based side of Engine DJ could evolve beyond its current role as limited preparation software into a more mature platform that actively supports live performance (similar to Serato, Algoriddim DJ etc)
Denon delivering units capable of the best stand-alone experience in the market, doesn’t mean relying for everything on the stand alone unit. Extended experiences (bigger screen, realtime stems, other future process heavy features) might be delivered by additional hardware in the form of a computer. Serato has +2 million users, if I were inMusic i would like a slice of that pie. With EngineDJ the company has already developed the live performance capabilities. Why not extending it to pc platform and increase potential user base (standalone support, controller support) and therefore revenue.
It’s already possible to connect the units to established DJ software for “extended experiences”. Why go to the effort of creating another new software when VirtualDJ, Serato, Traktor, Rekordbox and djay Pro already exist (and the main purpose is to NOT use DJ software)?
IMO they don’t need a slice of the DJ software pie because they’ve made a standalone pie.
Because it’s a full revenue stream funding the development for each of those products, except EngineDJ. Those products (and related controllers) are competition.
Let me pls contribute my humble thought (s) and I only can talk about the Prime 4 / Prime 4+:
ENGINE DJ is a software to prepare your tracks / playlists and so on at your desktop. It has some tools (e. g. smartlist, metronome for testing purposes). My finished work I transport via USB to P4 (and backwards for improvement).
P4 / P4+ contains in the delivery scope a key to unlock “Serato” (I never used till yet, but it is planed).
P4 / P4+ has an interface to different software imo eg: Serato, Recordbox, VDJ …, to handle the P4 / P4+ as controller
—> imo the P4 / P4+ are “hybrids”
For my next gig we are thinking about a B2B solution as follows:
My colleague is working via laptop and a Hercules or Numark (or something like that)
I will work via P4+ in the standalone modus.
We will connect both equipments with a MOTU M4 or have to shutdown the P4+ to change from standalone to laptop and vice versa. Then my colleague can handle the P4+ with his software on his laptop.
(My biggest whish for next christmas -2026- no longer to shutdown the system when changing between the gears *lol* )
But at the moment it is possible to handle the P4 / P4+ both ways.
What I discovered very early on using my Prime 4 is that you can run a signal through the line input of the mixer while rebooting/switching modes, and the audio is not interrupted.
Considering I’d normally have a backup source with me at gigs (even if it’s my phone) IMO this method is easy and therefore acceptable.
this is good news and I think everybody of the skilled DJ’s have some tricks to save the evening
As back up solution I prepared a rd 6 hours gig on an USB-Stick on the lap top.
When the gear fails, I send the signal from the lap top to Motu M4 and from there to the PA system.
So I’m independent and can jump in at the point, where the gear flopped.
Quite curious how you handle the headphone que across multi-system assuming you want to achieve B2B with multiple switches with bpm matching during the set.
Isn’t this the new feature from the Rane One system?
let me pls. explain: B2B are two independent systems (standalone and controller). The output of these gears are the input in to the Motu M4 and the signal of systems are “put together” in the Motu.
This mixed signal is send as the Motu’S output as the input in to the PA-Environment.
If there are any more questions, pls. feel free to ask.
Rane One I don’t know, but if it works on this gear, phps it will work on other gears as DENON’S earliest convenience.
Yes, so lets say you put on song A at the P4. Your dj partner wants to play song B at the numark. Song A / master output is not available at the numark device at headphone level. So i am interested how you handle beat mixing between systems (or just fade echo out? )
Example of the weakness in the current EngineDJ ecosystem proposition. Imagine Buying an additional small unit next to the mix stream pro from the same brand..these Numark products force you to exit EngineDJ as App/performance desktop mode is missing.
