X1800 Mixer initial thoughts: "Completely satisfied"

I think you’ll be very pleased with X1800. For myself, I love not having to use an external networking switch and the benefits of networking the Prime together such as airtight FX sync and Cue light colors that match the color of their respective SC5000. :slight_smile:

The EQ’s sound fabulous (as do the FX) and the filter is buttery smooth–it doesn’t sound fatiguing at all. What I really appreciate are the many (many!) options “under the hood” when you start menu diving: from filter resonance to crossover frequency defining, there’s a ton of options for advanced users wanting to customize their mixer.

While there are a few things I hope to see with future updates, I’m completely satisfied with my investment.

Another reason for wanting the X1800 is, I get in the move for cutting and scratching and I have to swap out the A&H DB4 to my Pioneer S9. I can always swap out the A&H crossfader with a innofader, but I could never do that to a good house mixer like that. Do you you think the crossfader on the X1800 can handle the wear and tear without lag?

The crossfader is terrific. It has a nice feel/weight to it. It feel like a quality fader, not a cheap plastic feeling toy. The stock resistance in the fader is satisfying, you can flick it with your finger and watch it bounce back slightly after hitting the end point. :slight_smile: And if you wish to have more resistance, that’s a user-serviceable adjustment (another plus). Keep in mind that’s also just my opinion and while I do scratch/cut/etc., I’m by no means a jedi turntablist/DJ Craze-esque performer, so your mileage may very. When compared to the competition, this fader is light years better.

While only time will tell, given the solid construction and thought put into the mixer and its guts, I would be surprised if it was unable to handle the wear and tear.

I received my X1800 yesterday and I got it all hook up.:grinning: One thing I have to say is, this mixer has some weight, which is rare in these days and time with all the new mixer being digital. Second is, wow this mixer has some low end warmth to it. I didn’t get to fool around with it much and I try to keep the music down on weekdays to keep peace in the house. So I was listening to tracks in my headphones. I must say I’m impress so far. This is my first Denon mixer. I came so close to purchasing the X1500 and X1700 in the past. I own many model decks, but never pull the trigger on the mixers.

When It comes to effects, I am very picky or finicky. At the same time forgiving. I started djing in high school in the 80’s and I always use external effects. Most of the old analog mixer didn’t have effects built in and I got into purchasing guitar pedals and rack effects, like the alesis microverb and the alesis midiverb to sweeting my mixes. So I’m spoiled when it comes to echo, delays, flanges and reverb effects. I like my effects to have a stereo image with warmth that send the frequency of your tracks to new dimension. Not layer on top of them. Most mixers with built in effects sound mono and lifeless to me. That’s why I love my A&H DB4, because it has built in studio effects, which some of them are weak. I also own and use external effects like the Kaoss pad 2, 3, 3+ and the Pioneer EFX-1000. True story, when Pioneer released the DJM-2000 mixer. I purchase it, thinking the effects would sound as good or better as the EFX-1000 and was so disappointed. I return it in two days, I purchase the RMX-1000 and returned it. I own a $400 Behringer DDM4000 mixer, that have decent sounding effects for the price. Another good mixer I use to own, was the Vestax PMC 580 Pro. Had good sounding effects and the filters was outstanding, but the bpm counter was all over the place and killed long use of delay and echoes.

I didn’t get to deep into the X1800 effects, but the sweep effects seem fun to quickly throw in. As guys here mention before, the bpm efx on/off button and the touch strip needs to be post delayed. Even the setting on the cheap Behringer DDM4000 had the option to long fade the flange, filter, echo, and phaser after triggering off the the effects button. No mixer with on board effects, should not have post faders or post on/off buttons. I return the Pioneer DDJ-SZ controller after one week, because the controller didn;t have post faders. Well the wekend is here and it’s going to be a good one. I get to explore the X1800 with no hassle and really see what the mixer has to offer.

I also create tracks to and if you get time. Check them out here–>>>https://soundcloud.com/heavie486

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With the 2 SC5000 I use a Pioneer DJM 900SRT, and for me it’s a great mixer, nothing to say! But the x1800 begins to call me … but if I should buy it, I will have to sell the Pioneer, and I would really like to feel sorry. Mah we’ll see …

Hold on to your present mixer, until you’re sure the X1800 is right for you.

Lord have mercy, I got around to messing around the X1800 a bit yesterday and fool with the crossfader lag. Boy oh boy Lostnthesound, you were right again my friend. I didn’t doubt you, but I wasn’t prepared for the fader to be this good. This fader feel and cut better than my pioneer S9. Sharp and tight when I chirp. Like hearing the finger dragging sound when a guitarist play. Did I mention, I love the warmth sound of this mixer.

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Don’t expect it to last a lifetime, it’s a contact fader after all. If you’re a scracher, change it to a innofader before the flex fader goes bad.

Yes for now. I’m still going to keep my other mixers for backup, in case I have major problem with the X1800.

I never owned a mixer with a flex fader. If the flex fader is a contact fader, then it’s the best contact fader that I came cross. I do have the original innofader from many years ago, ready to take the flex faders place if the fader start bleeding. I hope it’s compatible with the x1800. I will hate to buy another innofader, when I got a perfect good one collecting dust,

Since it hasn’t even been out for a year, we should perhaps hold off on judgement of the crossfader’s durability . Yes, it’s a contact fader and presumably will succumb to some wear and tear–but I’m willing to bet that, unless you’re scratching multiple hours a day every single day of the week, you’ll get a significant amount of life from it. In addition, it’s user servicable so you can’t replace it yourself with either a new flex fader…or perhaps an innofader if your heart desires. :slight_smile:

In the meantime, enjoy the mixer, I sure as hell am.

Flex fader is present in Denon mixers since the X1600 was released in…2010? But yeah, I would agree is that it’s a shame many DJ out there will only now see how great it is.

Apologies for the misunderstanding. I was referring to the unit as a whole, not just the Flex Fader–I should have communicated a bit better. Nonetheless, your point is still a good one. :beers:

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The build is solid, fader and all little bits have held up amazingly. Still, the mixer does not send “midi start” command as it should (whether or not that matters to you), and the effects are not as dialed as they could be.

If the effects are super important, or syncing other gear to the mixer, hold off a moment while they iron out the kinks.

That said, it sounds great and it integrates into the SC5000s perfectly. It’s a sweet mixer. It just isn’t “perfect” yet.

truth be told i dont think there is a perfect anything really. whats spot on for one person wont be that 100% for the guy or girl standing next to them.

its like effects. effects are just a way of making something sound different to the way it sounds when the effects are off . so with that in mind any and every effect is doing its job 100%. what someone thinks as an effect that doesnt sound good to them, well that effect could be the best effect ever. like reverbs, some reverbs sound very platey like your listening to something in a small submarine, some reverbs sound like a big old church, some others sound like a someones glued on some bouncy springs onto a loudspeeker. Which reverb is wrong ? Answer ? none of them is wrong - at least thats what I think.

It’s true that subjectivity exists. It’s also true that they could solve the “which reverb is perfect” problem by offering the different types you described (each category) - but I doubt any dj mixer will offer all of the various reverb categories any time soon. One can wish! Really, I judge the Denon effects with 20 years of dj mixer comparisons. I like the overall package. Their effects are not as musically useful (my opinion, but not only mine) as others in the category. Their idea of placing more creativity on the players (slicer, looper) is great. I just hope the mixer gets a few tweaks to bring it fully up to speed. I often max the internal DSP on the mixer and get a warning message, which doesn’t occur on other similar mixers with the same processes running, for example.