The new MPCe pads read pressure and position to cover Hot Cues, Stems, FX and lighting from a single pad, backed by an 8-core processor and a 10.1-inch touchscreen.
Denon DJ has updated its all-in-one standalone controller with the PRIME 4 G2, a four-channel, four-deck system that runs without a laptop and now handles Stems, lighting and a redesigned set of performance pads on board. It follows the original PRIME 4, a regular sight in mobile, club and event booths, and adds the kind of tools that used to mean bringing extra hardware or software along.
Denon PRIME 4 G2
- 4-channel, 4-deck standalone system, no laptop required
- 16 MPCe velocity- and pressure-sensitive multi-zone pads with 3D-sensing
- Onboard Stems rendering with Instrumental/Acapella buttons, Stem FX and Stem Level EQ
- Built-in 3-pin DMX lighting control via SoundSwitch, plus Philips Hue and Nanoleaf
- Full-size 8-inch jog wheels with LED displays and a 10.1-inch HD touchscreen
- 8-core ARM processor and 4GB RAM, four times the previous generation
- OmniSource playback from USB, SD and optional internal SATA, plus Serato, djay and VirtualDJ (coming soon)
- Wi-Fi streaming from Amazon Music Unlimited, Apple Music, Beatport, SoundCloud Go+ and TIDAL
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The headline update is the MPCe pads, a set of 16 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads that Denon calls a first for a standalone system. Using 3D-sensing, each pad reads position as well as pressure, so a single pad can cover more than one job across Hot Cues, Stems, Rolls, FX and lighting, which Denon reckons quadruples the triggering options over a standard pad.
Stems rendering runs on the hardware itself, with dedicated Instrumental and Acapella buttons, Stem FX and a Stem Level EQ for pulling a track apart live. Lighting is built in as well, through a 3-pin DMX output powered by SoundSwitch that drives a rig directly with no dongle or laptop, and hands control of colour, position, strobe and intensity to the pads, with Philips Hue and Nanoleaf supported for smaller setups.
An 8-core ARM processor and 4GB of RAM give the G2 four times the processing power of the first PRIME 4, for quicker library navigation and smoother Stems work, alongside full-size 8-inch jog wheels with LED displays, redesigned dual-rail faders and a 10.1-inch multi-touch screen. Denon’s OmniSource architecture moves between saved media and software including Serato DJ Pro, Algoriddim djay and VirtualDJ, though that software support is coming soon rather than at launch.
inMusic DJ Brands Product Manager Jason Stout, who DJs events, says the G2 gives DJs “the freedom to shape both the music and the atmosphere without missing a beat.”
The PRIME 4 G2 is available now, with the software side of OmniSource due to follow.
