Two new media players from Denon DJ take the best things about the Prime series media players and make them even better. Meet the SC6000 Prime and SC6000M Prime, two new units that have been just announced by Denon DJ moments ago.
As we noted yesterday, it’s NAMM season. NAMM 2020 officially kicks off next Wednesday, and gear news is already in full swing.
Amazing to think that it has nearly been three years since Denon DJ launched their SC5000s and took aim at Pioneer DJ’s media player monopoly. We can safely say that this year, Denon DJ is set to ratchet up the pressure with a barrage of new releases that could make DJs think twice before buying Pioneer gear out of habit.
SC6000: The new Prime Flagship Players
- Gear: SC6000 + SC6000M Prime media players
- Manufacturer: Denon DJ
- Price: $1,499 (preorder from DJTT) and $1,699 (preorder from DJTT)
- Release Date: Early Q2 2020
These are the players take a lot of the learnings that Denon DJ has discovered from their SC5000s and packed them into a newer model. Here’s the biggest feature changes that the SC6000 (and SC6000M) add:
- a larger HD 10.1″ touchscreen (the SC5000s’ display is 7″)
- 8.5” jog wheel with large surface area for platter manipulation (the SC5000s’ is 8″, so a slight increase)
- a darker black design on the unit’s case, buttons, and jogwheel – which looks much sleeker in the initial images
- responsive rubber buttons and performance pads with sophisticated design illumination (these initially look better than the clickier buttons on the SC5000s, but we’ll have to see it first…)
- an internal HDD drive bay to store music onboard (just like on the Prime 4)
- a locking IEC connector for secured power cable
- standalone track preview from the browsing section (this might come to the older models as well, though – since it seems to be software-based)
And of course, it retains all of the original features that the SC5000/M Prime models have:
- Built-in Wi-Fi and wired internet connectivity for music streaming
- Time stretch and musical key change/sync algorithms
- Serato DJ Pro controller mode
- Internal, on-board analysis of music files (including Rekordbox collections)
- Dual-layer playback with independent analog/digital outs
- StagelinQ connection for Event/Pro DJ lighting and video control
- Plays uncompressed audio formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV)
In addition, the SC6000M adds a few more things –
- 8.5” motorized-platter with torque adjustment
- New vinyl design with quick release lock
- Motor spin on/off control
The Features Additions Aren’t Crazy, But It Looks Sexier.
An honest and fair criticism of the first Prime media players was that the SC5000 and Prime 4 both looked toy-like and “plastic” (although in reality, all high-end media players being made these days use a large amount of plastic in their components.
Just look at these players side by side. Someone in Denon DJ clearly got it in their head that more subtle color against darker blacks would make them be taken more seriously.
What about the SC5000s?
Wondering what will happen to the original Prime series SC5000 models? For now, they won’t be discontinued and will remain on sale at the $1,099 price.
Denon DJ also confirms that the older units will continue to receive product updates and support in the future – a relief especially for recent purchasers of the SC5000 series during one of their many price drops.
Want more NAMM 2020 news?
Keep an eye on DJTT – especially this category where all of the new releases and news will be posted.
