When was the last time we heard a major product announcement from Denon DJ? There was the tiny-but-impressive DS1 Serato soundcard at NAMM 2015, but aside from that the company has been silent. But now with an ambiguous new teaser video, it’s clear that Denon DJ is back in business under their new ownership.
Denon DJ in 2016: A Teaser Without Any Details
Yes, there’s a teaser video. It’s ridiculously cryptic and without much meaning, aside from some “stars are aligning in the Mayan calendar” graphics. We’ll have to wait for any real details, but I’ve got some speculation below this video:
The Denon DJ division was purchased by the InMusic group back in April, 2014 (they also own Numark, Akai, M-Audio, Ion, Alesis, and more). What we know for sure about DJ technology companies that work in the InMusic umbrella are:
- They share technologies readily (for example: Akai-style pads on Numark gear)
- They have a close partnership with Serato (Denon historically has been software agnostic, or worked with Virtual DJ)
So what will 2016’s NAMM bring? We’ll have more speculation in the near future, but we can present some of the lay-of-the-land:
- Physical product design: Will Denon continue on the same form factors of DJ controllers they’ve produced in the past (all-in-one MIDI controllers, MC-6000 style)? Or will they start fresh with new designs?
- Keeping Up With Pioneer: For a while, it seemed like a company priority for Denon DJ to out-do or match Pioneer DJ’s feature sets. Pioneer has been on an industry domination spree recently, with forays into digital DJ software, standalone DJ gear, and continuing to update their own hardware products. Denon might have to pick what they want to be better at Pioneer at.
- Software: It has been a while since we’ve heard anything from Denon’s software team, which was responsible for Engine, the sole Rekordbox competitor on the market for their standalone DJ players. Will it make an updated return in new products in 2016, or is it abandonware?
Think you have an idea of what Denon DJ might be up to in 2016? Let us know your speculation in the comments below.
Personally the pioneer sound card and mic pres are junk in the ddj sx not to mention i had to upgrade the crossfader to inofader on it if denon did the this right like in mc6000 it might be a good product personally i rather have something perfected not a leader that i have issues with
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/attachments/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/523996d1452560379-namm-2016-your-predictions-rumors-desires-mcx8000_p145.png
Perhaps a successor to the SC3900? With a proper OLED screen, 4-8 ERGONOMIC hotcues and even better DVS tracking? Crossing fingers!
DENON DJ MC4000?? came out 10/2015 .. great controller ..vastly overlooked
Hieroglyphics and other pointless images… Denon must be Illuminati.
Is Denon DJ invented new designer drug like LSD/PCP/DMT/etc? Teaser is about it.
Dan, you kind of missed the new 4000 that was released at the same time as that DS-1 card you mentioned. That gave far more cues on a possible future direction of Denon than anything else.
Looks like a new CDJ Style platter that lights up like the CDJ line. Though it could be a digital player or all in one controller…
The stars lining up signifies that some project has finally come together.
The ancient architecture signifies Denon’s achievements in the passed.
Seems cool, but unless they offer some sort of new technology that pushes the DJ game forward I probably won’t be interested. We don’t need a product that is on par with Pioneer, we need something that will make Pioneer sweat, and force them to drop those ridiculous price tags.
I love my DNX-1600, can’t wait to see a new mixer from denon
they will abandon just like they abandoned owners of the DNS-3700, by making the engine not working with this potential cd player. I had to sell mine
Different parent companies now.
the need to step there game up with there boring cdjs bigger screen hi reso and color.
the Denon we know (and used to love) is no more…. in music will “Numark” it to death. You can already see the change coming.
Agreed. Numark mixer/platters with Akai style buttons & knobs………
Stand-alone media player, without cd drive, able to play FLAC/ALAC from usb media, HID mode for Serato, hi-res touch screen, some nice Akai pads for performace mode features, cheaper than XDJ1000. would buy that without any hesitation.
What i’d like to see is more of a hardware upgrade than software.
what i mean is that, instead of having the compression of the hardware
soundcards and/or software such as traktor or serato do the EQ mixing
for you, have the DJ still control that. So what I would like to see is
either a multiband EQ for each channel individually as LED, which has
has been becoming more popluar in all-in-one controllers for the track
waveform, or an indivdual meter for each EQ band per channel (which
would likely be more costly).
confusing, i know.
Constellation is a program that analyzes tempo key and phrasing and auto places the best fitting song into the current playing song, based on intensity you want to take the audience you’ll choose the next star in the Constellation
This sounds interesting. Any links to more info on this?
Constellation is in alpha right now. I’ll get you on the list
it seems to me that there are round objects spinning a few times in this video – so spinning platters on a controller? also, the “stars aligning” to me means that the news is something they’ve been working with others on for some time – and its finally come together. maybe an all in one like xdj rx but with serato or vdj software (or a beefed up Engine as noted in the article)? or maybe they’re just over-hyping a controller or mixer that really is nothing new.
Maybe online collaboration…