NAMM 2017: Denon DJ VL12 Prime turntable

Now you see it, now you don't. But now Denon DJ's new turntable has reached its final form, and the VL12 Prime fits right in with its new siblings.

Denon DJ VL12 Prime turntable (5)

Denon DJ VL12 Prime turntable (5)

I’m getting a massive feeling of Déjà vu. I’m absolutely certain I’ve been here before… maybe even twice. Yes I have. We saw the first incarnation of this at last year’s NAMM, and fell in love with it. AND THEN IT TURNED UP AT DJ Expo, but had lost some of its cool black stealth. Denon DJ decided to buck the Hanpin trend and build their own turntable. And here we are, one year later with an updated VL12 Prime (scroll to the bottom of the page).

HEre’s what Denon DJ has to say about this refreshed VL12:

Denon DJ VL12 Prime turntable (1)

DENON® DJ VL12 PRIME DIRECT DRIVE TABLE STUNS DJ MARKET  WITH UNMATCHED COMBINATION OF PERFORMANCE, BUILD AND  LOOKS 

Newest offering combines ‘must-­have’ DJ features like highest-­in-­industry torque, adjustable  pitch, isolation feet, dramatic RGB lighting with professional-­grade metal construction

Cumberland RI, USA (January 9, 2017)—Denon DJ (www.denondj.com), a leading manufacturer of  premium DJ products and solutions, today announced the introduction of its new VL12 Prime direct-­ drive professional DJ turntable. Recognizing the unfulfilled need in the DJ marketplace for a no-­ compromise, all original-­tooled turntable that combines the superb isolation, audio performance and  rugged construction that are so important to the demanding professional DJ, the Denon DJ VL12  Prime carves out an absolutely unique niche for itself in this dynamic and vital market segment. It’s the  ultimate DJ turntable that professionals have hoped for, but it’s actually obtainable.

The VL12 Prime was designed and built from the ground up by Denon DJ to be the ideal professional  DJ turntable. With heavy-­duty all-­metal construction and adjustable torque to fit any DJ style, the VL12  Prime cuts, scratches, and blends any music to perfection. Under the turntable are four special  isolation feet, enabling the VL12 to resist vibration from almost any environmental source, even in very  loud settings.  Pitch is adjustable over a very wide range, from ±8% to ±50%, so the DJ can achieve  the perfect tonal effect. Switchable Low and High torque settings ensure the ideal start-­up with any  record, and the precise S-­shaped tone arm tracks any record perfectly, extracting every last bit of  musical impact and detail. For a perfect finishing touch, the platter is ringed with RGB lighting, with  custom control of brightness and color. This is a one-­of-­a-­kind turntable with striking looks to match its  extraordinary performance and build quality.

Key Features  

  • Isolation feet eliminate unwanted vibration and feedback
  • Highest-­in-­industry 5kgf/cm torque on “High” setting
  • Innovative ‘easy grip/brake’ chamfered platter redefines tactile DJ touch
  • Isolated motor design, for optimal signal-­to-­noise ratio
  • S-­shaped tone arm for accurate tracking
  • Reinterpreted tone arm support with dual-­function ‘lock or rest’ feature
  • Rugged all-­metal tone arm base and high-­quality brushed metal controls
  • 2-­speed operation 33 1/3rd and 45 RPM (45 RPM adapter included)
  • Adjustable pitch range: ±8%, 16%, 50%
  • Built-­in RGB lighting illuminates platter’s edge
  • Color selection and brightness controls

“The new VL12 Prime is a huge win for DJs seeking the best in audio performance, platter torque and  unique looks,” said Ross Goodwin, Product Manager for Denon DJ. He added, “The modern design,  and customizable light ring leaves no doubt that this is an original;; not an OEM copy turntablists are used to seeing. Most importantly the isolation design and ability to still sound great in loud bass-­heavy  environments are exactly what DJs have needed in this decade.”

U.S. retail pricing for the VL12 Prime is $899.00

Availability is Q1 2017.

Denon DJ VL12 Prime turntable (2)

So what’s new… again?

As mentioned above, we’ve been here before. But I can see why it was held back and made part of Denon DJ’s bigger Prime strategy. But I’m reasonably sure it’s more or less the same turntable, just with an updated look.

I’d bullet point the key features, but it’s all detailed above, leaving me with not a great deal to talk about. I suppose ti should pick out  the things that makes this stand out above the crowded market dominated by Hanpin derivatives:

  • Variable torque: It’s hard for some to deal with a platter that pulls you along with the record, and at 5kg, this is the highest (albeit by a small amount) torque on the market.
  • A different platter: I love the platters on my TTX1s, and equally love that Denon dared to be different.
  • RGB lighting: It may seem gimmicky, but that platter outer ring light is very cool indeed. We only saw it under bright trade show lights at NAMM and it was still good. And the fact that you can adjust it to your DJ brand is valuable in a brand-led age.

I have to say that I’m disappointed at the aesthetic changes. The original we saw was pure DJ porn, but now it’s like so many other turntables. Sorry guys — you played it a bit too safe here. Perhaps it’s the renders — maybe I’ll feel differently when I see them in the flesh. It’s not just me — this is a DJWORX team opinion.

Me? I couldn’t happier with my 13 year old TTX1s. Now if Denon DJ had “Primed” those instead, and essentially reskinned a TTXUSB with its interchangeable arms, dual start/stops buttons, brake/startup adjusts, swappable controls, huge display, reverse, and USB… now that I would pay top money for. I may just have to get another pair before they disappear completely.

For the more numbers driven people out there — sorry, but I can’t find any specs for the VL12 Prime. I’m sure they’ll be published in due course.

And so to price. £649/$899 is very expensive in today’s market. It’s half the price of the new Technics SL-1200GR, but that’s not aimed at DJs. The comparison you’re looking for is the Pioneer DJ PLX-1000, which is £529/$699. This price is the top end of current DJ turntablry, and that was derided when it came out at £599.

I don’t know how popular the PLX has been, but I do know that it’s generally not especially well thought of, largely down to this teardown video from Bright Pixel. His advice was to stick with Technics, so it’ll be interesting to see what he makes of the VL12 Prime. I don’t have to state that this is quite a premium to pay for what on the surface is little more than aesthetics. But this is an all new turntable with expensive tooling to pay for. So Denon DJ really needs to keep its fingers and toes crossed that people will fall in love with it and pay the premium. Denon fans are very loyal that way though.

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Mark Settle
Mark Settle

The old Editor of DJWORX - you can now find Mark at WORXLAB

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88 Comments

  2. Turntables…the only dj gear which hasn’t really evolved since more than 40 years !!!
    I can see only 3 turntables which were really innovative:
    – Vestax Controller 1
    – Numark TTX
    – (in some way) Reloop RP8000
    All that bulky, analogical, consumable stuff just to play DVS…
    Do turntablists really not want laptop free feature, smaller but pratical platter, lighter piece of gear, get ride of needle cartridge while keeping real vinyl …?
    I and most of vinyl lovers already own turntables…we want something new (portablism is a good example) that extends our passion…not something which reinvents the wheel !
    Now because of the current market, in one hand djs want innovative players with big static platters to scratch (no sense for me !!!) but don’t want motorized platter (the price is not an excuse when they spend such money on pioneer stuff). On the other hand, djs want basic turntables because it’s real djing (really???). There no place for djs who want motorized platter with vinyl feeling and cool features ? Isn’t a logical move ? Isn’t the reason why Denon DJ has loyal users ?
    But now, more than ever, it’s all about marketing and money…

  4. skratch dj’s should glue together and make crowdfunded turntable with separated ultra pitch and fine pitch (like pdx had), straight (or interchangeable) arm and other turntablist friendly features, because these companies don’t give f*ck about what we need. They ignore us for years (except Vestax, but that had build quality issues)…

    • It’s not that they don’t care, because I know the guys that make Dj gear and they’d love to go crazy. But it’s a matter of economics.

      The Numark TTX1 came out around 14 years ago, and had all the features and more that a turntablist wants. But we’re in an entirely different time now, and to make such a thing from new in today’s DJ market and economy is a different thing completely.

      • I agree, Mark.. but isn’t it kinda vicious circle? I personally wouldn’t buy anything that doesn’t have features i need, just because it is cheapier…
        So for now i stick with my pair of TTX’s and will pray that somebody will bring something REALLY innovative, not just a facelifts…

        • Here’s a question for you — what innovation can anyone possibly bring to a turntable in a market that cannot break itself free from the Technics blueprint? What more could you possibly want your turntables to do?

          • everything vestax pdx 3000 did already (how many years ago?) – but better built (no wobbling platter, no cracking sounds of plastics, rubber coat on the bottom of the platter etc.) :)
            Controller One is good inspiration as well (the real musical instrument)
            Or numark TTX with slightly improved UI (I would put 33 and 45 buttons near Start/Stop button, like on other TT’s, to play melodies easier)…

            • It doesn’t worth the effort since scratch djs notice latency and keep themselves with analog vinyl meanwhile non-scratch djs just don’t care about motorized platters. The in between target doesn’t worth the cost of r&d… but you can do it by yourself!
              Just add midi/hid cappabilities to a regular turntable. Some inspiration:

              http://www.digitalvertigo.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=39599

              http://www.digitalvertigo.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=39494

              • Denon Dj was in the right direction with the sc3900, but has fallen in the big competition because of (thanks to ?) inMusic …
                Surprisingly my little finger says me Denond DJ will not turn his back to its core fans/users (aka motorized platter lovers) and will probably see a Sc5900 (more likely sc5700 with a 7″ vinyl) paired withe a scratch mixer, or a Ns7 successor, once Denon DJ will be taken seriously by the djing/market scene after the success of this sc5000 prime.

              • just on a side note: the latency with my Traktor setup is somewhere around 0. I used to prefer analog scratch records but over time i got more and more used to the DVS and now they´re equal to me. Only real difference is when you do slow drags or this kind of stuff but that´s an issue with sound quality and not latency.

                • Somewhere around zero but it could be zero, which for most users has not incidence but for others is a micro-lag (or almost they argue that). I’m glad you find useful your setup to this point but these “compromise” (it’s not zero) blowed in water most products to these people (target).
                  Unnecessary? Outdated? Well I have my opinion but I was trying to point which I’ve learnt from hearing users and powerusers. That’s it.

          • Good point Mark. Fact is every single turntable will be compared against the SL1200 and for the majority of DJ’s, the 12 IS THE turntable. I’ve had my share, ttx, PDX, Stanton and I always go right back to the standard, good ol’ boring, reliable, work horse tank, SL1200.
            With the plethora of DVS options available, I don’t need a deck to ha e 50℅ pitch options because the DVS already supplies those options for me

            • Indeed. DVS has nuked many of the usual tenets of turntable usage. Straight arm for stability? Relative mode mate. Spherical vs elliptical needles? Doesn’t matter now, as long as the control signal plays, anything will do.

          • I would need more speed options where I can stick with the +-8% while have no GAP between the speeds.
            Even longer pitch fader probably, or one from the Vestax QFO…..
            There shold be a big bunch of things there.
            Someone should make a new motor that have magnets at the platter’s edge, many of them. and many coils in “Axial Flux” method.
            Much lighter and stronger result, waaaaay better spec, more accurate speed control.

            Standalone DVS things on Linux base.

            Modular design, so everyone can get that is important (even the motorized feature, since most of the younger DJs never had vinly at there hands.)

            The other features also can be long, but these should e the first ones

          • ” in a market that cannot break itself free from the Technics blueprint” . That pretty much sums up the whole dilemma… When we continue to only see the turntable as a music player, then there is absolutely nothing new a manufacturer could add to the table.
            I said it before, the time is more than ripe to promote the turntable as a music production/sounddesign tool. In that case you can add tons of new feature to keep things interesting… for example let the timecode control a parameter of a synthesizer or the modulation of a parameter. Some people are already exploring this but with a hardware setup, combine this with the flexibility of a software synth and you have a whole new world to discover right in front of your hands. And that is just one example top off the head…
            And you don´t need to be a hardcore turntablist with 10+ years of experience to discover new and interesting sounds with a tool like that.

            But even adding a simple MIDI connection to a standard turntable seems to be asked too much. It doesn´t change the design of the turntable and if you don´t need it it won´t change a thing and it can´t be too expensive either… If a single person like Backtrack can offer a kit to get such a feature for 60€, then a big company can do it without taking any risks at all.
            But let´s play it safe instead and market minor improved (if at all) specs as revolutionary yet another time.

  8. I think Denon saw what Pioneer was getting away with and priced it accordingly. That and the fact that they went all OG instead of Hanpin, but I can’t say that it justifies the price.

    Also, would Numark even think of bringing back their TTX1? They put everything in there and I was in awe when I saw it, then bummed when people said they were overheating, then excited again when I heard they fixed it but didn’t need new turntables as usual.

  9. the platter looks great..im a little concerned about the tonearm it looks the same as the older Gemini turntables.

    its almost the same price as a 1200G, is the SN ratio +70db?
    is the wow flutter 0.025%?

  12. Kudos to Denon for not going down the same old OEM road, it’s a breath of fresh air for sure! But considering the lengths they’ve gone to its a bit of dull effort in the grand scheme of things.

    I’d guess that the majority of the market this table is aimed at will be more than happy that it covers the basics at a high standard but for me personally a few extra tweaks could of made this something to get excited about.

    As a Vestax PDX fan boy I can’t stand the ultra pitch method that OEM and this denon deck uses, + -50% range is to coarse for that length of pitch fader and limits some tricks you can do. A small rotary above the pitch fader to set the range rather than 3 buttons would be a lot more useful to tablists. Granted, tempo range buttons can be made use of (Kentaro IDA showcase) but I’m to sold on Vestax ultra pitch method.

    For me the perfect modern vinyl turntable would be something in between a PDX 3000 and a STR8-150. 5pin din/USB in for Midi note platter control, USB out, Line out, solid construction, straight tone arm, ultra pitch range POT (and….no platter lights thank you very much )

    Add all the above up on a newly machined non OEM deck and I think you’d shut a lot of grumpy turntablists up. I’d happily buy new decks if they had the right features…..but for now I gotta hope my ageing plastic PDX 3000’s keep on trucking.

  13. I just canceled my order with decks.coc.uk, for these decks, as i found something that worried me, denon have said they have designed these decks from ground up, and it’s NOT from hanpin and definatly NOT a super OEM, however why does it have HANPIN tonearm? exactly the same one as Pioneer PLX 500, Audio Technica LP120, Omnitronic DD2250, ?

    • Time to clear up some misinformation that’s being put about in the comments. I have a whole story in the works about this but briefly…

      OEM means “original equipment manufacturer”, and is the term given to a factory that makes a set of core products or parts for use across a range of brands. Very few DJ manufacturers have their own factories, and contract the work out to existing factories to make stuff for them. Technically, most DJ gear could be classed as OEM. Super OEM is a term coined (and I still need to find out where) for the Hanpin 5500 base model.

      Hanpin makes 95% of the DJ turntables in the market. There are two models — the 3560 (low end) and the 5500 (high end). Hanpin will tweak designs to customer requirements to make them different, but more often than not, they remain true to the base design. Pioneer DJ made the PLX-1000 tonearm sufficiently different from the pack to get closer to Technics, but it’s clearly still a Hanpin OEM product.

      Numark has (to the best of my knowledge) used the Yahorng factory. If you look at the TT-500 and TTX designs, there are no similarities to the Hanpin models at all, and it’s only the TT250USB that sticks closer to Yahorng’s DJ 2300 OEM base model.

      I’m sure that Denon DJ is using Yahorng to manufacture, and while they may be using a small number of off the shelf Yahorng components, you can see that their tonearm is not the same as Hanpin’s models. It’s a totally different platter, motor, and chassis too.

      To me it looks to be more or less an original Denon DJ product. While an OEM is making it and possibly using some existing components, it’s all Denon DJ design.

      The enclosed graphic should help clear up a few misconceptions.

      https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5cb6b419bca163788bf963f929d01219498627165b4ef21c73689b7860711784.jpg

      • Worst than Hanpin.
        A good club turntable today = technics. Old or new. Insulation, quality materials, minimalist design and stability. Still waiting for the specs of this ugly piece of plastic with disgusting lights. I expect alot of Wow and flutter, resonance and impossible to do long house/techno mixes.

        • Oh I don’t know. I really don’t like listicles anyway because it’s all a matter of opinion. What’s important to some isn’t to others. so Technics doesn’t figure for me because I like having 50% pitch.

          Looking at your list — the GAE and VL12 are as yet unproven, and the PLX isn’t exactly setting the world on fire either. The Controller One is perhaps too niche to be called top of anything other than being the most musical turntable.

          For the short time I had one in, I was a big fan of the Vestax PDX2300 Pro, and that along with the STR8.150 and TTXUSB would be my picks for forever decks. But obviously, the majority of people would pick the 1200/1210 over any of those.

          • I agree with you on the Vestax PDX2300 Pro. I missed that one in my list and that should have been included as 2nd or 3rd. However, the STR8 150 though are a bit of a disappointment. Their pitch fader “feel” and sensitivity is not subtle not enough for nudges or fine adjustment when beat mixing. But is does have the 50% range that you like and a nice key lock. As for the TTXUSB, I think its outstanding design by poor quality and reliability.

            Thanks for your thoughts and response.

      • Other than the TT250 being Yahorng, which is a recent event, where is your information coming from that the TT200, TT500, TTX, and VL12 are Yahorng?

        Furthermore, other than the foam inside the arm, which is something modders and repair people have been doing for years with tonearms, including on Hanpins, what else did Pioneer have Hanpin do to the tonearm to change it?

  15. This turntable is surely just an early April fools day joke. It’s tone arm is the same super cheap tonearm that came on the Gemini PT-1000 20 years ago. It sucked on the PT-1000 it will suck on this Denon too. The Start/Stop 33/45 buttons look cheap. This turntable makes the Pioneer PLX-1000 look like a gold plated 1200.

    This is RANE’s future. Sad but, true.

      • Just checked them and it’s now confirmed this turntable is trash. Thank you for suggesting I have them checked now I am 100% this turntable is trash.

        Kevin – Besides me having my eyes checked, which coincidentally I did today what do you think about this turntable? What makes this turntable special?

        • Perhaps it would be worth reserving judgement until you’ve seen a real one (as opposed to a render) and laid hands on one yourself first. The one we saw at last year’s NAMM was light years away from a budget turntable.

          • But why would he do that when he can look at a render and leap to a snap judgement? Being the first to hate on something you have no actual experience with is MUCH more important than actual facts!

        • Even though there are no super high quality pictures of the PT-1000 available, it’s not hard to see the difference between the PT-1000 construction and the Denon tone arm.

          And even IF they were the same from the outside, important things (bearings, cables) could be different/better on the inside.

          What makes you believe that the Denon is of poor quality?
          Did you use it over an extended period?
          Did you have the chance to disassemble it?

          To answer your question:
          I think that Denon looked at the nearest competitor (probably Pioneer, when they started constructing it) and improved certain stuff
          -feedback resistance

          -build quality
          -torque
          If the above applies, that would make the VL-12 special (not, unique, but still half the price of a new Technics!)

  16. Denon are taking DJ’s for idiots, OK denon clearly have designed the cabinet, feet & maybe the motor mounting, however as myself & many others have noticed they have used an old well used oem tonearm design which has used on gemini, pioneer, omitronic, audio technica, & many others and it also looks they used the Numark TTX motor aswell

  17. I actually can’t believe some of the shit people come out with when discussing DJ equipment.
    Basing very strong negative opinions on renders alone is laughable.

    The subject of the tonearm being the same as Hanpin turntables, and even a 20 year old Gemini PT-1000, is just plain ridiculous. Yes, they share the same general shape, as to be expected, but that really is about it. On closer inspection, the dimensions are clearly not the same… as any of the mentioned models in this discussion. If you can’t see that, then you are not looking at the details closely enough.

    The Denon VL12 will almost certainly be seen as the best choice for those who are looking for a simple to use, minimally featured solid piece of kit which does the job of spinning vinyl records. Very much the same as the Technics SL1200 series does. But where as Technics have priced themselves out of the market, Denon haven’t.

    If you’re a turntablist who looks for more features in a turntable, then this is not for you. If you, like me, are looking for a brand new set of turntables to replace some ageing Technics, then Denon have hit the nail of the head at half the cost of Technics latest effort. And in my opinion, these VL12’s look visually far more appealing than any other piece of DJ equipment I have ever seen.
    The design may not be revolutionary, but what they have done is almost perfected a tried and tested design.

    The wow & flutter figure is <0.05% by the way, which really is very good. Especially considering that most used 1200/1210's that I've tested actually perform worse than this because they are believed to be indestructible and are therefore treated as such.

  18. Of all the “new” turntables on the market this one is probably the only one with an original design,parts and electronics. Honestly, I was considering the new Stanton Str8 150 MKII but they are just another Hanpin makeover, so I’ll give these a try. I had the Pioneer PLX1000 and I will say, Pioneer BLEW IT! That was over priced and under performed. I am willing to invest in a proper turntable if it’s actually worth the investment. I will assume that these Denon VL12 will stand the test of time and from the youtube videos I’ve watched, it seems Denon took their time and made sure this turntable is worth that investment. It better be or it will become the laughing stock of the DJ nation. So, with that said I’ll be placing and order for a pair, and still come in under the $2000 mark that Technics is asking for the new SL1200’s.

  19. Got this off the Denon DJ website, note the wow and flutter.

    Motor:

    Drive: Quartz direct-drive

    Starting Torque: 5 kgf/cm (instant); 3.4 kgf/cm (stable)

    Starting Time: 0.3 seconds

    Braking System: Electronic

    Platter:

    Material: Aluminum die-cast

    Diameter: 13.1” / 332 mm

    Weight: 4.9 lbs. / 2.2 g

    Tonearm:

    Effective Length: 9.4” / 238 mm

    Overhang: 1.0” / 25 mm

    Offset Angle: 20.5°

    Speeds:

    RPM: 33⅓, 45

    Wow & Flutter: < 0.05%

    Output: Phono-level via stereo RCA cable

    Pitch Range: +-8%, +-16%, +-50%

    Connections:

    (2) RCA outputs (1 stereo pair)

    (1) IEC power input

    Power:

    Connection: IEC

    Input Voltage: 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz

    Consumption: 65 W

    Dimensions (width x depth x height):

    451mm x 355mm x 150mm

    17.8” x 14.0” x 5.9”

    45.1 x 35.5 x 15.0 cm

    Weight:

    27.4 lbs.

    12.4 kg

  20. I feel like a lot of these companies are doing what Numark did with the TTX’s & calling it new even though they did it 10 years ago.

    I have my TTX’s still & a set of Technics 1200 SL Mk5’s & prefer to use my TTX’s.

    Have to agree with the reviewer too pricey for aesthetics. Granted they do look nice.

    There is a downside to my TTX’s that I don’t have with my Technics or at least I’ve not noticed this issue I continue to have with the TTX’s, which is a large amount of static electricity.

    It prevents my slipmats from being slippery and grabs the records like a vise. Thankfully there’s an easy solution. Lemon pledge and buff the hell outta the platters & lightly run it under the slipmats, now buttery smooth.

  21. I can get all the shade in the comments. We’ve had many companies in the last decade trying to pass of new turntables as something new, only to find they are the same old Hanpins underneath. I will sat that these not being Hanpin sparks my interest very much. And vintage Denon hi-fi turntables are still regarded as great machines that have stood the test of time. I’m ready to hand in my Str8-150s for something new. Now I can buy a set of overhalled 1200s on Ebay for $2700CAD, or get a set of PLX-1000s for $2000. Or for only $200 more I can get a pair of these. I’m heavily leaning towards these decks.

      • Thank you very much. I even went to the MCX8000 review and it wasn’t listed under “Related posts” so I assumed it was taken down. Funny thing, DenonDJ stated on the official forum recently that (and I quote):

        “Rather than an Engine 1.6 to replace Engine 1.5, upcoming version of Engine Prime (primarily for the 5000) should allow some kind of option of saving a database in an MCX8000 format.
        When mcx8000 can download that version of Engine Prime, they won’t need to use Engine 1.5 any more.”

        That seems to directly contradict the statement in the article (which they cleverly disguised with the title “primed”). What’s your opinion?

        • Firstly, the Related posts algorithm is a tad off at times. I’ll bring it up with the developer.

          As for Engine — that forum quote does seem to imply that Engine 1.5 is as far as that road goes, and Engine Prime will be the only version, that will allow for tracks to be handled like regular Engine. Whether the more advanced features of Prime will work on the 8000 remains to be seen.

          BTW the “primed” image is my own.

          • Seems a tad off most of the times :)
            Well common sense dictates that Engine Prime won’t bring ANY new features to the 8000 but will finally enable decent library management and export options. If DenonDJ has any sense they will include SC units into that export mode and also enable all of them (including the 8000) to connect with Engine Prime for file browsing with ethernet cables and a hub.

            But,knowing DenonDJ, they will exclude SC2900/3900 from Engine Prime and it won’t be able to connect to the 8000 like 1.5 can with SC units.

            You are aware that the “primed” image has led to believe most of 8000 users exactly the opposite of that the statement says? I will be funny if it doesn’t turn out that Engine Prime gets the 8000 export mode.

  23. I have a Gemini PT2410 turntable, I pulled the platter off it and compared it to the platter of the new VL12 Prime turntable…..funny, looks like Denon took old Gemini stock, added extra rubber and a magnet and called it a “prime” turntable. LOL. And can anyone here explain why Denon would need the pins on the platter when they’re using a non contact magnetic direct drive motor?

      • admittedly I have not seen the new Prime up close, just looks a little too familiar. Yeah the prime uses the same strobe “dots” as on the Numark TTX and the new NTX 1000. Purely speculation actually. I just can’t seem to figure out what makes the prime an $800 turntable, other than the halo ring. but if people want it that’s cool. I would rather go with another option. I have tried the new Stanton, the PLX 100, Audio Technica LP1240, Mixars LTA. They are all hanpin variants, and I question the quality control. Here’s hoping the Denon decks are actually ‘build from scratch’.

        • I think you will understand once have your hands on them. They are only a few days on the market (I think US only) but I heard nothing but good reviews, even from audiophile users.

  24. Looks good! Hope it sounds good! The only thing I see wat is with it it’s that they placed the pitch range button on the bottom side of the fader and not on the top side. That’s also with the M5G’s and is in the way during beat matching. I don’t think it’s a hanpin, the design is different and also the arm is different.

  25. Ok, I got some hands on experience with this VL12 this past weekend. This is an amazing deck! The platter itself weighs a ton,the dampening Denon put under the platter is robust, there is zero platter wobble, the tone arm assembly is SOLID there is zero play in the gimbal, the motor housing is robust and heavy with excellent dampening, the iso feet are great and stable.The sound is awesome with this unit, I was using Ortofon Concorde Club carts and it was a beautiful sound. The motor is smooth as butter, honestly it’s like a technics in regards to how quiet and smooth it operates. The start stop buttons and the pitch/speed buttons are rubber coated and don’t “recess” when pressed like that of the SL1200 or any other deck so it’s more like a start stop on a controller or CDJ. The unit weighs in at 27lbs. The tone arm rest is well thought out as well, no more “locking” hook, it has a small bearing in the rest that allows you to lock it into place, it’s not an issue when moving the tone arm from rest to play, you won’t snap anything. The halo ring is, well an LED light that is mainly for that “wow” factor, you can turn it off if you don’t want it on. There are selections for torque control, also you can adjust brightness and color of the halo. In battle mode it’s right at home, there are right angled RCA’s so those of you concerned about the traditional set up won’t need to worry about it not butting up next to your mixer. Overall Denon hit one out of the park. NO this is NOT a hanpin…..it’s InMusic which may or may not mean anything to you. I will say this, if you are in the market for a new set of turntables, there is no other place to look. The VL12 is what you need…..it screams quality. It’s just a very smooth and beautiful piece of kit. If you have the means I highly recommend picking one up.

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