As you might imagine, the units that have passed before my eyes (both in public and privately) have taken many forms and spanned many price brackets. I have, quite literally, seen it all before. And then something comes my way that makes me stop — it challenges the status quo and established paradigms, and aims to not so much fill a need, but create a whole new one. That’s what the totally unexpected Prime Go does.
Here’s some PR, dual-purposed with the Prime 2. Must add this to my article about product launches that it’s not helpful from an editorial and coverage perspective to use one piece of PR for two launches. Anyway…
DENON DJ® INTRODUCES PRIME 2 & PRIME GO – NO-COMPROMISE, 2- CHANNEL STANDALONE GEAR WITH CLASS-LEADING PRO DJ FEATURES
Next generation DJ solutions: The pro-mobile focused PRIME 2 and the rechargeable battery-powered PRIME GO, fully-featured 2-deck smart DJ consoles for ultimate creative DJ performance at any event
Fort Lauderdale FL, USA (Jan 13, 2020)—Denon DJ (www.denondj.com), a leading manufacturer of premium DJ products and solutions, today announced the introduction of their new PRIME 2 and PRIME GO smart DJ consoles. They share the ultimate touchscreen interface experience, standalone Wi-Fi music streaming and are powered by the lightning-fast ENGINE OS platform. PRIME GO adds a rechargeable lithium-ion battery to provide extreme portability. Together, they represent the pinnacle of fully-featured, no-compromise pro-level gear for mobile and club DJs.
Along with their 7” HD touchscreen UI experience, PRIME 2 and PRIME GO bring feature-rich, premium-level control and creative workflow for DJs. These include a class-leading timestretch and key-shift algorithm, the ability to play uncompressed music file formats plus on-board music management, track preview, internal file analysis and ‘direct to media source’ set recording too.
PRIME GO—Ultimate Portability
Prep your set on the move, throw PRIME GO in your backpack, then rock any gig with a fully-featured, pro-grade DJ performance workflow. Keep the music flowing at any event imaginable, powered by an internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery. PRIME GO is the best, no-compromise unit for any event.
PRIME 2—True Mobile Powerhouse
Delivering multicore-powered standalone performance, portability and expressive playback features, PRIME 2 is the epitome of future-facing DJ tech to accommodate any mobile or club-based gig. Able to access and play back digital files from multiple media sources, including a built-in internal HDD bay, PRIME 2’s compact footprint ensures that pro/mobile DJs can carry their musical world everywhere.
Innovation Reinvented
- Stream Music Standalone
- Both PRIME 2 and GO have built-in Wi-Fi and wired internet connectivity, enabling DJs to play music from partnered music streaming services, Beatport*, Beatsource*, SoundCloud* and TIDAL (customers receive a FREE 3-month trial subscription to TIDAL)
- Touch and Feel Music
oBoth PRIME 2 and PRIME GO empower DJs with the world’s most innovative user interface with 7” color HD touchscreens handling music library navigation, easy-search, crate management and track load – all with the touch/swipe of afinger.
- Ever-Evolving software
- ENGINE OS is the performance power inside PRIME 2 and PRIME GO. With a proven track record of continuous feature upgrades, ENGINE OS is unmatched in the DJ industry. Denon DJ, the company that listens!
- Lights, Video, Action!
- Expanding further on their no-compromise feature set, the PRIME 2 and GO have StagelinQ connectivity to command impactful AV elements via SoundSwitch lighting and Resolume video control.
Creatively advanced and technologically fast and nimble – for those that live, breath and know ‘DJ,’ PRIME 2 and PRIME GO is their gear!
PRIME GO Features
- Fully-featured, backpackable 2-deck smart DJ console
- 7-inch HD touchscreen with gestures
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for up to 4 hours of unplugged performance
- Built-in Wi-Fi and wired internet connectivity for music streaming
- Dual-bank performance pads for triggering hot-cues, loop and roll
- No-compromise, pro-grade audio and connectivity
- RCA aux input for media players, tablets, phones
- Capacitive-touch jog wheels
- Internally analyze music files & Rekordbox™ collections direct from USB
- Standalone Track Preview
- Assignable FX module, 3-Band EQ and Filter/Sweep FX
- (2) dedicated XLR (¼” combo) mic inputs with EQ/Level/talkover
- USB and SD media source inputs
PRIME 2 Features
- Fully-featured, 2-Deck standalone, smart DJ console
- 7-inch HD touchscreen with gestures
- Built-in 2.5″ SATA drive bay to store music onboard
- Built-in Wi-Fi and wired internet connectivity for music streaming
- Capacitive-touch jog wheels with HD central display
- Internally analyze music files & Rekordbox™ collections direct from USB
- Standalone Track Preview
- Independent FX units, 3-Band EQ and Filter
- [8] Multi-function performance pads for triggered audio manipulation
- (2) dedicated XLR (¼” combo) mic inputs with EQ/Level and Talkover
- RCA aux input for media players, tablets, phones
U.S. retail for the Denon DJ PRIME 2 will be $1399 and PRIME GO $999 PRIME 2 and PRIME GO will be available Q1 2020
“With the introduction of PRIME 2 and PRIME GO, we’re beyond excited that the Prime Series, powered by ENGINE OS, is now truly open to the widest demographic of pro-mobile DJs” said Denon DJ’s Creative Director, Paul Dakeyne. “Both units are Wi-Fi enabled and more than compact enough to be carried to any location, but workflow feature-packed to handle any small, medium or large mobile/club gig or event. Together, PRIME 2 and PRIME GO usher in an exciting new era of accessible, no-compromise, tech-powered DJ performance!”
Portable Prime Power
First thing — console, not controller. The Prime Go is designed to be entirely standalone and self-contained, even to the point of cutting the power cord. So before anyone asks about using it with Serato DJ Pro or any other software, you’re doing it wrong. The Prime Go’s very reason to be is to cut as many cords as possible, including the USB cord between you and DJing freedom. I would actually be sad to see this work with a computer — if as a brand you’re going to tout fully standalone, stand behind that decision.
Depending on the order in which you read these articles, I’ve covered some key points in my Prime 2 piece already, namely about how providing a subset of features from a bigger unit doesn’t mean that everything should be cut. Wifi in particular is probably more essential in this unit that the Prime 4. This is a portable first on-the-go unit, and getting access to the assorted streaming platforms is an ideal feature rather than a luxury.
So while it is smaller and cheaper, The Prime Go is no less capable, and is most of Denon DJ’s current tech, squeezed into a battery-powered box.
Some casual observations
• Booth output is a nice but perhaps non-essential addition.
• Why is the easily removable and grabbable USB media port at the back when the hard to remove SD slot is at the front?
• Seems that the shift to asymmetrical layouts is complete.
• No fader controls. I’ll assume there are some hiding in the preferences especially as scratching is featured in the promo.
• Is it just me or is this the best controller NI never made but perhaps should have? The design cues are very striking. The pads on the SC6000/M also adopt this colour bar design rather than full button approach.
SUMMING UP
The Prime Go will be available Q1 2020 and will cost $999/£929. Ouch — that’s quite a ticket for a controller with a battery.
And there’s the rub. For that kind of cash, you’ve got to see real value in being totally portable, otherwise spending a few hundred more gets you the slightly larger but higher specced Prime 2.
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