With the SC3900, Denon DJ has married an old-school feel with state-of-the-art digital technology to deliver a deck for connoisseurs.
The Denon DJ SC3900 is the company’s most advanced digital turntable controller and media player to date, and it’s definitely got something different from its competitors, offering genuine vinyl turntable feel plus state-of-the-art digital features.
These include the ability to network SC3900s with each other and a computer / iPad; compatibility with existing DJ software via Midi and a built-in timecode generator; innovative ways to set up and use them with Denon’s new Engine software; plus versatile USB or HDD playback. Oh, they can play CDs too…
We’ve had a pair here at Digital DJ Tips for the last few weeks, and despite having played with them with in a variety of situations, we’re not close to testing everything you can do with these units. They’re certainly designed to make sure you don’t outgrow them.
We do now know enough to review them confidently for you, though, and to let you know who we think they are going to appeal to. So let’s get going…
First impressions
They’re heavy, large, clearly well-made units, looking like a cross between a CDJ deck (like, for instance, Denon’s own new SC2900s) and a Technics turntable – the similarity to the latter being accentuated by their Technics-esque four big silver feet.
They appear similar to their predecessor, the DN-SC3700, but at first glance have a smaller piece of vinyl (confirmed: it’s 9″ instead of 10″), no on-board effects (which always felt a bit tacky to me on a CDJ, don’t know why) and an extra hot cue. Dig deeper and much more has changed in addition, as we’ll see…
Of course, the main thing you’ll notice on these is the spinning, motorised (torque-adjustable) platter.
The chassis is metal, but the rest of the unit is made of moulded, metallic-finish painted plastic. Buttons are mainly rubberised and backlit, apart from the cue and play/pause buttons, which are hard plastic with a definite “click”. The pitch control is long and very Technics-like.
Of course, the main thing you’ll notice on these is the spinning, motorised (torque-adjustable) platter. You actually have to do a bit of assembly, screwing a piece of real vinyl down onto the platter, which to all intents and purposes feels exactly like that of a Technics turntable. You’re provided with a felt slipmat to put on first, then the vinyl is mounted in place with a central disc that slots over the spindle.
The Denon DJ SC3900 rear: Note the Ethernet socket, for linking up to four together via a router.
The platter’s edges have strobe dots that appear to be the same as those on Technics turntables (I didn’t dig our dusty old office Technics out to test this), and overall the feel will be uncannily familiar to anyone used to DJing with the real thing.
Other first impressions? The display is functional but not as good as the excellent display on the Pioneer CDJ-2000s. Nonetheless it’s bright, informative and still managed to squeeze in a rudimentary waveform. Multicoloured laptop waveforms need not quiver in their boots just yet, though; the display is definitely one place where the Denon players don’t equal best of breed.
Rond the back, apart from the usual line outs, on/off and power sockets, there are fader start, computer USB, and network sockets; the USB/HDD input is top-left in the face of the unit, and CDs, of course, slot in the front.
Setting up
With CDs or USBs…
How you set up is going to depend entirely on how you want to use these. The simplest way to use them is to plug them into a mixer, power them up, slot a CD in (audio or music data) and start playing. As you’ve probably guessed, though, that scratches about 1% of the surface of what these can do.
So alternatively, you could plug a USB in with some tunes on. Using the top-right navigation controls, you can surf your folders, load a tune, and play it. If you have an Ethernet network cable connecting two SC3900s together, you can also do this on the second one, meaning you can plug one USB into one unit and play from the other player from it too.
With your existing DJ software…
Next, you could set it up with Serato Scratch Live or Traktor Scratch Pro 2. Plug two players into your DVS box, and you can control such software natively, without needing timecode CDs, in so-called “hybrid” mode. You do still need a DVS box though; they’re only “native” for these applications in that they can generate the correct timecode signal.
Plug two players into your DVS box, and you can control such software natively…
There are mapping files available from Denon itself, so all the surface controls – library, hot cues, looping, keylock and so on – can control your software, and of course you can remap them at will.
(To get Midi working alongside DVS, you need to USB the units to your computer too; I tried this with Serato Scratch Live, putting them through a passive USB hub into the other spare USB on my MacBook Pro, and it worked fine, even though the company recommends you use a powered hub for this.)
With Denon’s Engine software on a laptop…
Most interestingly, you can use these with Denon’s own, brand-new, “Engine” software. We’re hoping to do some detailed workflow videos soon on how real DJs in the real world will benefit from using Engine, because frankly to do it justice is going to take more than a few lines in a review, but here’s the gist of it:
Firstly, you need to get it set up right. These players are truly networkable. Instead of just plugging two of them into each other, you can add a router, just like the type you have at home for your internet and WiFi. It’s possible to network up to four players into a wireless router, add your laptop to the network, and load Engine up on the laptop.
The Engine software lets you prepare your music (Pioneer Rekordbox-style) for USB playback, play music back from your Mac or PC to networked SC3900s, and even control it via a network-connected iPad.
Now, with your laptop containing your tunes, you can do all your sorting, playlist arranging, searching etc – and then drag a tune onto any connected device right there on the screen. Bam, it loads and buffers on the device ready for playing. You can also “pull” from the software, using the controls on the players.
What’s it like to look at and use? If you’re used to the offline version of Serato’s software, you’re getting there.
What’s it like to look at and use? If you’re used to the offline version of Serato’s software, you’re getting there. Otherwise, imagine the most library-centric view of your particular DJ software, whatever you use. That’s basically what Engine looks like.
Think of it as library management software, on the surface a little like Pioneer’s Rekordbox, but with certain differences. In particular, Denon claims massive library search speed improvements over Pioneer’s software.
An important thing to note is that the music gets physically sent over to the player – the players aren’t controlling MP3s within Engine on your computer, so your computer doesn’t take any of the strain – the hardware does. So practically any old laptop can do the job.
With Denon’s Engine software on an iPad…
Open the Engine app on your iPad, join the same network, and you can control the same tunes from there too.
Seem a bit pointless? Maybe, but put those tunes on to a USB stick and close your laptop down completely, and as soon as that USB stick hits the network (by inserting it into one of the 3900s), the iPad version of the software picks it up and takes over, acting as big library screen, or a mini version of the PC software, depending on how you ant to look at it.
Finally, just like with Pioneer’s Rekordbox, you can forget any external device, and play your engine pre-arranged sets and playlists from USB.
In use
As you can see, there are an initially bewildering array of options for getting music ready to play on these things. But once you’re set up, what are the SC3900s actually like to use?
Let’s get the big stuff out of the way first. If you’ve ever DJed with vinyl, all I can say is that you’re in for a real treat DJing on these. Denon has nailed it. They feel better than vinyl. Yup, better.
Why? Because Denon’s used a motor that rotates the platter in an utterly convincing Technics-type way. The torque feels right, the slip of the vinyl on the mat feels right, and crazy as it sounds, the 9″ vinyl actually feels better than 12″ vinyl – it’s the perfect size.
Now add the fact that there’s no needle and tonearm to jump and skip, and you’ve got the best bits of vinyl control minus the drawbacks.
The Denon DJ SC3900 viewed from the top: The platter is the star of the show, and will be the differentiating factor for most users. Layout and controls to the fore have improved over the DN-SC3700.
While the SC3900 platters are comprehensive decks with a lot of menu options accessible under the surface, the stuff that’s got its own controls is the stuff you’re going to use daily: Key, pitch range, BPM tap, “dump” (it’s Denon’s take on Pioneer’s slip mode), cues, loops, navigation and various display options are all easy to access. For such a complex machine, the controls are actually relatively simple to pick up. Accessing the stuff hidden away in menus is fiddly, though, as with all such devices.
Likewise, DJing with just the screens on the units is not for me a nice experience, as I’m a screen freak. For me, I got the most fun DJing with this using Serato Scratch Live in hybrid mode. But having said that, once I got it set up in a way I liked, I’ve never had so much fun DJing here in the workshop with any hardware / software combination as this one. My preferred set-up gave me the best stuff from the old vinyl days, plus with the library and waveforms of industry-standard software DJing. I am sure the Traktor experience is equally impressive, as it uses the same hybrid mode for platter support, guaranteeing totally tight control.
(As I said above, I really want to give Engine a proper go, but it needs its own review entirely – suffice to say for now that Denon has come up with an innovative, resource-intelligent and potentially game-changing piece of software there. Watch this space for more on Engine.)
The sound quality is stupendous, and the scratch quality equally so. There are start and stop time controls, and Denon has given settings for those that eliminate and cue point slip when scratching – a bugbear with previous digital / motorised turntable systems, including Denon’s own. For digital motorised turntables, feel-wise, these are, I feel, as good as you’re ever likely to experience.
Conclusion
So the easy bit. They’re well made, lovely to use digital turntables. They’re also extremely versatile; in being able to control both Traktor Scratch Pro 2 and Serato Scratch Live right out of the box, they’re pretty much the perfect digital vinyl decks for serious software DJs who want an analogue feel without compromise.
The networking stuff means that they’re field-leading in this area, especially when you add in the Engine software with its wireless iPad connectivity (remember, with Engine the tunes don’t ever play from your iPad ands don’t play directly from your laptop, either; the computer is your screen, with the tunes safely loaded via USB or network to the players themselves).
It’s only the fact that the SC3900s don’t have displays as good as, say, the Pioneer CDJ-2000s that stops them being pretty much best of breed (or at least up there) in all areas.
I can’t see our core readership of often cash-strapped new digital DJs going for these in their droves…
But now to the harder bit. Who exactly are these for? Who will shell out US$999 each for a pair of these? Because I can’t see them beginning to appear in DJ booths any time soon, not when DJs expect Pioneer gear there – and frankly many DJs would not know what to do with motorised platters anyway, such is the stranglehold of fixed-platter CDJs in DJ booths. (indeed, Denon DJ has recently launched a model of its own, the SC2900).
I also can’t see our core readership of often cash-strapped new digital DJs going for these in their droves either, because frankly you can get a wonderful DJing experience with a DJ controller costing a fraction of the price of a pair of these and a mixer – and of course, DJ controllers have all the benefits of portability too. Try popping a pair of these and a mixer into a backpack!
No, instead I can see these appealing to the following groups: Firstly, they’re going to appeal to any turntablist who tries them – period. I defy any scratch DJ (especially those who already use Traktor Scratch Pro or Serato Scratch Live) to not fall instantly in love with these on demoing them.
A hybrid digital/analogue Denon DJ DC3900 set-up could offer the best of all worlds to the pro or prosumer DJ who values vinyl feel.
Secondly, they’ll be on the radar of any pro or prosumer DJ looking for the ultimate in DJ control for their home or studio set-up. Because they’ll work with any Midi software (there’s a standard Midi mode too, although I didn’t try mapping the platters to anything, I only tested them in hybrid mode), and because Engine is clearly a platform Denon wants to build on (and because they’re also perfectly capable “analogue” players), there’s practically nothing these can’t or won’t play nicely with.
If you want to DJ at home for pure pleasure, you want the best feel possible, and you want something you can use in pretty much every way, you need to give these a go. I can see DJs who’ve used vinyl in the past and who are now, shall we say, not as young as they once were, really taking to these – especially as this is the same group of people who may have a bit more money than some younger readers to invest in such a system that’ll probably last them for the next decade.
Finally, I can see touring DJs who take their own set-up out with them being tempted, too. I’m thinking DJs with (or in) bands, high-end mobile DJs, DJ/producers who carry a stage/video show around with them – basically, anyone who isn’t a turn-up-and-play-on-whatever-is-there style of DJ, and who therefore has a choice of gear. Because again, I think once such DJs have tried them, and seen the set-up options (especially networking and wireless control with iPad / Engine), they’ll be impressed and tempted.
Me? I fit into the second category. I have been DJing for 20 years, vinyl, CDs and laptop/digital, and I’ve used all types of gear. For pure DJing fun, these decks are the best I’ve ever used – and what’s more, everyone who’s come to our workshop and had a go on them since we’ve had them set up has agreed with me.
Summary
We like:
- Best vinyl DJing feel yet on a digital deck
- Great performance with Traktor and Serato Scratch in hybrid mode
- Fully networkable Engine software offers new possibilities including wireless iPad library control
- Really solid, dependable build quality
We don’t like:
- Small on-unit LED displays are disappointing
- Who needs CD slots nowadays?
Star ratings:
|
Features: |
|
|
Build quality: |
|
|
Sound quality: |
|
|
Ease of use: |
|
|
Value: |
|
|
OVERALL: |
Product details:
Size & weight: 4.9 x 14.4 x 12.8″ (124 x 365 x 325mm), 12.8lb (5.8kg)
Price: US$929 / £799 / €992
Buy from: Amazon (US), Juno (UK) / Juno (rest of world & Europe)
What do you think?
Your dream control surface, or an expensive mix of past and present technologies? Is there any point anyone other than Pioneer making CDJ-style controllers? And what do you think of wireless iPad library management? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Now go to:
Denon DJ Officially Outs The SC2900 Digital Controller & Media Player
Are CDJs Better Than Midi Controllers
Review & Video: Gemini CDJ-700 Media Player
Want to escape the bedroom and play in public - fast?
Our 1000s-selling How To Digital DJ Fast video course shows you how.
Learn to DJ Free - email course plus bonus PDF book
Sign up for our weekly email course for beginners now...
Trouble choosing a controller? Visit the web's #1 guide!
DJ Controllers: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide 2013.
Tags: denon dj, hybrid decks, SC3900
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Great review! I have been considering the SC3900 for many weeks now and I think this review just sealed the deal!
[ link ]I actually think it’s nightclubs who need CD slots. I don’t expect a DJ to need them when they can use a laptop and control, but perhaps the DJ showing up to a club to do a quick guest spot would be more benefitted in using CDs.
[ link ]True, also for example when there is an additional live performance (eg stripper show in more “decadent” clubs) with live music, actors usually show up with their music on CD’s only 10 minutes before performace. If you are running party only on MIDI Controlers, I think you are pretty screwed
True story (not mine)
[ link ]I was only being flippant. Even I’ve been known to pop the odd CD into a CD drive, just every now and then you understand.
[ link ]Understood. Besides, at these prices…
[ link ]Good review, but I’m rather confused about Hybrid Mode. Why does it exist, and why is it so much fun? The concept doesn’t really make any sense to me. You have a player and a laptop-free quantized music ecosystem, with a large list of control options and interface flexibility. But there’s a feature on the players that arbitrarily adds timecode functionality, adds a laptop and expensive sound card into your setup, doubles your cable count, and loosely mimics the built in functions of the player with MIDI control. Why would anyone want that!?
[ link ]Can you explain what is so wonderful about hybrid mode that you wouldn’t get from a couple of technics and some dicers/Kontrol X1 etc?
It’s a platter, if you use relative mode with real vinyl DVS isn’t this as good as?
I guess the hybrid use case could be if you are switching between CD, USB, Timecode all the time?
[ link ]In a word, flexibility. They’re completely agnostic as to source. That means you can use them as dream control surfaces for anything. I can use them with SSL here, I can use them with a USB down the club, I can use them with CDs – as can anyone else I’m working with. Would be interesting to see them mapped straight to software, though, for sure, and see how good those platters could be bypassing the hybrid mode.
[ link ]Basically Hybrid mode was developed for the Denon DN-S3700. The big selling point for that unit like the SC3900 is the spinning platter. The problem was, for whatever reason, NI nor Serato would support the spinning platter. So in order to use those DVS, users would either have to use timecode CD and not have MIDI control or have MIDI control and not have the spinning platter. So in order to get around this, Denon came up with Hybrid mode that sends timecode for the spinning platter and MIDI for all of the deck’s controls. There you have it…why you need Hybrid Mode.
[ link ]That kind of doesn’t make any sense. They developed Engine, which single handedly invalidates the DVS solution entirely, without the added cost and inconvenience of a DVS box and laptop. I guess my real question is: why would you load up a DVS when literally every single convenience they offer is accomplished with exponentially less work with a USB/Engine rig?
[ link ]Again, I think it’s flexibility. Why not? If a DJ has Serato and wants to use it, these can cope. I think that’s the point.
[ link ]Waveforms themselves is enough for me to justify using a software and a laptop.
I love the waveride
[ link ]Well Done Phil !
[ link ]“I’m rather confused about Hybrid Mode. Why does it exist”
[ link ]There are plenty of people that would prefer to use DVS for effects, 4-deck control & other functions that aren’t available on the decks in normal mode. Hybrid mode is a winner in that you have the accuracy of DVS, yet don’t have to worry about your timecode cd/vinyl getting damaged or coming to an end and still have the entire deck’s surface for midi control. There isn’t another deck in the world (apart from denon’s previous) that does this. Can you imagine how many people would be jumping up & down & crying (myself included) if they had not put this in. It’s all about options, and like this you’ve got them all. Excellent Review!!
HID gives you a controller integration solution. But really, there’s no real way using a full DVS just for effects makes any sense. Traktor can be bussed in a Send/Return waaaay easier than a DVS is set up, and it gives you the advantage of not being tethered to a laptop for a library.
[ link ]When the 5500 came out all the major software apps either tried and fails or flat out refused to support Denons spinning platter, same happened when the 3700 was released. So Hybird mode was born as a workaround really and judging by all the feedback seems to work pretty dam good.
I completely agree with you though, I’d much rather work in standalone (with engine for the large display of course) But everybody seems to love hybrid mode so meh chuck er in.
[ link ]While nobody talks about normal MIDI mode, it there for any app to support.
SC3900 offers:
1. Hybrid MIDI mode
2. Normal MIDI mode
With Normal MIDI mode, its plug & play support (MIDI & internal Sound Card)
With our older S3700 model, RPM by http://www.gizmolabs.net supports it over normal MIDI with perfect zero platter drift performance while other major apps could not. We expect the same support with the SC3900 in the near future.
[ link ]Awesome review……… i have a pair of the sc3900 and coming from technics and pioneer….i love the sc3900… i see alot of peps with ?’s on the hybrid midi mode……all i can say is…..i use to use dicers with cdjs n my technics 1200′sand and the sc3900 elimintates all the dicers or midi controller’s cause its all built in……..tne good thing is about hybrid midi mode is first u don’t need the sd’s from tracktor or serato…..the next best thing is…. u can set up the interface and map it to ur software n e way u like it….. which makes it super great! The only downfall i notice is that if ur using a macbook pro… most macbooks only come with 2 usb hubs (unless u have the 17inch) so when u plug in ur usb outlets from the denon u need a extra usb hub if u running serato or traktor…i thought with thhe ethernet link cable u would be able to run them klink n set up one of the midi bank to 2u and run off of 1 usb port but unfortunetly it doesn’t work (but if u do know how feel free to lemme know) but overall the deck is awesome…..and the review made a great point that turntablist will like em!!!! They are great all i can say is try em for urself then u’ll understand how great they really are
[ link ]Chunkiye
Also….if u love ur dicer’s n midi controller…….the sc3900′s still works with them! And foru the display….it isthe a lil small compared to the pioneerit cdj2000 but theyu are equal to theu pioneer cdj1000′s for so they do have a pretty good displaytime if u run cdj’s but if u run engine n traktor or serato ur displays are mainly on the computer Awesome job denon!!!!!
[ link ]chunkiye, thanks for your warm comments!
The LAN connection was not designed to Link MIDI data, thats why each deck requires its own USB connection to the computer. PC’s have 3 more more USB ports, Apple should follow, but they wont.
[ link ]I agree…..apple should follow especially when ur paying so much for one
[ link ]Great review. I was worried with denons last release the (cdj clone) that spinning platters were going to end up being a thing of the past. I currently own an ns7,coming from a hecurles dj4set. It took me a few weeks to transition from a regular controller to the ns7 having never used vinyl. But now I love it and feel that I never want to go back to stationary jog wheels. I’m glad to see if I want to upgrade in the future I will still have a few options if I want rotating platters. I do have a question though. I currently use itch. Would these work with itch or must I use ssl or tractor?
[ link ]For anyone who has doubts about rotating platters. I have been following dj Angelo’s tutorials because I do want to learn turntablism and do far I have pretty much been able to mimic every thing he is doing on his 1200′s no way would I be able to do that with a regular controller.
great review phil…but i have a question. can i use 2 of these along with a DVS mixer nike the Rane 61 or 62???
[ link ]Yes you can, as these units emit timecode that the mixer then uses, just as if you were using decks and timecode vinyl.
[ link ]Great review Phil. I’ve had a pair if 3700′s for about 2 years now and love em. The new 3900′s seem great too, but my only only gripe is the lake of support for the 3700 once these were released. I’ve checked some forums and denon alway answered the questions of why 2.5khz time code isn’t supported on hybrid midi, and why they can’t release a new update with “those units are discontinued and no longer supported” answer. Great, so my $1900 only lasts for 2 years, then I gave to get new ones! Please understand that I do love Denon products (all the way back to the 2500mkII dual deck players) till now, but it’s stuff like that that’s keeping yo from becoming the “industry standard” like those overpriced Pio’s.
[ link ]What an endorsement. They play AIFF, too. This new Denon software sounds fantastic. I’m not sure the small display bothers me. I’d be fairly content with an old-style CD player display with just numbers. A waterfall-style or vinyl simulation display with different opacity/darkness bands would probably be enough for me. Wonder if there’s a way to do that on the platter itself… I don’t like distracting my eyes with individual beat waveforms or anything like that in DVS. I become too dependent on it and start slacking my listening and inner measure metering system… if that makes any sense. As weird as it sounds, I find my skills stay up to vinyl level with my Versadeck, even with its ramp-up jog wheel. Maybe even helped by the seat-of-the-pants ramp-up. DVS, modern big-display CDJs, and a lot of this other stuff I can tell makes me soft. After an hour or two on a Versadeck in internal USB mode, I find myself in good form again. I just am deprived of a third deck and lossless tagging support.
[ link ]