My Denon Prime 4 Journey

[Benny Smyth]

Snap. https://www.gear4music.com/PA-DJ-and...-PA-System/BPU

A few months ago, I actually bought myself a Bose S1 Pro.

90% of it's life has been spent in my garden playing deep house (or the odd podcast) while I have a few whiskeys to unwind. Beyond that, with the exception of the two (I think) all day events I've had since buying it, I was using it while guests enjoyed themselves outside during the summer. At the beginning of the night, I played toe tapping Balearic tunes whilst people enjoyed being outdoors, then when they are ready to come in and party (usually about 10pm), we get the dance floor rocking.

Quite often, I witnessed what I would call 'dance floor guilt' - people are enjoying themselves chilling outside, but they feel like that they should be partying inside because...it's a wedding. "When's the party starting?" "That's entirely up to you guys. When you're ready, I'll go balls to the wall. Until then, me trying to force you to do what you don't want to do is going to make you all miserable." 99% of folk get it after that. I don't charge extra for taking the S1 with me - I'm slowly coming to term of not judging a night based on feet on the dance floor. It's difficult, because my goal as an entertainer is a full dance floor. The thing is that folk aren't going to swing off the chandeliers during a heatwave, so why try and make them? If they want to sit outside and drink Pimms, then give them what they want. I'm still an entertainer, but I've had to adapt.

That was a random tangent. I need to do a one year review of owning a Prime 4. Long/Short is that I love it. Very frustrated with a few things, but overall, a very worthwhile purchase. When I have time/inclination, I'll dive deeper into that.

[Imagine]

I keep looking at the Go.

From a business perspective - for me - it makes no sense. I don't do anywhere near enough events that require me to have a battery powered controller for me to be able to justify getting one.

But I want one. I couldn't tell you why I want one, but I do.

As do I!

Having long been a "fan-boi" of Denon kit, I just need one of these in my life....and I have a business case for it as well! Happy days!

And yet...it's £1k I don't want to spend. Times are about to get tough, costs are rising, bookings are getting harder to come by....the business puts food on the table.

I'm looking at it solely as a backup system. If (shudder) the P4 should stop working, it's an easy swap out and would have the same lighting programming etc. - it's a simple changing of XLR's and the party carries on.

For me though, it's likely to be the Mixstream Pro from Numark (Denon's little and cheaper brother). It's built like a toy, it's got tiny built in speakers (why?), BUT...it's the same operating system and a hell of a lot cheaper and at the moment...every little helps

[Excalibur]

Quite often, I witnessed what I would call 'dance floor guilt' - people are enjoying themselves chilling outside, but they feel like that they should be partying inside because...it's a wedding. "When's the party starting?" "That's entirely up to you guys. When you're ready, I'll go balls to the wall. Until then, me trying to force you to do what you don't want to do is going to make you all miserable." 99% of folk get it after that. I don't charge extra for taking the S1 with me - I'm slowly coming to term of not judging a night based on feet on the dance floor. It's difficult, because my goal as an entertainer is a full dance floor. The thing is that folk aren't going to swing off the chandeliers during a heatwave, so why try and make them? If they want to sit outside and drink Pimms, then give them what they want. I'm still an entertainer, but I've had to adapt.

You're learning Benny. Last night, I had guests and client worrying/apologising that people were outside, not inside. The alcohol dispensing facility ( bath full of water and cans/bottles ) was exerting a huge gravitational force, as were the space heaters and fire pits. They could hear me out there, and no way was I going to get them inside before they were ready. ( The fact that the appointed time for that to happen was after 1am, hey ho). These are my people. I live here. A pre 3am finish is a definite result.

As do I!

Having long been a "fan-boi" of Denon kit, I just need one of these in my life....and I have a business case for it as well! Happy days!

And yet...it's £1k I don't want to spend. Times are about to get tough, costs are rising, bookings are getting harder to come by....the business puts food on the table.

Still 7 left on my seller's site. £80 a month, paid off in a year. Simples.

For me though, it's likely to be the Mixstream Pro from Numark (Denon's little and cheaper brother). It's built like a toy, it's got tiny built in speakers (why?), BUT...it's the same operating system and a hell of a lot cheaper and at the moment...every little helps

It is indeed the same OS/Parent Company, and if you didn't need battery power, could be a contender as backup. I had a quick look at one yesterday.

[Imagine]

Still 7 left on my seller's site. £80 a month, paid off in a year. Simples.

The suspense (and lack of technical support DM's) is killing me. Did the thought of spending that amount of money scare you? Did you purchase it?

[Excalibur]

The suspense (and lack of technical support DM's) is killing me. Did the thought of spending that amount of money scare you? Did you purchase it?

Jury's still out. Due to miscommunication, obstinacy, and people backing out of agreements, I have currently got one more playout than I really need, and adding another doesn't seem vital. It's a long story, which you will be treated to/bored to tears by/in fits of laughter at my stupidity in the very near future.

[Excalibur]

This morning, it all made sense. I joined up the dots.
Wayne assures me that he told me this all along, but I think he's just stressing his credentials as an advisor.

What struck me right between the eyes? The fact that the Prime will run VDJ, thus it's a viable backup. That means the second VMS5 I bought was a big mistake. It should have been a Prime. Therefore, I now have a VMS 4 and a 5 for sale, assuming that my finance deal is a goer.

Watch this space.

[Excalibur]

And for those jealous souls coveting a Prime GO, but unwilling to shell out best part of a grand for the privelege, I can now reveal that Amazon are offering 12 months interest free credit on them. Just under £80 per month.

Barring any hitches, glitches, or zombie apocalypse, I should be the proud owner of one some time on Saturday.

I suppose that's when the learning begins, eh? Should be " interesting", but thanks to this place, and the lovely boys and girls here, I know I have a support network of people already further down the road than I.

Looks like the biggest step since I went digital around ten years ago.

[Imagine]

And for those jealous souls coveting a Prime GO, but unwilling to shell out best part of a grand for the privelege, I can now reveal that Amazon are offering 12 months interest free credit on them. Just under £80 per month.

Aaaaand with the way things are going at the moment, that £80 a month is staying well and truly within the confines of my wallet


That said, the ramblings of a certain older gent on a FB DM earlier this evening and a phone call from said same gent this morning have made me shell out £120 on an EXTERNAL SSD for my P4 (long story short, it means the P4 can be kept at the lockup without being dragged home to update playlists and music collections....why didn't i think of that sooner )

I look forward to the barrage of tech support questions when it arrives , to which my first response (after the "have you turned it off and on again" one) will be....have you read the user manual?

[Excalibur]

Aaaaand with the way things are going at the moment, that £80 a month is staying well and truly within the confines of my wallet

Well Sonny, if you were a government employee*, like me.................

That said, the ramblings of a certain older gent on a FB DM earlier this evening and a phone call from said same gent this morning have made me shell out £120 on an EXTERNAL SSD for my P4 (long story short, it means the P4 can be kept at the lockup without being dragged home to update playlists and music collections....why didn't i think of that sooner )

Due to the fact that the GO can't accept a hard drive, due to having a whacking great battery in that slot, you'd better send me a link to that.

I look forward to the barrage of tech support questions when it arrives , to which my first response (after the "have you turned it off and on again" one) will be....have you read the user manual?

Read the manual? No chance, but I have been watching Youtube videos.

[Excalibur]

And it makes a noise*. For some of the things I want it to do, it's undoubtedly a very large sledge hammer to crack a tiny nut, but some things I quite like about it. They have however made an error with the left hand pitch fader. Why isn't it on the outside, instead of next to the volume fader, just where I can nudge it by accident? Schoolboy error there, I reckon.

No tone controls on the mic ( may be some electronic ones somewhere, haven't looked yet ), but it sounds OK on a Maui 5. I managed to select some tracks on purpose from an USB stick I grabbed, I think it seems workable. I have a suspicion that an SD card may easily find its way into the front slot. Not sure why that one wasn't USB also.

* Why oh why oh why can't it read NTFS? Unbelievable.