The Denon DJ X1850 Prime is an outstandingly professional four-channel club mixer. Each channel has its own expressive three-band EQ, an intuitive high-pass/low-pass filter, and an effects controller. Two microphone inputs with a two-band EQ and talk-over function are also included, as well as four sweep effects and 16 professional-quality BPM effects for creative sound shaping. The master insert additionally allows DJs to add their favourite external effects, and the control elements have an intuitive layout that is perfect for DJs. The mixer also offers amazing connectivity with phono, line, digital, and DVS inputs as well as two USB connections, and it goes without saying that it also features master, booth, and recording outputs and even a MIDI output. And the mixer’s five-port LAN hub is an outstanding feature that allows it to form the core of a complete Denon DJ Prime setup, including event lighting and video connections.
Beginners and professionals alike will find the Denon DJ X1850 Prime’s proven interface easy and convenient to use, which makes it perfect for club performances, and demanding mobile DJs who work with a range of different media will have no problems either, since its wide selection of inputs can accommodate all common playback devices – so laptop DJ duos can connect two computers to the mixer simultaneously and route them to all of its channels. On-the-fly changes between computer DJs are also no longer a problem. The mixer comes equipped with a certified sound card for Serato DJs with digital scratch vinyl, and this is also compatible with DVS software such as Traktor Pro and Mixvibes. What is more, the coaxial digital inputs allow external sound cards to be connected, and drum machines and sequencers can be synchronised to the beat using the MIDI output, which makes the X1850 ideal as a creative command centre for hybrid live DJ sets.
The Denon DJ X1850 Prime comes equipped with everything that a professional-level DJ mixer needs: High-performance three-band EQ, smooth high-pass/low-pass filters on each channel, and two independent effects sections. The options menu also allows a range of parameters to be adjusted, including master levels, limiters, and frequency ranges. The precise contour adjustment controls for the channel faders and the interchangeable crossfader allow smooth cuts and transitions to be made and are thus great news for turntablists. The wide range of inputs mean that the mixer is ready to be used with all kinds of DJ equipment, but the outputs are no less flexible: In addition to the usual balanced and unbalanced PA outputs, booth output, and recording output, the X1850 also features a master insert on its rear panel. The digital inputs and outputs can be used to connect multiple X1850 mixers in series, and the 24-bit/96 kHz audio engine guarantees a clear and powerful sound with up to 20 dB of headroom.
The Japanese-American company Denon was founded in 1910 and established itself as a leading brand in the 1930s. It has long stood for ground-breaking technological innovations that were frequently world firsts in their time. Denon's passion for invention has produced many remarkable technologies, including the first professionally usable recording device for gramophone records (1939), the first Japanese stereo records and stereo systems (1951), and the first PCM recorder, which was based on the same principle as today's CDs (1970). In 1982, Denon launched the first CD player for home use, the DCD-2000, another milestone among its already widespread innovations. Today the company belongs to D&M Holdings Inc. and is famous for its hi-fi and DJ products.
Thanks to its clear layout and the wide range of options it provides, the DJ X1850 Prime is the perfect DJ mixer for all manner of DJ styles and playback devices. However, its features really come into their own when it is integrated into a Denon DJ Prime setup. The ingenious five-port LAN hub then turns the mixer into a core module that combines all of the connected Prime players into a synchronised group in which every player can access the others. What is more, audio data and Beatgrid information can be shared and the mixer’s effects and MIDI output synchronised, and the StagelinQ protocol can even be used to control and coordinate music, light, and video effects. Whether it’s in a club, at a festival or mobile DJ performance, or in a bedroom DJ booth, the Denon DJ X1850 Prime is a worthy competitor to the established market leaders.
The DJ 1850 Prime’s Sweep FX feature is also found on other DJ mixers and controllers (where they are labelled “Sound Colour FX” or “Mixer FX”. Denon offers four spectacular effects – Dub Echo, Noise, Wash Out, and Gate – that can be used with precise timing through the use of a bi-directional controller. Other manufacturers also add a filter to this section that can only be used as an alternative to the other channel effects – Denon, on the other hand, has equipped its high-performance high-pass/low-pass filter with a bi-directional controller, which in combination with the Sweep FX control makes spectacular mixes possible. The impressive 16-programme master effects section, which also features BPM quantisation and an innovative touch strip for delicate and precise operation, enhances the mixer’s effects performance even further.