I just bought a Denon x1800 mixed to go with my SC500m deck with week. I love that you can use streaming services without a computer and it feels pretty similar to using the vinyl. The 5000m outputs two decks worth of audio, so you only need one player.
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There are certainly a lot of established DJs, I’ll grant you that.
Produce your own music, though, and you can parlay that into a certain amount of almost instant respect in the scene. I found that being a music producer who also does live electronic and DJ performances automatically separates me in the minds of others in the scene from the guy down at the local pub or wedding blasting the air-horn between Mambo #5 and The Macarena.
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Well, that escalated.
I started craving a standalone and a few weeks ago, I ordered a Denon Prime GO to get into the Engine OS ecosystem.
UPS lost it somewhere in the middle of the country, so in the midst of working on my refund, the Numark Mixstream Pro dropped on the market, using a licensed version of the Engine OS, but in a $599 unit.
Did a couple of gigs with the Mixtream and enjoyed the Engine OS/standalone thing a lot, but because it’s an entry to mid level unit at best, I quickly hit the walls of its limitations. Extremely limited FX section, no aux inputs, single 1/4" mic input, etc.
Also, I feel like the Engine OS was deliberately crippled a little for the Numark so it wouldn’t compete as much with the Denon line, owned by the same parent company.
And I STILL had to take a separate mixer, effect unit, and do all THAT setup too, when I really just wanted to plug a standalone DJ unit directly into my PA and go from there.
Then my Denon Prime GO was magically on the way to my house again. What?!!!
So back to the store with the Numark for a refund.
And today, the (mint) Denon Prime GO arrived. Packaged pretty poorly, I must say, but shockingly, it came through UPS’ tender mercies in perfect shape.
Total cost with shipping and tax? $800.
I wasn’t expecting THAT much of a difference, but it’s like night and day in some respects. The GO is a SOLID piece of kit. Reminds me of an MPC Live, but more dense feeling.
Overall, even at the small size, it has a more “pro” look and feel.
It just has more of that all-black industrial tank thing about it, even though I know there’s a lot of plastic, it has a metal-like quality to it.
I did a quick OS update, stuck in my music SD, and was up and running. Having had that time with the Numark meant that the OS and features were second nature, and it was mostly just adjusting to the layout. It will be a bit before the muscle memory is fully there, but already this little beast is showing the goods for a portable live DJ rig.
All the complaints I had about the Numark are just … gone with the Denon.
Side note, I’m also psyched to hook up some of my DMX lights to try out some Denon-driven light shows.
Another side note, I had a spare IKEA BRADA laptop stand sitting around, and guess what fits on it absolutely perfectly? 
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If I wasn’t gassing for a new mac I’d probably still be thinking of a new controller.
The s8 is decent… and looking around I didn’t realise rekordbox was monthly subscription
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Tnx; I was eyeing the mixstream pro but didn’t like the limited fx and small pitch faders. So you feel the Go is better in those aspects? I’ve read about distortion on the Go audio out? Still wondering if the step up to a pioneer XDJ set is a smarter option. I’ve been DJ ing several times with XDJ’s and I like how to work like regular Modular pioneer gear. Btw i normally dj with traktor and x1 mk2 into a club mixer 2 channels, or plain pio CDJs but I want something for at home that doesn’t require a laptop.
I would like to get a dj controller. List is endless on youtube which you should get. Any suggestions. I’m not going to play on stadium for sure, probably not in clubs either. But i dont either want a device which I immediately need to upgrade to something else. Like buying a poor road bike instead of a bit better 