What Is It?
The Denon MC3000 is the little brother of the vicious beast I reviewed in our previous issue and I first encountered the MC3000 when I was working on the review for the aforementioned DN-MC6000.
I always keep an eye on the latest kit to be released (part-work, part-gear perv), and the aptly named BPM 2011 Expo in Birmingham UK is one of a handful of expos around the world that a large majority of the manufacturers including Denon target for release of their latest products, this year being no different. Loads of new controllers were unveiled and the Denon MC3000 was also due to be shown off, but the controller sat on display on the Denon stand for just under a minute before being covered and squirreled away.
Cue loads of viral videos of eager gear heads filming and sharing the footage of the MC3000 being covered and whisked away by the Denon supremos. I personally think that Denon didn’t think the world was ready for the MC3000 back then. It’s reminiscent of all the hoo-ha over the latest sports cars being tested on secret tracks around the world shrouded in thick black tape to hide their sleek, aerodynamic lines. But with a controller…oh dear, I think I’m maxing out the geek meter here.
So if you couldn’t deduce it from the awesome pics accompanying this preview, the MC3000 is a two channel DJ MIDI controller and mixer. But don’t think you will be relegated to just two channels as there are facilities on the controller to use it as a four channel device once you’ve mastered the two deck set-up using a combination of backlit buttons and a 2 + 2 system. In fact the MC3000 has a carbon copy of the sound card found in the DN-MC6000 so no worries about stretching the card beyond its capabilities.
The 105 mm control wheels are also the same high quality ones found on the 6000 and the high resolution line faders are also shared between the models. If you are one of the few who don’t like to use the platter for pitch bending each side of the controller is fitted with Denon’s “Legacy” pitch bend buttons. The backlit buttons controlling the effects and sampling section are shared and each of the two effects modules has four backlit buttons and four rotary controls to give you very comprehensive management of your dual effects section. You also have 8 hot cues available to use per side.
As with its larger forerunner the MC3000 comes Traktor and Virtual DJ certified and the versions heading to our shores ship with Traktor LE 2 while those destined for American shores get Virtual DJ LE. The controller is fully compatible with Mac OS X and Windows 7 and is even compliant with machines still running Vista and XP. Something that is unique to the MC3000 is the band pass filter for each of the two channels and this can really improve mixes when guys get to grips with how to effectively use it.
There are two sets of ports for RCA inputs but no phono/line switch so you will have to stick to line devices only, rounding out the inputs is a 1/4” jack for the microphone. As to the outputs you have the choice of either unbalanced RCA or balanced 1/4” ports. From the looks of the device the MC3000 will come with an external power transformer to power the entire controller so the USB connection is just for data transfers.
Also worth bearing in mind is the weight, and even with a steel chassis the MC3000 tips the scales at 3 kg which makes it lighter than some laptops out there.
Who should own one?
Judging from the estimated price point the MC3000 is going to slide in quite comfortably in the middle of the controller segment. It’s certainly going to cost more than your entry level controller but the way it has been thought out will let you grow into the fully functionality and creativity that a package like Traktor Pro 2 can offer.
The audio inputs are also quite handy if you want to dust off those old CDJ’s and use the MC3000 as a standalone mixer. Compared to some of the other controllers in this segment the baby Denon is going to do well just on the fact that it’s pretty much a DN-MC6000 version 2 that’s been shrunk down.
The Verdict
Anyone that read my review of the DN-MC6000 will grasp in what high regard I hold that particular controller. The MC3000 is a terrific compromise for all those guys that want to get their hands on the most solid controller build available at the moment but still have space to grow into. As mentioned previously the sound card is the identical one fitted to the DN-MC6000 so you know that there have been no sacrifices in terms of quality or reliability.
And while being more compact than the DN-MC6000 the layout on the MC3000 seems more intuitive with the pitch faders mirroring each other on the far sides of the facade. The positioning of the effects selects and the addition of a filter on both channels also shows a little more eye for detail than its bigger brother and appears more intuitive.
The entire package comes with the trump software in Native Instruments Traktor LE 2 which is far better suited to using all of the MC3000 than the same package on its bigger brother. But even with that in mind accommodations have been made for running Pro 2 in four deck mode through the use of the deck change buttons in 2 + 2 setup. None of your controls for sampling, effects or hot cue functionality are in any way compromised by the down-sizing, if anything they have been improved upon. The navigation section has also been streamlined to let you not only get around your music library more proficiently but also to access your Video, Mixer, Scratch, Sample, EFX and record functions with.
The VJ has also not been left out of the new model with the cross-fader still available to be used to control your video fader which is a great extra for those guys using Virtual DJ Pro.
To sum it all up on a preview front, we can’t wait to get our paws on this bad boy. Judging from the specs and comparisons we’ve gone through if you managed to get a feel for the DN-MC6000 then expect the same experience on the MC3000.
It seems that only a few corners have been cut to bring you a controller which is as dynamic as its big brother but more compact and cheaper. And who wouldn’t want that?
Price: + R 8,000.00
Supplier: Audiosure | Tel: (011) 790 4600
Web: www.audiosure.co.za / www.denondj.com
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