Intro
19” rack mount style unit. Layout is pretty much identical to other rackmount units and so comfort level (if you’ve used these) is instantly achieved.
The construction is solid, the buttons all feel really sturdy and like I can punch them for years without much damage.

Connections on are on right side of the unit. Not an issue really but if you are going to rackmount this you need to know that you will have to get your hand in between the rack and the side of the unit to power on and that is also where the RCA & USB cables connect.

Specifications
· Usb dj controller & audio interface
· Usb 2.0 connection
· 24bit 44.1khz / 48khz or 96khz audio compatibility
· Traditional dual cd player layout
· 2 x touch sensitive jog wheels
· 45mm pitch sliders
· Fully assignable play / pause, cue, pitch bend, loop, fast search and effects buttons
· 5 assignable function buttons
· Led tube display with 2 line text display
· 2 x line level audio outputs (deck 1 & deck 2)
· Fader start
· Includes pcdj reflex dj software (compatible with leading dj software including traktor, pcdj, vdj, ots, mixvibes etc)
· Versatile table-top or 19″ rack mountable , 3u
· Compatible with windows xp sp2, windows vista, mac osx 10.4 or higher
· Combine with bu4500 for standard dual cd deck system (mr225382)

Setup: Super easy installation, total plug and play with my macbook. Getting started with Traktor I had 1 hiccup which was easily rectified. Basically, I didn’t have my soundcard setup as 4 channels for traktor and therefore I couldn’t get the A & B deck to play out of the 2 assigned channels on my mixer. Audio Setup (in the Utilities folder) got that all fixed up in a couple mines (once I figured out what the issue was).

Native support for the HC4500 and Traktor is not yet complete and therefore the really nice screen is kinda useless. I believe there are some workarounds for this using 3.4 and modified tks files but I haven’t tried that.

What I have tried :Using the tks file for traktor 3.3provided on the Denon site all the main functions work. Transport functions are easily used (scroll via the parameters knob select by pressing).
Looping works like a charm.
Jog dial can be set into CD mode of vinyl mode on the unit or in Traktor itself. I don’t use the vinyl mode because I don’t scratch and from what I can tell it is either too sensitive or not accurate enough. Touching lightly to « push » the record occasionally stops it. Simple release doesn’t really get it to start very fast. Not an issue for me since I use CD mode.
There are also pitch bend buttons which work just like one would expect.
Cue, Play/pause no issues at all.

Effects: The effects are those which come with Traktor. They are pretty easy to turn on and off but since I don’t use them often I haven’t played around with adjusting the parameters much. From what I read, super easy using the same knob for the transport functions but this will require a 2nd hand to operate as the effect select button needs to be depressed first.

Price: right now this thing goes for around 500-600 CAD. I got mine for a steal but I think I would have paid that anyways. It gets a 4 simply because I have little to compare it to

My verdict: I would really enjoy native support for Traktor, which is supposed to be out something in the 2nd half of 2008 (i.e. real soon). I think this will push the unit’s functionality over the top. Especially since it really is doing exactly what I want now, everything else is total bonus.
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