NEWS: Unleash your MP3 music with Denon's MIDI DJ controller

Budding DJs take note: Denon claims to have developed the "most powerful and flexible DJ hardware controller on the planet".

Now that's quite a claim, and not one we've put to the test yet, but the £400 DN-HC4500 is a pro unit designed for heavy-duty club use, so should easily stand up to a bit of abuse in a teenager's bedroom.

Denon says the unit is the "essential link between a DJ and their music" - whether on PC, Mac, CD, MP3, hard drive or USB.

Technical highlights include:

  • PC/MAC compatible USB MIDI controller
  • Can control Denon's BU4500 twin-CD drive for simultaneous four-player usage
  • 24-bit processing and USB 2.0 audio interface
  • Multi-functional, touch-sensitive jog disc
  • Bundled with an LE version of PCDJ's Reflex software
  • Bright FL display with two-line character text support
Andy Clough

Andy is Global Brand Director of What Hi-Fi? and has been a technology journalist for 30 years. During that time he has covered everything from VHS and Betamax, MiniDisc and DCC to CDi, Laserdisc and 3D TV, and any number of other formats that have come and gone. He loves nothing better than a good old format war. Andy edited several hi-fi and home cinema magazines before relaunching whathifi.com in 2008 and helping turn it into the global success it is today. When not listening to music or watching TV, he spends far too much of his time reading about cars he can't afford to buy.