Denon DJ VL12 is the new turntable in Denon’s Prime family. What you get is a model is aimed squarely at the professional DJ market with its cutting-edge torque, isolation feet, ambience-creating RGB lighting, adjustable pitch and sturdy metal construction.
Heritage
So where does the VL12 sit within the Denon family? The model is the turntable component of Denon’s Prime range. This is a suite of professional products consisting of the VL12 alongside the X1800 mixer, SC6000 and SC6000M media players. The Prime range marks a concerted effort from Denon to challenge Pioneer’s domination of the industry standard market.
The VL12 is heavily based on Technics classic SL-1200 turntable and Pioneer’s PLX-100. This is not to say that the model is merely a clone of its predecessors, or as is so usually the case, a well-worn Technics clone.
The model is immediately set apart by its high torque setting of 5kgf/cm which Denon claim is the ‘highest in the industry’, while the tone arm base is upgraded with an all-metal construction. It is widely claimed that the model feels genuinely new rather than your classic Technics clone. Let’s take a closer look at the model to see if it is as fresh as it claims to be.
Tactile and Stunning
The VL12 fuses stunning visuals with a brilliantly smooth tactile performance.
Let’s talk about the torque. It really is something special and has the potential to be a model defining feature. The torque combines silky smooth sleekness with strength so that your mixing, scratching and cutting performance is effortlessly accurate.
The quality of the torque firmly places this model in the professional sphere and makes the model a contender with the highest performing turntables.
Accurate Sound Performance
Its motor design is isolated to bring you an optimum signal to noise ratio, while the S-shaped tone arm has been tweaked to provide greater accuracy in tracking and ease of use alongside a reinterpreted lock and rest support.
Fantastic Isolation
We all know the havoc that super loud, bass-heavy environments can wreak on your turntable. It is really pleasing to see that the VL12 is enhanced by four special isolation feet.
The feet are specially engineered to temper and neutralise sub-frequencies. This way you can be sure that the VL12 is delivering resonance- free, clean sound at the most bass-laden club, bar or festival.
Attention to detail
The turntable is your musical instrument so you want to ensure that the model possesses intricate attention to details that will truly enhance your performance. The VL12 is laced with considered details that help propel it into the upper sphere of turntables. The precision-cut platter and sturdy base as mentioned earlier are easy to underestimate, but without them, you would immediately notice the degraded sound quality. As a result, the model manages to reduce a significant amount of low-end noise and deliver a fantastic signal-to-noise ratio.
The Denon VL12 turntable really raises the bar for professional turntables out there today. Its high-calibre torque, noise isolation properties and tactile performance brings an exhilarating aspect to both classic and vinyl control performances.
Conclusion
Denon have really been coming for Pioneers crown the last few years and with the arrival of the new Prime SC6000 and the new Prime Controllers, the VL12 still holds its own as a great turntable. At £599 it falls in line with other like minded turntables such as the Pioneer PLX-1000. If you are a fan of Denons Prime range, you will love this turntable. However scratch DJ's and Vinyl DJ's will have alot of appreciation for what Denon has managed to produce.
The Denon VL12 is available to order now from our
website!
