Cables & Connections for the Denon MC6000

By Adrienne D Myers (DJ Queen), Brooklyn, NY

This blog will discuss the connections and cables used on a Denon MC6000 Mixer/Midi Controller. The Denon MC6000 is used by DJs to mix music formatted as digital MP3 files and output the music via powered speakers, monitors, amplifier, and/or mixing board. For the purposes of this discussion we will assume output to JBL 515 powered speaker.

We will spend most of this discussion on the rear view of the Denon MC6000. This is where most of the connector ports are located. The Denon MC6000 inputs include two phono lines, one balanced XLR Mic/quarter-inch and one unbalanced TRS quarter-inch mic jack, and two RCA phono AUX inputs. Outputs include LR balanced master XLR,  RCA master phono,  TRS quarter-inch booth/send out, phono record out, and stereo headphone out.


A balanced a method of interconnecting audio equipment that uses balanced lines. Balanced lines are lines that have two conductors of the same type with equal resistance or impedance. Similar to twisted pair cable in telecommunications. Balanced audio is very important in sound recording because it allows for longer runs and resists external noise susceptibility.

A descriptively accurate term used to describe 1/4″ (or 1/8″) balanced connectors. A TRS plug can be found at the end of most headphone cables, as an example of what one looks like. A tip-ring-sleeve connector looks like a standard 1/4″ plug with an extra section in it. The three sections of the shaft are called the tip, the ring, and sleeve.

The Denon has two balanced master out XLR ports. The ports are male and require a female XLR cable to connect to a powered speaker. The powered speaker negates the need for an amplifier. The balanced cable enables longer runs from controller to speaker. The pins of the XLR port are labeled from left to right 1(ground/earthed/chassis), 2(tip/hot/positive), and the bottom pin is labeled 3(ring/cold/negative).  

This is the JBL EON 515 Powered speaker. It packs a pretty powerful punch operating at 450W with a 15 in woofer. 

 This is the back of the JBL EON. It has three input connector ports, each with their own volume control. Two of the ports are TRS 1/4in ports. I rarely use those ports. The third port is a dual female XLR balanced port and 1/4in TRS port notice the big hole in the middle. The JBL has one output port which is used as a thru port to daisy chain speakers together. It also has a rudimentary EQ which essentially manipulates the bass from very little to a lot.

 Here is an example of the JBL with the XLR cable connected.

Here is an example of the same port with a 1/4 in TRS plug connected. This particular plug is a Y connector cable with dual RCA female heads. This cable can be used to connect via dual RCA to just about any output source with dual RCA capabilities.

Here's a closer look at the Y connector.

The RCA cable is commonly used to connect audio or video. Its name comes from the Radio Corporation of America which manufactured it back in the 1950's to connect home Television equipment. It does pretty much whatever a TRS 1/4in cable can do. TRS cables are used more in pro audio.

There is also an RCA master out on the Denon MC6000. Connect the master out to the Y connector and voila you are outputting music the same as if you had used the balanced XLR ports. The only issue here is that the runs must be shorter to reduce noise distortion.

As you can see there are numerous other RCA ports to connect various auxilliary inputs. For example, two turntables for the DJ purist, or CD/MP3 players. Typically, an MP3 player will use an 1/8in to dual RCA Y connector.

Let's now move on to microphone input connections. There are 2 mic inputs on the Denon MC6000. 

Here is Mic 1input which like the JBL EON is a dual 1/4in TRS/XLR port. The 1st picture depicts the port with a 1/4 in TRS cable.

 This picture shows the Mic1 port with an XLR cable male connected.

The next connection I'd like to discuss is for the headphones. I use the SOL Soundtrack of Life HD Headphones. The headphone has an 1/8in connector. However the Denon has an 1/8 in TRS connector. Therefore, an adapter is necessary. 1/4in to 1/8 in adapters are very inexpensive and portable.

Last but not least there is a USB B connector to connect the Denon MC6000 to the PC or MAC. This connection enables access to the MP3 files for mixing using the controller. The Controller is compatible with Virtual DJ and Traktor DJ software, Windows XP, Vista, and MAC OSX.

The other end of this cable is a simple usb plug that connects to any PC or MACs USB Port.

I hope this blog discussion was helpful as a tutorial of the cables and connectors required for the Denon MC6000 DJ controller. I would have liked to add a few more bells and whistles, particularly where annotation was concerned. My intention is to convey this information in clear and succinct layperson terms.