vestax typhoon, worth it?

[ginger-ale]

hi everyone! it's my first post but i've been following this forum for months now!

here is my situation: i've decided to start djing with Traktor...i need of course the software and a midi controller, the only thing i have right now is a Presonus Firebox and a Macbook Pro...

i'm looking for some very basic equipment (i don't need tons of knobs and faders...) and for portability since i'm going to travel a lot in the future (that's why i decided to go digital..)

a lot of guys here use VCI-100 which honestly would be overkill and overpriced for my needs, but after doing some researches i bumped into the Typhoon from Vestax.

i won't be using effects and cue points any sooner so maybe the simplified layout of the Typhoon would be an ideal solution. in the future i could always add a mini controller from Korg or Akai for extra buttons...

what do you guys think??

[pilmat]

Hi and welcome to the forums.

As you already have a sound card, and a well reputed one on top of that, you might be able to get your hands on a Numark Steath or Hercules Steel for the same money as the Typhoon. I'm not putting down down the Spin/Typhoon, but you can do more with either of the above. Trust me that if today you do not see the need for the buttons and knobs, you will quickly find yourself looking for them.

As a side note, why the Typhoon over the Spin? I thought the Typhoon was more geared towards the PC.

Phil.

[sine143]

you can get a used vci 100 for around 300 bucks. I would go with that mainly from the build quality (metal construction).

If not, I'd look into a mobile setup, 2 akai lpd8s would do ya. Idk.

[pilmat]

Good point, sine. A modular setup would be good for the OP too. As they need Traktor anyways, maybe a Kontrol X1 would be a good starting point (it has Traktor LE). And let's not forget that smart keyboard mapping can cover some pretty wide needs.

Phil.

[ginger-ale]

so one of my dj friends offered to sell me his used uc33 wich is in good condition..

right now i'm even more confused: the uc33 has many knobs and faders but very few unresponsive buttons..on the other hand i could add an usb keyboard "Earl-Panda-style" for all the buttons! or even a nano pad?

to tell you the truth, i would still prefer an interface which emulates a mixer-cdj setup like the Stealth Control (btw. does it even work with Traktor Pro?)

of one thing i'm sure, i need the software first...but i'm just waiting to decide what to buy just in case i get an LE version!

[sine143]

X1 is definitely a good choiice, or perhaps some 1Ds. The only downside is you dont have a crossfader with that setup. Its not a big deal for me, because I find myself very rarely using the xfader, if at all. The only thing I need the xfader for is quick cuts, and I can pretty much just route that to a button on the akai haha.

[ginger-ale]

about the X1, i could use the upper part for EQ, but since there are no faders how do i set the volume and pitch??
i even thought about buying the Korg Nanoseries bundle, it's super portable and i have everything i need: buttons, faders, knobs, pads

so here are my options:

- Vestax Typhoon: @pilmat: Typhoon comes with LE, that's why this instead of Spin!

- Numark Stealth Control: i heard about some problems with Traktor Pro.. cms with LE

- UC-33: no traktor LE, and very few buttons, but at a good price

- Nanoseries Bundle: no traktor LE, but the do look cool!

- X1: comes with LE, but isn't it more appropriate to work with analogue mixers??

- Reloop Digital Jockey 2: comes with LE, haven't heard much about it...



i wonder how you guys make your decisions when you buy your gears...there's so much out there....and it's not that cheap either..........

[pilmat]

Yeah, there are a LOT of choices out there. There is even more opinions. The choices start to look similar after a while and get grouped quickly in catagories: platter type; knob and button device; cheap copy of a BLANK; overpriced copy of a BLANK.

The things you will find in models people migrate towards or stick with for a long time are: support network (this is the VCI, don't get me wrong in that it IS good, and that is why it gets a good support network here) and high quality (this is the X1, yes it is designed to go beside an analogue mixer, but it is just as suited to digital DJing).

Your list is missing the Hercules Steel, which would be my choice over the Stealth. A good friend of mine runs an Omni (Stealth with average sound card), and to be honest I'm not impressed compared to a VCI-100. I haven't used a Hercules, but people that have them tend to love them and use them for quite a while, so that leads me to believe they are worth looking into.

When I went looking for hardware, I started by looking at the Spin (rather looking FOR a Spin, they were impossible to find at the time). Then I found DJTT and after spending MANY hours reading the different reviews and opinions, I settled on the VCI with an A2DJ. My gear aquisition syndrome has had me get a bunch of other production stuff since, but my mix rig is still the same and probably will be for quite a while (to be joined by a Midi Fighter when they are available again).

The Korg Nano series suffers from a low quality reputation, they have been known to be "throw away" items. Most around here will steer you in the direction of the Akai LPD8 instead (they make a nice little keyboard, too).

Whew, that got long winded.
Phil.

[ginger-ale]

well, i guess what i'm looking for is pretty much the Vci-100 or an entry copy of it ...but as a beginner, i just feel bad spending too much money on it, when a simple Steel, Stealth Control or similar could fully cover my basic needs.

but then again, those "entry level" controllers aren't that cheap either, and if you buy them and after a while you feel the need to improve or maybe you just don't like how they are built (i've tried the Numark Total Control and hated it) you end up spending more than if you just bought something really good at the beginning

so here is a question: is a "pro" controller like the VCI-100 appropriate for someone just starting (well i'm not like a total beginner, i never owned any DJ Equipment but have some basic experience..)
i mean, are there any disadvantages for starting with a pro device?

[pilmat]

All DJ equipment is limited by the user. What makes a Xone 92 with two CDJ-2000, Traktor Scratch Pro and 100 Gig of the "latest" music any good? Nothing if the person ehind the decks can't figure out a set to get people moving. Pro level equipment used two be 2 TT, needles that weren't broken and two line levels (no cross fader), the rest was done by hand.

One argument for starting with "lesser" equipment is that you have to figure out how to do a lot of stuff on your own. That building experience of discovery will be invaluable throught your life, never mind your career. The flip side is that you can pick up some really bad habits that will be hard to break. The bad habits can come from compensating for a setup that won't let you do what you want and the "band-aid" you find around it will become your way of working.

In the end, only you can decide what is best for you and then learn from that decision. There is no right or wrong, just experience.

Enjoy, Phil.