But in a reversal of the cygnet black to swan white of the Hans Christian Anderson story, I believe going from white to black, while still only a cosmetic change, may significantly change the story for the little controller that could, after all it doesn't matter how good the engine, mileage, and upholstery inside your motor is.... if it looks like a circa 1990s pimp mobile that's seen better days, not many are going to want to ride in it.....
HISTORY
I Learnt to beatmatch on lowly cdj-100s, then 200s, then finally using 800s & 1000s when I played out in bars and clubs in Madrid when I lived there (for 8 years), but got myself a pimped VCI-100SE as a bit of fun to start with, then finally a replacement for my CDJs/Mixer setup. I finally let go of my much loved, super pimped dual colour light buttoned arcade edition chroma capped baby VCI-100 and actually greatly surprised myself and ended up with an..... ERGO BLACK! And it is a lovely little controller as long as it is what you are looking for, and you are not wanting something else...
MY PROPOSITION
Now that seems obvious I know, but a lot of the hating and criticism I've read of it is I believe quite unwarranted. I'm in my late 30s now and my serious partying days and playing out at bars/small clubs are behind me. I now only play at home, house/private parties around the UK and occasional bars here in London. However, I still amazed myself by pulling the trigger on this particular model, but I will attempt to explain how this came about. I wanted an integrated sound card, and more importantly I felt I had to finally let go of the vci-100 as the new 4.1 mapping that works with sample decks, does not work with the remix decks (in sample mode). Also , having not touched decks for a seeming eternity and only using my controller, I felt that due to the ease of the sync button, I had become lazy and sloppy, and 'disconnected from the music. Ergo (actually using the latin here, not the model name!!), I wanted something a little more retro, or at least emulating the old CDJs/mixer workflow. Now this is not a criticism of those that use sync, those laying down multiple effects, myriad loops and samples, etc need that extra time. It is simply that my style and the music I play I think benefits from me 'feeling the funk' as it were by beatmatching and using my ears, not my eyes to blend the music.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS 1!
I use cue points when playing house, funk, and cosmic/future disco for cutting up vocals but am in no way a huge controllerist. This unit gives me a set of four cue points for each decks, sample 'load/play/delete' buttons (again four for each deck that DO work within remix deck v2.5.1), two separate effects banks which can be routed to all four decks (2 track decks and two remix decks). I must say also that; although the sample and cue point buttons are small, they are quick and precise.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS 2!
The looping section is excellent with in and out buttons, or the rotary button perfect for adjusting loop size and activating/deactivating, or use shift and in/out buttons to move the loop forward or backwards along the track. The main chrome plated play, cue, and shift buttons are very tactile and responsive, and although its only a small upgrade, the black rubber pots from the DDJ-T1 used here on the EQ are very welcome. I in fact bought 2 grey pots from said mixer and swapped them out for the LP/HP filter knobs on this Ergo-K, very minor pimpage perhaps, but rubbers always feel better than plastic!
IMPRESSIONS........3!
The mixer is compact yes, but still very useable, the cross fader is nice and responsive (but yes perhaps too stiff for scratching, but not an issue for me), the jog wheels are VERY responsive and the whole thing feels very much like a 'mini-me' of my old cdj/pioneer mixer setup, which is EXACTLY the thing I was looking for as I am now refusing to use sync, and as I mentioned this is simply my own personal relationship with that function.
MR GRUMPY.......?....
The only small criticisms I would levy is that it would be nice if ALL pots and assorted twisty bits were rubber ones of course and that while the pitch sliders are actually excellent and very precise (and FAR superior to any controller slider I've tried before.. they are of course MUCH shorter than one would like. In fact I think the robust stiffness is very deliberate as it still allows for very fine adjustment, even though the overall length of movement is much smaller than a full size deck. Other than that I dont really have a bad word to say about it.
The latency is very low and fine for me (scratching and controllerism I cant speak to though) and the sound quality coming out of both master outs and headphones is unbelievably loud AND precise considering the whole thing is bus powered.
HISTORY PART 2!
Silly pulse effects are of course 'off' and shall remain so! I have been been using the sample trigger button to mute and demute samples from the remix packs simply having loaded them by mouse of course). I was originally looking at the DDJ-T1, and had dismissed the Ergo. I freely admit that I fell for and was drawn by the 'Black for Traktor' marketing, but now that I have had it for a week or so I am more than happy with it. It is for hobbyists for sure, and costs a little more than other controllers yes, but it is still a nice solution.
FINAL MUMBLINGS....
The new colour design is significantly more elegant and less of an eyesore. and with the pulse effects off it is quite simply a very 'clean', elegant, and focused control surface, with a nice workflow. Yes, a DDJ-T1 is the more professional 'full' pro dj booth emulation, but i am happy to trade that off for weight, size, and 'stick it back in its pouch and take it away for the weekend or put on top of the wardrobeability'. Controllerists should maybe pass on this one for sure, but for old men like me still playing house, electro, cosmic disco, etc, it really is an elegant solution that ticks a lot of boxes.
......AND FURTHERMORE......
To be honest it was the colour scheme and cheap look of the Ergo which stopped me from considering it as an option in the first place, and not even bothering to absorb the specs, so in fact in releasing this black version which is not really anything more than a cosmetic tweak, Pioneer can, to my mind, consider it a job well done and objectives achieved. If others are anything like me, those who did not even bother to appraise its strengths/weaknesses before, may well do so now. Before none of us even wanted to have to look at the bloody thing while doing what we would actually use it for, which is of course 'mixing tunes together'. Now with these simple and elegant lines (no pulse mode natch) they may take another look (as I have done) at its features and potential, and reconsider whether or not it may be an option for them, now it is not such a bloody cheap looking eyesore.
ONESTLY GUV, NUFFIN 2 DO WIV ME!!!
Also, I promise I am in no way connected with them, but for those in the UK I would say buy it from mainland Europe. I purchased it from www.audiopalace.de in Germany. Inc 9 euros shipping it was still cheaper than the UK, and they have an option where if you get a matching magma case, you get the case half price, so for 5 quid more than buying it in the uk, I got a 50 quid magma case with it!!
Bookmarks