Should I swap my controllers?

[Bunford]

I have a VCI-100 and a Launchpad that I use with Traktor Pro 2. I also have an LPD8. At the moment I use the VCI with DJTT's mapping and the Launchpad with a mapping as a instan grat midifighter and hot cue launcher. I also use the Launchpad for production in Ableton.

I've been considering selling my VCI and LPD8 and replacing with the VMS4 Traktor Edition. I know the VCI is 'better' in a lot of ways, but the VMS4's look and layout seems more 'me'. Also, the fact it has a simple 4 deck layout, and more knobs, button, faderes and touch strips/mousepad makes it more customisable and mappable than the VCI and easier to run 4 decks off.

I don't scratch and mix electro/house in the main. Anyone got any opinions (without being too fanboy-ish about the VCI )?

[photojojo]

I haven't been keeping up with the VMS4, but they seemed to have a lot of problems at first. Have those been fixed? I would cruise the VMS4 forums and see what the chatter was over there before I bought one.

[Bunford]

It looks quite nifty for 4 deck control but am still trying to read up more about it.

VMS4 Traktor Edition

[VirtualLogic]

The vms4 is sexy. But I hav heard bad things about the hogs and soundcard.

[Bunford]

I'd probably keep using my Audio2DJ as the sound card, so that's not a problem. However, regarding jogs, I don't scratch and use them for pitch bending and cuing tracks, so not much problems there either I'd imagine.

[mike_o]

I played with a VSM4 at guitar center in concord last night, I was not very impressed and would not have bought it, it just felt wrong to me.

I'd say go and try on out if you can, but do not buy without a hands on test first.

[Bunford]

Problem is, in Cardiff they only have the one DJ shop, Catapult Records. They do not stock it there as it's a tiny shop with a basement level and barely have room for gear. Most music shops here are 'traditional' ones selling guitar and pianos/keyboards with the odd one selling drums.

Be hard pushed to find a decent DJ shop nearby!

[josh@firestorm]

they do look nice in pictures and video, but not so much in person. also its feels very cheap and to me wouldn't last 12 months of gigging and travel.

if you can afford it i'd look into the denon mc6000 if thats the roundabout size and layout you are looking at. build quality much more decent, and i'd much prefer to use this as an analogue mixer if i had to rather than the american audio unit.

but you can't discount the s4 if you're willing to step up into the price range of the denon.

[Bunford]

The Denon looks perfect for me. However, can't quite stretch that far at the moment. Also trying to save for a Macbook Pro so another £700/800 is a bit steep for the foreseeable future.

Whereas with the VCI-100 and LPD8, I could pretty much swap straight for the VMS4 (which does look snazzy but I've never felt or seen one up close admittedly).

Any VMS4 users here able to give Traktor-using opinions of it?

[DjWindzOne]

I've played around with it @ the GC's in my area (There's 2 in San Diego).

Exactly what josh mentioned. . .very cheap feeling. . .heavy, but that doesn't justify the issues I've heard and felt. Ean did a review of this some time ago. . .and i saw a vid of it and the clicky buttons didn't sound "quality" to me.

Personally, I'd keep the VCI-100 and the LPD-8 and add a X-Session Pro for 4 deck, and map fader FX for the line faders on either the VCi or the XSP . .just my 2 cents. . .