Portable traktor controller for house parties n such

**djproben** · 11-23-2011, 06:34 PM

+1 to VCI-100, especially the SE with 1.4 firmware and of course arcade buttons

As far as I'm concerned, all the newer all-in-one controllers still don't hold a candle to it. You'll need a soundcard though.

**Cybertrash** · 11-24-2011, 02:50 AM

Originally Posted by djproben

+1 to VCI-100, especially the SE with 1.4 firmware and of course arcade buttons

As far as I'm concerned, all the newer all-in-one controllers still don't hold a candle to it. You'll need a soundcard though.

I have considered the VCI-100SE, sorta in love with it, it looks so pretty and functional and... Wonderful. Problem is, I wouldn't use it at home at all (as I've got a real mixer) and putting out that kind of money on something I'll just use every now and then.

Then again... Soo pretty...

**djproben** · 11-24-2011, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by Cybertrash

I have considered the VCI-100SE, sorta in love with it, it looks so pretty and functional and... Wonderful. Problem is, I wouldn't use it at home at all (as I've got a real mixer) and putting out that kind of money on something I'll just use every now and then.

Then again... Soo pretty...

If you really want it, look for deals on used gear. They are built like tanks so a used one will probably be just fine; I've seen them sell on ebay as well as here as low as $300, maybe 400 for arcades. And with the DJTT mappings you might find you wind up using it at home too - I have a real mixer too but with the VCI in fader FX mode there's nothing redundant about having it out as well.

The 400 looks nice too but I don't even know if I'd want to trade up. I like being able to use any sound card or mixer I want (I'm sure the Vestax sound card is fine though) and the 400 looks bigger and heavier, and the jog wheels don't look as functional thanks to those adjusting knobs in the middle. I'm sure it's an upgrade and the extra knobs and buttons make it worthwhile (especially if you use traktor's sample decks and stuff) but I'm pretty happy with the sweet spot the VCI-100 hits.

**Cybertrash** · 11-24-2011, 06:17 AM

Originally Posted by djproben

If you really want it, look for deals on used gear. They are built like tanks so a used one will probably be just fine; I've seen them sell on ebay as well as here as low as $300, maybe 400 for arcades. And with the DJTT mappings you might find you wind up using it at home too - I have a real mixer too but with the VCI in fader FX mode there's nothing redundant about having it out as well.

The 400 looks nice too but I don't even know if I'd want to trade up. I like being able to use any sound card or mixer I want (I'm sure the Vestax sound card is fine though) and the 400 looks bigger and heavier, and the jog wheels don't look as functional thanks to those adjusting knobs in the middle. I'm sure it's an upgrade and the extra knobs and buttons make it worthwhile (especially if you use traktor's sample decks and stuff) but I'm pretty happy with the sweet spot the VCI-100 hits.

Oh, I've looked, unfortunately the only VCI-100 available on the local version of Craigslist was sold already :c

**zestoi** · 11-24-2011, 06:22 AM

Originally Posted by truewind

2 Denon dn-sc 2000's and one xone K2. BOOM! That imo beats everything.

fecking awesome setup - tho possibly too much expensive to take to a house party where it might all get drowned in beer...

personally i would just take my icon idj to a house party. it has stacks of pots+faders+buttons. the pots are too close to each other, but i'd live with that for a house party. the touch sensitive jogs are very nice - and it has an awesome midi implementation for mapping to traktor. plus it only costs about 100quid and is smaller than just about anything else - so nice and portable.

also picked up my djtech djm101 2nd hand for 20quid which actually isn't a bad 2 channel midi mixer...

**Cybertrash** · 11-24-2011, 06:54 AM

Originally Posted by zestoi

fecking awesome setup - tho possibly too much expensive to take to a house party where it might all get drowned in beer...

personally i would just take my icon idj to a house party. it has stacks of pots+faders+buttons. the pots are too close to each other, but i'd live with that for a house party. the touch sensitive jogs are very nice - and it has an awesome midi implementation for mapping to traktor. plus it only costs about 100quid and is smaller than just about anything else - so nice and portable.

also picked up my djtech djm101 2nd hand for 20quid which actually isn't a bad 2 channel midi mixer...

I have considered the Icon iDJ, but it seems to be a bit of a rarity around here, and it's soo tiny, I'm not sure I could EQ properly.

**zestoi** · 11-24-2011, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Cybertrash

I have considered the Icon iDJ, but it seems to be a bit of a rarity around here, and it's soo tiny, I'm not sure I could EQ properly.

yep - it's definately small but thats partly why i bought it. eq'ing is fine - i ignore the labels they put on them and use the central 4 for hi/lo and the next two for mids. the ones right above the jogs are a bit fiddly to use - but i put taller caps on mine which helps with that a lot. the buttons are pretty good, the jogs are actually very good, the faders are ok-ish. built in (and easy to change on the fly) xfader curve is very nice.

there's so many pots that i don't need to use them all anyway. the worst thing imho about the idj is lack of midi feedback for leds. it does the job tho and i could quite happily mix on nothing but the idj at a party or something.

it does have built in layers but i don't use those.

edit: each pot also sends out an additional noteon message at the half way point - very useful for turning on/off or resetting stuff like filters etc. the midi spec has been very well thought out.