I am planning on buying an APC 20 and 40, maybe making an APC 80 out of it later. I will use it with ableton, and traktor (not at the same time) I already have a mapping in my head. So on to my questions.
What style are the faders? are they smooth like good mixers? or is it more studio equipment like.
How about the crossfader? is it smooth enough for scratch like action?
What are the downsides you guys have experienced with these controllers?
tbh I’d really recommend trying to find a shop that stocks it so you can play with it first. nothing worse than buying something online, waiting for delivery then finding out it doesn’t do what you want it to. Not that it will, it’s just a good idea.
Yeah I know,
this sunday a big shop in holland has a webshop sale. And I dont know if I can try it before then.
Btw in a shop you cannot try it like users have done, and you wont know how it stand real use for a long time. Thats why I thought: lets ask the nice ppl on DJTT.
thanks anyway!
the faders are solid from what i’ve experienced with them. My friend has an APC-40 and uses it with traktor. It runs smoothly using the .tsi he made. I would assume that the APC-20 would be the same as well.
As for the cross fader it worked fine for mixing between decks, however I dont scratch so I cannot say if it is optimal for scratching or not. Sorry. But hope this helped some.
I’m not planning in scratching with it either, but just snap between decks.
The crossfader on my novation nocturn is hell.
The one on my mixer (reloop rmx 40) is good and I hope the APC 40 is just as good.
The mapping i have in my mind would be amazing, just have to draw it out and and map it.
a few weeks after I get my APC’s I will share it. Then I have time to get the bugs and glitches out.
Me neither, I dont really under stand the speed knob too.
Whats the point in turning a knob if your mouse is on it already.
They should have used the room to allign the knobs logically. or add more buttons/2 faders.
It is a neat little controller, thats true. I bought it for vst control in ableton, and super knobs in traktor. I made a little mixer mapping for it too…
Faders on the APC-series are great, a little too much resistance for my liking, but definitely not something to turn you off the controller. Crossfader on the APC40 is very smooth, practically no resistance. Overall they’re both very high quality products. They’ll definitely last a long time.
The faders are good…but i found if I really jam em…sometimes the one does not always register.
Tried some compressed air in a can and cleaned out the dust…worked so far.
The XFader is pretty standard and there is no knob to control the cut.
So you can’t adjust it to be sharp.
But…I kinda found a way to tweak the midi settings and it kinda works on velocity now. If I snap the fader…or crab…it picks it up pretty well. But the fader is not gonna last.
I can tell you that now…its NOT a scratch fader…by a long shot.
My next mod will be to replace the XFader with an Innofader…or Pro X Fade…or something similar.
@sarasin Thanks for the info, did you already mod your apc’s to an apc80? are the pictures somewhere on the forum? (link?)
I dont think the fader will be that much of a problem, I could always still use it next to a normal mixer, when routed thru my audio 8 dj.
So there is always a workaround.
@sarasin agreed, on the cut thing but on Ableton Live a right click on the crossfader can set different curves for it… I don’t have Traktor so don’t know if that functionality is in the software…
The big thing i’d say for the 40 is to get a bag or case for it quickly if you intend on moving it around, you’ll rue the day when you get home from a gig missing the caps from the encoders or the faders!
Personally I don’t see the point in turning it into an apc 80. Everything you can do with an apc 80 you can do by just putting them together on the table but when you come to take it away you have to much easier to carry objects instead of one monolithic one. And if one breaks you’re gunna have to take them both apart. And I’m pretty sure turning them into an apc80 will void your warranty.
true, it is mostly because it looks good. I would wait anyways till I’m comfortable with both off them. And maybe if the warranty is over, I’d combine them.
Tho if I notice it’s easier for gigging or anything I might change my mind.
Ill have to find out.