controller/set up options

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

controller/set up options

i have a few options for a new set up that i would like to get for traktor

option1: denon dn-x1600+2 kontrol x1
option2: denon dn-x600+1 kontrol x1
option3: vestax vci-100 mkii+korg nanopad2

i have a few questions regarding each set up.

with option 1, i pretty much get a straight-forward 4 deck control with cue/loop/fx control hands on with the x1, but its around $1500. i dont want to overkill just for djing for myself (maybe small gatherings, but nothing public as of yet). i was considering for a while a xone 42+audio 10 dj, but thats out of the price range, although i really love that mixer.

with option 2, i am worried i will get bored quickly with only 2 decks, but can add on to in the future, as well as the 1st option (cdj). i have seen a few other people who have been in the same situation where they go for the more affordable, cheaper (quality/production) option which consists of a 2 deck mixer/controller, but then quickly get bored because of the limitations of two decks.

with option 3, i feel like i am limited on what i can do. i am a bedroom dj, so i am not looking for club standard $2000 mixers and $1500 cdj/turntables, but i feel that if i wanted to inch closer to those with mixers and cdjs/midi controllers i would be restricted. i dont want to have a collection of controllers and mixers, etc. by just keep upgrading and buying more “interfaces”

if anybody can come up with alternatives within a 700-1200 price range, that would be great. limit the controllers, as the vci-100 mkii. i do also like the s4, but again same situation as with option 3 regarding limitations and restrictions for the future.

edit:if for some reason this is the wrong place, sorry. was just quick browsing the section and put it here

2

ill read more into this. i really only read the first line of each option. sorry, its 1 am

at the moment i would say 3.
youre not limiting yourself.

i turned this (mine):

400×300 24 KB

into a 4 channel mixer, with a 4 band EQ, full effects control, 8 cue points, button effects, and your standard controlls.

if i didnt fuck up the mapping and wasnt too lazy to fix it, i would be golden.

EDIT: and mapping those goddamned leds is a pain in the ass when you have so many things going. but its worth it. only takes a few hours to do all of the mapping (not just the leds)

3

thanks, and i have done a but of midi mapping, but only touchosc/osculator. still confused because i want the feel of a mixer, with inputs for external sources, but when i saw the vci-100 mkii, i fell in love with its portability and function as an all-in-one controller because it is a tangible extension of the software.

4

The VCI-100 mk2 sound card is meh.

If you can afford it I’d say the DN-X1600 is a great mixer, particularly since it’s Traktor Scratch certified so you can add CDJs or TTs at a later date if you wanted. And I don’t think 2 X1s is particularly necessary right now, 4 deck mixing gets a lot of hype but it’s not easy to make anything other than an over-saturated audio soup. 1 X1 to control 2 decks along with that mixer would do wonders. There’s also a very good 4 deck mapping for the X1 if you want it, made by Andre Leite.

That said, the S4 also has expandability. The sound card is much better than that of the VCI-100mk2, and it has inputs to allow you to use CDJs or TTs later with the scratch upgrade. On top of that you get a free copy of Traktor Pro 2.

Overall I’d go for the S4, but it’s your money!

5

i dont really need studio quality sound so unless the vci sound card is complete garbage, it doesnt really matter as much as function and whether it will last a while. as for the x1600 and x1 set up i did find a mapping for controlling all 4 decks with one controller, so that puts me into my price range. thanks for your help

6

But if you go to a club? if your sound quality is crap, all your tunes are gona sound crap. ok you may like the portability, but what about a vci SE mk1 and audio 2 soundcard?

7

hmmm i never thought about an external sound card because of the internal one. if i do go for the newer version, the mk ii, will the audio 2 make a noticeable upgrade in sound quality? if thats a stupid question my bad just trying to learn as i go.

8

Is the vci mkii sc really that bad? Do we know this for sure? It’s a nice but if kitotherwise

9

i am not really concerned on my sound quality in the club because i do not have any intentions on being a club dj. and from what i have heard if you use the actual power adapter instead of solely bus powering the controller, it does give a VERY noticeable increase in sound performance (from what i have heard)