DJ bag (or backpack) or sleeve that will fit the Vestax VCM-600?
howdy all,
I’m using a VCM 600 for mixing and effects in Live, and using a Novation Launchpad for triggering and playing drums.
Does anyone know of a bag/backpack or sleeve that will fit the VCM 600 and protect it against a few bumps on the way to a gig? As far as I know, there are no dedicated cases (except the Odyssey road case, and im looking for something less boxy).
In total, i’ll be taking:
-headphones
-CDs (as backup and some music to mix in and set-up to)
-Macbook & power pack & USB hub
-double adapter
-Stanton Uberstand
Currently that all fits in one large backpack I’ve got. The only problem is that this is a pretty regular (if large) backpack. So the VCM - the only device without a sleeve (even the Uberstand comes with one) is unprotected. I’m worried some of the faders will get damaged.
ideally, I’d love a padded sleeve for the VCM600, then i can safely pop it in my backpack. Otherwise a specialised DJ bag would be great - the M Audio range ( http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.family&ID=gigbags ) look great. All those compartments would help organise all my stuff (though im sure by the end of a gig i’d just stuff it all in).
Does anyone know if one of the M-Audio bags will fit the VCM 600? What are other VCM600 owners using to transport theirs?
I dont know about sizes of separate bags i’ve never owned a VCM 600 as such, but if your happy with the bag and are looking for a sleeve type effect then why not just make some padding for the VCM?
Jump onto ebay and you’ll be able to find something called “plastizote” its a sheet of fairly dense foam thats used in the making of shockmount flightcases and to create the shapes that hold the decks etc into place in coffin cases.
get a sheet of that, maybe 12mm or so thick, and you can make a little padded container for want of a better word, that the mixer can sit in inside your bag.
I done it with my big UDG record bag and it now houses my laptop, VCI 100, audio 8 DJ, headphones, timecode vinyl and CD’s, a wallet of emergency CD’s in case anything was ever to happen to the laptop mid-gig, as well as all of the cables and connections i need (lol as well as a screwdriver, pair of small pliers, microphone in case i ever have to do any talking, some pens and paper and a can of deodorant for hot clubs). The bag itself has pretty thick padding probably made of the same stuff, and its all divided up and held snugly in place inside to further protect it using the foam.
The foam even comes in handy to take out and sit under the VCI to keep it up of the desk in case of spillages (which came in VERY handy on Sat when a drunk friend knocked over a drink in the DJ box) and to shock absorb so you dont get the bass vibrations triggering the touch platters which can happen on very loud and bassy systems.
I’m gonna take it all out and set it all up in a bit i’ll take some pics and stick them on if you like you can see how its all organised.
here’s my DJ bag. Its just a big square UDG record bag, the “UDG FlipFront Slanted Bag” think 90 records if i remember right.
Remember it has 18mm foam on all 6 sides (which feel the same as the plastazote that I bought) so its completely closed anyway. But then opening it up you can see the foam dividers I have made and how everything sits inside.
The two foam inserts i made to do this look like this inside the bag. The first part is made of two sheets of plastazote that are joined together at the bottom with a few small cuts of plastazote to make a pocket that the laptop sits in (inside a neoprene sleeve). On one side of that sits the CD wallet and on the other side, in between the first and second foam bits, the VCI 100 sits. You can see I glued a sheet of soft egshell type foam to the back of the first part, which is the bit that presses against the faders and knobs of the VCI to protect them.
Then the second bit on the otherside of the VCI is a kind if E shape from above split into 2 sections, one of them with the Audio 8 DJ and th other with the USB cables and macbook charger etc.
Which looks like this when packed, you’ll notice that the Audio 8 side has a block of foam glued in the bottom that lifts the soundcard up a bit making it easy to grab and extra protection.
no, the VCI doesnt have any big processors or anything in it so doesn’t get hot, never even noticed it warm doesn’t even have a transformer in it i dont think, the USB power is already at the correct voltage I think
And the laptop is on “Cool Feet” (google it) which are in the wee red bag which keeps it up off the deck and helps keep it cool.
yeah just cut it up with a craft knife and a steel ruler, and then glued it together using some strong Contact Adhesive. Only took about an hour to make and then think i left it for about 2 days just to make totally sure that the glue was all as set as could be.
While there are a few proper websites that sell the stuff it was mostly to trade and in bulk, I guess members of the public don’t buy this type of foam much. Ebay was where i ended up getting it, do a search for “Plastazote” and you’ll get the more dense stuff, both in small squares of various sizes and thicknesses and also in bigger sheets which is what I got…
was the one I got to make most of mine (and still have a fair amount left which’ll get used up in some other DIY or music project i’m sure). I got 20mm which was good especially for the joining bits like at the bottom of the first piece cos i didnt have to build up too many layers, but if your only making a wee pocket for a single item it may be a bit bulky perhaps 10mm might be ok. You can decide what you think’ll suit you best.
And then for the softer stuff that I used on the surface pressing against the knobs and faders of the VCI search for “acoustic foam” and you’ll get loads of results. Now proper acoustic foam that a professional studio would use is still fairly dense and expensive but on ebay as well as this there is also lots of cheaper fairly soft stuff that people are passing off as acoustic foam, and for our purposes its exactly what we need cos we’re using it as padding not to fix acoustics. So something like this would be great…
I also have a VCM-600 and I’m currently looking for the dedicated VCM-600 bag from Vestax. The downside of this thing is that it’s a little bit expensive (because it’s especially designed for that product), but you’ll know for sure that it’ll fit. I imagine myself travelling with the Vestax bag for my VCM-600 and a laptop bag that I currently use that fits my Laptop, power adapter and my Soundcard (Audio 8), and a couple of cables ofcourse, but that shouldn’t be a problem..
im thinking perhaps ill head down to my local department store and look for a large, well-padded, well-made backpack that will fit my gear… and ill make some extra foam compartments : )
it set me back AUD$150. I went to my local department store (David Jones, Bourke St - they had the same bag for less than Myer were selling it - currently 35% off) with my VCM 600 and tried out various different bags.
Tomorrow I’m going to get some foam padding to make a section to close it, allowing me to safely store a pair of Launchpads and my Macbook too (plus soundcard, headphones and cables)…
will take some snapshots when I’ve got it sorted : )
Nope - the VCM-600 comes out at just under 20 inches wide and 13 inches deep, making it a huge beast that is a pain to fit.
The Odyssey makes a road case for the VCM-600: FZGSVCM600GT
Namba gear has also confirmed that their biggest studio backpack is just barely big enough to contain this controller. Their stuff looks pretty sick, although i haven’t seen any of it in person.
The biggest problem isn’t that bags are ever too deep or big - it’s that for some reason Vestax decided that it was vital to build the VCM600 to a scale that was guaranteed to be virtually impossible to fit into a bag. Might have been a cross promotion scheme with Odyssey, but it seems a bit of a stretch.
i found it fitted into the smallest range of suitcases (with wheels) at my local department stores (there seems to be a standard size in suitecases… i think the smallest ones are designed so that they meet the dimensions requirements of in-flight luggage).
And the VCM sat snuggly within the main compartment of these. With a piece of sturdy foam, and the luggage’s built in straps, you should be able to secure it in place and place smaller objects above it.
How’s everything? You didn’t post your bag set up afterall, I wanted to see that
Oh I have another question for you regarding the launchpad and VCM 600 you have. When both are used in a session do you encounter a syncing problem in some way. I read that you have 2 launchpads so I guess it’s all good…
Anyways, just wanted to ask you that, I’m very stressed about it actually… But even if both units don’t work at 100% together, I would still get a VCM600.
Best to you and good luck with your live sets. Oh and I also will have to buy a bag like yours… Class.
