For all of us with the VCI vs Traktor S4 problems.
What are you’re thoughts on this, pros and cons?
I really need help on this since I am getting on of these controllers, or am I better of saving up for technics / pioneer gear?
My issue is this, I recently sold all my DJ gear since I will be moving around a lot these next couple of years, moving to Paris and then San Francisco and so on, I want something portable, but also something that club owners and that wont just reject if I tell them what kind of DJ gear I am using. How do you guys reason in this matter, will you stay with your VCI’s go for the new controller or just use the club gear, and use your midi controllers for mix taping and such at home?
I mean Ean use this gear but of course he can do that since he is already established and has come a long way in dj:ing, and producing.
But what about the rest of us, are we “allowed” to use these kind of controllers at the clubs?
I really can’t decide wether to get the new Traktor S4 controller or Eans VCI Arcade Edition, leaning towards the arcade, mostly due to all the tech support from DJTT, i f I get any of them.
if you moving around alot i would not go for s4 as its gonna cost you loads flying with it due to weight.
can you use turntables?
if so then just get a couple of timecode and like a audio 8 sound card so you can roll up to the club with just them and your laptop and your set
and of course pick up a vci to practice/play etc…
Thanks a lot for the quick reply.
The only gear I am used to but have sold is the numark omni control usb turntable, and I have gotten as good as you can get on that kinda dj controller, now want something with more and easier functions while applying effects and better jog wheels.
I want to be able to beat juggle, mix tapes/ remixes and so on.
So just get the arcade edition then?
What kind of DJ gear are usually the clubs own gear?
And are they as you say easy to use only using my laptop with the proper timecodes and soundcard?
if you want something portable i would go for say like a vci+the traktor control x1
then if u go to a club with your laptop u can just take your soundcard.x1,laptop
and can set up in like 5 mins. you dont really need the arcade edtion as the x1 would work for beat juggleing or you could get a midi fighter for that
nearly call clubs have there own mixers and cdjs or tts (or both)
its a case of just calling them up and asking what you need to bring
but as i say if u learn to beatmatch on tts or cdjs or even your vci with out sync then you will be set.
setting up timecode is easy enough in a club its a case of just pluging the sound card in to the mixer and getting your wax on the decks.
but as i say vci 100+x1 would be good as its probs one of the lightest set ups and u can just chuck it in a backpack,and you get your jogs and your hot cues and learn to beat match. so u can beat juggle till you put clowns out of a job.
If you really want aportable setup i would go with a vci 100 se or arcade, so u don’t need to get the kontrol1 because the se gives u full controll over t pro. My 2 cents.
Usually the gear here is djm 600/800 + 2x Technics and/or 2x CDJ 1000 if we’re talking clubs, not just bars where it’s more likely to be a rackmount cd player of sorts.
Timecoders seem to be well accepted and it’s not uncommon to see a controller or two, however these are usualy Live users (although I’ve seen a guy rocking a VCI 300 once).
Shouldn’t be a problem to find a spare channel to plug your audio interface into and rock the VCI.
Thanks, great to get another point of view, as well. If I get the VCI I will definitely get it from DJTT, but don’t know if it’s the optimal thing for me yet.
Great, since that is really what I want, I wanna use the Arcade Edition, but since there is the new S4 edition controller comming up I’m a bit divided about which path to choose.
Thanks for the info about the club gear.
Maybe I should save save and save to get something like that and really just use that, hmmm?
He used the VCI 300? really? Does that even have a built in soundcard?
Btw I haven’t heard any real points on the Ts4? Any of you guys intrested in getting it? I signed up on the list at least, just so I wont regret it if I really want it around christmas, and maybe DJTT will do something great with it for us “DJ Tech toolers”
well 2 months ago i´vee een to he ni headquaers to play around/testing the s4…and since then my life became senseless without it! i love and i will defo get it but you asked which setup would be portable. since that controller is pretty wide ou will have problems while transporting it on a plane (except u always send it via post everytime ur moving).
the other thing is when getting a vci u´ll be forced to get an audio interface (i´d ommend u to buy the a8 or at least the a4 so u can mix externally and can add more controll to your vci). the s4 has a build in interface and the can controll every single function in the new traktor s4 softwar (sampling and stuff)…
at least i say if you want it portable get a vci100 plus upgrade kit from djtt but if you want to use a lot of sampling go with the s4 but keep in minde it´s big.
oh one thing: don´t worry about weight. the s4 almost as heavy as the vci 100
i’m upgrading my vci to an arcade edition once the kit comes. i love the size and build of the vci and just think the djtt mapping and the arcade buttons are super cool.
tbh though the s4 looks like the absolute nuts. also the fact it’s all in one i think would make it the most simple to set up in a club. I imagine it’ll mean putting a lid on one of the turntables and playing on that realistically…
i would personally hold out until they actually release the s4 and go and test one out, you will also be able to test out a vci 100 in the same place im sure.
then you can think about portability.
I just picked up an akai lpd8 and could easily map it to work as a decent basic stand alone controller.
Personally, I don’t really see the 2 being competitors. If I were to own the S4, it would be primarily used for a fancier home rig, but would still be using the VCI on the road. My “issue” with it is that it doesn’t seem to be very portable in the sense that it’s not easy to travel with. I haven’t looked up how much it weighs, but if it has an audio interface built-in, I don’t see it being very light.
I can see this being used by more high profile artists who can demand their own setups or resident DJ’s that can easily set this up at their club (or already have it set up). At least for me, I tend to play more one off events where it isn’t really convenient for DJ’s to bring their own rigs and set them up, though, it’s still possible. Sadly, the scene that I play in still scoffs at laptop DJ’s and rarely provide adequate space for our rigs.
mrlynn: Also, Ni says its going to go for $999, but some of us are speculating that that amy be the MSRP, which means the street price would be from about $850-$950
Right, great and very detailed answer, the main issues I would have maybe, is the thing that I wont get any help with all the pre sets and all that which I’ll get if I get arcade version, but really the S4 looks a lot better and more functional due to the built in audio interface, and good mixing abilities. Maybe I should clarify that I wont be travelling all the time, it’s just a couple of moves, how heavy are these things really? Any estimates on flight costs?
Don’t really get you in the end, you say it’s heavy but then agin not? Haha, everything is clear up til that point, man.
