I’m just going to tell you what everyone else did, but as an S2 owner, get the S4 if you have the money. It has a lot of room and functionality for you to explore as you grow. That being said, the S2 isn’t a bad piece of kit-I love mine-but if you can get the S4, do so. Also, just so you know, the Midifighter nor the S4 are intended (intended) for producing your own music. They can be mapped to control DAWs, but there are much better dedicated controllers out there for production. The MF and the S4, X1, F1, etc. are most definitely intended for DJing.
If you wanted to get your own production setup in addition to a DJing setup, you could always get the S2 setup you mentioned in the OP sans MF and use the extra cash to buy a midi keyboard (or even something like a Maschine Mikro) some production software. You won’t be missing out from the S4, as the S2 is a great controller (and you get the added benefit of having a booth out) and you’ll have some good production stuff to start out with.
Thank you all for the support, I’ve decided i should go ahead and get the S4 but I’ve seen a lot of stuff going through the comments, X1 and Midifighter, kind of like mac vs pc
So what do you prefer, X1 or Midifighter, I wish this was a poll
I would personally go for a MIDI Fighter if you get the S4 just because its a lot more versatile to play the MF similar to an instrument. You can do everything the X1 does on an S4. Get the S4, a foot switch and a MF. IMHO
First, apologies to DJTT; I love what you guys are doing here, and I love that you’re innovating. However, I’m going to speak my mind here:
Among other things, I currently own an S4, Midi Fighter, and an X1. I will tell you right now that the Midi Fighter is mostly a novelty for me at this point; it’s nice to quickly apply effects, but being unable to adjust dry/wet, rate, and effects for multiple decks with it makes it a secondary concern. It’s a bit easier to apply multiple effects with the MF, but most of the time you end up just having them clash or overpower your mix. I pretty much only use the gater and beatmasher on it at this point - the LFOs get stale very quickly since they’re always the same rate, the reverb needs to be able to be fine tuned, same with the echo, and same with the LoFi. I’ve worked around all that a little bit by using the X1 to adjust the dry/wet and rate (which I suppose you could do with the S4), but I’d say the MF looks a lot better on paper/in DJTT’s marketing videos than in practice, to be perfectly honest. Also, the IG mapping kinda locks you in effects-wise; you get a solid set to start, but when you want to start messing around with other options you’re a bit limited. Finally, if you really want the whole instant-effects deal, you can always remap your x1 or use the midi layer to accomplish that; it won’t be exactly like the MF, but it’ll be customizable to what you want it to do. The MF isn’t magical - it’s just a midi controller that works very well with DJTT’s mappings for it. You could easily create just as useful of an effects controller with an X1 in midi mode and then have all of native mode AND the top half of it in midi mode free to map however you want.
Practicality says $175 for 16 buttons (“48” with the toggling in 4 decks mode) versus $200 for 32 buttons, 8 knobs, 4 encoders (times two with midi mode, and an extra 16 buttons with hotcue mode… oh, and another layer for BOTH with the shift button)… you’re better off with the X1. As I said, I own both and I’d say unequivocally that the X1 is a FAR better value for the money. You’ve got to really really really want arcade buttons for the MF to be a better purchase.
Perhaps I’m just not using the MF to its fullest… but still, I’m seriously considering selling it to help fund the purchase of an F1 or a second X1.
I think that as a budding dj, it would be a better experience for you to get a blank set of buttons that you can program yourself, versus a pre-mapped controller that you just have to sit down and learn. the x1 is a nice unit, but you’re just going to be overwhelmed with learning all the features of the s4 and the x1. I would recommend that once you know your s2/s4 inside and out get something like an lpd8, nano pad, or even a nano control. learning how to map midi controls and finding effects combos that are all your own is a very powerful skill set that can set you apart from other djs. Besides that, they’re a fraction of the price of an x1, and you can map them do exactly what an x1 does and more.
A lot of the features on the x1 as stock are duplicated on the S4 anyway; with minimal effort he could use the effects section for effects units 3 and 4 and ignore the rest if it’s too overwhelming. Now, obviously he should get a very good handle on the S4 before even mucking around with buying anything additional. That said, he’ll outgrow an lpd8, nanokontrol, or nanopad very quickly if he picks them up; assuming they don’t break first. I’ve read so many poor reviews of those units I’d be hard-pressed to recommend one to someone: You want to say to yourself, “ooh! $50 midi controller!” But then you quickly realize that it’s $50 for a reason.
Plus, if he outgrows/decides he doesn’t want the x1, he can sell it pretty easily for a decent amount of his investment. If he decides he doesn’t want one of the controllers you mentioned he’s going to have a very difficult time selling them. He’ll probably be out $30-50 with either option at the end of the day (assuming he sells them) but at least with the X1 he has a controller that’s far less likely to break in the interim and is far more useful.
Then, down the line, if he moves from the S4 to DVS he’ll be happy to have the X1 - I know I was.
Especially if it’s within his budget (which it sounds like it is) I don’t see any reason to go with say, an LPD8 over an X1. Buy smart, buy once.
I would recommend slowing down a bit. Buying that much stuff all in one go may be overwhelming, and in a couple of months, you may not even want the gear. Just stick with the S4 to start, save your money, and take some time to really learn the S4. It’s a great unit, but I wouldn’t overwhelm myself with it and somme extra auxiliary controllers. I’d wait a couple of months until after you’ve gotten comfortable with the S4 to buy anything else.
Not sure if trolling, or if just not doing research.
The F1 is to control Traktor’s new remix decks, primarily. Yeah, it does have some limited effects control and is mappable, but it serves a different purpose than the Midi Fighter. The MF, depending on the mapping, is for controlling the track decks and effects. I also understand that you wouldn’t be buying all of the controllers at one point, but it really would be best to 1) buy the S4 and things like headphones, cables, and monitors and then 2) learn everything you can about what the S4 can do through experience. Once you have a grasp of what your controller can do, then you should think about expanding your setup.
Yes, I am resurrecting this thread for my own purposes.
Ok… I have haphazardly looked at the previous posts on this thread. From what I have seen, there is yet to be a definitive solution or even general consensus to the original question:
Currently, I find myself in a similar situation, with a twist.
I am a former S4 owner. (“Former S4 owner” because my S4 was stolen about a year ago, but that’s another story for another day.) This past holiday season, I was fortunate enough to receive a blank check from my in-laws to choose any controller I wanted. I chose the Vestax VCI-400.
While I really like the VCI-400 - it’s a well built metal chassis workhorse with plenty of options for remapping extra buttons…I am considering trading the VCI-400 for a S2 + Midi Fighter 3D instead. The issue I have with my VCI-400 is that it is way too cluttered for my workflow. I have big fat fingers. I have rehearsed routines with the VCI-400 where I accidentally rewound, jumped the track forward or stopped the music while having the wrong function activated or accidentally touching the jog wheels. IMHO, in rehearsal, these repeat mistakes can happen. But risking accidents like these in a live setting is just asking for trouble. Plus, NI has yet to add the VCI-400 as a native-supported controller for Traktor, when it is supposedly Vestax’s top tier (therefore, triggering minor troubleshooting each time I set up somewhere new).
Originally, when this thread started, the F1 was not yet available, nor was the DJTT Remix Deck Hack Project.
To explain my logic about downsizing from the VCI-400 and S4 to the smaller S2…
When I had my S4, I rarely used Decks C + D. Now that Decks C + D can be used as Remix Decks (where as when I had my S4, C + D were track decks only) I am seeing the value in using them as Remix Decks. Often, I found it difficult to make room for the S4 in some of the clubs I frequently play. The Sample Record and Loop sections on the S4 often remained unused. I live a total tech geek lifestyle where my whole apartment is wired like The Batcave. I have been a DJ and producer for close to 20 years. My primary genre is Electro House and Rock Mashups
My question is: With my advanced experience level and the newer tech available than when this thread began, would it make sense to downgrade to an S2 to control Deck A + B and use the MIDI Fighter 3D to control effects and Remix Deck samples on C + D?
What are your thoughts about the PROs and CONs before I make the trip to return the VCI-400?
