This is very true. Just having real faders in front of you is a big step up. That said, if I’d known how seriously I was going to take it back then, I would have invested in something better than the BCD-2000 I started with. Spending money twice or 3 times is a pain in the ass.
As long as they’re willing to throw away 100 quid to see if it’s right for them or not, you have a point. However, if they go with better equipment, they can always resell it to actually recoup some investment. I started out on a VCI-100 that I bought for $375 new (a steal considering this was 2 years ago and they were regularly going for $500). About a year and a half later, I had upgraded the firmware to 1.4 ($20) and put the 1.4 overlay on it ($30). So with $425 invested in the controller, I was then able to sell it for $450 to an acquaintance. Try doing that with a Vestax Spin.
Equally as well - if you get a decent deal on an S4, you could easily sell it for 100 quid less than you bought it for. Then you get to “try it out” for 100 quid and get to do so with a MUCH nicer controller along with legitimate software. I’d take that over messing around on a Spin/Typhoon any day of the week.
true tho my first controller was the hercules mk2 which i paid 60quid for on ebay and i’ve seen them going for 70quid recently (tho bugger knows why when there’s so much else to choose from)
so it is also easy to buy a cheap controller and not lose money on it plus less risk up front.
edit: the hercules controller was just for me to see if i had any interest in this “new fangled digital dj thing” after selling my technics a couple of years before. and obviously i decided i like it - and actually still dont mind the hercules - for what it is.
The people talking about s4 being a perfect option are talking out there asses, I played on cdjs for years and just wanted to try laptop djing “controllerism” i spent 90 euro on a hercules mp3 e2 as an investment which came with virtual dj le and used this for a few months, once I knew laptop were a lot better after using this at parties for a little while I splashed out on traktor pro, even to this day I still use my hercules as an fx controller with traktor pro 2 and my other controllers, if I want im sure I could sell it for at least 60 or 70 euro but I dont see the need. Its basically like someone taking up golf and spending 3k on all the latest custom fit golf clubs then quitting 2 months later, which with 2 of my family members being professional golfers I hear of this a lot.
the s4 might be very good if someone really had money to burn - but to say its slightly overkill would be like saying tommy cooper was slightly funny.
i am sure your hercules is a few steps up from mine so would be an even better first controller without breaking the bank. i almost dont want to sell mine as its what got me interested and back into some kind of dj’ing after a few years of being quite bored of it.
+1 to the Twitch!!! such a good deal for beginners. may not be as nice as the S4 but its half the price, and still a very good controller. and ships with Itch. i would buy it if i were starting
I think for starter controllers they are perfect, but yeah the s4 seems overkill, If I was goina waste that kind of money id rather an allen and heath xone 4d
“That kind of money”? The 4d is easily twice the price of an S4. He could rock a Hercules or whatever else he wants, but he’s doubtfully going to be able to resell it and he’s better off having something he’ll stick with rather than getting something which will undoubtedly promote GAS. Even with a budget controller, soundcard, and TP2, you’re spending half the money of an S4 minimum for a solution that’ll last you what, six months? If it’s not for him he can resell the S4 pretty easily, so aside from investing more upfront, he could even end up spending less in net terms than if he bought the Hercules and kept it because it wouldn’t resell. It’s like the Technics vs. a Stanton T62 argument - the T62 will do the job, but at the end of the day you can get both a better experience and all of your money back if you get the Techs and resell them. The T62 you will not resell. I’ve seen countless people go the “cheap route” for DJing, including myself, and then seen them spend yet more money when they decide to go for better gear. The S4 is a solid entry-level solution with the potential to last to the professional level. The Hercules is not. Buy better to start and be happy rather than compromising and having buyer’s remorse later.
i think this has all slightly got off track of actually helping the OP 
… i think with various levels of agreement three good choices would be (in increasing level of cost):
- something like a hercules entry level - cheap and esp if 2nd hand won’t lose much/any cash but will probably want to upgrade later if he got hooked - no software but he said he has traktor already
- novation twitch - 500$ (ish) - comes with itch software, seems to be the flavour of the moment and has a lot of potential and is a very good price
- NI S4 - 1000$ (ish) - comes with traktor, probably the best traktor dedicated controller available but has its own pros and cons
Gemini cd decks, and a beringer mixer is the perfect beginner setup.
Just kidding!
The fanboys on this site make me want to punch my computer, recommending the S4 for everything and everybody. You guys really think it’s a good idea for someone with NO EXPERIENCE and NO INTEREST in performing to drop $1k on equipment? That’s complete crazy talk, or maybe you all have a much higher disposable income than I do. I recommend the OP get something from DJ Tech, like the Mix 101 Mini controller. Yes it’s cheap crap, but you can use the money you save on buying really good music. You also won’t be playing in a club anywhere anytime soon, when you get to that level, then you can buy something else. If you’re not wanting something that basic, look for a used VCI-100 or VCI-300. The VCI-300 has a built-in sound card, and the software for it is free.
actually i’m waiting on a djtech djm101 to turn up in the post. i’m not expecting anything special but i added a snipe onto an ebay auction, forgot to delete it and then got it for 20quid. can’t be bad for 20quid i hope…
the more important point being tho that you can find some total bargains 2nd hand that are as cheap as chips that are at least good enough to get started with.
in reality all i own is a whole lot of (mostly) cheap and fairly crappy controllers - but i’m having good fun working out how to evolve my dj’ing style with this new technology.
You’re entitled to your opinion. That being said, I wouldn’t call myself a fan boy. Hell, when the S4 came out, I thought it was the most overhyped dj-related equipment out there that wasn’t made by pioneer (zing). On the other hand, given my personal experience and the price points, it makes sense. Personally I got mine with a 15% off coupon (not hard to come by) at Guitar Center, so the S4 ran me about $760. Since it was in July, I also got the scratch hardware free. I honestly don’t see any other deal coming close to that in value. Even without a coupon, I’ve seen them go used in the same ballpark. That’s a far cry from $1000, especially when most places are selling the S4 for $900 or less to begin with. If the OP gets a deal on the S4 for around what I got mine for, he could easily resell it later for the same price or more. The only question is whether or not he can afford to be out the $760 or so if he decides to keep it. If DJing is not for him, he gets his money back. If it is for him, he gets a great controller, great software, a solid soundcard, and possibly a scratch upgrade for a great price.
Let’s say he gets a budget controller - $150 fair to say? Then another $200/$140 with upgrade for Traktor (I doubt he’s going to get much of a feel with LE, let’s be realistic) and another $100 minimum for an Audio 2 DJ or better. That’s $400-450 right there. If he were to resell that when he finds he has no interest, he’d be lucky to get 80% of his money back, and that’s if he can actually sell said budget controller (and there isn’t much demand for them secondhand, from what I’ve seen. Now for another $300, he gets the S4 which will give him a sense of what it’s like to DJ on actually NICE equipment (a more honest feel for DJing, IMO) AND he can get 100% of his money back. Either way, the budget controller looks like a waste of at least some money. The S4, on the other hand, has him covered either way. Is it a fair bit of money? Sure. DJing is not a cheap hobby and he should get used to that, to say the least. However, either way he’ll be happier with the S4 in the long run. This isn’t fanboyism, this is objective logic. I’m not pushing something excessive down his throat, I’m advocating what I see as the best option. Unfortunately, the best option is not always the cheapest.
Anyway, I have the feeling I’m beginning to talk in circles. I’ve said my bit and while the cheap controller is an option, it is absolutely not the option I would go with considering my experience (I used a VCI-100, one of your suggestions before, remember). So, all of that being said, I’m done with this thread - the facts are out there and it’s up to the OP. In closing - if you’re going to do something, do it right. Don’t do it half-assed.
Fanboy get the s4!!!