Traktor Kontrol S4 or Denon DN-MC6000 or Vestax VCI300 MKII???
Traktor Kontrol S4 899,00 €
Denon DN-MC6000 759,00 €
Vestax VCI300 MKII 779,00 €
hi peolples i wanna buy a controller and i’ve donne some search and i wanna know what u think about these controllers and which one of these i feel better buyer or in others words best served in relation money/quality.
cherrs
I own a vci 300 mk 1 and a kontrol x1, I can only say the vci-300 is pathetic compared to the X1, so i can’t bare to think the difference between a vci-300 and an s4. That’s my opinion on that.
I’d buy an s4 if i were you, a GOOD soundcard built-in unlike the vci-300. And traktor s4 software. Itch isn’t great atall can be quite unstable when put under a long set.
Do you already own Traktor Pro? If so I might wait and see what the reviews are on the MC6000. I was contemplating both the S4 & MC6000 but I think I’ve decided to go with 2 DN SC2000 & TraktorScratch Pro and use my external 4ch mixer with parametric EQ’s. It’s not quite as portable as it’s not an all in one box but… Anyway I think the MC6000 looks solid AND from what I understand it’s a real outboard mixer OR can be used as a midi mixer to mix internally in Traktor, nthe only problem is it doesn’t come with Traktor Pro. I’m guessing you’re in Europe so it would come with Traktor LE so you should probably include the cost of the update to Pro in figuring the MC6000 total cost.
yeah i’m from portugal and i own a Audio 8DJ Soundcard and a Kontrol X1 both from NI bought last passed month some days before NI decide droping down the prices.
my real doubts is because the Denon and Vestax have a tradition in a analog djing world and NI is more digital.
The Denon and Vextax have some mixers and cd players but the NI just some soundcars, softwares & controllers.
dont mean to hijack your thread but what i’ve been trying to figure out is whether the MC-6000’s soundcard supports timecode. anyone know?
I’d ask that on the Denon site and if you don’t get an answer, I’d just wait a few weeks for people to chime in on it.
I already asked, and it don’t support time code for traktor or serato! Aswell not for the future you’ll have to go with the dns 1600 or (1700 mixer in the future for that) Maybe virtual dj.
Quick and Easy
Just wanted to add my two cents as a salesperson at a music store but also a DJ making the switch to MIDI controllers.
I have over 20 years of experience with digital recording and know a lot about gear and software. And while I’m willing to explore all the avenues of hardware and software configurations until I find the one that is right for me, most people do not have the time, patience or money to be able to do that.
I recently had a chance to set up and use the Denon mc6000, Kontrol S4, and a little curve ball, the numark mixdesk with a new mac laptop running 10.6.6 and a mac pro running 10.5.8.
As you might expect, the Numark is horrible. I love the TTX turntables, but I don’t think NUmark has managed to make a good CD player or midi controller for years. Not only did the ipod dock fail to work but I could never get it to pair with Virutal DJ or Traktor. The documentation is spooty and does not explain the installation procedure. Simply frustrating from beginning to eventual return to hell from whence it came.
The Denon was similarly challenging with the included Virtual DJ le software. It seemed easy enough to install, and passed audio, but I couldn’t control the software, even after a lengthy call with the manufacturer. It’s a shame they don’t give you a pro version of Virtual DJ for the price, but given the build quality of the denon, I can see they put every penny into the interface. It feels REALLY good, and has all the connections you could ask for with both XLR and 1/4 mic inputs and xlr outs for the Mains. The buttons feel great. But I digress. I couldn’t get it working with the laptop running snow leopard, but it worked immediately on the mac running just leopard. The setup wizard is quick and easy and well thought out. In the end, I installed Traktor Pro 2 onto the laptop, and after running through the setup wizard, and bringing up the included TSI file, the Denon worked perfectly. It is a great mapping, and works just as you would expect, from EQ to FX to navigating the playlists. I can say with no reservation that if you want to use traktor with the Denon, you should not have any reservations. The unit is a perfect size for an installation and more importantly, for dragging around to gigs. I don’t find the unit cramped at all. Perhaps in a dark club after several cocktails, it might be a little harder to grab the right knob, but the buttons are clear and light up different colors, and the knobs and platters feel sturdy.
The Kontrol S4 is a little bigger than I would have expected, and it’s a real drag that it does not have xlr outs. I suppose it’s minor, but ALL professional gear should have xlr outs. That’s just my opinion for having done live sound for a long time. But its stinginess on the ins/outs are made up for by including a REAL version of the software making it a really good deal overall. The denon feels sturdier, like a high end mixer, whereas the Kontrol S4 feels like a MIDI controller. Not bad, but not quite as impressive.
I would say for a club installation I would recommend the Denon everytime. It’s rack mountable, has plenty of ins and outs, and sounds great when used as a mixer. The levels that come out of it are really hot. The only reservation I have is that it does not accommodate timecode.
Personally, I ordered a KOntrol S4 because I think traktor is the best program for me. The new 2.0 software is amazing, and although the denon is perfectly suited and well laid out for traktor, obviously the home team is going to win with those extra few proprietary buttons and knobs. I also like NI as a company and though they seem understaffed in the Customer Service Department, I always get a response eventually. And the S4 will likely do timecode sooner or later. Maybe it’s in V 2.0, I forgot to check.
I really like the VCI-(3)100mkII. If I were using serato and just rocking 2 decks and a club, I would probably go for it as the platters are nice and it is a tiny piece of gear well suited for portability. But when it comes to 4 deck mode and samplers and all the rest, you need a better interface.
mc6000 s4 mapping
Hi i was wondering if anyone could give me a few pointers on mapping, i currently run a Denon mc6000 with traktor le on a macbook air. i already have a full version of s4 installed and working but i’m finding it had to get the mc6000 working again. Is there a mapping file i can simply import or does this have to be done manually and if so how do i go about it ?
many thanks M:House
I’m not sure about Traktor LE, but it should have a TSI file built in to control the Denon. If not, there are several TSI files available here:
http://www.traktorbible.com/freaks/mappingone.aspx?id=127
Perhaps Traktor LE is limited with the kinds of TSI files it can load.
It’s interesting that the S4 version of Traktor you have installed does not work with the Denon. I was wondering if that specialized version of Traktor was hobbled in any way. It seems like a person should be able to use it with any interface, or at least get a gratis copy of Traktor Pro to be able to use.
The denon mc6000 is my opionion the best choice, ive gotten my hands on these controllers.
The mc6000 is not crowded as reviews tend to say it is, the buttons and nobs feel amazing, the audio output is loud and crisp, and it has every F’ing option that others dont. The only thing it is missing is a midi in out port, if you dont need that, ITS THE TITS MAN.
it is if you dont own an s4… it should work just the same, but having the JUST s4 version of traktor seems fishy and possibly why it isnt working correctly.
So just to clear some things up for you forum junkies.
The denon does support timecode through traktor, just watch this:
again I own this thing. It has internally a four channel sound card, that is two stereo ins, and two stereo outs. A lot of users have trouble figuring out how to do this because well frankly they are stupid and cant take the time to read the manual and set it up properly. When the mixer is set to pc mix then the denon mixes internally and channels C and D are controlled via midi, if the denon is set to internal mix then midi control for C and D are turned off and traktor is routed through and the Denon is operating as an analog mixer, and c and d are freed up for mixing externally.
If you are using the s4 version of the software well then why would you expect it to work with the denon and why are you even using a denon? Upgrade to traktor scratch > that simple.
Again this thing is the tits seriously get down with it you wont be dissapointed, the S4 is ugly and has cheap internals regardless of what you read or the fact that its priced higher than the denon, its flimsier, and ive had dj friends break their line faders over and over again.
to clarify this traktor pro 2 will NEVER support timecode, you NEED to have traktor SCRATCH pro 2 to use timecode EVER no matter what you use to control the software.
Your opinion on whether the S4 is ugly is subjective, and yours to have but to say that it has “cheap internals” is utter rubbish, spurious and misleading.
yes that is my opinion.
the only reason I say that about the internals being ive had two friends with hardware failures on multiple units, the third friend has had no such problems.
AND OF COURSE, I have only had an mc6000 for a short time, timecode support was a huge issue for my and I wanted to insure I would have the option of continuing to use my turntables. I wanted a four channel controller but I did not like the feel of the s4, I did a lot of research before dropping the cash for this thing.
Why is the mistruth about timecode support so pervasive? It has two stereo inputs, therefore (at least with core audio on my mac) it supports timecode. I will try to film a quick video of the mc6000 in operation with turntables this afternoon after my classes to settle this.
Just to clarify my attitude, this was the last sentence of my reply on the djtech review.
"Just get your hands on one and buy the one you like better, they both rule, my vote is for the denon though! "
Its not listed as TSP Certified.
CHeck what..? The S4 is Traktor Scratch Certified but does not come with Traktor Scratch Pro and will not do in ver2. The DVS upgrade need to be purchased.
Traktor S4 software is not Denon Traktor Ready as it was a version of Traktor sold for the exclusive use with the Kontrol S4. It does not come with Denon setup files but you can map it by hand with the Controler Manager.
Do you own an S4 Kontroller.
Thats right, Its free software that only works as Traktor Ready with certain controllers. Its is not mappable.
It just needs mapping by hand. No need for free versions of software to be handed out. If you can find a tsi to use then you can use it.