VCI-400SE or Denon DN-X1700 what would you buy??

DJ Gear & Hardware Hardware: Controllers, Mods and Gear
1

VCI-400SE or Denon DN-X1700 what would you buy??

I was thinking of changing my setup to the denon dn-x1700 with two K2’s or X1’s, but then I saw the VCI-400SE and am confused. Sold my S4 to get a Maschine and eventually buy the 1700. The 1700 would open up the input realm and allow me to use my Numark TTX as well as daisy chain the Maschine for live samples in midi sync.

I found the DN-X1700 for $1179 so only $179 more than the speculated price of the VCI, which you be your pick and why?

I NEED HELP! Heh

2

That’s a tough call. I have a DNX1600 and two X1’s, but have a little gear lust towards the VCI-400.

3

Hmm different beasts… i’ve got mxer, technics and an x1 and love the feel of proper gear but i still love the convenience and power of an all in one controller and the VCI 100SE is pure techtools mapping power and that is worth it’s weight in gold.

I’m almost certainly gonna get a 400SE as i think they are going all out on this one. It’s proper gear with techtools branding and mapping with vestax engineering.

Screams controller quality to me… though i haven’t had a go on a regular VCI 400 yet so i could be mistaken

4

@quality control - the gear head in me says go for the 1700, the all-in-one fan in me says VCI-400.

Can you use the Ean Golden mapping on a regular VCI-400?

5

The Ean Golden edition has special firmware. I’m not sure if the firmware will be user updatable.

6

does the vci 400 have mixer functionality when not plugged in to the computer? i think it doesn’t if i remember correctly. my concern would be that its a lot invested and if your lappy takes a dump, this thing is useless until your computer issues are sorted.

my budget for controllers and mixers is very small though, so thats always a concern to me. i don’t like being 100% reliant on my lappy - because i have a computer on it’s last legs.

with the mixer, you get a solid mixer - as well as the built in soundcard, midi functionality and two fx processors.

as maxone said - they’re different beasts, get the one you want most first and get the other one later. i’d personally consider the x1600 over the 1700. also, NAMM’s just around the corner - see if denon (or any other manufacturer) drop any surprises.

7

This is why I am having such a hard time. The DN-X1600 is nice but it also incorporates video control and the layout is not as nice as the 1700. Also the illumination on the 1700 is supposed to be far superior. The price difference between the 1600 to 1700 is $179 as the 1700 is onsale for $1179.

I am still stuck as the VCI-400 is going to be a great all in one piece of gear. But the mixer with a few add ons like midi fighters or maybe K2’s will be a killer setup.

Ugghh why must they keep doing this to us?

8

Truthfully it’s a living hell… i wish we could go back to two turntable and a mixer dayz

What ever you get, you will get gear lust with a couple of months guaranteed

9

I might just have to buy both. I dunno the DN-X1700 with dual FX is a pretty sick unit. But I have a feeling that VCI is going to be killer too.

10

same question here. VCI400SE looks fantastic, but not enough of an improvement over the S4 to switch for me, unless it has mixer capability. I just referred back to the original 400 article and didn’t see any mention of mixer functionality. I suppose that means its not there.

11

Get both. You can always live in your car.

12

Dammit I just got my stock 400

meh

13

I was ready to drop the dough for a VCI-400, but no booth out? Really Vestax? An entire third of the rear panel is taken up by two mic inputs, but we get no dedicated booth out? A deal killer for me.

14

Ohhh I did not really look into the connections as I assumed it had everything standard being a flag ship controller.

I might have to re-think this.

15

They really are two different beasts. Personally if I had to choose between the two I’d go for the DN-X1700, hands down. I owned one for a while and it is a fantastic mixer, with great Traktor Scratch compatibility (which you won’t get with the Vestax, probably not ever). Sound quality is great (except for the headphone amp - an annoying flaw but hardly a dealbreaker as you’re not getting a DJ mixer so you can listen through the headphones). Build is high quality, and the light show on the knobs is informative. Great rubber EQ knobs if a little thin for my tastes; LOTS of flexibility (you can set the EQ crossovers in the firmware; multiple inputs and outputs, it’s a really sophisticated mixer). I eventually sold it for an Evo 5, and then finally got the DB4 I had lusted after all along (and will sell the Evo 5 when I get around to it). But if I didn’t have the cash around I would have been very happy keeping the Denon mixer.

Of course the Vestax gives you the all in one solution that the Denon can’t give you, so if you want that, go for it. Or grab a used VCI-100SE for under $400 and get the Denon for the best of both worlds; though you’ll miss out on some of the new stuff integrated into the 400.

16

Correct gear choice for personal requirement’s (slightly) aside, financially the VCI 400se is an investment (the Techtools mapping and firmware is priceless alone!), the window to buy one new won’t be open for long where as the 1700 could be picked up any time. If after a few months the VCI isn’t working for you I’m pretty sure you’ll get most or all your money back.

@quality control - did you ever use a VCI 100 with the DJTT treatment?

17

I did have the VCI-100 with firmware update and mapping.

Was nice, but now it is time to go big!

18

So your well aware of how special a techtools VCI map is then. Depending on your work flow and mapping prowess, It’s really a case of traditional dialling it type of dj’n VS proper controllerism that truly unleashes Traktors fx in ways that will be virtually impossible to copy, thats unless your a serious mapping wiz and also pretty handy with midi pipes.

I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to route Maschine to the master output of the VCI (lets not forget NI are working on better integration for Maschine and Traktor any way!) and there’s simple work around’s if the VCI has got no both out.

I go back to my first comment for the best reason to go for the VCI, I live in constant regret that I didn’t pick up the Vestax QFO or a DJM 909 up brand new when I had a chance, but at least they were mass produced and the opportunity to buy a QFO or 909 second hand does come round now and then, I’m sure it won’t be the same for the VCI 400, it’s highly likely you’ll only get one chance to buy it, meaning it will hold it’s value or potentially grow in value.

19

I only skimmed through the previous comments cause I’m in half a rush here this morning(2 more months and I’ll be a Registered Massage Therapist and I’ll get to move through the world treating to keep the money going and DJ to keep the fun going!)

Anyway,

Get the mixer man.

VCI-400SE is just the latest soul sucking device.

Last year I got the s4 cause it was “sent from heaven” but I quickly made the choice of sending it back and later got the djm-900.

What makes it even worse, is that they released the new VCI-400 long enough for a few cats to get their hands on it and than the “Ean Golden SE” comes out.

That just digs at you even more and makes you lust even more. All that jealously brewing up inside cause you probably spent 1000-1500 of your hard earned cashola on something that is now obsolete or not as “cool”

You should be super excited to hae just spent a pile of money on something you wanted, not upset.

I got the djm-900 so that if I would be able to have good equipment that other could jump in on if the opportunity raised.

Custom mappings on VCI-400 are not going to enable that.

Plus, your going to be waiting and waiting and waiting, for the mapping to b released. Probably only because it has an “itch-like” juggler function.

The denon can be midi mappable, it has two effect engines that produce awesome effects, 4 channels, usb soundcard, slighter cheaper than Pioneer counterpart.

Also, I would imagine that the resell value of the DNX1700 will be greater than the VCI-400se. If its anything like the s4 than that will stay true.

I really think that it was a dick move to release the vci-400 and then almost immediately announce the SE version that appears to be significantly different. Hopefully at least they will release the firmware kit for the people who already own it.

Anyway,

Mixer>controller

20

I doubt this - if the demand is there, they will make more of these. This is just a firmware upgrade to the regular 400, not a completely new unit; if these sell like hotcakes (do hotcakes really sell?) then DJTT will likely grab a bunch more and upgrade the firmware and add the paint and knobs. The VCI-100SE (both regular and arcade versions) is STILL available new on the DJTT store, and I’ve seen both versions sell used for $300 or so. On top of all that, chances are you can just grab a regular VCI-400 and upgrade to the SE yourself once DJTT release firmware and mappings (though that won’t be for a few months at least is my guess).

Vestax and DJTT are two different entities; you can’t blame DJTT for announcing the product they want to sell on the heels of Vestax releasing it (and, in fact, everyone paying attention knew this was coming from the day they announced the 400; pretty sure Ean said it himself in a video). And I’m almost positive the firmware upgrade will be available for free or a nominal price if hardware is required (though I think the 400 firmware is upgradeable out of the box), just like they did with the VCI-100SE. It’s true that gear lust is a never ending game, but do you really think that companies should withhold products they want to release just so that people who bought previous products don’t feel envious?