which dj midi controller to buy???
hello there people,needing help on which midi controller to buy and the way things are going its looking like the reloop digital jockey interface edition 2 or the vestax vci 300.In mind i will be using tracktor.I wont one that will last and is good quality unless thers other midi controllers out now that are as good and has the same price range.looking forward from hearing from your veiws
The Hercules RMX is a very good option too, well worth considering. I’ve got one and can’t fault it. Also, I can by-pass the internal soundcard if needed and use it as a midi controller only, just in case I wish to upgrade in future.
It also supports time-code vinyls for Traktor Scratch, which is another nice feature for future additions.
why not a vci-100? or vci-100se from here?
i wouldn’t get a vci-300 unless i was going to use itch with it. Is it because you want a built in soundcard?
I think you’re better off getting an audio 2 dj sound card and dedicated midi controller like the vci-100 imo
amen to that. Before buying the VCI-100 I was thinking other offerings like the VCI-300 but installed base and moddable sold me to it.
go for the vci-100se or arcade, i had the se it was great until i switched setups
how do you bypass the soundcard on a herc rmx?
Another vote for the VCI-100 SE.
After 3 years of using Traktor w/ a BCD2000, I just upgraded to the VCI-100 SE. Some of the reasons I chose the SE were:
Solid, well made controller from a reputable company, that has been put to the test by many people before me.
Great integration with Traktor, whether using it straight out of the box with Traktor’s included mapping, or using the SE version with the upgraded firmware and DJTT mappings.
Controller does not have a built in sound card. As you will find out the reason for this is two fold. One is that it is less than desirable to have both your controller’s midi signals and your audio signals traveling over the same usb cable. Two is that more often than not the audio quality of a built in soundcard is not as good as comparable stand alone soundcards, which can often be purchased for less. Not to mention, think of it like you would think of a combo dvd/tv system. Sure, it’s convenient at first, but if one of the devices fail, you are stuck with a less than functional piece of equipment. Better hope it’s only the dvd player that fails (or in this case, the soundcard) because who wants to have a big tv sized dvd player (or a soundcard the size of a midi controller.)
and the most compelling reason I chose the VCI-100 SE…
For me the bottom line was that there are no perfect controllers out there for Traktor. There are many different solutions, and most can be modified to fit your needs. I considered the Reloop and DJ Tech Pro offerings, which were less expensive than the SE, but I didn’t want to find myself once again searching high and low for answers to troubleshooting questions. Not to mention, the constant work to improve the mappings for the SE is spectacular.
All in all, it’s up to you to decide what is right for you. Hopefully my post has shed some light on why I and others are so hyped about the VCI-100. If you are willing to invest a good deal of time into customizing mappings and troubleshooting, and doing so mostly on your own, you very well may be able to get another comparable controller to do everything the VCI-100 does and more. Good luck with whatever you end up chosing!
ok how much for the vesax vci 100 se???do they sell audio 2 interface here aswell??? i also seen a vestax vci 100 LE,whats the difference?as my mind is now set on the 100.
Go to the store on this site, and it’ll give you the price for the VCI-100SE and the Arcade Edition.
DJTT does not seel the AUdio2, but most internet retailers will.
There is no such thing as a VCI-100LE, I believe. It comes with Traktor LE, which could be what you’re referring to. But not VCI-100LE.
no dice on what that guy meant on bypassing the built in sound card on the herc rmx? does that mean that by using an external soundcard it auto bypasses it or something? I bought an audio2 and returned since I need a firewire sound card since Im using 3 usb controllers and dont want audio going through USB. My external HDD is eSATA so everything is on its type of bus.
vci 100 i love it, i had a numark one its just not the same..
You can buy a cheap Numark DJIO interface together with the VCI-100
I have one and I found it perfect for my needs (traktor internal mixer with 1 master out and headphones)
or you can spend a little more and buy a firewire interface like Presonus Firestudio Mobile (the newest version of the Firebox)
Since this is djtech everyone will say vci-100se…
Personally I like having a real mixer and no VCI or pure MIDI setup compares to true analog sound and music running through and being manipulating by real circuits. I like many aspects of digital but I don’t want a computer processing all of the audio, I will never move away from an analog mixer at the heart of my setup along with some pretty sweet analog filters.
I would say wait for a Xone: DX (it has a real 4 channel analog mixer with built in soundcard it’s like a baby 4D) or go for a real mixer with Xone: 1D(s), the new NI Traktor Controllers or a Xone: 4D but that is getting in the $2000 range.
Isn’t almost every mixer out there now-a-days is a digital mixer, anyways? I didn’t think there are any true analog mixers left. Much the same way of synthesizers, the outboard gear is really a digital synth with analog emulation.
I think this really depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. If you want to go full out, with 4 decks, loops, and have complete control over all the effects banks, then something like a VCI-100SE would be perfect for you. Now, as you’ve probably read in the previous responses, this is DJ TechTools, so obviously responses will be favored toward the VCI-100.
Its a great controller IMO, and I’m actually looking at upgrading from my current setup (Numark Total Control + DJM-800 + Presonus Firebox) and switching out the Total Control with a VCI-100SE arcade edition. I will only get 3 decks with this setup (the Firebox only has 3 outs that I can use), but for right now, thats all I need (or can handle… ha).
Another option would be the Allen and Heath Xone 1D, if you want to have all those functions (4 decks, loops, fx, etc.). If you’re looking for something simpler, a controller like the Numark Total Control or Hercules (like others have mentioned) are good products.
You’ve also got to ask yourself if you want the audio interface to be build into the controller (a la A&H Xone 2D or Numark Omni Control). Having an extra box to lug around is a pain, and should also an important consideration when thinking about your setup.
Good luck!
All Allen & Heath, i believe all Rane, and Vestax mixers are pure analog. There are tons of pure analog synths out there too- Moogs and Dave Smiths just to name the two I’ve been looking at. The Xone: 4D, 3D, and DX are analog as well. The only digital element is the built in soundcard, the mixer portion is true analog circuitry, that’s what makes them sound so great and the filters so awesome.
Analog is really big right now, there was a period at the end of the 80s/early 90s where everyone went to digital but in the mid 90s everyone went back to analog synths, drum machines, everything… There are some digital mixers out there, the most popular being the Pioneers, but the other digital mixers had or have a lot of issues (the Korg Zero 4/8s with the buzzing hum, The Mackie d.2/d.4 pros were hybrid digital/analog and had tons of issues, I had one for a week). There are some other digital mixers but the best are analog and the entry level mixers are all analog too since it is cheaper to make and simpler at that price point.
Yeah, I stand corrected on the allen and heath mixers. Did a little digging.
I guess my concern is more directed toward the mixers below the top end. THe average DJ mixer a newer DJ is going to pick up will be completely digital. I guess it makes sense for the higher end mixers to keep an analog base to them, not like I’m going to argue with it being better.
all-in-one controller/soundcards like the vci-300, Reloop Interface ed have many disadvantages. I would highly recommend taking a modular approach to your gear. This leaves a lot more room for modification and customization .
And the many of us here that have had the pleasure of a completely dynamic user experience with our hardware. We have watched this controller grow and evolve. (this is true with all customizable gear not just the vci-100se)
just my 2 cents
I thought the DX was just a midi controller/soundcard. No analogue to speak of.
I could be wrong, of course, but I that is what I remember hearing.
And to stay on topic: I would say that the VCI-100 + External Soundcard (like the Audio 2) would be the best starting route to go.
Actually most entry level low end mixers are analog because it is cheaper to produce, all the cheaper numark, behringe, stanton, etc. mixers are going to be analog. In the midrange you will find some digital stuff.