i've been scouring the net, reading reviews for both of these...
granted, vci 100 is 2x the price, but i want a controller surface that fits my needs, and so far everything i've read points to the vestax unit (traktor)


what puts me off is that vci 100, unlike total control, does not have knobs for "phone mix" and "phone volume" (see larger pic: http://www.numark.com/totalcontrol)

has anyone who owns a vci 100 found this annoying?

also, has any total control owner had any reliability issues, like freezing or weird sounds?

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what are you talking about? they're right there under the master volume knob

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never mind, i see them in the upper right corner

still, that large playlist navigation knob on the numark is something i'd desire for the vci (button nav is too slow)

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Last edited by whiskers on Sep-20-2007 at 14:14

I've been looking at midi controllers with jogs for a while now as well. The X-session pro just doesn't cut it anymore - I want a little more hands on feel, and nothing that feels as flimsy (xponent)...but don't have the cash to shell out yet for a solution such as serato, seeing as I don't even have turntables or cdjs.

I really like almost everything about the VCI 100, except: the price, which is unreasonably high, but given that the other options I consider acceptable would cost much more, I'd be willing to pay it if the product was pretty much perfect; but that's not the case, because as it turns out the VCI with the current firmware has some serious firmware issues - the vinyl ramp-up issue and the pitch resolution issue (only 0.05% on the +-3% setting in traktor...both issues and firmware discussion are here)

it seems the vestax customer service is really lacking and for now I'm just waiting to see if the issues will get resolved in the near future

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quote:

Originally posted by 4clubber I've been looking at midi controllers with jogs for a while now as well. The X-session pro just doesn't cut it anymore - I want a little more hands on feel, and nothing that feels as flimsy (xponent)...but don't have the cash to shell out yet for a solution such as serato, seeing as I don't even have turntables or cdjs. I really like almost everything about the VCI 100, except: the price, which is unreasonably high, but given that the other options I consider acceptable would cost much more, I'd be willing to pay it if the product was pretty much perfect; but that's not the case, because as it turns out the VCI with the current firmware has some serious firmware issues - the vinyl ramp-up issue and the pitch resolution issue (only 0.05% on the +-3% setting in traktor...both issues and firmware discussion are here) it seems the vestax customer service is really lacking and for now I'm just waiting to see if the issues will get resolved in the near future

yeah, i'm holding out because of that for now too, although a few individuals have reported that they received units with updated firmware which solved the ramp up issue, but so far no news on the tempo resolution either way. i think they will fix it eventually, but i don't think it's worth the additional hassle of going to a service center, so i'm going to wait. i've looked at x-session, but it seemed too simplistic, as you say.

the temp resolution is the reason i started considering total control again; also, the price. however, i'm concerned about it being reliable - there have been reported issues with lights and freezing / crazy midi messages.

the vci looks like a damn good unit and yes, it is pricey:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=a-_EKfDXNJI

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qcaYVnXPZ84


if i had the cash and the time to spend on it, i'd get serato with 2 cdj 1000s and maybe a korg zero4 mixer (looks damn amazing), because it seems like that's what would fit me best. i have a numark cd mix 1 unit and i dislike using it for its 0.1% pitch resolution and lack of channel eqs, my skills have outgrown it, i want 0.02% and loop control.



you say you tried the xponent and it feels flimsy? it's way too expensive for me (even vci 100 is, but i'm willing to budget it if it's perfect), and i wonder if the total control is as bad and plasticky. shame that i couldn't find a place to try any of these out, guitar center only had the xponent and the sales person kept saying how it's the best out there.

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quote:

Originally posted by whiskers yeah, i'm holding out because of that for now too, although a few individuals have reported that they received units with updated firmware which solved the ramp up issue, but so far no news on the tempo resolution either way. i think they will fix it eventually, but i don't think it's worth the additional hassle of going to a service center, so i'm going to wait. i've looked at x-session, but it seemed too simplistic, as you say. the temp resolution is the reason i started considering total control again; also, the price. however, i'm concerned about it being reliable - there have been reported issues with lights and freezing / crazy midi messages. the vci looks like a damn good unit and yes, it is pricey: http://youtube.com/watch?v=a-_EKfDXNJI http://youtube.com/watch?v=qcaYVnXPZ84 if i had the cash and the time to spend on it, i'd get serato with 2 cdj 1000s and maybe a korg zero4 mixer (looks damn amazing), because it seems like that's what would fit me best. i have a numark cd mix 1 unit and i dislike using it for its 0.1% pitch resolution and lack of channel eqs, my skills have outgrown it, i want 0.02% and loop control. you say you tried the xponent and it feels flimsy? it's way too expensive for me (even vci 100 is, but i'm willing to budget it if it's perfect), and i wonder if the total control is as bad and plasticky. shame that i couldn't find a place to try any of these out, guitar center only had the xponent and the sales person kept saying how it's the best out there.

I haven't tried the Xponent but I've had the X-session for a while now, and the controls feel so plastic and the whole unit is so light that you have to be careful not to move it as you're dj-ing live lol. The controls on the Xponent look exactly the same, I'm guessing they used the same parts and build for it. In terms of the other, non-aesthetic quality though, I'd say the Xponent is definitely better. Can't compare M-Audio and Vestax when it comes to experience in making midi controllers. I just wish they'd focus a bit on the look/feel a bit more damn it - I can't get over that plastic....argh can't anyone make the perfect controller already?

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quote:

Originally posted by 4clubber I haven't tried the Xponent but I've had the X-session for a while now, and the controls feel so plastic and the whole unit is so light that you have to be careful not to move it as you're dj-ing live lol. The controls on the Xponent look exactly the same, I'm guessing they used the same parts and build for it. In terms of the other, non-aesthetic quality though, I'd say the Xponent is definitely better. Can't compare M-Audio and Vestax when it comes to experience in making midi controllers. I just wish they'd focus a bit on the look/feel a bit more damn it - I can't get over that plastic....argh can't anyone make the perfect controller already?

Yeah, as I said in the other thread, the feel of the Xponent is exactly like the X-Session Pro in terms of the knobs and faders. Overall though, it is very responsive and packed with extras, and when you consider it's about 700 WITH a full version of Torq that normally costs between 250-300 alone, the price is not way off.

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quote:

Originally posted by 4clubber I can't get over that plastic...

i don't know about those lights, make it look toyish

quote:

Originally posted by miamitranceman it's about 700 WITH a full version of Torq that normally costs between 250-300 alone, the price is not way off.

unfortunately, that's a copout for owners of other software. you could try and sell the copy of torq, but maybe they could offer a version of xponent without the software.

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quote:

Originally posted by whiskers i don't know about those lights, make it look toyish unfortunately, that's a copout for owners of other software. you could try and sell the copy of torq, but maybe they could offer a version of xponent without the software.

True, but honestly, I don't know that I'd even want to use the Xponent for anything other than Torq.

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quote:

Originally posted by miamitranceman True, but honestly, I don't know that I'd even want to use the Xponent for anything other than Torq.

why's that? it could still work perfectly well with other programs, right?

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not everyone understands house music
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quote:

Originally posted by 4clubber why's that? it could still work perfectly well with other programs, right?

Yeah, it's fully programmable of course, it's just that the physical design matches the Torq GUI so it's a perfect fit.

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