Electronic Music 411 - best dj mixer style MIDI controller

03/25/08 + Unknownforce

Novation Nocturn?
Behringer B-Control DeeJay BCD2000?
M-Audio X-Session Pro?
Hercules DJ Control Mk I / Mk II
or another?

opinions please!

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05/01/08 + nick

can one use the bcd2000 as a regular midi controller as well? i was thinkin of using it for live improv within ableton and using it to dj with traktor.

05/01/08 + elronhubbard

yea i've got an x session pro. it is tiny and plastic and doesn't really resemble a "dj" controller much, besides the fact that its fader operates over two control channels iirc (which i never use anyway).

the coolest thing about it is that you can hold it in one hand. because of this, i really wish the usb port was on the side of the unit.

if you're seriously thinking about dropping some cash on a cool dj style controller, there's always the livid box, which is certifiably solid feeling link

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05/01/08 + SenorFrio

+1 on x-session... but the nocturn looks really cool!

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05/01/08 + quip

you can pretty much use any midi controller with traktor.
and actually i dj alot without controllers at parties and stuff
where theres no room for one.

i djed at bangface for 2 hours just using keyboard shortcuts and people
were asking me what software i was using.
and i said papergoose.

seriously you can customise shortcuts to do anything even slow down and speed up
like a vinyl and reverse. the only thing i need knobs for is eq and filters. but thats ok.

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05/01/08 + sweettrip

yeah that's true. i'm just really bad at remembering key shortcuts. for a while i had a separate qwerty keyboard connected to my laptop, took little pieces of board tape and sticked them on top of the keys and wrote label of what key did what, etc.

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05/01/08 + mongo

kenton The Killamix™ DJ coming soon, if not already mentioned

link

but its not gonna be cheap

05/01/08 + hardvoltnine

Anyone here of this thing before?

link

The design looks really nice. I don't know a thing about controlling computers with midi, but I think it would be cool to use it for my machines one day.

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05/21/08 + Unknownforce

I just bought the M-Audio X-Session Pro because it was the cheapest and the only one i could afford, it's as light as a feather but its huge - well much larger than i was expecting, it could do with being a few centimetres smaller!

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05/22/08 + dach

For those still in the market, and want a device with a built in soundcard, the Hercules RMX Console looks sweet. Soon to be released is the Vestax VCI-300, which looks really sexy, but isnt midi, it's tied to Serato ITCH software. The torq Xponent is also an option, although more expensive, it's got more knobs and lights on it, I like how the jogwheels are at the back, but i hear the faders are way too light and it feels plasticy.

I'm gonna buy a Hercules rmx this weekend. I will also wait and watch to see how the vci-300 gets received, and consider changing to that in a couple months if there are good reviews

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edited: May 22 2008 + cbit

the vci300 does use midi according to the spec sheet

The VCI-300 can control more than 90 parameters and functions of the included Serato software with high resolution MIDI signals sent via USB.

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05/22/08 + dach

From what I've read, the vci-300 only works with Serato ITCH..

notice in your quote the 'can control ... parameters... of the included serato software...' phrasing. Does not say it can control anything else. Also, what is 'high resolution' midi, are they using lsb/msb pitchbend or a variation on the standard midi?

Check out the last post in this thread for example. I've seen the same sort of thing appear in other forums too. I also don't recall Vestax mentioning midi on their offical website the last time I looked (i could be wrong).

I'd at least put a big question mark over it's midi support for now, it shouldn't take long to get a straight answer once it finally gets launched (a few more weeks?)

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