Finally you can make proper use of those external inputs on your VCI-400, thanks to today's firmware upgrade.
Vestax today announced that its flagship DJ controller the VCI-400 can now finally operate as it always should have done – as a standalone mixer as well as as a Midi controller.
Users can upgrade to the latest v2.0 firmware for free, in order to enjoy the ability to mix external inputs such as CD players through the mixer alongside their software sources.
This is particularly good news in the case of the VCI-400, because it has high quality EQ circuity (the same as on Vestax’s acclaimed PMC-55 mixer), and external sources also get use of the dual hi/lo-pass filters built in to every channel on the controller.
Mixing Midi and analogue
The VCI-400 can still be used as a Midi controller even when mixing external sources. Vestax says:
With Traktor Pro, users can mix a total of six decks, while still being able to trigger loops, hot cues and control effects with the VCI-400.
“For example, with Traktor Pro, users can mix a total of six decks (two Traktor Pro decks, two Traktor Pro sampler decks, and two CD players) while still being able to trigger loops, hot cues and control effects with the VCI-400.”
This long-announced improvement should mean that the VCI-400 strengthens its position as a go-to controller for those who want something they can use in varying circumstances, and who aren’t afraid to roll their sleeves up to do some customising at the heart of their own unique set-ups.
Have you been looking forward to this moment so you can finally feed your external sources properly through your VCI-400? Is this the final piece in the jigsaw you were waiting for before buying one? Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Now go to:
Review & Video: Vestax VCI-400 DJ Midi & Audio Controller
Controller Clinic #11: Vestax VCI-400 vs Traktor Kontrol S4
Review & Video: Vestax VCI-380 Serato ITCH DJ Controller
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Tags: firmware upgrade, standalone mixer, VCI-400, vestax
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“….in order to enjoy the ability to mix external inputs such as CD players, DVS and vinyl through the mixer alongside their software sources.”
As far as I can make out though, this isn’t entirely true – the VCI only has line inputs, so in order to use DVS or vinyl you’re going to have to get some pre-amps, right? This seems pretty unfortunate to me, as half my interest in getting one has been to bypass messing around with audio interfaces, and instead it means doubling up on gear.
Would love to hear that I’m wrong though!
[ link ]My mistake, I didn’t check whether inputs were recall the “line-only” inputs. I’ll go and edit that…
[ link ]That’s great news. Its a worthy contender for the best controller out. Might make me want to replace my vci-100se.
[ link ]Phil, what you write isn’t completely correct.
[ link ]It is “standalone mixer function” and this is from what I understand only on the 2 external inputs.
A standalone mixer would give you the opportunity to use traktor in external mode and that isn’t the case as far as I read the vestax communication correct.
I define a standalone mixer as a unit that can be used without a laptop, maybe I’m wrong but I am assuming that’ll be the case with those two inputs, so for me that would make this a standalone mixer as well as a DJ controller.
[ link ]If you had a Traktor certified interface you could run dvs through that you could use the 2 channels of the vci in external mixer mode.
[ link ]With this new upgrade will the 400 now work with Serato Itch & support Serato Video?
[ link ]Not at the moment, it is not an ITCH certified controller right now.
[ link ]That will be very unlikely as the VCI-380 is the (stand alone) controller Vestax makes for Itch and they JUST released it.
[ link ]Will it be possible (upgrading to this firmware) to use this controller with timecode vinyls on Traktor Scratch Pro?
[ link ]No, not without a Traktor interface.
[ link ]What Phil means by that is that you’d HAVE to plug it in to one of the “Traktor Scratch Certified” Audio DJ (4 – 10) units (to handle the Timecode) in order to use Traktor Scratch Pro with your VCI-400… and then of course, you’ll have to plug in your turntables and/or CD players etc. and use the Timecode CDs / Records. It’s not recommended (because your controller is so much easier to use with Traktor Pro), but you *COULD* do it.
[ link ]@Forced Hand
Are you saying that if you want to use DVS with this, you are going to have to use the vci just as an external mixer and therefore lose all controller functionality?
Ideally of course, we’d want to do turtable->preamp->vci->USB->Traktor Scratch and have use of the VCI controller and soundcard out but with the VCI not being Traktor certified, sounds like that won’t work (or will it?)
As a workaround isn’t it possible to run the dvs and the controller as seperate systems ie connect turntable->NI interface->computer USB, for DVS and then computer USB->VCI-400->amp for output and controller?
Or does that mean we’d have to run two instances of traktor too haha? Its a horrible overkill situation, but at the point of buying an S4 I have suddenly been overcome with VCI-lust and although it looks like the obvious simpler option (and saves the extra cost of an audio interface) feel like I’ll never be satisfied with the S4…
[ link ]@butter
Assuming you’re not trying to use stand-alone external mode, According to Native Instruments, you will still be able to use the VCI-400 with full functionality because Traktor Scratch Pro will recognize the controller and your .TSI mapping. Not a lot changes except connecting EVERYTHING through the Audio (4-10) DJ card as your interface (as per the Traktor Pro Manual)… it’s an “all roads lead to Rome” kinda’ thing. Your ideal situation is correct and you WILL be able to use external sources (CDs / Records) along side your internal sources (MP3s / WAV / FLAC etc.).
I think you’re trying to use the VCI-400 as your main outs (probably because it has XLR outs and you have powered speakers with XLR inputs)… In theory, you could use the VCI-400 as your audio “Output Routing” and the Audio (4-10) DJ card as your audio “Input Routing” (interface) because nothing says otherwise in the manual but you never really know until you try these things out… there may be a hardware conflict or it may be that Native Instruments requires that you use ONLY their certified sound cards when using Traktor Scratch Pro.
If routing your desired way doesn’t work (for some reason), I do know that amplifying the signal from the Audio (4-10) DJ cards works through a simple “patch to the house mixer” option… but I’m talking about another piece of hardware here.
[ link ]@forced hand
Thanks for the input, guess I’ll be able to find out for myself soon, as I got over it all and ordered my VCI-400 yesterday – figured I was wasting more cash by spending time on researching/debating what to get than getting back to work.
Half my resistance to moving to “digital” has been the complication of setting up the audio interfaces, so the controller appealed where there’s a simple line in to the house mixer (or amp). Over the last three years or so have had so many sets wrecked by others fiddling with set-up while I’m trying to play, so thats almost more the reason that I was hoping that I could route everything from the VCI-400 – basically keeping the messy part of setup to my own gear and not having to fiddle too much with the previous/following guys setup.
When using my own rig, the XLR outs are nice, but don’t always have that option, especially in situations where I’m not the only one playing, and also the lack of booth-volume means in most situations its going to end up going through another peice of hardware anyway… but having the stand-alone feature is going to be *awesome* for changeovers anyway – opens up a lot of options for simplifying things. Also heard the VCI sound is particularly nice so wanted to rather use that, but guess the NI interface sound isn’t really terrible either.
Finally also figured that I could live for a while using regular scratch records on the turntable and can sort out the full DVS later, as I have plenty to keep me busy first anyway with all these new-fangled toys.
[ link ]I’m sorry but standalone mixer functionality is a hardware function and it is not something you just get with a simple firmware upgrade.My guess is it was disabled and noe just enabled with new firmware.
[ link ]I agree, that’s exactly how it happened.
[ link ]I have different opinion. I think there is some technical difficulty on this developing especially maintaining VCI400′s excellent audio quality. But, I think this new firmware might inherited from VCI380 sound card system.
[ link ]Put off buying the vic for a long time knowing this update was coming, now just to wait that extra bit longer till they release the update for the ean golden edition, I need it in my life
[ link ]Maybe I’m missing something, but if you want DVS, why not just stick with an analog mixer? You obviously still enjoy using turntables. I read this article and think “cool, now VCI-400 users can plug in an Ipod or CD player for emergencies”. I wasn’t even thinking about DVS. IMHO, I can’t believe this is even a problem. There are already so many solutions. DVS was meant as a stop gap for older DJs to jump into digital DJing. I don’t believe it was meant to be an end all solution. I think it’s ridiculous for a 20 y/o aspiring DJ to go fork out anywhere from $800 to almost $1400 on JUST turntables. You can use that money for music! Just buy a VCI-400 and be done with it. Or just stick to DVS.
[ link ]I am running the VCI with VDJ and Sarato time codes with my techinics 1200,s lots of fun and works pretty good.
[ link ]Be cool if they worked with the updated firmware.
Finally someone found a solution by trying it without a long discusion about DVS and timecodes. Until now I could not believe that my Numark N4 (also not certified for Traktor Scratch Pro) is able to work as a standalone mixer working with timecodes while the VCI 400 is not able to do it… It would be very disappointing… It is just surprising and sad that Vestax doesn’t mention anything about it – it is just another + for Vestax…
The NI Traktor Scratch Pro certification does not mean that things don’t work, am I right?
[ link ]Having read all of the above, it reminded me of the research i was doing when i was looking for a new controller. If you want DVS with Traktor because you are a scratch DJ then get the Pioneer DJM-T1 with inbuilt interface, i was looking at the VCI 400 for a while and was really tempted to get it when i knew it was going to go standalone but got the DJM-T1 in the end and its awesome. Is really well integrated with Traktor and is excellent build quality. Nowhere near as many midi-assignable buttons/faders as the VCI 400 but still has all critical controls covered and obviously no jogwheels but why would you need those if you’re going DVS route anyway…
[ link ]Basically, what we would all like the VCI400 to do is what the S4 is capable of doing… Running the timecode CD / Vinyl into the unit and using its built in soundcard without having to buy a separate soundcard (audio 4/10). If it is capable of doing this, just not strictly Native Instruments certified, then happy days. It is not a matter of choosing either DVS or controller, the S4 does both and it’s nice to have the option of both when the need arises.
[ link ]I think that the standalone ability is really great for Scratch Live users and not so much Traktor Pro users because we have purchased and SL2, 3 or 4 and the problem was you had to buy dicer’s or some other add on to really get the number of buttons needed to take advantage of the Cues and the SP6 player. The Rane mixers cost too much and the buttons are too stiff and suck. This allows Scratch Live Users to get as many buttons as the Traktor DJ’s have always had on the S4 and Kontrol units. Great move Vestax, I just think they should market it more towards Scratch Live Users than Traktor users for the reasons mentioned above. Still kind of overkill for Traktor users to have to plug into an Audio interface and most Scratch Live Users don’t want to use Itch because the Itch controllers are not professional enough in build or sound quality.
[ link ]So i was thinking of buyin The vestax 400.but can i: plug in my 2 technics mk2? So i don’t need no other mixtable for the turntables?
[ link ]So i would play serato with te vetax controlers on Chanel 1-2 and just regular records on Chanel 3-4 is that correct ? Cause i read there are “line plug ins” jut no phono…some one can help? Thx
You’re right, it’s only got line ins, no phono.
[ link ]It’s a simple thing: just get some RIAA-filters and you’re up and running with the VCI-400 and your MKIIs, they cost about 20$ a piece.
Setup is simple: MKII->RIAA-filter->VCI-400-Lineinput
cheers.
[ link ]here is some further information if you want to make them yourself… in german, but very detailed.
http://www.heise.de/ct/artikel/Kurven-kriegen-288350.html
[ link ]another guess…
as the vynils only contain time code, which is quite narrow-band, give it a try and directly connect the MKII to the line input. for music, this would be a no go, but I suppose the TC-signal would still be recognised by the software.
[ link ]