S4 vs VCI-400???? pros/cons

[davidvizion]

I just purches the S4 for $760 brand new but I don't know if I messed up, should I wait to get the vci 400? What's the pros and cons with the two, please help thanks.

[urbanj]

I believe only the S4 has the ability to work with Traktor Scratch. I know the VCI-400 is all metal design vs the plastic dominated S4. The 400 also has the ability to be programmed with any mapping you want and you can get blank overlays for it I think. The S4 is already pre programmed for perfect integration with Traktor.

I haven't played with either but I'm researching both as well. I'm waiting to see the Ean Golden edition of the VCI-400.

[ToOntown]

I believe only the S4 has the ability to work with Traktor Scratch. I know the VCI-400 is all metal design vs the plastic dominated S4. The 400 also has the ability to be programmed with any mapping you want and you can get blank overlays for it I think. The S4 is already pre programmed for perfect integration with Traktor.

I haven't played with either but I'm researching both as well. I'm waiting to see the Ean Golden edition of the VCI-400.

Actually, you can map the S4 however you want if it's in Midi mode. S4 works in TPro as well, not just Scratch.

You're right about the chassis. S4 is plastic, 400 is aluminum.

S4 can be bought for less $$ at the moment. VCI-400 is around a grand.

Personally, I would rather have the 400. I like the layout better, more buttons for juggling and sampling, and I think it looks a lot sexier than the S4.

[Agastya]

I was in the same dilemma, but last week I received my VCI-400, and I love it!!

It comes with Serato DJ intro and VDJ, but I prefer to use Traktor Pro. The mappings are not 100% perfect yet, but it won't be long for that to be changed with he growing number of users.

There's a clip on the facebook vci-400 page where the vinyl scratch mode is shown using Traktor Scratch.

The build is just excellent, really professional. I like the cue pads that have an excellent feel and touch when you use DJ PowerTools or other samples. The knobs and faders are far more superior if I compare it with my Novation products.

Two things that most of the people are hoping for is the following:

- Compatibility with Serato Itch, Dj Intro is fine, but too basic, and supports only 2 decks. The VCI-400 has 4 decks, so Itch would be a more logical choice

- Fully compatible with future mappings for the Ean Golden VCI-400 SE


I would recommend you to visit a store and compare both the S4 and the VCI-400 before making any decisions.

Good luck!

[urbanj]

Actually, you can map the S4 however you want if it's in Midi mode. S4 works in TPro as well, not just Scratch.

You're right about the chassis. S4 is plastic, 400 is aluminum.

S4 can be bought for less $$ at the moment. VCI-400 is around a grand.

Personally, I would rather have the 400. I like the layout better, more buttons for juggling and sampling, and I think it looks a lot sexier than the S4.

Ah cool. A friend of mine has TT's and is looking to incorporate a controller and DVS. The S4 can work in that setup but not the VCI-400 right?

EDIT: Just saw the above post. I'll have to check the FB page. With all the benefits and if it works with scratch the 400 seems like a logical choice. Any other pro's and con's other than personal preference?

The 400 is looking pretty nice right now.

[rgtb]

from my perspective, the biggest difference are the jogs. i'd say which jogs you prefer is more a matter of personal taste than anything else. but they do feel substantially different.

sometimes people on the forums note that the vci-400 is better built. the vci-400 is "solid," whereas the S4 is a "plastic bomber." i couldn't disagree more with this. first, i don't think it's true that the S4 is a plastic bomber. to me, it seems the unit is mostly built out of a (aluminum?) alloy, only part of the top plate is made out of (acrylic?) plastic. but i'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to materials. maybe some DJTTers can be more specifiic? second, and more importantly, anecdotal evidence suggests that the S4 is well-built (ask Karlos Santos, for example). third, a controller doesn't need to be built like a tank. don't cherish the illusion that a controller is like a technics. chances are you will replace your controller in a few years due to technological advances, regardless of what you buy today.

as has been mentioned already, the S4 is scratch-certified, the vci-400 isn't.

lastly, i suspect the S4 might provide for a better out-of-the-box experience. it's produced by NI itself so traktor integration is excellent. on the other hand, vestax positioned the vci-400 as a product for tinkerers. not even all button and knobs are labelled on the device. presumably, with the vci-400, you might need to tweak a bit more. (i can't say for sure, though, as i've never set up a vci-400 myself.)

[rgtb]

to add another argument pro S4: it is the most-popular controller in its class. it has consistently been outselling the competition since its release. despite notable new products from denon, pio, and vestax, the S4 is still the best-selling DJ controller above $500. in that respect, its similar to the X1 or the vci-100. tons of people have it.

one could argue that buying a mainstream controller has some advantages. it is more likely to retain its value over time (because, even a few years down the road, people still know the device). replacement parts might be cheaper and easier to find. community support (mappings, mods, etc.) is more likely to be good. as i already wrote above: it is a problem that--as technology advances at a high pace--, controllers are becoming obsolete relatively quickly. but i do think that a product with a big user community have the potential to remain relevant a bit longer.

[fullenglishpint]

Just as an aside, the VCI is of course not compatible with Traktor's scratch functionality out of the box, but there's nothing to stop you buying a TSP package from NI and using their audio interface instead of the built in one. That would be pretty expensive though.

[Agastya]

Just as an aside, the VCI is of course not compatible with Traktor's scratch functionality out of the box, but there's nothing to stop you buying a TSP package from NI and using their audio interface instead of the built in one. That would be pretty expensive though.

Actually there is a scratch functionality. But it requires Traktor 2.1.2 and you need the mapping for Traktor on the Vestax website.

[davidvizion]

Dang it's hard to chose, seems to be that the s4 is more out of the box ready and support and mapping is avalible now vs the 400 not as much. I payed $760 for the s4 and I can send it back to zzounds and reserve the vci and pay like $240 more for it. But is it worth the trouble?????