Vestax VCI-380

The Vestax VCI is a 2 Channel DJ control that also has a digital mixer on it. This control has everything needed to be a gigging DJ for any style of venue. If you are a “true scratching” DJ than this console will fit you perfectly. It has two turntable style platters that feel great. Pretty much everything you could as for in a unit like this is available in the VCI 380. There are 2 x 8 banks of trigger pads that can be used as a slicer, looping functions, or even FX functions. I mainly only used the pads for FX triggers and maybe some hot cue’s, but for the most part FX functions so I could quickly and easily just throw FX sounds in on any mix at any time.
The pads are touch sensitive as well, I was able to hold the pads down and that would let me modify the FX parameters easily. Setting up this unit was pretty simple and didn’t take much effort being that I am pretty seasoned in setting up DJ controllers and digital mixers. But even the “newbie” should not have any issues setting it up because the manual is well written and easy to read through.
There are mic inputs that are balanced on this unit and RCA line inputs. The bit depth is 24 bit and there are AD/DA converters. You can use this unit on either a Mac or a PC but if you are on a PC you will need to at at least be running Windows 7, I have tried with previous versions of Windows and it didn’t work properly and had many driver issues. I am not sure if they have fixed this issue or not with a driver update. But on the actual box it even said that minimum requirements are Windows 7 on a PC. Also 2GB of RAM is needed as well. The Mac requirements are not bad. You just need to be running OS X 10.6 or higher.

I use Vestax controllers for some years (initially VCI 100 Ean Golden DJTT edition)
I use it depusi its release.

I bought one for my NI Kontrol S4 was left in service, Traktor was convinced that becoming a gas plant, and seduced by the simple appearance / ergonomic SERATO DJ (Itch at the time qq months before the release of Serato DJ.)

Since version 1 Serato DJ The app, which replaced Itch, became completely stable (MAC, never tested on PC) with lots of great features (FX packs, auto roll, slicer and lately FLIP !!! ! is simply to create the ultimate edits on the fly)

To return to the VCI 380, to date, it still works as well.
And when I do an inventory of what is done elsewhere, despite the speed with which the controllers market evolves, I realize that it still holds up.

To find better, you need to type a cut above with a Pioneer DDJ-SX 2, but this is no longer the same price (especially at the price Vestax used)
And with experience, I would do this choice!

DJ for many years, professionally for more than 10 years, after going through the vinyl, the CD, I'm on Serato for over 5 years.

I wanted to buy a Serato controller to not be bothered by the cabling and connections necessary when you come with your Serato box before / after another DJ. After testing the Novation Twitch, very nice but a little 'gadget', I took the Vestax after numerous tests and reviews published on the Net.

My disappointment is great after 6 months of use, faders fail in the middle of a set. Saved by the crossfader, fortunately, but the balls.
The manufacturer itself (vestax japan) contact me and recognizes a series defective. My controller is repaired at the dealer after three weeks.
Rebelotte few weeks later, still full set, of course. Galley even bigger since the fader works really more AND no sound comes out of the deck.
Rebelotte, re-deposit the dealer and returns my controller.

Since I no longer use it, it is intolerable for a product that is meant 'professional' (given the price range of this model) to be as unreliable.
And I'm not talking about some features that buggent (as the 'browse' button to browse its files that decide to move up and down as it seems good to him ... impossible to navigate in the library).

I still use my home to do my demos, and other bugs appear here and there (complete software crash twice in an hour, etc..).

BRIEF: I am DJ pro, and I do not ever think I'd trust in MIDI controllers. DJ becomes too dependent on its material, which can be planted at any time, and reliability of the manufacturer shall be 200%.
And especially not the Vestax VCI-380.