Controller Shopping (Part 2)

The research continues and my options are starting to expand. 

($600) The M-Audio Torq Xponent is an attractive controller and sound interface. It gets some great reviews and seems to have many supporters. It has a touch pad the doubles as a pointer for your computer and a X/Y controller for effects. I was nearly ready to order, but discovered two things: The internal sound hardware is pretty wimpy and only deals in 16 bit 48 kHz. Also, one of the reviews that had sold me on the Xponent had a follow up about hardware problems leading to its return. Several reports of manufacturing defects have since made me hesitant.

($400-$150) Hercules has several controller with sound interface products that are suspiciously cheap. Most look like toys. Their nicer units do have metal cases, but I can find no specs for their sound interfaces. I had my hands on one of these DJ Console Rmx units and quickly dismissed it for the low quality sliders and knobs.

($500-$850) A leading contender for me now is the Vestax VCI-100. This unit has no built in sound interface, so fussy people like me may/must purchase one separately. It looks like a best selling controller for some major online retailers and has developed a faithful following. There are some interesting mods available for it which to me is another good sign that it is a durable, quality, functional component. (Vestax also makes the VCI-300. It does have built in sound and higher resolution jogs and pitch slides, but is designed fairly specifically for use with the bundled Serato Itch software and is not as adaptable to other apps.)

($600-$950) I don't recall what led me to Livid Instruments ohm controller, but I was stunned by how attractive it is. Designed to be a live VJ and video production controller, it has a huge array of buttons available for assignment, and is available in custom wood or rack mount versions. With a serious discount sale on now the ohm is incredibly tempting.  My brain is contorting itself with possible solutions for cuing tracks without a jog wheel and justifying purchasing the green wood model.