VESTAX VMC-004FX 4 CHANNEL DJ MIXER

WHAT happens if you take a proven mid-price four-channel mixer, give it an ivory makeover and then add some sexy effects? It’s not something we’d ever wondered about, but Vestax obviously have, so that’s what now sits proudly amidst our decks. From the moment it arrived we knew we weren’t going to want to return it… IN THE MIX This mixer really is great to use. Each channel is assignable to the crossfader or master output and boasts its own LED level meter and trim, so there’s no excuse for overdriving signals. The fi nish feels incredibly sexy. All the faders are reassuringly fi rm, except the crossfader, which is smooth and fast, while the three Isolator (EQ) bands feel great and sound fantastic, offering 100% kill and 6dB of musical sounding gain. It’s not perfect though, as it’s impossible to see where the EQ and other knobs are set unless you’re up close and staring. What’s needed is a black line on each to contrast with the white knobs and fascia, but if you want this you’ll have to draw your own. Monitoring is clear, allows us to preview mixes and drives our HD25-1s to suitably tinnitus-inducing levels. Unfortunately, while every other parameter is on the top panel, the crossfade curve selector is inexplicably tucked away underneath on the front edge panel, rendering it out of reach when the mixer is mounted. IN EFFECT So what of the effects? Reverb, delay, pitch-shifter, auto-pan and more are offered, each controlled with two well-assigned parameter knobs, a tap tempo button and five buttons for specifying rhythmic timing settings. Sound quality is great, as you’d expect with 24bit/96Khz DSP processing, but it’s the style and character of the effects that shines, comparing well with those on far more expensive models. Particularly useful are some LFO driven fi lters, the phaser, the fl anger, the regular fi lters and the vocoder. In fact, the only real omission is a BPM read-out. The effects assignment system needs rethinking, though. You can assign the effects to either side of the crossfader or to the Master but, strangely, setting the effects to Master only affects channels assigned to it. It’s therefore not possible to assign two channels to the different sides of the crossfader and apply effects to them both at the same time – you’ll need to re-assign them to Master. Also, the FX section has an inexcusable habit of clicking when you change its assignment or switch it on and off, so you cannot safely do either in the mix. As one visitor to our studio put it “so you can’t use the effects in a club?”

And speaking of clicks, turn off your amp before the mixer as it utters an ear-splitting noise that sounds like it’s the obscene brainchild of some Mossad interrogators. FINAL WORD All in all, it’s impossible not to love the VMC-004FX. Like a beloved partner, its fl aws are quirky yet attractive oddities. And if Vestax can sort those clicking issues, then the sound and build quality could easily handle small club or bar duties too. In the end it’s all about the feeling you get from using it. Whether it’s the perfectly graded faders, lush EQ, cool effects, great sound or the way it feels under your fi ngers, it just makes you want to keep on mixing.

HYPE Fully featured despite its compact size, this offers one of the best mixing experiences you’ll fi nd no matter the cost, complete with some great effects and incredible sound quality.

REVIEWED: http://www.djmag.com/tech/Vestax_VMC-004_FX.pdf

FEATURES
The world standard DJ mixer, VMC-004XL reinforced with a new built-in multi effector for DJs who want to expand their style of DJING.

Stylish design, balanced XLR outputs and basic DJ functions with simple operability that matches any type of Djing.

EFFECTS:

AUTO PAN
BAND PASS
BAND PASS WITH LFO
DELAY
ECHO
FLANGER
HIGH PASS
HIGH PASS WITH LFO
LOW PASS
LOW PASS WITH LFO
PHASER
PITCH SHIFTER
REVERB
RING MOD
VOCAL CANCEL
VOCODER

TECH
* Four channels
* Two output
controls (one with
duplicated outputs)
* Three-band EQ
* Five-LED meter
per channel
* Seven-LED
output meter
* Assignable crossfader
* 16 assignable
effects types
* Two effects
controls plus
tap-tempo button
* Six line, two phono
and two mic inputs
* Two crossfade curves

VESTAX WARRANTY INFORMATION:

To initiate a warranty repair, you should contact Vestax USA directly at 800-994-4984

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