Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)This is one of the two videos that I also uploaded online on Youtube, I have been using this unit for about 2 weeks on a Windows 7 64 bit Intel I7 laptop. Its made by Vestax, a company known for making solid High End DJ gear, just do a web search for all the top DJs using Vestax gear (DJ Qbert, Craze, tons of radio/ party djs) so I don't have too many doubts about its solid build quality, that being said the unit is almost completely plastic, and the faders don't have the rugged feel like some of Vestax's more expensive gear. The reason I chose this unit over the less expensive Midi-Only Controller units by Numark, Hercules, and others is because the Typhoon is currently the only one I liked in this price range with its own built in soundcard. For anybody new to laptop djing this means that the Typhoon works as a standalone mixing unit connected to your laptop, you don't have to go purchase a seperate DJ soundcard.
Now for some of the cons of the Typhoon:
When I first got it I wasn't able to get the audio output to work correctly, in fact I was running Traktor LE through another soundcard of mine the Saffire LE (see my other reviews for info). This was very disappointing and as someone with pretty good experience working with audio soundcards, I was using the ASIO drivers (under Audio settings), which are ALWAYS better than the Windows Direct X or even WDM drivers, and still the audio was distorted or would freeze up altogether. I looked online at the Vestax site and read some complaints about Traktor and the Typhoon running on some Intel I series laptops and 64 Bit setups, and thought "Damn I love the feel of this unit, but am probably going to have to return it". I'm glad before returning it I went to the VESTAX ASIO Typhoon control panel that installs as a seperate program when you set up the Typhoon on your laptop, and changed the driver setting from WASAPI mode to KERNEL Streaming and set them to exclusive mode (meaning not shared w other programs). Once I did that the RCA audio outputs on the Typhoon worked fine, and I am able to get the audio latency down low (about 15 ms or milleseconds so far), this improved the scratching and responsiveness of the platter, but the crossfader I have to say isn't designed for heavy scratching in my opinion. . Also as a side note you shouldn't use your dj or mixing soundcard as your default WINODWS soundcard, that's what the cheap ones in your laptop are for, keep your pro soundcards for your mixing or audio programs. Anyway sorry for the very long review, but I know from years of experience with audio gear how frustrating it can be having problems setting up a unit you buy and having to figure out everything on your own, so hopefully I answered a couple questions in my review for other people having similiar issues. Couple more things, if you are going to use this for a club environment then you definitely need RCA to XLR, or RCA to 1/4 adapter cables, as most clubs don't use amps with RCA inputs Pyle PPRC-X05 Dual 5ft. Professional Audio Link Cable XLR Female to RCA Male, Amazon has some of these sold through other vendors.
This video uploaded of me doing a very basic juggling of Amerie's "More than Love" In Love & War is after about a day of using the Typhoon and getting used to the way the platter feels, so its not gonna win any DJ Battle competitions, I know that already so don't waste your time typing text, just wanted to show some of what you can do beyond many of the other videos I've seen on it. I plan to add some more vids of using the unit on my blog (see profile) or youtube soon. All that being said, I think that if you are trying to learn how to be the "next" DJ Craze or Qbert, etc, then your best bet is going with a vinyl alone set up(like almost all older djs started with, me included) or Vinyl Tables with Serato Scratch or Traktor Pro, or at least a higher end DJ controller like the Vestax VCI-300 Dedicated USB MIDI DJ Controller for Serato ITCH (Black) or the Numark NS7 DJ Turntable Controller with Serato ITCH Software. If you aren't sure and just want to get your feet wet, or are looking for an affordable and portable unit, then in my opinion the Typhoon is the way to go. Don't get into the hype of thinking you need a DJ controller or software with 10,000 effects buttons and some super motorized faders, I still remember the dayz when the even most of the best DJs just had 2 Technics TECHNICS SL-1200MK2 Turntable and a cheap Gemini mixer, and that was if you could afford Technics !
PROS:
All in one Controller (soundcard + midi), Compact, portable, works well with Traktor LE, works with Windows 7 64 bit, also MAC compatible (I've read online), Vestax has good track record, control platters are responsive
CONS:
Audio Drivers (software) may take some additional setup with Windows 64 bit or Intel I series laptops, faders have a very light feel, made mostly of plastic
UPDATE 4/02/11 - Native Instruments has just released their new version of Traktor, Traktor Duo 2 and Traktor Pro 2, there are alot of new features in version 2, the biggest one I'm looking forward to, and I think other deejays should be excited about is the 4 sample loop banks per DJ deck ( go to the Native Instruments web site and check out the DJing page to see what I mean). The Native Instruments site lists the Vestax Typhoon as one of the controllers that is compatible with Traktor 2 so I plan on upgrading and posting a new review using the version 2 software, hopefully soon. Thanks for the positive feedback, and I'm glad this review has been helpful to people.
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Typhoon is an all-in-one bundle of digital DJ hardware and software, offering total control to mix, scratch, and play music like a DJ, right at your fingertips. The included software transforms your computer into a full-blown DJ system. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned pros, plug Typhoon into your computer and become a DJ. The Vestax Corporation is a company that keeps producing products with its uniqueness, foresight, and reliability for the people who do music actively from inputs to outputs of sounds. Vestax's mission is always to deliver products demanded by world's top class musicians, DJs, music creators, and fans that all desire to have reliable music instruments and equipment. Vestax aims at producing premium products with the world's highest level of technologies to live up to clients' needs collected in its international sales division, sales outlets, and exhibitions that take place around the world. Vestax is not a company operating for itself only. The products are always developed from users' standpoints and what Vestax feels proud most is that the products represent a part of culture in music. They go on the market after a long process of repeated discussions with top musicians, trials and errors, and strict quality control on production lines.
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