New controller alert - Faderfox DJ44

For someone predominantly on 2 decks, occasionally 4, absolutely no need for jog wheels, this is looking like the one controller I've been looking for.
No it's not cheap but looking at the build, features, attention to detail in layout and programming and the fact that I likely won't buy another controller for years I already have one on order. Feedback when I get it.

http://faderfox.de/dj44.html

 

Any new kit from FF is just ultra newsworthy, but... as I just got a DJ3 six months ago and love it, I'm allll over this!

Edit: DAAAAMN that's expensive!! :O

 

Do you find the durability the main selling point? IMHO they look awful compared to more mainstream controllers so I'm curious where the benefits are given the price?

 

Physical build is one part of it, it's designed and made in Germany from the bottom up by one person who has a vision to make the best controller he can. Aluminium body with a lid (no need for special bags, reduced travel-damage), knobs AND push encoders and even has usb port on top to keep it out of the way in the booth etc.
For me looking at the quick description for Traktor on the page there I can basically see nothing I'd change and the 2nd layer of shift control is well thought-out and intuitive. 1st gen FF were black then changed to this silver for visibility, not looks.
I'd rather have one solid pro-grade box for years than repeated Chinese crap designed by a marketing department or esoteric lab nerds who never actually play a set at a party. Years of vinyl used to cost me ~$12 a slice for mostly one track with little resale value. Ask yourself how much beer you rent in a month? Apols for the philoso-rant, I'd rather buy once, cry once and get some seriously useful kit that I'm comfortable with esp. as this will also be used in a pro/work scenario with big clients where failure/breakdown is not an option. FYI my 2nd gen FF DJ2 plus DX2s are as solid as ever approx 5 years in and have been all over the world with me. This new box is pretty much my 3 current FF in one box with less redundancy and better layout.

 

Interesting choice of words for a post on the NI forums.

 

I had an AK1 for years, now a Komplete Audio 6. Love them to bits, for me they are BANG on the money feature, build, layout and price-wise. Of course Apogee or Metric Halo etc audio quality would be even better but def. usable as is. IMHO NI stuff is generally v. solid, just no all-in-one, non-jog wheel controller.

 

I absolutely agree. My first controller was a DX2 and it was an amazing piece of kit. I admire FF and Mathias who seems like a cool guy.

Now ya see, if you are referring to NI (i have heard this before) then you are wholly incorrect. The Traktor team are all DJ's, they all gig. As if they wouldn't be?

...and my DX2 is still going strong after 6 years also. The thing will never break but that said, I did over 800 gigs with my S4MK1 and I would still be using it if it wasn't for the MK2.

Karlos

 

Not at all Karlos, as I said my NI units are solid all round and no doubt by reasoned design. I was asked if durability was FF's main selling point and went off in general from there.

 

You must have short term memory loss. LOL

 

Nice try mrk but don't put words in my mouth please. Read from the start again and you'll see that comment was in answer to a question about the durability/price and was never aimed directly at NI but simply looking at what's available in general. As I said my Ffox/AK setup has done me proud for years and IMHO NI generally make solid stuff. Maschine and the modular Traktor bits etc are beautifully made. Now we're here though what I DO find strange is that NI don't actually seem to have a comprehensive non-jog wheel unit for internal mixing, esp. one you can travel with. Instead it's supposedly modular bits and pieces where you have things spread out across a few boxes but ending up in poor ergonomics and redundancy-some deck control here, some cue point buttons and fx over there. I think this is why Ffox has taken thier range where they did with this new box-as I said in my first post, build, layout, programming and portability.....at a price.
I posted this here purely to share the love, not to bash NI

 

A Z1+X1 gives you everything you need besides jogs, and there is no redundancy. They also have metal stand/cases that will fit both controllers.

 

System requirements

PC or Mac with a free USB port (1.0 or higher)




nice

 

Same requirements as any other basic MIDI device.