Xponent VS. VCI-100

So which contender should you plop down your hard earned money on? Which digital dj controller is going to give you the best performance in the long run? Here at dj tech tools we pride ourselves on being VERY impartial. We have no advertisers and do not answer to any manufacturers or software companies. In the end, be assured your going to get the straight scoop on how we honestly feel about every product that graces these pages. The Xponent vs VCI question does not have a black and white answer though. So to determine who deserves the “King of DJ Controllers” title , we put them both in the ring and let the facts decide for themselves.

Each round is worth one point and winner takes all!

VCI-100
Weighing in at nearly 14 pounds the vci1-00 is a bulky fighter. most of the weight does not come from the components but rather the hefty steel top that gives the vci-100 its substantial feel. If you want to do crunches and bench presses on the road then the vci-100 will come in handy but if your trying to lighten the load then the Xponent might be a better choice.

update: Since the vci-100 was first released Vestax switched to a much more reasonable aluminum casing dropping the weight down to about 9 pounds.

Xponent
Even though its quite a bit larger the Xponent weighs less than half of the vci but does not feel flimsy.

Winner-
It is much easier on the back and therefore the Xponent wins this round.

Xponent

It is a tad on the largish size. That does mean extra space between the buttons and larger jog wheels but it will poke out of the average size bag.

VCI-100
Can easily fit into any back pack or existing dj bag so you wont need to but any additional gear to go on the road.

Winner
The more portable VCI-100

VCI-100
This bad boy is only a midi device so you will also need to buy a decent sound card if you want headphone cuing or high quality outputs.

Xponnent
Comes equipped with a built in sounds card including Booth, master and headphone outputs. Everything you need to start playing out of the box BUT the quality is not the best so you may want to eventually upgrade to a better sound card. If you want to mix externally with a hardware mixer this sound card is certainly not for you

WINNER
Xponent

Xponent
This is not a toy, the plastic build and colors just make it look like it one. M-audio has made their products to take a beating and they generally do including the Xponent. Unfortunately they have skimped on a few crucial features like solid faders and knobs.

VCI-100
It is obvious the vci is meant to appear “well built” . Its not all airbrushing, the unit is well made with quality components that feel solid and reliable.

Winner
The VCI-100 tank

VCI-100
Cross Fader curve control and adjustable jog wheel sensitivity are great features but they seem to be mute if the kind folks at vestax dont get them working right in the first place. I am of course speaking of the infamous jog wheel firmware update issue that has plagued many a early adopter. The cross fader does not have any problems out of the box but mine seems to be slowly breaking down and sending out erratic data at the edges over time. Not sure if this is just mine- you should try it out if you have one. Connect your vci to a midi reader and see if it is sending out clean data over the full range of the fader.

update: firmware updates to newer units have eliminated the jog wheel ramp up problem for new buyers

Xponent
The Xponent offers a built in bank switch making the entire thing a dual layered midi controller. By assigning a knob or button to midi pages in traktor you could do the same thing with the VCI but the Xponent has that built in. They have a “lighted beat keeper” feature that means each deck flashes in time with the beat to help you keep things in sync. Unfortunately, it is more annoying than usable. One actually useful feature is the built in mouse that doubles as a x/y midi controller. These are VERY effective for effects but the mouse is not so good.

Winner
Barely, this round goes to the VCI-100

VCI-100
This is a simple numbers match. Not counting layers the vci boasts 68 assignable controls.

XPONENT
the Xponent has around 100 controls without layers.

WINNER
Xponent

Xponent
Although this is a general midi device (meaning it will work with all software), the Xponent seems to want to play with its native software Torq. If that’s your software weapon of choice, great, but if you plan on checking out other pastures you may find assignment’s to be tedious and the fancy lights dis-functional.

VCI-100
The vci works great with Traktor LE and fairly well with traktor 3.2. The only really complete 3.3 layout we are aware of was posted here on DJ tech tools.
The Vestax also works quite well with deck a dance and mix vibes (albeit the “mix vibes version”). Vestax Japan has promised layout settings and firmware for many other dj programs but has yet to live up to those promises.

Winner
the VCI-100 is a more “portable” unit in case you are not sure what software you want to use.

THE VCI-100
So far after 3 months a few problems have cropped up with my unit and other people have reported strange behavior. So although the VCI appears ready to take a beating I am not sure how long the controls will be working. Keep in mind though, I really beat up my equipment. Between constant traveling and playing at full tilt my dj gear gets rather abused.

Xponent
We have not actually been able to keep an Xponent for several months so this is hard to answer specifically. I have not read any user complaints on the forums about parts failing so that’s good news so far. M audio’s other gear however does speak well, the oxygen 8 for instance was my digital dj controller from 2003-2006. Even though I played the keys so hard they lost any resistance, nothing ever broke.

Winner
Xponent but its not too clear Several months later the reports of the xponent breaking down have great outnumbered those of the vci-100 so we have to give this round back to the vci-100 after instant replay.

Xponent
These feel great- they are large, easily grip-able and move well. The pitch bend response with torq is also pretty good. All in all they feel like a lower end CDJ. The dont offer much in the way of flexibility and work well just as jog wheels. You can scratch on them without any ramp up but its really not very fun if you have every used a record.

VCI-100
Once you get your firmware updated (for the older version) OR if you buy a vci from here on out the jog wheels work great. Scratching, cuing and bends are good and the action is smooth. You should know that the wheels are more heavy and feel different than the CDJ’s. They are a tad more sensitive but are really good for doing big pitch ramp up effects that I demonstrate in one of my Vestax videos. In fact this is the only controller that has ever exhibited that behavior.

The big plus here is in how the jog wheels are programmed and how they can be used for other purposes. For instance on my “Ean Golden” VCi-100 layout there is a special “key layer” . When you grab the wheel it turns on the Key lock and moving the wheels down or up changes the key, Releasing the wheel then turns off the key lock and the key jumps back to zero making for some really great effects.

Winner
VCI-100

VCI-100
I really dont know what they were thinking on these buttons. One one hand its impossible to accidentally trigger the wrong control. On the other hand they are way too stiff for any kind of rhythmic action. After 1 month of playing with them in my crazy controller-ism style I started to get really bad carpal tunnel! Hence the much talked about Arcade button mod.

Xponent
Not only are the buttons all back lit but their functions are also worked into the lights so you can very obviously see what everything does even in complete darkness. A function I wish I had at the club the other night, when finding the loop button required a flashlight. Any ideas for the best color combinations in low light? Cause even black and gold is not working. The Xponent’s buttons are a bit squishy for my tastes but large and playable.

Winner
Xponent

Xponent
The pitch fader is long but seriously janky. The input faders and cross faders also feel like fischer price may have built them, not pro quality at all but they work for the job. If you are entry level,no big deal but if you are used to a real mixer then this is a big down side.
VCI-100
Ok, Vestax makes some of the best hip hop mixers in the world so you would expect the faders to be good and they live up to the reputation. Nice smooth feels and excellent resistance feels like you are playing with a real mixer.

Winner:
Vestax VCI-100

AND THE WINNER IS…………………..

Vestax VCI-100 (7 points)

M-Audio Xponent (4 points)