This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
words: LUKE PEPPER TECH Stanton DJC.4 Controller


VERDICT BUILD QUALITY


EASE OF USE FEATURES


7.5 8.0 8.0


VALUE FOR MONEY 9.0 SOUND QUALITY


7.5


HYPE A compact controller for Virtual


GRIPE The only way to get four-deck


DJ that, despite its size, packs an amazing amount of controls and features into a lightweight package.


control and use of some of the other features of the DJC.4 is by paying for an upgrade to Virtual DJ LE.


Striking a fine balance between functionality and portability, this is a great controller for Virtual DJ users who put a high value on portability without wanting to sacrifice functionality.


8.0/10


STANTON’S NO WORRY CONTROLLER


Stanton’s new DJC.4 controller is entering the ring to wrestle for the crown of best compact DJ controller. Can their new little wonder come out on top?


A


s a child of the eighties and a survivor of the Cola Wars (along with the emotional scars and warped outlook on life to prove it), I find it both worrying and delightful in equal


measures to find myself in the middle of another epic war. This time the war is not over sugary water, but chips and faders. We find ourselves inextricably dragged into the midst of the Controller Wars, a time period which history will record as the best of times and the worst of times. As Stanton fires another volley into the fore, we ask will their DJC.4 be an example of the best of times or is it destined to be a mere footnote in the pages of history? While the controller wars are not necessarily good news for manufacturers, there is no doubt that the citizens of clubland are the clear winners. Gone are the days when the choice was Technics SL1200s or Technics SL1200s, now DJs and electronic musicians have a huge range of devices to choose from. With the current trend towards more niche products, it’s easier than ever to find a controller to suit everyone’s style, taste and budget if they’re prepared to spend a little time researching their options. The DJC.4 is a great example of the current crop of niche controllers coming to market. This is a product that will fit some people’s needs and wishes like a glove, without trying to be all things to all people. The DJC.4 is designed specifically for use with Virtual DJ, and is clearly aimed at DJs who crave portability without giving up a wealth of functions. While the DJC.4 is touted to


074


work with Traktor, it’s clear that the DJC.4 is all about the Virtual DJ integration, and the unit ships with Virtual DJ LE in the box. When it comes to buttons, knobs and features the DJC.4 has an impressive helping of each, despite its diminutive size. This is a controller that will suit DJs who love tweaking their mixes by riding the EQs, tweaking FX and dropping samples over their mixes but also require a small controller that will easily fit into a bag and doesn’t weigh a tonne. Portability combined with a full set of buttons and controls is a balance hard struck, but Stanton have managed to do a very good job. While the controls are a little cramped compared with full-sized controllers, they are perfectly usable and make efficient use of the available space.


Build quality is important for any piece of equipment designed for a life on the road, and the DJC.4 does not disappoint on this front. The top control surface panel is metal with a plastic bottom to save on weight, and everything fits together nice and tightly with no wobble on any of the knobs or the buttons when they are pressed. The backlit buttons have a nice quick action as well as tactile feedback and they are nicely spaced, managing to cram a huge amount of buttons into the control panel without the risk of fingers slipping onto nearby buttons and ruining a mix. The DJC.4 has two decent-sized jog wheels that perform well but lack the fine resolution found on some controllers we have seen. They’re fine for mixing duties


www.djmag.com


priCE $349


CONTACT stantondj.com


but could prove a source of frustration for scratch DJs. The two channel faders feel nice and are big enough to provide fine control over long mixes, and sit either side of a lovely ten LED level meter. Each channel has a three- channel EQ with push-to-kill buttons in each of the EQ knobs, as well as a gain knob and cue button. Four deck control is possible via the deck select buttons found above each of the jog wheels, but an upgrade to Virtual DJ Pro is required. Both of the deck controller sections are stuffed to the gills with backlit buttons dedicated to cue points, loops and sample triggers — along with knobs for FX control. With both phono and balanced jack outputs, two aux inputs (one with both phono and mini jack connections) as well as a microphone input, crossfader curve, jog wheel sensitivity and headphone level and mix knobs on the front, this controller lacks nothing in the way of controls or features. The sound quality of the DJC.4 is decent enough for the price range that it sits in and is loud enough to be useful, even if the output levels are not as loud as some other controllers. This shouldn’t prove to be a problem in day to day use.


Stanton have managed to create a very powerful controller while keeping the size and weight down. It looks and feels professional and is likely to find more than a few fans among DJs who live their life on the road, and have had enough of breaking their back lugging around heavy controllers. The DJC.4 is also likely to find a home with hobby DJs who love their music but don’t take their mixing too seriously. With its small footprint and good value for money, this controller is perfect for those ‘back to mine’ moments or for throwing in a bag to take to a house party.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82