So now I'm fed and watered (perhaps a tad too much falling down water) and sit here on the 22nd floor on the Holiday Inn in Frankfurt crafting the first rather haphazard installment from MusikMesse 2005.
Let me start off with
Vestax. It's fair to say that skratchworx and Vestax had a little bit of a falling out earlier on this year. I'm happy to report that this is now a thing of the past and the relationship is firmly back on the rails. Thus I had no issues invading the Vestax stand and snapping some good stuff for you guys.
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/black_qfo_fader_small.jpg")
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/black_qfo_small.jpg")
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/white_qfo_fader_small.jpg")
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/white_qfo_small.jpg")
QFOs: They've been talked about for a while over at QBert's SES forum, but now they're a reality - black and white QFOs. Probably one-offs for now but who knows what will happen. The black is way cool but the white... I reserve judgment. My feeling is that the heavy black decals need to be made grey or silver. But who knows - maybe it'll become the iQFO...
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/doubled_small.jpg")
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/stc1_small.jpg")
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/stc1_back_small.jpg")
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/stc1_writeup_small.jpg")
STC-V1: Remember the images that landed skratchworx in a whole heap of trouble? Well the fruits of Vestax's labours was on display today. Take the guitar metaphor and turn it into a CD deck or vice versa - I'm not too sure. Essentially a 10" vinyl platter spins with a TTM1 attached, you get to play and scratch CD's while walking around all rock star stylee.
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/luminous_small.jpg")
And I noticed this - a luminous Vestax Headshell. I don't know if it's anything new, but I liked the idea of it anyway.
I'll no doubt be sitting down with the Vestax guys in the next couple of days to find out more.
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/urei1600s_small.jpg")
![](http://www.skratchworx.com/images/messe_day1/urei1600_small.jpg")
The
Urei mixers will be worth tracking down for sure when they come out. There are 2 models - the 1601 and the 1601s. Essentiallt the same except for the fact that the 1601S has a built-in 2 bank sampler. A small difference you might say, but this little addition takes the 1601s from being a good mixer to being a totally brilliant piece of kit.
The 2 banks essential take over channel 1 and 2 or a mixture of both. Allow the beat to play - this allows the BPM counter to get the beat and make for easier looping. Once you have the sample captured, you can do all sorts of magic with the buttons and faders. Mental juggling is possible on the 2 loops - I have a movie that will explain it much better than I can in my tired state - and hopefully that'll be up at the weekend. Honestly people - this mixer, once the fader curves have had a final tweak, will be a real classic. It might look a bit fugly but it all work amazingly well.
But here's the good thing - the 1601s will retail at at under £600 - cheaper than I expected it to be.
Alcatcech's
Digiscratch 2 was on display as well. basically another Serato or Final Scratch, this digital solution uses a sound box to interface with a laptop to allow digital manipulation of files on the laptop. In our very short tests, it worked remarkably well - showing no artefacts in the sound, but maybe a bit of latency. Also I held the vinyl still and the waveform on screen was jumping around quite a bit. More on that another time. Pictures tomorrow.
That will do for now. I need to devise a plan for tomorrow and get some sleep. Out.
weeeh cant wait!
SURF!! TURF!!! CURSE!!!!
great to hear that QFO guitar is finally public!
see u there on 5day, Gizmo!
nice i cant wait
rockin tghe prototype duuude
^^^ that would be super fun to fuck with
damn, black QFO, thatd be sick. I think im gonna paint mine cherry red, like w/ car paint style, ugh that would be fresh.
Damm, i see Scooter (http://www.scootertechno.com) coming up with one of those *G*
I'm sorry to ssy this. but it looks ridiculous.
That guitar-turntable is without a doubt one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. I'll keep my guitar and my turntable separate.
bloody hell
this is all getting a bit crazy
WOAH!!! Skratar!
Now my dreams of jamming with the band may COME TRUE!
That shit is pretty crazy, its nothing to replace your turntable+mixer but im sure it would be fun to play with. I wonder how light or heavy it is?
QFO is light but after carrying it around all day, my puny weakling arms were faded, I need a damn strap...
WOW, freaky guitar device!!
AWESOME AWESOME-
I really want a QFO or that guitar thing, yesterday I took a turntable outside and scratched for a while 'cause I was jealous of all the acoustic guitar people outside- It was really awesome but it would've been way easier with a QFO or the guitar thing.
Fabulous but what about this big cable...
Its power supply and connects the tascam wheel with the cd player. the cd isn't inside this thing...
@Gizmo
remember when we talked about the cut in of the qfo. remember that they put lil rubber things in there to fix the "dead zone"?
check it out:
took them pretty long to put these out, eh?
Done forget to give the new NUO2, NUO3 and the crazy new NUO4 from ECLER a good look tomorrow!!! I want pics!!!
forget nu0 2 its not uprgadeable to the eternal crossfader as i know :(
btw... I WANT THAT CD TURNTABLE GUITAR WHATEVER THINGY !!!!!!
You CAN download Digiscratch 2.0.0.0 Beta5 Demo and try out the s/w with a Maya44 USB, Scratch AMP2, RME RPM Box, or Maya 44 PCI ASIO sound card with Final Scratch timecoded vinyls! Please Gizmo, go back to Alcatech and test it further and BPM Studio Pro 5! get some screen shots please!
www.digiscratch.com
Im sorry Vestax but can you say Keytar, the Lamest Half cocked idea i have seen yet. WTF man
well...overall everything is good..but gizmo from lookin at all those pictures,really makes me more curious to know how all those new stuff go about...im sure everyone visitin would have da same thought of mine...and thankz for sharing it with all of us...but come on gizmo...post some of da stuff in video format man..i would really like to see everything...so plss video plss..
i would like to send this to slashdot.org, do u think u can handle the slashdot effect
Look at the size of the conector/cable that comes out of the back of that thing. Does it come with a series of hoists and pulleys to get you around the stage with?
well, its definately not firewire or ethernet! props tho.
WOW
Wtf? The STC-V1 is just plain stupidity.
It seems like Vestax is spending a ridiculous amount of money on gimmicky and pointless ideas like this, instead of e.g. properly upgrading their line of battlemixers in terms of soundquality and features.
that guitar thingy is mental
thanx for the lookin gizmo
I feelin' the black QFO but not so sure about the stc-v1.
Don't forget the Thud Rumble carts.
I'm happy with my silver QFO.That guitar style scratch thing looks a bit over the top,i cant see it being very practicle to use and it would make rubs and certain moves impossible to pull off surly.
Its getting to gimmicky for sure i think
People at the Ecler stand told me they started working with Noisy Stylus on the next HAK Mixer! Now that sounds a lot more promising than those NUOs!
I guess I'm more interested in the new NUO's cause I'm not a scratch DJ
*ducks and runs for cover*
John
"You're Fired"
"You are the weakest link"
"You have been voted off the island"
All the catch phrased ever made to tell someone they are inadequate
Just Kidding man
I do a lot more then Scratch in the DJ world so I know what you are sayin
Is that the whole of the vestax? I thought they mite have some more exciting developments. Like a real successor to the 07pro. Or that D-styles/ricci rucker ttable.
Mr Thrice - FULL demo of the NUO4 being filmed at 10am tomorrow. Then I'll be sure to get full pics of all the NUOs.
DJ Fondle - we know about the HAK update as we've had some input on it.
Antwan - tomorrow for the carts. I won't be getting them to keep this time but better pictures for sure.
Mistah Gingah - that was it. The 08 or Melody won't be seeing the light of day for some time to come.
A little taster of what's to come.
• Rodec Skratchbox: Finally. Very impressive mixer but not linked to a deck so no scratching
• Mackie d.2 battle mixer: caught us by surprise as well
• MixVibes update: We have 25 minutes of Netik and Skilz on tape.
• Alcatech Digiscratch: info and a full movie demo.
It's worth pointing out that the movies won't appear before next week, although we do now (thanks Joe!
have a place for larger movies that won't kill my bandwidth.
Right - time to eat
please let me know everything you can on the ECLER NUO4, it is apparently heavily MIDI armed, can anyone confirm this?
JohnDP
GIZMO CAN I SEND THIS TO SLASHDOT.ORG OR ENGADGET.COM FOR THE GUITAR THING THINK U CAN HANDLE SLASHDOTS TRAFFIC
IM GETING THE BLACK QFO
RAS BILL - do it!
giz
If you talk to the vestax dude, could you check with them if the new QFO
will have any technical update. Have they got rid of the buzz in the headphones output for example?
Lots of questions, but you know your our almighty prophet of knowledge :blink:
gizmo ... do you mind taking some time to review that numark 5000fx ... im a mixer, sorry
lol thought my Qfo was the only one with the headphone problem;
thats y i gave mine back at the day i bought it :(
you guys should incorporate an mp3 player built into the qfo... at least like 10-15 gigs
My QFO, buzzes in the headphone output also, but it doesnt really matter because I never use it anyways.
You can run headphones off of the master rca output with something like this (below) for only $4 from radioshack or any other overpriced electronics store
I
can see what they're trying to achieve with Guitar thing, and it's a wonderful idea, giving the DJ a more prominent role in a band. But I just think it's a bit of a gimmick really. I'd expect the DJ of SlipKnot using one of these, it's more for the BIG BIG bands, not us bedroom DJ scum!
By the way, is it just me, or does the thought of a digital version of the QFO make you cream your pants?
Err... just me then
(Not a rumor or anything, just a thought. So don't get excited.)
I would dearly love to see Numark take the CDX, remove all the effects and other extraneous bits and bobs, and put a crossfader in it. Maybe make it 10" or if they can get the feel right, 7". I'd pay cold hard cash for that.
Iwould dearly love to see Numark take the CDX, remove all the effects, key adjust, loops, multiple cue points and release it at a lower pricepoint.
When are these colored qfo gonna be available to the public?
And if there is any chance that the pice of the qfo are ging a little bit cheaper?...........
That Fader cut lug spacer is it going to be in the box with the QFO?
That "guitar scratch mixer" is the most retarded thing I've ever seen... just think, they could be fixing the fucked up lag and cut-in time problems that plague almost every mixer, but instead they make crap gimmick garbage like this.
The corporations that make DJ gear aren't dumb enough to have been making scratch mixers for years and years and not realize their design flaws, when people complain about these flaws all the time...
If you think about it, these corporations sell more mixers overall without an ideal mixer being on the market, because any given person buys one mixer, sees that it has problems, then looks for a new one that they think will be better, then buys that and it has some problems fixed but has other problems, and it goes on and on.
I read that even the QFO has a garbage lag space, and has a cheap flimsy ass design. Who knows how the cut-in distance is.
Vestax, Ecler, Stanton, etc. don't give a fuck, 'cept for makin more money (not surprisingly, 99.9% of big corporations are like that). These companies probably think that their DJ market is composed of a bunch of drooling idiots, most of whom will never put a ruler to their faders, say "what the fuck", see that most mixers are like this, and put 2 and 2 together. Companies think that getting sell-out scratch celebrity endorsements, brand loyalty, and shiny paint jobs on the mixers will razzle dazzle people into choosing based on this kind of bullshit rather than on performance. Sadly, a lot of the time the companies' expectations come true.
I dunno bout Rane, the 56 could use a cut-in point adjust dial (even though you can adjust it with a mod, I don't think that you should have to mod it just to adjust the cut-in point... cut-in point adjust should have been a standard feature years ago). Only other thing about the 56 that I don't know about is whether the cut-in distance is the shortest possible that will not make a noise when the fader crosses the cut-in point. It's pretty short, but could it be shorter? No way to tell, except to compare it to other faders...
P.S.-
Check out the look on the face of that business deusche in the background of the picture with the "guitar scratch mixer"...
He's like "Come on you fucking idiot, just keep the money comin... next year we're gonna put glitter on the faceplate, and 90% of you fools will be too dumbstruck to even scratch on the thing to tell how cheaply it's made and how poorly it's designed, standin there droolin like 'ooh ahh'."
PPS - My previous post is not to be negative or rain on anyone's parade. The only reason that I bring these these kinds of issues up is because they important and should be dealt with.
Erik,the TTM56 does have a cut in point adjust on it and the QFO crossfader is the same as an 05pro mk3 so its the normal Vestax cut in(which could be better).
I have to say Vestax should fix up on what it already has and leave the whack guitar as just an idea.
QFO owners,I also have a QFO that has a buzzy headphone out put on it.So there are many of us with the problem by the looks of things
The Kutti-in on the QFO is the same as any Vestax mixer, they didnt design a new fader for the QFO. Its plastic to be light, take care of your gear and you wont have a problem.
Yeah, when is the industry going to realize they can make buku bucks off of a small little shit with fader and motorized platter eith 7 or 10" ? Everybody and their momma would pay @ least $200 for it, either analog using real 7' wax, or digital, I would prefer the analog.
Im making one, but I have shit for resources. Anybody know a place online where I can send 3d cad drawings of shit and have them made for me?
FUNK THAT TURNTAR rigt in to the garbage and make a super expensive handcrafted all digital samurai QFO
Reezy, I was pointing out that the mixer part of the QFO is supposed to be the same as an 05pro mk3 so its like every other Vestax fader,no one said they invented a new fader for it.
ECbeats, dont go giving Vestax idea's like a digital QFO, I would be out of cash instantly if they released that hahaha it would rock so much i would have to have one
No disrespect, but i think this QFO is a joke, It looks like a rice cooker. Jammed with Q-bert when he was in Canada and I totally respected him, but this QFO deck, i dont think this is going to work.
@exodus
nice racial comment there, the QFO does work, trust me.
I'll back up Reezy with that, the QFO does work and its a great scratch practise tool to have around the house in my opinion,what it looks like is'nt all that important really either
that scratch guitar is the gayest shit I've ever seen. Everyone looks ridiculous using it ...
it might just be the greatest device ever created.
The QFO I saw the flicks on Q's site long ago ... it look too heavy to make sense to me and the fader so close the proximity maybe too much, what do you think?
Worldpeace,
Ben
www.theflowingofthedao.com
skratchworx on engadget.com woo hoo
I Own A QFO and Live On The Island Called Guam So I Take It Too Tha Beach Alot. My Point Is The QFO is one Bad-Ass Machine...
Was going to sy it was a shame that engadget didn't link you, but after reading the comments, which are even more retarded than some of the stuff you get round here occasionally, its probably a good thing?
Erik - if you dont want your comments to be taken as negative dont be so negative in making them....if you want to make a point to these "money grabbing corporations" who "don't give a fuck" then at least try to make your point in a reasonable way. Are they really supposed to take serious notice of this type of comment? Have you EVER spoken to anyone who actually works for the main companies (not just the distributor)??? Most manufacturers will listen to comments and try to improve their product but only if those points are put in a good way. And dont think that just bacuase someone wears a suit they dont know anything about dj'ing or turntablism...that comment just shows you as the one who needs to learn.
damn that looks cool.
tone loc's visions are now becoming a reality
any official word on when these QFO colorways will be released?
that stc-v1 is just too awkward for me. or maybe just like every new pair of new jordans, we just aint ready for 'em yet, haha.
who here thinks that vestax should make another slim mixer? with better quality parts?! none of that plastic shit!
And I noticed this - a luminous Vestax Headshell. I don't know if it's anything new, but I liked the idea of it anyway. 
On 06-04-2005 20:23, Kap`n KuTT commented...
:blink: 
74 comments to this story