

While this plugs into your computer with a single USB cable, Discover DJ needs an audio interface. Oh.one last thing for the beginners reading this. One final gripe - why is the USB cable hardwired? Not happy about missing this fundamental of DJing off at all. You can of course do this on-screen, but it detracts a little from using the controller entirely hands on. Instead, you're lumbered with simple buttons to adjust the pitch in a pretty inexact way. The one compromise to far for me is the lack of pitch fader. And to aid the use of the supplied MixVibes Cross software, and to reduce reliance on your laptop, there is also a very simple track navigation and loading control. No line faders here I'm afraid, but I'm quite able to live without them.

You get a crossfader (no fader curve but I'm told it's on the to do list), 2 band EQ with volume controls for channels and master out. Discover DJ adopts the latter philosophy, leaving just the barest minimum to allow the basics of DJing.
#Virtual dj ion discover dj full
You could scale down a full product proportionally, or strip out controls and reduce the feature set. When squishing big DJ products down into a small metaphor, something has to give. Here's a clip to show how well Discover DJ's jog wheels perform: The overall performance and response of the jog wheels is outstanding for a cheap controller, and certainly more than good enough for casual play and for beginners too. but at this price, this is an observation rather than a criticism. I'm guessing it's a MIDI resolution thing, but when you drag or push the sound with the wheel, it takes on a warbling feel. The one downside is the quality of the scratch sound. The on/off touch method takes a little time to get used to, especially for juggling (which is easy to do on Discover DJ).

Thankfully, the lightness of Discover DJ doesn't seem to reflect the sturdy feel. As far I can see, the only visible piece of metal is the single solitary fader stem. That's not meant as an insult, and perhaps "extremely cost effective MIDI controller" is more flattering. Measuring just 48x21cm, Discover DJ is indeed a cheap plastic controller. If LG were to make DJ gear, this would be in their Scarlet range. It certainly looks like nothing out there, unless you discount the Vestax Warlord concept piece of course. Thus UK retailer despatched one for my on personal pleasure. Having seen this at PLASA this year, I was gagging for a longer go on one in my own safe and warm environment. In most cases this simply isn't true at all, but in the case of ION's Discover DJ, "cheap plastic controller" is a very accurate but not at all derogatory description. "Shitty plastic controller" and "cheap toy" litter comments across the internet. The advent of the digital DJ, and especially the ever developing MIDI controller has seen more insults dished out from the gear snobs than ever - bizarrely even from those who up to a just a short time ago were sneered at for daring to use DVS systems and CD decks.
