"Purist" DJs used to be those who eschewed software entirely. However, now that the transition toward DJing with laptops and software is closer to completion, a new type of purist DJ has developed—one who performs on turntable-based systems rather than MIDI controllers. Serato has focused largely on this new purist DJ, and it's Scratch Live software is hugely popular among turntablist DJs who scratch, beat juggle, etc. With its Itch software, Serato introduced a version of its popular application that was made for the growing group of "controllerist" DJs, who drop turntables in favor of controllers.

With last year's NS7, Numark bridged the gap between controllerists and purist DJs with a huge Serato Itch controller that comprised a modern update to the two-turntable-and-a-mixer DJ booth. It gave DJs modern control over cue points, loops, library search tools, and other functions while maintaining the feel of vinyl on a turntable.

Unlike the jog wheels of more compact DJ controllers, such as the Allen & Heath Xone:DX for Itch or the upcoming Native Instruments Kontrol S4 for Traktor Pro, the NS7 included two real, motorized turntables with the same torque of a full-sized turntable, along with a 7-inch piece of control vinyl for the irreplaceable feel that turntablists need. For all of the NS7's aesthetic and commercial success, it was simply too big, heavy, and/or expensive to suit the needs of all the DJs who appreciated it.

That's where the Numark V7 ($599 street) comes in.

The Wheel's Still Steel
The heart of the V7 comes straight from the NS7— an adjustable-torque, motorized direct-drive turntable platter based on the Numark TTX that sends control information to the Itch software at more than 10 times the resolution of standard MIDI. The other controls are MIDI based, so you could use the V7 to control any MIDI software.

But the single-platter V7 is more than just one end of the NS7 chopped off. It has top-panel effects controls where the NS7 did not, and it is also built for modularity. You can control two Itch decks with a single V7, or connect two V7s together with an Ethernet cable for a two-platter system that you use with the mixer of your choice. A back-panel Remote jack offers compatibility with fader-start mixers. And the V7 includes two stereo RCA outputs for its internal 24-bit/44.1 kHz soundcard (see Fig. 1). However, unlike some Itch controllers, the V7 does not have mixer controls, so an external mixer will be required (such as the X5 2-channel digital mixer that Numark recently announced).

Fig. 1: The V7 has two audio outputs to route to a mixer, or you can the hook-up a second V7 using the Link jack for two physical platters.

The 16.4 lb. V7 presents a common trade-off for performance gear: It will weigh you down, but it's built rock-solidly to survive a gigging DJ's regimen. Numark also makes a custom V7 case ($199 street) to protect your investment. High-quality knobs and faders instill confidence, and the backlit buttons are easily visible in daylight.

Best of all, the V7's 7-inch turntable/vinyl combination feels every bit as strong and sturdy as a professional, full-size deck. Its Start and Stop time knobs let you experiment with and jump between very quick starts and stops to the slowest time of about 8 seconds. DJs who demand familiar turntable control should feel right at home here.

The Soft Side
Serato Itch (see Fig. 2) is essentially free software, but it only works with approved controllers. I downloaded the latest version (1.7 for Mac and Windows at the time of this writing) and installed it before connecting the V7 via USB.

While Itch qualifies as a basic software app in comparison to the exceedingly deep Traktor Pro, it is cunningly basic. While Itch could receive it's own review, the gist of it is that it gives you two to four DJ decks depending on your controller (the V7 supports two) with stacked waveforms scrolling horizontally along the bottom. You have real-time loop and cue-point creation and playback functions, which are saved for each track for when you open the track again. The 12 performance effects sound very good for the most part (the reverb falls a bit short). Included are delays, two filters, phaser, flanger, tremolo, a Crusher that sounds like 8-bit video game distortion, and three really fun specialist DJ timing-effects: Repeater, Braker, and Reverser. Only one effect per deck is active at a time, and they have only two controls: FX Mix and one parameter.

Fig. 2: Serato Itch software comes included, for simple yet effective control over two DJ decks with effects, looping, syncing, and cue points.

Playback options in Itch include track repeat on/off, reverse play, continuous playback of a playlist and pitch ranges of ±8, 16, and 50 percent. Itch also includes a comprehensive file browser that lets you search your entire computer, or setup Crates for easy access. Taken at face value, the software may seem modest, but it's when you combine it with the complete hardware integration of the V7 that it becomes an effective and fun system. 

The recent release of Itch 1.7 added improved automatic BPM detection and a Beatgrid mode, which lets you set accurate beat markers in cases where the auto detection was not accurate enough. That was an important addition to Itch for it to keep up with technology that was already incorporated in competitors such as Avid Torq and NI Traktor.  

Each V7 gives you complete control over almost every aspect of DJing with Itch: file browsing and loading, playback, cue points, pitch control, tempo sync, loop creation and performance, and effects controls. Beginning with upper right-hand corner of the V7, browsing controls let you jump to your prepared Crates or a desktop browser, and a push-button encoder quickly navigates large folders of files. Load buttons let you load tracks, so the only time you'd ever need to use the mouse for file browsing would be to organize the folders on the screen by song, artist, bpm, etc.

When playing back a song, five Hot Cue buttons let you set cue points in real time with one press, and additional presses will jump to that cue point. Hold the Shift and a Hot Cue button down to delete the cue point. When searching for points within a track to set cues, the Strip Search touch strip at the top of the V7 comes in very handy. You simply touch the strip at any point, and Itch jumps to the corresponding point in the song, so you can hop around to sections of the song very quickly.

Loop controls in the upper left-hand corner let you set your in and out points, move the loop forward or backward in the song, or shorten or lengthen the loop in real time. An Auto loop mode lets you create loops of 1, 2, 4, or 8 beats with one touch.

The effect section down the left side of the V7 gives you everything you need for Itch's simple effects: an On/Off button, FX Mix fader, FX Param encoder with LED ring to show position, and a push-button FX Select encoder to choose the active effect. There is also a Bleep/Reverse switch that controls Reverse playback. When this switch is in the Reverse position, the V7 platter physically reverses and sounds like an analog turntable would. With Bleep held, the music reverses but the platter does not. When you take Bleep off, the track plays back from the spot where the song would have been without Bleep on.

In the pitch/tempo section down the right side of the V7, you have a 100mm pitch fader with an LED that lights up when it's at 0 percent. This fader responds very precisely, and even when you cycle up to ±50 percent with the Range button, you can make small adjustments to the tempo. Pitch Bend buttons temporarily adjust playback speed when held down, and a Master Tempo button works as a key lock, so the music stays in its original key as you adjust its tempo. That function works very well with sped up music but the audio begins to distort when slowed down more than 8 percent.

From Inside the Booth
I tried DJing with a single V7 as well as two V7s hooked up with an Ethernet cable (where only one of the V7s connects to the laptop over USB). With a single V7, the Deck Select switch determines which deck of Itch you're controlling. There's no doubt that this is a handy feature that Numark was right to include. However, in the excitement of a performance, the brain is apt to eventually forget which deck is being controlled, and it only would take a split second of confusion to halt the momentum of a cruising set. Also, hardcore turntablists will definitely want two V7s to truly show their skills.

>The V7 performs solidly all around, but the turntable feel and response shine the brightest of all; they are, after all, the centerpiece of the unit and the reason you would go for the greater expense, size, and weight of V7s as opposed to a more compact and lighter Itch controller with jog wheels. To my ears, the V7/Itch combo functions consistently with no noticeable latency, and the combination of cue points with a turntable gives you extra fun options for jumping immediately to the point you want to scratch. And if the V7 is in pause, you can hold down a Hot Cue button to play the song from that point until you let go of the button.

Apart from the 7-inch size, the turntable also feels right on par with a professional, full-size unit. The resistance of the platter, vinyl backspins, and braking all feel like they should. And a Motor Torque switch on the back panel goes from Low to High for a noticeable difference in torque.

All the other V7 controls exhibit a great feel and response as well, and are laid out in a performance-complementing way. I loved experimenting with the effects controls and the Bleep together. The sturdy FX Mix fader and Bleep switch are ideal for flicking around in rapid motion, and with all the effects synced to tempo, it's also fun to mess with short bursts of processed scratches. For DJs who love to play cue points wildly on drum pads or arcade buttons, almost as if they were samples, the V7's Hot Cue buttons may not be ideal, but I still found them to be better spaced for musical performances than on other DJ controllers I've used.

Speaking of other controllers, many of them don't include file browsing controls on the same level of convenience as the V7 (if at all), so if you're moving from a system where you use the keyboard and mouse to select tracks, the V7 feels like a new world of freedom from the laptop.

Try or Buy
The V7 is a very well-executed niche product. It combines real turntable feel with the power and conveniences of modern controllers and an uncomplicated, unintimidating software program. Yet because there are so many DJs with varying needs and desires, it's important to remember that there is no be-all/end-all digital DJ product. Turntable-loving DJs may love the feel of the V7, but may not be happy with what Itch offers. On the other hand, controllerist DJs who think they don't need real vinyl control may reconsider that position if they try the V7 and discover new possibilities.

Weigh your options and hit up a store where you can give the V7 a try. If you like what you see, you'll get a well-designed, built-to-last product that delivers on its promises.

Pros: Delivers the torque, feel, and response of a pro analog turntable. Controls almost every aspect of the included Serato Itch software. One V7 controls two virtual decks or links to another V7. Strip Search and file browsing speed up workflow. Precise pitch fader.
Cons: It's weight and requirement of an external mixer may rule it out for some compact DJ setups.

Markkus Rovito is a musician, DJ and journalist in San Francisco. He contributes regularly to DJTechTools.com and SonicScoop.com and plays drums for Tomihira.