M-Audio Torq Xponent USB MIDI DJ Controller

Welcome to the new generation of digital DJ production. Cue, mix and mash-up all your files without touching your computer with this M-Audio controller.

Overall User Ratings (based on 59 ratings)
  • Overall:
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Sound:
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Features:
    3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Ease of Use:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Quality:
    3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Value:
    3.5 out of 5 stars
  • Manufacturer Support:
    4 out of 5 stars
  • The Wow Factor:
    4.5 out of 5 stars
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
(59) (see rating details)
Submitted June 25, 2008 by a customer from GMail.com

"Don't disregard the Xponent because of computer illiteracy. This can be a valuable tool for any DJ."

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
For the price/features combination, this is an all-in-one type deal. Purely from a controller standpoint however this could easily still be an awesome tool. For experienced DJ's making the Digi-Switch this is your fast track. I've recorded hours of mixes and performances with no issues software/hardware or otherwise.
Sound
The sound quality from the xponent meets all expectations. Brave tinkerers can modify all of the EQ settings in the config. files. The built in audio interface is a plus over similar products making it a smart budget conscious decision. Latency is fairly minimal with the proper computer hardware and prep.
Features
The plethora of features do not disappoint. The stock effects are mainstays and the fact that you can incorporate VST's makes this pretty versatile. Torq, is an excellent piece of software which is constantly being updated. Rewire MIDI mapping is a plus as is the MIDI-In Out for using MIDI clock features.
Ease of Use
This IS easy. Power? Check USB? Check Software? Check! The buttons are not 1 to 1 as there are many more buttons in the Torq software which must be clicked to utilize. The built in mousepad is a lifesaver in some mobile setups. If your adventurous you can remap Torq buttons at your whim.
Quality
The unit is fairly large and flat but has a very good weight to it. The rubber feet on the bottom is very sticky on most surfaces. The sliders and faders are very loose and the knobs are removable. (Don't try too hard). Only downside is that faders are not interchangeable. I've had no problems with burned out led's or anything similar to this.
Value
The price is a little higher than you might originally expect. However, consider buying an audio interface, mixer, and two CDJ's separately. If that doesn't break the bank than you obviously robbed one.
Manufacturer Support
I've only called once but they were extremely knowledgeable. They will repair ANY problems for up to a year.
The Wow Factor
Colors?.. Mmmm blinking. Wanna customize your own skin? Check the Torq-DJ forums.

Musical Background:

DJ

Musical Style:

Drum and Bass
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Submitted July 11, 2007 by a customer from gmail.com

"Delievers exactly what you expect, and opens the doors to your entire collection easily, on the go."

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I do not think i will upgrade from this product until another product does a good job of shifting the entire platter/fader paradigm. (of course, if they expanded torq to any number of tracks and let you assign which platters controlled which tracks without stopping the tracks already in play, we might just have a paradigm there worth keeping the xponent around for!)
Sound
the sound quality is really excellent, the built in effects are good (for the limited number you have out of the box, let's hope that future versions of torq increase this number, and i'm not talking about the third-party VST's which are a different matter) and the only blemish (perhaps owing to the nature of mp3) is that the actual "scratch" sound seems to be a tad bit artificial. It's fine for mixing, but sounds much less like the pure fidelity of a CDJ-800, for instance.
Features
Every feature they've implemented has been done correctly. intuitive, except for the sampler section, probably have to hit the books to learn the best ways of using that. Has everything a traditional Dj setup on a modern mixer would have and more. One thing i really like is that the xponent is a true audio interface -- not only can Torq output through the Xponent, but in OSX (at least, probably windows) you can also send the system's output through it, so that you don't have to switch back and forth or have a seperate mixer. Very nice.
Ease of Use
There is at this point no help documentation available though the Torq software, nor is there a printed manual. There is documentation provided, but it's not easy to get to from the application itself. If that sounds minor - it is. My experience was 100% easy and i was up in 10 minutes.
Quality
Wasn't too sure about this one at first. After receiving the unit, i can say that it's build quality is really excellent, and everything feels solid! Hopefully, since the sliders and faders are controllers rather then actually being audio routing components in most mixers, they will be both simpler and have a longer life time then traditional mixers. We will see.. but it is true that if you have a problem with a fader, you'll be out of luck. no user serviceable parts here. Also, the sensitivity of the touch portion of the jog wheels has "personaility", that is, it won't always latch - you have to learn how to make sure of that. A bit different then CDJ-800's. Still, everything on my unit feels very solid and I hpe that it will be a faithful companion. Worth the 600 price tag? if that money has truly gone into the ruggedization of the hardware and reliability of the software as well, the answer will be a resounding yes. *At this point early in the owning process*, i believe it has.
Value
it is a wonderful value and except for the fact that scratch sounds are a bit artificial and the touch sensitive portions are temperate, it's an excellent value! Not for a scratching type of performance (you can get away with a bit) but certainly, certainly for a lover of artistic mixing.
Manufacturer Support
Maudio has never let me down, and i've called them once many years ago. Speaking for osx, their drivers are great and i've not often had any problems a'tall.
The Wow Factor
I can now use ALL of my music to play out - not just what i have burned to cd. I can choose to show (via projector) or not show, the torq software to an audience. Very nice, and i don't think i'll be looking back to a traditional rig anytime soon.

Musical Background:

Active Musician, Hobbyist with 13 years experience in bleeding edge production styles

Musical Style:

Not limited by tempo, but usually studio oriented electronic.
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Submitted December 6, 2007 by a customer from emory.edu

"The Xponent Xcellerates"

Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
I am very satisfied by the purchase of this product. It is a great deal of fun to play with, and I can realistically see using it for live gigs without a hitch. Incorporate this with turntables and you're golden.
Sound
Great sound and sufficient gain control. The tempo and pitch sliders operate at a 'hardly noticeable' level and allow for adjustment in the middle of mix without horrible sound warping. The effects are flawless.
Features
But does it blend? Yes. The different mechanisms for song control and even the ability to scratch (albeit not that well) are welcome. The included effects are more than enough to put on a good show and the interface is incredibly intuitive. I love the glow to the beat feature.
Ease of Use
There is a learning curve on the beat matching with static turntable replicas. I still haven't taken the time to read and learn cuing but this device is otherwise self-explanatory and allows you to rip some sick mixes within the first seconds of picking it up.
Quality
It's plastic... like all of M-Audio's gear. The knobs are nice, but the sliders could use a little more resistance. Otherwise, it is solid and doesn't feel like it would come to pieces anytime soon.
Value
Very expensive considering other platforms, but I think the amount of features and product quality really make up for it.
Manufacturer Support
No idea, but the forums did help address a problem I had with song freezes in CDJ mode. Hopefully rolling software updates for Torq and firmware for Xponent keep this product up-to-date.
The Wow Factor
This is probably the sexiest computer DJ platform for mixing (not scratching).

Musical Background:

Aspring Producer & DJ

Musical Style:

Electronic (techno, DnB, House, Break, etc.)
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Submitted April 10, 2008 by a customer from hotmail.fr

"Severe Quality issue with Control Surface"

Overall: 0.5 out of 5 stars
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Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
Nothing can justify non reliable material and support
Sound
Average Sound Card performance
Features
Not applicable to this product
Ease of Use
Very Intuitive
Quality
I ordered this material first in Feb 08 and returned it right away because some LEDs control surface buttons were burned out on few commands. The replacement device sent was showing the same problem with LEDs sequentially burning after only few hours. M-Audio Technical support is lost and do not know or do not want to communicate on this issue. Please check this info on the User's Forum before buying: http://www.torq-dj.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6240
Value
This is very costly equipment for the low manufacturing quality and poor reliability
Manufacturer Support
M-Audio technical support pretends to be aware of the problem although they are unable to explain what is causing it.
The Wow Factor
Sure it's a cute & fancy DJ Toy

Musical Background:

DJ

Musical Style:

Techno
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Submitted November 20, 2008 by a customer from hotmail.com

"Love Xponent, Hate Torq"

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
I do love this product, but it will never find its way out of the bedroom. It's not built well enough and its just not reliable enough for the professionals. Build quality and Torq let it down, but value for money is still astonishing.
Sound
Sound card is nothing to shout about. Fine for the bedroom, awful for anything larger. Lack of a mic input is also very annoying to say the least. I have it running on an M-Audio Firewire 410 at the moment, which is a great sound card and delivers the audio quality and connections the Xponent lacks.
Features
I think this is where I should touch on Torq. It's quite simply, awful. It's laggy, it crashes loads, it's badly laid out, difficult to navigate and on a more aesthetic note, not very good looking. I love the hardware, but the software side of things is shockingly bad. Luckily I have Traktor and have mapped the Xponent to that, which has proved to be a monumental success. Xponent + Torq is a disaster, Xponent + Traktor is like DJ heaven!
Ease of Use
Ok so this is a difficult question for me. If you like Torq (as many people do) it's simply plug and play. With Traktor there was no real support so I had to make a .tks file and map all the MIDI commands myself. It wasn't hard just time consuming. The hardware however is great, i like the feel of the buttons very much and it's laid out really well, it all feels very natural. It's a nice size too, not too big (compromising portability) and it's not too small (making it difficult to use creatively.) Very impressed.
Quality
Don't get me wrong I think this is amazing value for money, but it does still feel quite plasticy and cheap. The buttons and pots are solid, but the platters and body feel very cheap (would have liked the tops of the platters to be soft and easier to grip. Despite how they look in the pictures, they're just hard plastic.) The pitch faders are perhaps the worst culprits as they are very wobbly and inaccurate and the cross fader and channel faders feel too light. It's not something that would last very long on the road either I don't think. I've been having some problems lately with the hardware locking up and just refusing to send/receive any MIDI signal. Which is fine half way through a song when you have time to reboot the hardware and plug it back in again, but if goes right as you're trying to mix 2 tracks together you're in real trouble! Not something I would use at a gig.
Value
Excellent value for money, that's the one thing this piece of kit has over everything else. You simply can't get anything better than this for the money I don't think.
Manufacturer Support
Gave them 8 because I've heard good things, but cannot comment myself because I've never dealt with them.
The Wow Factor
Not a very grabbing piece. It has no party pieces, nothing special its just a good entry/middle level controller. Stuff like the NS7 and SC system from stanton with their moving platters and audiophile sound quality have sex appeal, they look so much better and deliver some truly amazing features. But thats why they're 4 times the price! This is more like a toy to be honest. A cool toy, but a toy none the less.

Musical Background:

Engineer, Producer, DJ, Musician

Musical Style:

D&B, House, Trance and Techno
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