American Audio VMS2

The American Audio VMS2 is a 2-deck all-in-one controller. It is a USB class compliant MIDI and audio device that works with GNU/Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows. It features a 4 channel input and 4 channel output sound card with 2 phono preamps. The main output has XLR and RCA outputs (do not use both at once). There is a separate RCA booth output. The VMS2 can also be used as a stand-alone mixer with analog sources without a computer by setting the USB/Analog switches on the front of the device to “Analog”.

New in version 1.11.

Audio Setup

No driver needs to be installed on GNU/Linux or Mac OS X. However, on Windows, it is recommended to install the driver from the manufacturer to be able to use the ASIO sound API.

Unlike most controllers with built in sound cards, which rely on Mixxx to do all mixing in software, the VMS2 mixes signals from the sound card in hardware. To use it with Mixxx:

  • Bypass the built-in hardware equalizer of the VMS2 (i.e. use Post-EQ Mode). Hold the forward search button on the right deck as you turn the VMS2 on to switch between Post-EQ and Pre-EQ modes. See section 15 of the manufacturer’s manual for details.

  • Set the USB/Analog switches on the front side of the VMS2 to “USB”

  • In Mixxx’s Sound Hardware Preferences:

  • Set the sample rate to 48000 Hz

  • Select channels 1-2 for Deck 1 output

  • Select channels 3-4 for Deck 2 output

Note: You cannot use the preview deck to pre-listen in this setup, as Mixxx routes the preview deck to Mixxx’s headphone output, which is not mixed with the Deck 1/2 outputs. You could use a separate soundcard and route the headphone output there to also pre-listen using the preview deck. Of course, if you do so, attach the headphones to that other soundcard instead of the VMS2.

Input and Recording

The analog inputs are captured by the built-in soundcard as input signals. They can be used for timecode signals (e.g. timecode vinyl), as the VMS2 also features built-in phono preamps. FIXME I did not try that, please verify!

The microphone input is mixed directly into the master output signal of the VMS2 in hardware and cannot be captured through software. If you want to record voice over using the Mixxx software, you will need a different solution. You can use a separate microphone attached to the computer, but that signal will not be routed to the VMS2 and therefore not be on the VMS2 master output (but in the Mixxx recording from the software master/record output).

Mixxx’s Deck 1/2 outputs are affected by the Mixxx software EQs. However, the VMS2’s volume faders and crossfader (as well as the headphone buttons) control the VMS2’s hardware mixer and do not affect Mixxx’s Deck 1 and Deck 2 output signals. Therefore, a recording using the Mixxx software will sound different from what is played through the VMS2 master output, as the crossfader curve and signal mixing are not the same in hardware and software. If you require a recording that captures exactly what the audience will hear, use a separate soundcard and recording software to record from the VMS2 booth output.

Mapping description

Mixer section

All main functions are mapped straightforwardly:

VMS2 Control

Mixxx Control

Crossfader

Crossfader

Volume Fader

Volume Fader

Cue (PFL)

PFL

Cue Mix

Cue Mix (PFL / Master)

Headphone Gain

Headphone Gain

Channel Gain

Channel Gain

Master Gain

Master Gain

As noted in the #Audio Setup section, these control the VMS2’s hardware mixer. Although the state of the controls is reflected on screen in Mixxx, the actual mixing is done by the VMS2’s hardware mixer.

Deck Control

Deck control is straightforward, too:

VMS2 Control

Mixxx Control

Play

Toggle deck play/pause

Pause

Pause the deck

Cue

Cue Point (configure behavior in software)

Pitch +/-

Temporary pitch bend +/-

Pitch Fader

Pitch Fader

Range (Shift+Sync)

Cycle pitch fader range (+-8/10/30/100%)

Sync

Sync to other deck

Search <</>>

Search through currently loaded track

Keylock (Shift+Vinyl)

Toggle pitch independent time stretch (KeyLock)

Vinyl

Toggle between Scratch mode and Pitch mode

Platter

Touch sensitive platters! Scratch or Pitchbend

Shift + Platter

Scroll through library quickly

In Pitch mode, moving the platters from either the top or side will only bend the pitch of the deck. In Scratch mode, the platters act like vinyl turntables and can be used for scratching. Touching and holding them from the top stops the deck. Moving them from the edge does not stop the deck.

Library and Track loading

Use the encoder in the center of the controller to browse through the library. Press the encoder to switch between library main window and sidebar. Unfortunately there seems to be no way to expand entries in the sidebar through the controller script.

Use the [LOAD] buttons to load the currently selected track into either the left or right deck.

The four directional buttons around the knob also control the library:

Button

Library function

Up

Previous library entry

Down

Next library entry

Left

Previous sidebar entry

Right

Next sidebar entry

If you hold Shift and then rotate a platter, you can scroll through the library much faster.

Equalizer

The per deck EQ rotaries are mapped to their software counterparts. The VMS2 has no dedicated kill switches for the EQ. However, in Mixxx, pressing the following buttons with Shift acts as EQ kill switches.

VMS2 Control

Mixxx Control

Shift+IN

Kill Switch Low

Shift+OUT

Kill Switch Mid

Shift+RELOOP

Kill Switch High

Hotcues

The VMS2 can control 6 hotcues per deck.

VMS2 Control

Mixxx Control

1 / 2 / 3

Set/Jump HotCue 1 / 2 / 3

Vinyl + 1 / 2 / 3

Delete HotCue 1 / 2 / 3

4 / 5 / 6 = (Shift + 1 / 2 / 3)

Set/Jump HotCue 4 / 5 / 6

Vinyl + 4 / 5 / 6 = (Vinyl + Shift + 1 / 2 / 3)

Delete HotCue 4 / 5 / 6

Pressing the vinyl/keylock button will not toggle scratch mode or keylock as long as a hotcue is deleted before releasing the vinyl/keylock button.

Loops

VMS2 Control

Mixxx Control

IN

Mark beginning of loop

OUT

Mark end of loop

RELOOP

Leave / Reenter current loop

LOOP

Start a 4 Beat loop from current position

Smart (Shift + Loop)

Toggle quantize

(:2) / (*2)

Halve or double the current loop length

As Mixxx currently only supports one active loop per deck, the secondary loop controls have been remapped to EQ kill switches.