Traktor+Ableton slow performance. Bottleneck?
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  1. #1
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    Default Traktor+Ableton slow performance. Bottleneck?

    Hello everyone,

    My first post here. I've been DJing for a while and recently bought myself VCI-100MKII. Everything is great, I'm absolutely loving it so far. Few days ago I decided to up my game and connect Traktor Pro 2 I've been using with Ableton for extra effects, samples etc. I got everything connected and sync'd up but looks like my setup is unable to deal with it all, sound crackles, tracks jump and both programmes are getting out of sync.

    Can someone help me find where's the problem? Wrong configuration or maybe my laptop is not good enough? Here's my setup:

    Hardware:
    • Acer Aspire 5742, Intel Core i3-370M, 8GB DRR3 RAM (fastest available, don't remember the numbers), Intel HD Graphics.
    • Vestax VCI-100MK2
    • Akai LPD8


    Software:
    • Windows 7 HP 64bit
    • Traktor Pro 2
    • Ableton Live 8
    • ASIO4ALL Drivers
    • Virtual Audio Cable
    • LoopBe1 midi port


    How it works?

    Traktor outputs audio to Virtual Audio Cable that's then connected to Ableton Live using ASIO4All drivers controlling both virtual cables and VCI-100MKII audio interface. Similar way using LoopBe1 I midi-sync ableton with traktor.

    Where's bottleneck of such a setup? Is it possible that VCI's interface is simply not powerful enough to deal with those two program simultanously or maybe my laptop is not good enough?

    Thanks in advance

  2. #2
    Tech Guru Steve Zorilow's Avatar
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    1. ASIO4ALL is not always a good option. Still if you don't use 2 different soundcard you don't need it... and even with 2 soundcard you don't need it when you have VAC
    2. VAC should work fine if you have set it properly, not sure how you use it in your setup
    3. LoopBe shouldn't be the "problem" but you should try and compare with MIDI-YOKE and change the defaut MME setting in Ableton to Directxxxxx (can't remember the name)

    I would double check all soundcard settings in all software also in the audiocard driver to make sure they all use the same. say 44,000 @ 16bits. Not a real deal breaker, but ya never know.
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  3. #3
    Dr. Bento BentoSan's Avatar
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    VAC is a hit and miss affair on different soundcards / laptop configurations sadly

  4. #4
    Tech Guru Steve Zorilow's Avatar
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    Can you share some experience with us? I've less problem with VAC than JackAudio since I use it. Also solved lots of JackAudio issue byr replacing it with VAC in various customer installations.
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by DJKeyWee View Post
    1. ASIO4ALL is not always a good option. Still if you don't use 2 different soundcard you don't need it... and even with 2 soundcard you don't need it when you have VAC
    2. VAC should work fine if you have set it properly, not sure how you use it in your setup
    I had to use ASIO4ALL for several reasons, ie. VCI-100 ASIO drivers doesn't work with Ableton (at least in my case). Also, if I use Audio2DJ interface instead of VCI I can't use VAC to route Traktor's audio into Ableton.

    Since that post I played around a little bit. First, I plugged in my Audio2DJ interface to see if it will make any difference. Changing Traktors audio device from strainght into VAC to A4A and then change output routing to virtual cables helped lower the latency. As a result tho I have two instances of A4A running in the background and they both need to have exactly same buffer settings, otherwise sound quality goes crazy. Right now it's better than it was before, but still far from calling it 'stable'. I'm gonna go back to VCI interface tomorrow and make proper comparisons just to be sure.

    Quote Originally Posted by DJKeyWee View Post
    3. LoopBe shouldn't be the "problem" but you should try and compare with MIDI-YOKE and change the defaut MME setting in Ableton to Directxxxxx (can't remember the name)
    I've done all that and yeah, everything is ok with LoopBe, has no impact on performance overall. I even switched midi send in traktor for manual beatmatching with Ableton. It did improve sound quality however I still experienced occasional beat jumps...

    Will upgrading to Audio6DJ improve the performace?
    Last edited by spik3s; 01-26-2012 at 05:45 AM.

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