NI Audio 4 DJ --> Stuttering sound playback on laptop using Traktor, but also Winamp!

[DJRamteam]

Hello.

I've got an issue. I've recently purchased the Traktor Audio 2 USB soundcard from a company here in NL, Bax-shop.nl. After connecting it to my laptop and setting it up, I found out, very soon, that the sound was crackling with a lot of lag. I searched on the internet and found out that there were a lot of people experiencing the same problem. Not just in Traktor, but also when using WMP playing back audio files. I had the same, but then with Winamp.

Bax-Shop told me that a lot of their customers said the same thing and went for the Audio 6 instead, so I sent it back. I don't have the money for an Audio 6, but I found a store that still sells the Audio 4 (they had 3 in stock). So I went for that one, mainly because Bax-Shop told me that the Audio 4 and 6 are way better anyway.

So, I finally was able to set up the Audio 4. I just set it up yesterday and guess what ? Same issue. I'm not sure how to handle myself, because I really need a working soundcard, as the old one I'm using went out of production in 2004.

My laptops specs:
Dell Studio XPS 1535
Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 2,1ghz
2x2gb DDR2
ATi 3470 gfx card
320gb hdd
Windows 7 Ultimate X64 (completely tweaked to save resources and ram)


Now, I know that my laptop isn't the fastest one and I know that Traktor for example, needs at least a 2.0ghz cpu (which I have), but this issue also appears when I'm not using traktor at all. I do have Traktor legally (ofcourse), so that cannot be the issue either.

I have included a couple of pictures of my setup and a soundfile example, see the link below (anyone can download and check it).

I would like to know what to do. Clearly the issue isn't just the Audio 2 which I first had, as the Audio 4 has the exact same issue. I have been thinking of buying an SSD, because they're quite affordable and I don't have money for a new laptop yet (saving up money for a macbook).

Please help me out here, I'm getting a bit annoyed by all this.

I have installed Windows a couple of times, to see if that would solve the issue. I've tried:
* Windows 7 Starter 32b
* Windows 7 Home Premium 32b & 64b
* Windows 7 Ultimate 64b
* Windows 8 Pro 32 & 64b
* Windows 8.1 Pro 64b

Windows 8 is a no go. I do use it on homestudio/producer PC though. It's just not properly working on my laptop. So I went back to Windows 7 Ultimate 64b, because this one suited the best and as a former IT-company owner, I do know very well how to tweak Windows (especially W7) to the best performance.

What I've also tried, is connecting the Audio 4 DJ to the combined USB/e-Sata port, as someone adviced who apparantly has the same laptop and also has issues with the Audio 2. I'm unsure whether he solved the issue.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,
DJ Ramteam

PS: the zip file contains a couple of pictures of my setup (bad quality, sorry) and a soundfile so you can hear what I mean. The sound literally just lags. If you listen to the file, please listen to it carefully for the entire 60 seconds, thank you:
- https://mega.co.nz/#!6FlDzSZQ!RGXOEm...vhn24N0SK_oFM8

[DJRamteam]

nobody ?

[makar1]

What tweaks have you done to Windows, and have you tried older Audio 4 driver versions?

[derjay]

on windows xp machines I often had similar problems with NI soundcards, most of which were solved by going back to older drivers - so maybe you should just try out different versions. Another problem was that my old Ibm X 60 laptop had some issues with the video drivers affecting asio drivers which created latency and the occasional odd cracking sound….

[manchild]

The older drivers would prob really help out your situation. Unfortunately Native Instruments only has a download for the newest one. They used to have an older driver download (the last driver put out before 2.9 when ish hit the fan for a lot of users). Maybe the driver cd it came with has one of the older drivers

[makar1]

Old drivers are still available at the top of the downloads page.

[manchild]

Old drivers are still available at the top of the downloads page.

Yup you're right. They just moved it since I last visited.

Op the driver you should try is 2.015 found on this page http://ftp.native-instruments.com/Dr...udio%204%20DJ/