I’m new here and have been reading and watching videos for a very long time now. I think I have it all down equipment wise with what I need to actually start playing, but before I even do that, I still need tons of practice matching beats and the other basics.
I have been trying my best without using any equipment other than Traktor Pro but since I don’t have a sound card, I can’t listen to the track I want to mix in. But again, it’s just practice.
My question is this…I would like to buy perhaps the Echo Indigo sound card for my PC so I can accomplish this, but do not want to purchase the amp or speakers quite at this time. So is it possible for me to plug in my headphones in the one output of the Echo, and my computer speakers into the other, or is the amp/speaker route the only route I can go. It would be nice to just be able to practice more with the standing laptop speakers until I got the hang of it.
if you happen to use mac os x, you could just use the aggregate audio feature, that will utilize both the internal and external sound card simultaneously.
Then you can cue from the external sound card, while the master output routed to the internal sound card/laptop speakers.
i would highly recommend this set up i just had. the herules rmx & a pair of decks, with a built in sound card in the rmx not only for speaker out puts and head phone out puts, but inputs for time code it’s a killer deal. then if you save a little more or even just pick up a used set of tables or cd players you’ll already have a damn decant little controller as well as a 4in-4out sound card for timecode control. (it’s easy to set up for virtual dj, it’s not so easy to set up for traktor without there audio4 or 8, youtube it for vids) good luck man! put in good karma and pay your dues and you’ll come up on a badass set up in no time!
I am hoping you don’t have a hacked version of Traktor… since you can’t afford a soundcard or speakers… and you are on a PC…
Anyways… i would save up for the audio 8 or other soundcard, get a mixer or controler and do it right. why people try and cut corners and do stuff half assed is beyond me.
No, not a hacked version at all, just thought I would spend the money on the software and learning and practicing as much as I could before shelling out a lot more money for other things. I am perfectly content with how I am learning now, but just wanted to play it through my home laptop speakers before buying real, big decent ones.
Say I purchased a controller, either one with a built in SC or one without and purchased an external SC to go along with it…is therenow any way I can play/practice through my own speakers that I connect to my laptop, or must I still buy the amp and speakers to go along with the controller?
Good to hear you are doing it the right way. You wont regret it.
You are actually doing it the way i did. Get the right software and a laptop and learn the program inside out.
Some guys get ahead of themsleves and go out and buy a load of gear and soon learn that they want to do it a different way and are stuck with stuff they dont want.
What ever way you Output your sound (external soundcard or controller with card) you can still use you current setup. No need to buy and amp and speakers, especially if your playing in you bedroom.
Dont buy the stuff you dont need. Just buy the stuff you really need and make wise choices.
Whatever your thinking of buying people on DJTTs will have a good idea of how good/bad it is.
Dont be afraid to ask cus there is a lot of crappy gear out there that can draw you in with cheap prices that will break on you real quickly.
Personally id recomend:
Traktor Pro and the NI Audio 2 soundcard. You can find great packages of the 2 together and its quality gear.
OR If you buy the Audio 2 you will get a FREE copy of Traktor Pro LE (the lite version of Traktor) with this you get an upgrade to the full version of Traktor at a great discount price. Winner.
Thank you very much for the response as well as support. I didn’t want to get ahead of myself like you said, and learning the software is the most important thing to me so far. I was worried that I would buy something that I thought was useful and it turn out that I couldn’t even use it with my set-up.
I will definitely look into a controller and sound card to use with Traktor, as long as I can be sure that I can be a bedroom DJ and utilize my headphones through one output and the Logitech speakers I use to listen to music. I basically want to get great at beat matching and song transitioning, as I hate a poor one in the club.
So before I take the plunge and purchase a controller, how exactly would I utilize my speakers I have now? They run off a basic 3/16" jack that I always ran into my PC…does this now go into the controller, and the controller into the PC?
You would connect your Soundcard to the laptop via USB.
You then connect your headphones to one Output on the soundcard and your speakers to the other output.
When it is working you will hear the playback in the Speakers and you will be able to cue in your headphones.
Easy ..!
Looks like you will have to buy and audio cable convertor but thats an easy thing.
Your Logitech speakers are not ideal. Do you have a stereo system that you can plug into.
One thing you might want to do is go buy this stuff at a guitar center near you. That way if you arent ready to make the commitment you can just return it and buy it later.
And like everyone else said, If you dont get quality now your just gona end up paying out more in the end.
Ps when you looking into buying wires go to monoprice.com.
It looks like most jack ports on external sound cards are 1/4"…for both the headphones and speakers. Is this where the audio cable converter comes in to play, going from 3/16" for 1/4"?
And unfortunately no, I have no other speaker system. I was hoping it would suffice for just practice.
Yeah thats correct. Headphones arent a problem. You get the audio leads with the NI soundcard so you can either convert one with an adapter or get a lead from a store that does it. Wont be hard.
If the speakers is all you got , then thats what you will have to use. Not a problem.
dude you can use two soundcards, or even two seperate outputs on the same soundcard with asio4all, which is freeware.
this will be fine to scratch the itch while forming a game plan. the last thing you want to do, as suggested, is start spending money without doing the research first.
@Karlos you’re literally my hero such a useful bloke.. aren’t many like this guy mr. gryz!
Not a question for me Karlos, but I get asked the whole ‘i want to be a DJ, what do i do?’ question all the time.. - Does it work out cheaper to buy the Audio 2 then upgrade to Traktor, or buy the software first?
But yeah, Gryz mate - i echo everything that’s been said already - you’ll regret buying crap first off - it’s worth making every penny count at the beginning, pay your dues, and it’ll (fingers crossed) pay itself off over time
dude i try to be useful inbetween being a duffus and a clutz most of the time but cheers mate, i appreciate that nice words.
I think if someone tries the Demo of Traktor and definitely wants to go down the Traktor route (which im bound to recomend, i have to declare a biased) it could work out a lot cheaper if you buy an Audio interface or controller that has Traktor LE bundled with it.
The upgrade to full PRO from LE saves 79 euros i think so quite a saving. It almost pays for the cost of the sound card itself.
So yeah, get the Audio 2 first and then get the upgrade from LE to PRO, seems like a good way to go to me.
you mention not having a sound system,
bro THRIFT STORE all the way!
if you can’t find a nice set get any old boombox that has RCA inputs (the red&white)
then get a 3.5mm to RCA “Y wire” at raidoshack. (3.5mm fits right in your headphone jack on your lap top, and the RCA end goes in the BoomBox. the system might run you $20 but BUMP i got my bad ass booths on sale a thrif store for $5! hahah & get cash offers on 'em all the time.
note: this method will not enable a key necessity to to mixing: “cuing” or pre-listing to your incoming track, but when you get a dj sound card just get a RCA to RCA wire plug in & you’re set.
Thanks again for the replies! It’s true Karlos is one of the most helpful people I have come across on a forum, and I am a member of many! Thanks again!
Multiple questions to put an end to this and a start to my bedroom playing!
Purchasing the Audio2 without a controller will only allow me to get used to playing with the features on Traktor Pro with my mouse and hot keys…correct? I will not be doing it analog style since I won’t have a controller…?
Stephen, that is exactly what I need, thank you, but why does the end of the cable go into my laptop, and not the output port of the external soundcard? I thought my headphones go in one, and the output to speakers in another…
Excuse my confusion. Just wanted to make sure I knew where everything hooked up before buying.
Edit: Stephen, didn’t see your last post sorry. I am definitely interested in cueing my tracks, so this would require a sound card correct? what exactly is this RCA to RCA wire plug in, as I would like to have it while the Audio2 is in transit.
such a useful bloke.. aren’t many like this guy mr. gryz!