First off, I am a complete newb at this thing. I have alot of computer experience so that is how I got to messing around with traktor.
I have searched these forums as well as google searches but I am not sure what sound cards are going to be compatible with traktor. Will traktor automatically detect cards that arent NI?
Another thing, how many inputs/outputs would you suggest for a starter?
To start for equipment I am looking at a mixer(xone 22) , midi controller (launchpad), and eventually decks but I don’t know how useful they will be for what im trying to do.
Thanks for any tips in advance
Remember: I have only been looking at this stuff for about a week.
edit: Can mod move this to general forum or equipment. Just read more and I think it should be in general forum.
Idk, but I think its safe to say every audio interface works with Traktor. When your card is recognized by your PC that tells Traktor what to look for so do whatever you need to via drivers etc.
As for the midi are you trying to produce, mix or what?
Yep. Any card will work but i’d recommend getting something decent like the NI Audio 2 or Audio 4. Before i moved to a laptop i used the internal 5.1 chan card on the pc with no issues. Welcome to the community
To answer how many inputs/outputs: however many outputs you want to play at once. So if you’re looking at a 2-channel mixer, get something with at least 2 outputs (Audio 2 DJ and up). If you want timecode input (Traktor Scratch Pro/Duo), then you want inputs (Audio 4 DJ for Traktor Scratch Duo 2 inputs/outputs and Audio 8 DJ for 4 inputs/outputs). If you’re doing everything with MIDI and don’t need a timecode input, an Audio 4 DJ can output 4 different channels and would be good to get.
Thanks for all the quick replies, especially since i put this under the wrong topic in the forum.
I was looking at the audio 4 card and it seems that all my assumptions were right. I am going to be using midi for basic traktor functions as well as effects. I have seen some pretty good mappings for the launchpad and dont know how much beat juggling I will be doing so I don’t think ill need a midifighter type controller. Not to mention the launchpad is cheap. I am still debating between a 2 channel and 4 channel mixer.
If I get a 2 channel mixer will I be able to mix the other two decks internally through traktor.
Eventually I would like to add some cdjs but I really dont know what direction I will head with all this, I am just starting to mess around.
You can easily pull off 2 channel, but I think a 4 channel mixer would be best for what you want it for. Probably just depends on your budget and what your willing to pay for.
I’m not too familiar with that whole timecode vinyl setup. But I don’t understand why you would want to rock some cdjs etc. if your going digital. I don’t see the benefits given whats available nowadays.
Wow that is some impressive gear. That mixer doesn’t look bad for the price tag. Don’t know how it compares to other 4 channels, haven’t really read up on it.
You have to remember Im just getting started with this, I just assumed cdj/vinyl were the way to go but now I realize that I can probably do the same things for alot smaller price tag. The cdjs I was looking at were pioneer 800mk2’s. They were refurbished so less than half price.
So basically what i should be looking for is 4 inputs and 2 outputs…i don’t want to have to upgrade in 6 months. the outputs for cue and master, correct? and then 4 inputs for up to 4 decks at some point?
Right now I am looking at a xone 42 or xone 22. The xone 42 is 650 so…not to bad on price. Is there a reason to have effects on the mixer when your using traktor, or just a simple midi controller?
The A&H Xone series isn’t midi compatible. Like I said I don’t know Timecodes (where you use turntables etc. with Traktor etc.) but from my understanding it is possible and is something that you would have take into consideration to use the equipment you are wanting. The reason there is effects options on the Xone is because its not intended to be used with software.
Here’s a few links, perhaps it would help you understand Timecode. I still don’t.
Personally I think you should use all in one midi DJ controller. Like the NI made S4 which was built specifically made to operate Traktor (S4 version). VCI, Reloop, Numark, Hercules there’s alot of options. Add a midi fighter or luanchpad and you have so many buttons you won’t know what to do with
Just don’t get CDJs. If you’re using a mixer, you want the soundcard to output that many signals from traktor, so 4 decks in software to a 4 channel mixer, you need to have 4 outputs. The cue is then handled on the actual hardware of the mixer.
You can’t really mix 2 decks being mixed externally and 2 internally or anything like that, it doesn’t really work that way.
Here’s what I would do: I would get a mixer when you can afford 4 channels, just to futureproof it. Don’t get anything with built-in effects or anything like that since that’s what you have software for. Secondly, don’t get CDJs. The reason for this is if you want timecode, go with turntables. With a turntable, where the needle touches and there’s movement, it makes sound. Everything else is a mechanical sort of process. With CDJs, here’s what happens to the audio: decoded binary from disk. conversion from binary to audio in the hardware of the cd player, output out of cd player, sent to soundcard, A/D conversion, this audio signal used for position in a track, audio sent back out and into mixer. With turntables you’re looking at spending a lot less, since all they were designed to do is spin the record, rather than cdjs that have cue points and loops and bpm detection and effects, etc. You could easily rock a $200 turntable for a while, and a $600 that you buy used from a music store will last you a long-ass time.
Everything I’ve read about it says yeah, it can do 4 outputs. I’m not sure how that works exactly, but you should be good with it.
However, if you want to use a DJM600 for timecode, this soundcard won’t work. You would then have to go with the Audio 8 DJ, so you can have 4 outputs and 4 inputs, all at the same time. How come you’re so set on the CDJ?
I was actually looking at the kontrol S4 alot last night but it isn’t expandable at all. And I can’t see the quality of sound being the same coming from that unit as an external mixer.
The only advantage that I see for the kontrol x1 over the launchpad is having the ability to have physical knobs, but for an extra 200 dollars that doesn’t seem worth it but maybe its just me. I just want a good base to start with and then build from there, the s4 kind of limits where you can/will go.
Anyways, how do you access that stored loop feature that I have seen in s4 with regular traktor pro? Or is that only a feature of the s4 unit.
How much do you guys use more than 2 decks? Is four decks necessary?
The kontrol x1 is only about $20 more expensive than the launchpad. Where are you getting your figures from?
Problem with the launch pad in my opinion is that is doesn’t really add much you don’t already have in the form of your keyboard…
Uh. You could use the beatmasher to record a loop the same way I guess but that’s a bit fiddly. I’m not really into effects or that jazz really. I suck way too much to be able to beatmatch, transition and still have time to make effects sound not shit.
If you’re beat matching I’d just go for 2 decks for now. If you’re not try out 4 decks, why not. It also comes down to the type of music you’re mixing too- Things like techno work well as they are fairly minimal but you try and play 4 dark dnb tunes together and it’ll turn into a noisy mess.
The xone 22 is a 2 channel mixer anyway- you’d need a 4 channel one for 4 decks OR a midi controller that you could use to simulate a mixer (which is a better idea in my opinion, much better value for money) such as the xsession pro.
I think his figures were for X1s to control 4 decks, he would need two of them, so $400 compared to $150 for the launchpad.
I agree with you on the launchpad, at that point, you might as well use a keyboard, since it’s not going to be intuitive and your head’s going to be buried in it for a while trying to find the right button and what not.
YES I was referring to using two x1’s. I don’t see a huge negative to the laucnhpad though, I mean for me, 130 just doesn’t seem like that much to be able to have so many options…it may be hard to learn but its just memorization…doesn’t seem like it would be that confusing to me especially with LEDs.
Why is there so much hate on the cdj’s? Is it just not convenient with the new software, from what ive seen I feel like the cdjs were a transition piece of equipment from vinyl to the new software that is all done internal.
Can anyone tell me the quality of the equalizers/filters on the s4 or other fully integrated pieces of hardware? IF they perform just as the eqs and filters in traktor then Im not that impressed but my ears aren’t that trained.
