torq 1.5
hmm, I don’t like m-audio that much, but I have to say this really looks good. I hate it that torq has no demo.
I like the sampler (look the video). That’s something I found quite complicated to add a hihat/snare with T3/TP.
snapshots are great too.
vst-effect (I would love to use my own build reaktor effects)
Please tell me something bad about it, because I’m really thinking about to leave TP for it.
the fact its taking forever to get here! beginning to think it may just be a rumour!
nah seriously tho will be good when it arrives! 
VST host capabilities in dj programs are really weak 
You just dont get the routing possibilities you can in a program like Ableton for instance. Making your own Reaktor effects would help combat this to an extent which is helpful - but it wont compare to routing your audio into Ableton and hosting reaktor in Ableton instead.
Really it depends on what you are doing and if you are willing to go that far.
This is a really big release for M-Audio. Granted, it showed up a year later then they had anticipated. The time investment seems to have paid off so far. I got it installed last night and have yet to run into any problems.
Seriously, what other digital DJ platform allows you to ACCURATELY warp your tracks that have varying tempo (just like Ableton Live). Traktor had the right idea with beat grids, but the lack of Z-Plane and a weaker implementation of the system make it pale in comparison to the new anchor/warp based system Torq now has.
The new midi-sync is amazing as well. Set your master deck and watch everything else sync’d up to it (software or hardware) change at the whim of your pitch fader adjustments (and it actually works properly, cough Traktor Pro, lol).
For those not so familiar with the NEW features:
Improved Tempo/Pitch Alteration
Tempo Anchors allow marking tracks with varying tempos—Torq’s effects and samples follow the tempo changes in the song
Tempo Anchors enable you to eliminate tempo variations, making it easy to mix varied songs
Tempo Master assigns a playing track to serve as the master tempo source for all tempo-related functions
zPlane Elastique time-stretching/compression technology for sophisticated beat matching and pitch alteration
Advanced MIDI Control
transmit/receive MIDI beat clock for sync with other hardware/software and easy switching between DJs
MIDI soft takeover prevents parameter jumps when using external controllers
New User Interface Features
Hide Mixer option conserves screen space
preview songs in headphones before loading to deck
new databse categories for bit rate, file type, year and label
select multiple files to add to playlists
Musical Style Preferences improve results when analyzing tracks
drag and drop songs into decks while in browser max view
warning message if loading a new song onto a Deck that is playing
warning message when attempting to exit Torq
optimized control locations
intuitive toolbar buttons and MIDI/tempo indicators
Global Tempo metronome can be monitored in headphones
Auto Gain feature matches the gain levels between decks
Enhanced Effects Processing
internal effects can be grouped into effects chains
VST effect tempo synchronizes with tempo of playing deck
effects can be used in a post-fader configuration
Rock-Solid Integration with Traditional DJ Hardware
Skip Protection keeps the music playing even if the Control Vinyl or CD skips
True Key Lock keeps the pitch constant when adjusting external turntable speed
New Looping Functionality
Loop points can be set after a section plays
new QuickLoop option for CDJ-style loop division
Quantize function for start/stop accuracy
Thats actually going to make its way back into Traktor.
You can do that in Traktor already.
I wasn’t aware warping was a function Traktor had implemented at any point in time? Setting multiple beat grids doesn’t cut it, its not time stretching.
Also, not to be nit picky, but Traktor’s syncability over OSC was a joke, if it worked at all. Yes you can send and receive midi clock now. I don’t recall anyone posting much success with running two laptops together though. Too much fluctuation in pitch (latency issues?).
When the stability of Traktor PRO reaches its peak I will consider playing it out. It just does too many weird things to warrant full time use of it right now.
[quote=“BentoSan, post:5, topic:1825, username:BentoSan”]
Thats actually going to make its way back into Traktor.
[/quote]That was part of Traktor in the past?
Torq’s a joke anyway. No serious DJ would ever use it.
(I’m getting everything off of my chest before the clock strikes '09 here).
In Traktor 3 you could set multiple beatgrid markers
[quote=“Travis, post:4, topic:1825, username:Travis”]
Seriously, what other digital DJ platform allows you to ACCURATELY warp your tracks that have varying tempo (just like Ableton Live). Traktor had the right idea with beat grids, but the lack of Z-Plane and a weaker implementation of the system make it pale in comparison to the new anchor/warp based system Torq now has.
Tempo Anchors allow marking tracks with varying tempos—Torq’s effects and samples follow the tempo changes in the song
Tempo Anchors enable you to eliminate tempo variations, making it easy to mix varied songs
Tempo Master assigns a playing track to serve as the master tempo source for all tempo-related functions
zPlane Elastique time-stretching/compression technology for sophisticated beat matching and pitch alteration
[/quote]Nothing like Ableton btw. Really bad comparison imo.And you can’t in TPro?
If you can i havent worked it out lol - every time i set a new marker it replaces the first one i made. Then again i havent experiemented with this alot because i am mixing electronic music with constant tempos.
I edited my post, but just to clarify.. setting multiple beat-grids is not the same as warping / time-stretching via Z-Plane. You always have a jump or change in tempo with multiple beat-grids.
If you’re syncing and quantization is enable you probably won’t notice this jump in tempo much, but if the disparity in tempo change is large, you will notice. Torq is actually warping / stretching the music in time without audible glitching or sound quality loss.
Weird…I had no clue…maybe I missed all the posts on that in NI’s forums.
Wait…it’s a FEATURE!!! LOL
Looks like I’m gonna have to do a little research on Z-plane before I open my mouth to remove my foot.
I use Traktor 2.5.3. It’s stable as hell, I can change key well over 50% with no artifacts, and change BPM at least as much. I can synch both decks to a master BPM (yeah, Torq, Traktor’s been able to do this for about 5 years). It has stable and workable NMX recording (basically a kind of mega macro that records everything you do and then replays it while it saves as a wav file; it cuts down enormously on the resources it would take to record audio on the same PC you’re playing from). No one will make me buy an M-Audio hardware product for it to be able to work.
But I wouldn’t play out with Traktor 3x; it was never stable and too buggy. Except for the FX, I can do more with 2.5.3 than I ever could with T3x (though most DJs hate the ergonomics and workflow of T3x & TPro),and more reliably. Two decks working beats the hell out of four decks crashed.
And Traktor Pro is a POS that was laughably not ready for primetime.
Its exactly what Ableton is doing, even using the same engine. How is that a bad comparison??
This is a harsh truth in my experience. Its too bad really, I was looking forward to it.
in case u missed it.
Same here. I read the feature set and the workflow looked great. But they’re pretty much making people pay for a beta. A survey of the current NI Traktor forums is enough to send a prospective buyer screaming into the night.
It’s very disappointing, but sadly not very surprising; NI has only continued the to broaden the disparity between what they promise with Traktor and what they’re delivering.