I recently had a problem with the audio while I was playing with Traktor. The mixer was a Mixer Pioneer 800, therefore I plugged in my stuff properly and the set up of my volumes were:
Main volume -4db
Deck gain in traktor 0db
channel gain in mixer +2db or +3db
Main volume in mixer 0db
Audio DJ8 sound card from native instruments
I connected my stuff with the traktor cratch pro cables BUT I WAS NOT USING THE PIONEER 1000MK3 AS CONTROLERS, I USED MY X1
KEEP IN MIND THAT I USE QUALITY MUSIC FROM BEATPORT
Someone was playing before with vinyls and when I started the volume and the quality dropped down drastically and even when I was trying to increase the volume in the mixer or in traktor, the volume and quality was not good. I tried to balance everything as much as possible but the final sound was something like having a SIDE CHAIN in place (now I think this latter was because the limiter was on). So I played so and after me started to play another DJ with the same stuff but with a MOTU ultralight sound card, my surprise was that the volume and quality was by far much better than mine. So I don’t understand what the hell happened. YOUR INPUT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.
Now I tried to setup my stuff as follow:
Main volume -6db
Autogain ON per Deck volume in traktor
Limiter OFF
channel gain in mixer 0db
Main volume in mixer 0db
Audio DJ8 sound card from native instruments
I connected my stuff WITH SIMPLE RCA CABLES AND I CONTROL EVERYTHING WITH MY X1
1.-what do you think?
2.- what should I do?
3.- is not my sound card of good quality?
4.- would I improve my sound quality if I change my sound card? which one? I wanna sound like a pro
5.- what could happen such day?
6.- what are the crucial points to check before starting to play?
7.- why my sound quality is too bad?
you’re plugged into phono ins
2.- plug into line ins and flip the switch to line
3.- yes
4.- no
5.- what could happen such day? (wtf?)
6.- volumes, gains, filters, xfader, and not plugging digital equipment into phono ins
7.- youre plugged into phono
Did you look at the levels the guy before you was playing at? Maybe he was hitting the line inputs or the Master Out of the mixer much hotter than you. You can have all your gain staging set internally perfect for you but if the guy before you is hitting the mixer too hard or too soft you’ve got to adjust to keep the energy right between transitioning DJ’s.
He mentioned that he does indeed use HQ tracks. This is a good point though, in my experience once you drop below 256 and especially through a big system, the output will be a lot quieter, the tracks will sound flat and thin (no BEEF to them) and generally bloody awful, just don’t do it
I’m having the same issue. Playing a gig this past weekend I noticed that I had to turn my levels up much higher than usual. Also whether I was playing music or just using the Mic, the volume level would go in and out drastically. I use an S2 and I recently upgraded to traktor pro 2.63.
Jester, thank you, as you mentioned I just use HQ tracks, I perfectly know the importance of the quality, could you give me your input about my first post? I really would appreciate your feedback. Keep in mind that I was connected in line.
Oh, forgot to mention…
Some friends which were dancing on the floor later told me the sound quality was poor when I was playing, with not so mach bass coming out of the speakers.
And also, when the next DJ started playing (using CDs), I could hear a huge difference.
ps: no key lock, no bad quality files, no limiter, traktor master on -6 db
I usually use a headroom of -6db and when we have the cdj’s plugged in as well, traktor is still WAY LOUDER through the mixer.
Go into the preferences>mixer section and check your headroom, try at 0db and get back to us.
My Friend, I read you and it is exactly what happened to me, I am using 1.2.7 version so I don’t think that´s the issue. Now I am trying -4 db in main volume of traktor, no limiter activated and autogain activated, seems to work good but the issue is when you play with other djs, I insist that the difference is huge and sadly very notable.
I read also these posts, check them and please let me know whether you find something I don’t. I already tried them but I have still the problem. COULD WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR AUDIO INTERFACE? what do you think Jester?
Hi, I am also wondering if I have a problem with my audio interface or any other component of the setup.
I’m going to do a A/B test today with a friend of mine’s setup, let’s see what I can get. Let you know.
So yesterday I went to a friend’s house and performed an A/B test.
My setup (setup A):
Macbook pro 13’’ 2011
Audio8
Traktor 2.6.3
Master: 0 db
Headroom: actually doesn’t exist anymore in 2.6.3 version
Auto-Gain: ON and -0.1 db
Limiter: OFF
Setup B:
Macbook pro 13’’ 2013
Audio10
Traktor 2.6.3 (with the same configs)
Mixer: Behringer (doesn’t matter), both channels with the same configs (level, bass, mid, high).
Running the same track on both setups and turning up and down channels A and B faders on the mixer turned to give the same results in both setups, in terms of VOLUME and most probably also in terms of audio quality (I have good ears and couldn’t tell any perceptive difference).
Then I performed another test: Traktor 2.6.3 against Traktor 2.6.0. Traktor 2.6.0 had Headroom settings set as ‘None’ and the same configuration as the Traktor 2.6.3 (volumes, etc).
Results: Traktor 2.6.0 DOES sound louder than 2.6.3. I don’t know why, but it does. It seems v2.6.3 has some internal defalut headroom, don’t know. Quality-wise: difficult to tell whether or not there is a difference.
I have even switched audio interfaces and cables between both setups, the results were the same.
