swingy
Im new (but i know some things...some)
Heres what i got:
Macbook pro 2007, 17" 2.16 120gb firewire/usb2
planning on a DMC-2 controller
no need for a controller/mixer - i have a miser in my console with my cd players, mic, etc
heres some questions:
1) do i even NEED a "soundcard"? cant the software simply send the L&R output of the left player to the headphome jack, and the L&R from the rite player to usb and thru a Griffin iMic audio dongle?
2) whats the need , if any for a USB or Firewire soundcard??
3) whats the difference between soundcards that "need mac drivers" vs ones that dont??
4) for those of us who like a traditional controller (like a DAC-2/DAC3, DMC2, Pioneer SEP1)
...and dont need any mixer built into their hardware controller
...why the heck hasnt someone like Vestax, MAudio, Stantom, ANYONE made a sexy little 2-rackspace high , 1" slim, and laptop-width CONTROLLER (addon rack ears for extending width to 19"
Brushed black or aluminum finish, Nice little jog/scratch wheels white rubber tac-keys with colorful LEDs underneath, one or two loops, picth/keylock - SIMPLE, clean, and Apple-elegant! wtf??
The Vestax VCI100 is getting closer, but way too big- i only need the important features - non of this EQ cut, spinhead-toy crap.
5) meantime, can the DMC2 even BE mapped for the Mac??
6) external drive, or keep it all internal?
whats the verdict?
Thats it for now
jon
Heres what i got:
Macbook pro 2007, 17" 2.16 120gb firewire/usb2
planning on a DMC-2 controller
no need for a controller/mixer - i have a miser in my console with my cd players, mic, etc
heres some questions:
1) do i even NEED a "soundcard"? cant the software simply send the L&R output of the left player to the headphome jack, and the L&R from the rite player to usb and thru a Griffin iMic audio dongle?
2) whats the need , if any for a USB or Firewire soundcard??
3) whats the difference between soundcards that "need mac drivers" vs ones that dont??
4) for those of us who like a traditional controller (like a DAC-2/DAC3, DMC2, Pioneer SEP1)
...and dont need any mixer built into their hardware controller
...why the heck hasnt someone like Vestax, MAudio, Stantom, ANYONE made a sexy little 2-rackspace high , 1" slim, and laptop-width CONTROLLER (addon rack ears for extending width to 19"
Brushed black or aluminum finish, Nice little jog/scratch wheels white rubber tac-keys with colorful LEDs underneath, one or two loops, picth/keylock - SIMPLE, clean, and Apple-elegant! wtf??
The Vestax VCI100 is getting closer, but way too big- i only need the important features - non of this EQ cut, spinhead-toy crap.
5) meantime, can the DMC2 even BE mapped for the Mac??
6) external drive, or keep it all internal?
whats the verdict?
Thats it for now
jon
Posted Mon 13 Apr 09 @ 6:53 pm
cstoll
If you want quality output then you need a quality card ... and the majority of the cards are USB. And the soundcard drivers is simply a matter of if the card utilizing the very very basic support provided by the operating system OR it has greater needs and the manufacture supplies that support with their own drivers.
DMC2 works on the Mac version of VirtualDJ and has a 'customized' mapper available for licensed users.
Drive space is all dependent on how large your collection is.
DMC2 works on the Mac version of VirtualDJ and has a 'customized' mapper available for licensed users.
Drive space is all dependent on how large your collection is.
Posted Mon 13 Apr 09 @ 7:56 pm
swingy
Thanks -
1) are you saying that a soundcard is mandatory for funcionality
...or CAN it be used and configured the way i suggested in the orig post - and if so, what are the downsides of not using a soundcard?
2) not so much about drive "space", as for reliability: someone told me its wiser to keep all the songs on an external drive, for two reasons
a) in crucial/task intensive apps, you never want to keep your data on the same drive as your OS/program- glitches/latency can occur
b) safer and easier to replace with a spare drive if sonething gous bad on the hard drive - you still have your os/program, but can easily swap out all your songs to a fresh drive
Virtual Dj's thoughts on this?
1) are you saying that a soundcard is mandatory for funcionality
...or CAN it be used and configured the way i suggested in the orig post - and if so, what are the downsides of not using a soundcard?
2) not so much about drive "space", as for reliability: someone told me its wiser to keep all the songs on an external drive, for two reasons
a) in crucial/task intensive apps, you never want to keep your data on the same drive as your OS/program- glitches/latency can occur
b) safer and easier to replace with a spare drive if sonething gous bad on the hard drive - you still have your os/program, but can easily swap out all your songs to a fresh drive
Virtual Dj's thoughts on this?
Posted Tue 14 Apr 09 @ 10:15 am
SBDJ
swingy wrote :
1) do i even NEED a "soundcard"? cant the software simply send the L&R output of the left player to the headphome jack, and the L&R from the rite player to usb and thru a Griffin iMic audio dongle?
You need something capable of producing the analogue audio signal - this would be a soundcard. Isn't the iMic "audio dongle" a soundcard? The headphone jack will also be connected to your internal soundcard. VDJ can route the output as you say to two separate sound cards, which can then be mixed by an external mixer.
swingy wrote :
2) whats the need , if any for a USB or Firewire soundcard??
Several things - usually external purpose built soundcards have better sound quality and better drivers (for example ASIO support on Windows). As a result of this, you'll often also get much better latency with a decent card. Routing to two different soundcards will also mean a potential latency difference on the output, along with differences in gain and sound coloration/quality.
swingy wrote :
3) whats the difference between soundcards that "need mac drivers" vs ones that dont??
Not being a Mac person, I couldn't say. I would guess it is a case of ones supported by the built in drivers/class drivers within OS X, versus ones that aren't.
swingy wrote :
4) for those of us who like a traditional controller (like a DAC-2/DAC3, DMC2, Pioneer SEP1)
...and dont need any mixer built into their hardware controller
...why the heck hasnt someone like Vestax, MAudio, Stantom, ANYONE made a sexy little 2-rackspace high , 1" slim, and laptop-width CONTROLLER (addon rack ears for extending width to 19"
Brushed black or aluminum finish, Nice little jog/scratch wheels white rubber tac-keys with colorful LEDs underneath, one or two loops, picth/keylock - SIMPLE, clean, and Apple-elegant! wtf??
The Vestax VCI100 is getting closer, but way too big- i only need the important features - non of this EQ cut, spinhead-toy crap.
...and dont need any mixer built into their hardware controller
...why the heck hasnt someone like Vestax, MAudio, Stantom, ANYONE made a sexy little 2-rackspace high , 1" slim, and laptop-width CONTROLLER (addon rack ears for extending width to 19"
Brushed black or aluminum finish, Nice little jog/scratch wheels white rubber tac-keys with colorful LEDs underneath, one or two loops, picth/keylock - SIMPLE, clean, and Apple-elegant! wtf??
The Vestax VCI100 is getting closer, but way too big- i only need the important features - non of this EQ cut, spinhead-toy crap.
You would have to speak to the harware companies about that one. You could have a look at the Vestax VCM-100 (note VCM, not VCI).
http://www.vestax.com/v/products/players/vcm-100.html
swingy wrote :
5) meantime, can the DMC2 even BE mapped for the Mac??
I believe so - I can check later when I'm home if you like.
swingy wrote :
6) external drive, or keep it all internal?
whats the verdict?
whats the verdict?
Personal preference and storage capacity more than anything else; my laptop has two internal HDs so I just run with internal drives. Faster access, quicker setup, less port and power requirements and you're less likely to knock the cable out too! I have externals as backup devices too though.
Posted Tue 14 Apr 09 @ 11:32 am
swingy
SB- thanks!
I did indeed talk today with the the product manager at Vestax, and told him my idea of a VCM-100-sized unit,
that, for those of us with configured muxers/consoles... has just the traditional music track-control (like a SEP-1, DMC2, DAC2/3)
He was interested, and im emailing a layout to him soon -
I think it would be great: imagine a VCM-100 - with real jog/scratch wheels(imagine that!), a couple nice loops in/outs, stutter, etc
...its actually more like WHy DOESNT the VCM have it????!!
swing
I did indeed talk today with the the product manager at Vestax, and told him my idea of a VCM-100-sized unit,
that, for those of us with configured muxers/consoles... has just the traditional music track-control (like a SEP-1, DMC2, DAC2/3)
He was interested, and im emailing a layout to him soon -
I think it would be great: imagine a VCM-100 - with real jog/scratch wheels(imagine that!), a couple nice loops in/outs, stutter, etc
...its actually more like WHy DOESNT the VCM have it????!!
swing
Posted Tue 14 Apr 09 @ 6:16 pm
SBDJ
Different people have different needs I guess. My HC4500 for example sits perfectly in front of my EVO5 when it's at an angle :)
Posted Tue 14 Apr 09 @ 6:42 pm
swingy
Agreed, if you have the room for another unit in your slant rack-
My point was for the many people that have a full slope-rack already, and need something front of laptop-width off to the side of the rack
I have 100+ denon unites over the years (were a big company)
but I like the Pioneer SEP-1's form factor best i'd say- the 4500 is just a a bit crowded with stuff for me..
Lets see what i can cook up with vestax!
My point was for the many people that have a full slope-rack already, and need something front of laptop-width off to the side of the rack
I have 100+ denon unites over the years (were a big company)
but I like the Pioneer SEP-1's form factor best i'd say- the 4500 is just a a bit crowded with stuff for me..
Lets see what i can cook up with vestax!
Posted Tue 14 Apr 09 @ 9:24 pm