Hi This might be a really dumb question ( please dont answer with yes it is !! :)
..... but how does an external sound card say something like IODJ help - as surely the sound has already been processed in the laptop and 'sent' along a cable to the external soundcard - I cant see how it helps?? People have said in promo material it speeds up the laptop and stops it freezing and you get better sound quality etc But I just dont get it if the laptop has sent the sound to the soundcard surely it cant get any better than the signal the laptop has sent to it.
Its a bit like the TV adverts saying LOOK at the quality of the HD TV with 5million pixels !! - but if it looks that good on my existing tv then ......
Hope that made sense any answers even techie versions welcome. As I am looking to go it alone and get my own set up so wnating to get right laptop and guess the 'sound' is pretty important ... after all we are playing music !!
FYI music is coming straight from laptop via mp3's typically at 320 kbps straight into a small mixer ? question is will it speed laptop up and or make sound better if i run sound from laptop to external spoundcard and then into small mixer ??
cheers
Dave
..... but how does an external sound card say something like IODJ help - as surely the sound has already been processed in the laptop and 'sent' along a cable to the external soundcard - I cant see how it helps?? People have said in promo material it speeds up the laptop and stops it freezing and you get better sound quality etc But I just dont get it if the laptop has sent the sound to the soundcard surely it cant get any better than the signal the laptop has sent to it.
Its a bit like the TV adverts saying LOOK at the quality of the HD TV with 5million pixels !! - but if it looks that good on my existing tv then ......
Hope that made sense any answers even techie versions welcome. As I am looking to go it alone and get my own set up so wnating to get right laptop and guess the 'sound' is pretty important ... after all we are playing music !!
FYI music is coming straight from laptop via mp3's typically at 320 kbps straight into a small mixer ? question is will it speed laptop up and or make sound better if i run sound from laptop to external spoundcard and then into small mixer ??
cheers
Dave
Posted Thu 08 May 14 @ 1:30 pm
Your assumption is incorrect; if you configure your operating system or your DJ application to use the external sound card then that sound card will do the processing.
The benefits of an external sound card include, superior sound quality (most of the time), multiple outputs for configuration flexibility, including an output configured for cueing/pre-listening to tracks. With the proper sound card you will be able to direct deck A/1 in the software to channel A/1 on your external mixer and the same with deck B/2 to ch. B/2.
There are also many controllers that have built in sound cards.
Here is a list of controllers that are supported by VDJ Pro right out of the box.
http://www.virtualdj.com/wiki/VirtualDJ%20Controllers.html
And this link has information on configurations for different types of hardware.
http://www.virtualdj.com/wiki/Controller%20Configuration%20And%20Troubleshooting.html
The benefits of an external sound card include, superior sound quality (most of the time), multiple outputs for configuration flexibility, including an output configured for cueing/pre-listening to tracks. With the proper sound card you will be able to direct deck A/1 in the software to channel A/1 on your external mixer and the same with deck B/2 to ch. B/2.
There are also many controllers that have built in sound cards.
Here is a list of controllers that are supported by VDJ Pro right out of the box.
http://www.virtualdj.com/wiki/VirtualDJ%20Controllers.html
And this link has information on configurations for different types of hardware.
http://www.virtualdj.com/wiki/Controller%20Configuration%20And%20Troubleshooting.html
Posted Thu 08 May 14 @ 1:38 pm
The audio interfaces built into laptops are only "consumer grade", designed to be adequate for home use.
If you're using your laptop to DJ then using the onboard sound through a large PA system will not give you the best results because for one thing it's not been designed to be played/heard at those sort of levels.
As with many things, you get what you pay for - so a cheap external interface may not be that much better sound wise but will perhaps offer master & headphone outputs, or two stereo outs which enable you to send each VDJ deck to a separate hardware mixer channel.
Another (major) benefit of using something designed for the job is getting lower latency. In other words there won't be a delay between your action (i.e. scratching) and hearing the result. Anything with an ASIO driver (no, not ASIO4ALL) should offer good latency.
If you're using your laptop to DJ then using the onboard sound through a large PA system will not give you the best results because for one thing it's not been designed to be played/heard at those sort of levels.
As with many things, you get what you pay for - so a cheap external interface may not be that much better sound wise but will perhaps offer master & headphone outputs, or two stereo outs which enable you to send each VDJ deck to a separate hardware mixer channel.
Another (major) benefit of using something designed for the job is getting lower latency. In other words there won't be a delay between your action (i.e. scratching) and hearing the result. Anything with an ASIO driver (no, not ASIO4ALL) should offer good latency.
Posted Thu 08 May 14 @ 2:15 pm
Possibly this is why I'm having problems. My BCD3000 has a built in sound card, I have my input set to none. Output set to headphones - Master: Second card / Headphones: First card (I use gaming headphones as I have no other pair at the time). 2 Sound cards - Speakers: BehringerBCD3000; Speakers and Headphones: IDT HD Codec.
Is this possibly why I start to freeze/run at quarter-eighth of the normal speed?
Is this possibly why I start to freeze/run at quarter-eighth of the normal speed?
Posted Fri 09 May 14 @ 9:29 pm
Beachy03 wrote :
Is this possibly why I start to freeze/run at quarter-eighth of the normal speed?
I'm not quite sure what you mean by that. Freezing and running are two different things IMO. Either something freezes or it doesn't (it runs).
Anyway, using two separate audio interfaces is not a good idea. The main issue is timing (one interface gets the data before or after the other). Also when they're different brands, the electronics in each will be different - and so the sound of each could be different.
Posted Sat 10 May 14 @ 3:50 am
Just pondering, How about a pcmcia soundcard, will that cut the mustard? I'm talking about reducing CPU load.
Posted Thu 15 May 14 @ 6:23 am
Depends what card it is. If it's a pro one then you'll be alright.
I've got an Echo Indigo pro card and also a Creative Audigy 2 ZS.
I've got an Echo Indigo pro card and also a Creative Audigy 2 ZS.
Posted Thu 15 May 14 @ 7:56 am
Creative Audigy 2 ZS Cool that's the very one I've been looking at.
Posted Thu 15 May 14 @ 2:21 pm
I didn't say that was a pro one...... :-)
The Echo is the pro card. The Creative is just a bog standard consumer one.
The Echo is the pro card. The Creative is just a bog standard consumer one.
Posted Fri 16 May 14 @ 1:04 pm
Hi Okay so what is a good dj external sound card pref USB or self powered ( as running out of USB slots ! )
is the Native isntrucments audio Traktor 2 card any good ( looks quite a neat box ) or any other best buys at £100 or less ??
is the Native isntrucments audio Traktor 2 card any good ( looks quite a neat box ) or any other best buys at £100 or less ??
Posted Mon 02 Jun 14 @ 6:30 am
@groovin, out of these two which one do you have
Echo IndigoDJX ExpressCard or Echo IndigoIOX Express Card
The DJX for £90 seems very reasonable, I might at a later date want the input that the IOX offers but I could bounce equipment between PC's
Echo IndigoDJX ExpressCard or Echo IndigoIOX Express Card
The DJX for £90 seems very reasonable, I might at a later date want the input that the IOX offers but I could bounce equipment between PC's
Posted Mon 02 Jun 14 @ 9:15 am
locodog wrote :
which one do you have
Neither.
I have the Echo Indigo DJ, which is a PCMCIA card (the type you asked about earlier).
The two you mentioned are Expresscards - different kettle of gill-bearing aquatic craniate organisms.
Posted Mon 02 Jun 14 @ 10:14 am
Yeah I spotted a pcmcia version for £40, I nearly bought it but I need express 34, still £90 for the djx seems decent value.
Posted Mon 02 Jun 14 @ 11:15 am
will any soundcard work with american audio encore 1000? cant seems to get mines to work
Posted Sun 31 May 15 @ 3:25 pm