absolutediscos 0 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Hello folks, anyone have any opinions on external soundcards for use between Laptop and Mixer. So many conflicting ideas and products that its a bit of a minefield trying to get started in the new pc generation. Any advice would be greatfully appreciated, nothing too expensive but something of quality would be preferable, thanks guys Link to post Share on other sites
digitaldistortion 0 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 Creative Soundblaster Live! 24 bit External. Works brilliantly. Just remember that you need Phono (Mixer) to 3.5mm jack (Soundcard), or get a converter from Maplins (c. £2 each) http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/042.gif Cheers! Roy B. Digital Distortion Disco (D3 Entertainments) See you around! Link to post Share on other sites
Dale King 0 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 I'm guessing 24 bit is better than 16 bit... but by how much? (and don't say 8 bits) They seem to be about twice the price, but what is the difference?? Car wise... would it be Astra vs Porsche, or more like Cavalier vs Vectra?? DJ Dale King When you see light at the end of the tunnel, beware. It's probably someone with a torch, bringing you more hassle Link to post Share on other sites
digitaldistortion 0 Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 QUOTE (Dale King @ Oct 5 2006, 12:57 PM) I'm guessing 24 bit is better than 16 bit... but by how much? (and don't say 8 bits) They seem to be about twice the price, but what is the difference?? Car wise... would it be Astra vs Porsche, or more like Cavalier vs Vectra?? Well, it's a 50% gain in output quality, and the processing is very much cleaner http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/014.gif If you're making comparisons: I'd say Metro/Rover 25 versus McLaren F1 !!!!!!! http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/071.gif Cheers! Roy B. Digital Distortion Disco (D3 Entertainments) See you around! Link to post Share on other sites
RezN8 0 Posted October 9, 2006 Report Share Posted October 9, 2006 Another couple to choose from are: - Echo Indigo DJ - a friend of mine uses this for his live performances and swears by it. It's also very compact and doesn't require any external power source - M-Audio Firewire Audiophile - one of my favourites with a latency of ~4ms - Allen & Heath Xone 3:D - a bit pricey, but they throw in a free Xone 92 mixer and a couple of MIDI controllers to boot! ... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/tongue.gif Link to post Share on other sites
absolutediscos 0 Posted October 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 10, 2006 Thanks guys, will have a shop around but that points me in the right direction, thanks again chris Link to post Share on other sites
davemoody 0 Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 Best thing I ever bought was the Numark CM200 USB Mixer. So easy to set up and comes with all the cables. Don't bother with an external souncard and buy one of these mixers. Had it working on the road for 6 months nearly every night and never let me down once. I use it with PCDJ and it is sooooooo easy to configure. Link to post Share on other sites
ian . 0 Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 QUOTE (davemoody @ Oct 12 2006, 08:59 AM) Best thing I ever bought was the Numark CM200 USB Mixer. Thats what I use as well - however, I still needed phono leads from my laptop to the mixer, as USB only was only playing sound through my headphones with the setup I've got. Since getting the leads, and an external soundcard to take the pressure off the processor, everything works fine. (Touch wood quickly....!!) Ian. <a href="http://www.djassociates.org"><img src="http://www.djassociates.org/anims/compres_banner.gif" alt="Join the DJ Associates Disc Jockey Association" border="0" width="468" height="60"></a> Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Smith 0 Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 QUOTE (iany @ Oct 12 2006, 09:51 PM) QUOTE (davemoody @ Oct 12 2006, 08:59 AM) Best thing I ever bought was the Numark CM200 USB Mixer. Thats what I use as well - however, I still needed phono leads from my laptop to the mixer, as USB only was only playing sound through my headphones with the setup I've got. Since getting the leads, and an external soundcard to take the pressure off the processor, everything works fine. (Touch wood quickly....!!) Ian. I was reading up on one of these earlier today & then saw Dave's post & thought 'Great' Now I've read Ians' it back to the drawing board (or magazine). From what I understand the Numark has a dual soundcard in it and 2 USB leads to go to the laptop. What software are you using that has necessitated another external soundcard & phonos? Link to post Share on other sites
ian . 0 Posted October 15, 2006 Report Share Posted October 15, 2006 Paul - My laptop runs 'Virtual DJ' and I have one of those 'Hercules DJ Contro MP3' controlers. I know many folk on here don't like them - but for £60 a throw - I think they're great! Good control over MP3's and added software as well. When I first got it, I assumed just connecting it up via USB would be enough. Wrong. I needed audio lead's from my laptop (soundcard added to reduce load on processor), into the mixer as well as the USB. With just the USB connected, all I got was sound through my headphones whilst monitoring. It may be me - I may have it wired up incorrect - but at least it works ok now. The mixer itself is a good one though, although the mic could do with a 'talk over feature' to save fiddling with the faders whilst playing a tune. I miss my old and trusty KAM K500 Ian. Pro for that. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/014.gif <a href="http://www.djassociates.org"><img src="http://www.djassociates.org/anims/compres_banner.gif" alt="Join the DJ Associates Disc Jockey Association" border="0" width="468" height="60"></a> Link to post Share on other sites
alicat 0 Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 QUOTE (digitaldistortion @ Oct 5 2006, 10:29 AM) Creative Soundblaster Live! 24 bit External. Works brilliantly. Just remember that you need Phono (Mixer) to 3.5mm jack (Soundcard), or get a converter from Maplins (c. £2 each) http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/042.gif how have you set this up to cue without coming over the main output channel Link to post Share on other sites
digitaldistortion 0 Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 QUOTE (alicat @ Oct 17 2006, 09:44 PM) QUOTE (digitaldistortion @ Oct 5 2006, 10:29 AM) Creative Soundblaster Live! 24 bit External. Works brilliantly. Just remember that you need Phono (Mixer) to 3.5mm jack (Soundcard), or get a converter from Maplins (c. £2 each) http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/smile.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/042.gif how have you set this up to cue without coming over the main output channel I use the cueing facilities in my pcdj software (mostly). Using a 4.1 output set up, I get both channels (translating front/rear to left/right) into my mixer, which is largely used only for levels. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/kid.gif Cheers! Roy B. Digital Distortion Disco (D3 Entertainments) See you around! Link to post Share on other sites
alicat 0 Posted October 18, 2006 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 thanks for the reply. Apparantly, the latest version (red 7.10) will not allow 4.1 soundcards to run this way. I now have no option but to get the £160 external break out box http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/mad.gif Link to post Share on other sites
johny k 0 Posted October 19, 2006 Report Share Posted October 19, 2006 before you buy anything i have been djing for a year now on laptop , i was never happy with the quality of the audio and i am very critical . i was using a creative soundblaster 24 bit total waste of time meant for gaming not audio production djs take note went out purchased a tapco usb audio interface blew me away £99 i am one happy chappy one year of misery now put to bed heres the website www.tapcoworld.com hope this helps everyone on external soundcards Link to post Share on other sites
digitaldistortion 0 Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 QUOTE (alicat @ Oct 18 2006, 04:33 PM) thanks for the reply. Apparantly, the latest version (red 7.10) will not allow 4.1 soundcards to run this way. I now have no option but to get the £160 external break out box http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/mad.gif I wouldn't know about Red (or Blue). When I was researching sioftware, I had already decided that FX VRM was going to be the one (if PCDJ at all!) http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/fear.gif Cheers! Roy B. Digital Distortion Disco (D3 Entertainments) See you around! Link to post Share on other sites
digitaldistortion 0 Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 QUOTE (johny k @ Oct 19 2006, 08:03 AM) before you buy anything i have been djing for a year now on laptop , i was never happy with the quality of the audio and i am very critical . i was using a creative soundblaster 24 bit total waste of time meant for gaming not audio production djs take note went out purchased a tapco usb audio interface blew me away £99 i am one happy chappy one year of misery now put to bed heres the website www.tapcoworld.com hope this helps everyone on external soundcards I must admit that I haven't any problems with the sound quality, and any excessive high tones are squashed at mixer level http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/sadwalk.gif Cheers! Roy B. Digital Distortion Disco (D3 Entertainments) See you around! Link to post Share on other sites
alicat 0 Posted October 23, 2006 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 Yeah thats the PCDJ effects plug-in "FX". Would you be able to give me the version number from the splash screen (access from the top toolbar) Link to post Share on other sites
digitaldistortion 0 Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 QUOTE (alicat @ Oct 23 2006, 11:42 PM) Yeah thats the PCDJ effects plug-in "FX". Would you be able to give me the version number from the splash screen (access from the top toolbar) 7.2 (About £115 - depending on conv. rate from the homesite, rather than an indie supplier) http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/thumbup.gif Cheers! Roy B. Digital Distortion Disco (D3 Entertainments) See you around! Link to post Share on other sites
davemoody 0 Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 As for the Numark mixer you don't need any other leads at all. It is so easy to set up with pcdj It comes with the 2 usb leads and you just plug them in the back of the mixer so left side of pcdj is channel 3 and the other is channel4. Just have to go in to the cfg menu and change souncard configerations. The main page you choose option 5 instead of option 2 which is using the laptop sound and then go in to the soundcard 1 menu and pick the top usb wording on both and click on test sound Then go into soundcard 2 and pick the bottom usb wording and again test the sound. Works every time and has never let me down once. You do have to slightly increase the gain to get the same output as channel 1 or 2 but is only slightly. Link to post Share on other sites
Mattaious 0 Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 I bought i cheapy thing from ebay a few weeks ago and tried it the other day, Pretty good really. Only cost 9 notes delivered! Most of you will laugh but i only purchased to see what the difference in sound would be. And i noticed (even with a cheapy) a large noticiable difference. A friend of mine who dj's spoke to me the other day and he asked me about the sound card and since he's purchased one and plans to use it live. Just thought id add me bit :) Link to post Share on other sites
Tall Boys 0 Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Paul - My laptop runs 'Virtual DJ' and I have one of those 'Hercules DJ Contro MP3' controlers. I know many folk on here don't like them - but for £60 a throw - I think they're great! Good control over MP3's and added software as well. When I first got it, I assumed just connecting it up via USB would be enough. Wrong. I needed audio lead's from my laptop (soundcard added to reduce load on processor), into the mixer as well as the USB. With just the USB connected, all I got was sound through my headphones whilst monitoring. It may be me - I may have it wired up incorrect - but at least it works ok now. The mixer itself is a good one though, although the mic could do with a 'talk over feature' to save fiddling with the faders whilst playing a tune. I miss my old and trusty KAM K500 Ian. Pro for that. :sad: I use Virtual DJ with the hercules controller. I only have to plug it in to the usb. I use phono to phono connectors from 1 and 2 on the analog out and plug my headphones into the 3.5mm jack labled 3-4. I send the phono to phono to the line input on channel 4 of the mixer and use the up down fader to control it as ch1 and ch2 are assigned to the cd decks. Great bit of kit. I also find having the music on a portable hard disk useful as it takes the pressure off the pcu, but i've used it for a full night as I prefer the cd decks as they are more responsive and flexible. Link to post Share on other sites
BigBen 0 Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 tapco usb audio interface blew me away £99 This is a new one on me John. Care to expand a little...which model, where from, connections, etc.? [insert quirky comment] Link to post Share on other sites
Bolan-Boogie 0 Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Creative Soundblaster Live! 24 bit External. Works brilliantly. Just remember that you need Phono (Mixer) to 3.5mm jack (Soundcard), or get a converter from Maplins (c. £2 each) smile icon :djuhi: Same here !! Link to post Share on other sites
TonyB 0 Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 (edited) Creative Soundblaster Live! 24 bit External. Works brilliantly. Just remember that you need Phono (Mixer) to 3.5mm jack (Soundcard), or get a converter from Maplins (c. £2 each) smile icon :djuhi: Same here !! How does this work? Does it give two outputs, one for each channel and you still monitor with headphones using the mixer or do you plug headphones into it or use the headphone socket on the lappie or what :shrug: I need to get one but haven't a clue how one would work with a laptop to mixer. Edit - i don't think I mean each channel as in left and right but each virtual deck. Edited December 6, 2006 by TonyB Link to post Share on other sites
YourBigEvent 0 Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 link !! Looks good, just ordered the Mix 60 mixer, should come later today, ready for tonight's gig. .....but what do I know ? Your Big Event Office:01803 813540 Direct: 0797 0717 448 e.mail:info@yourbigevent.co.uk Link to post Share on other sites
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