Getting The Best Sound Out of Your Traktor

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Getting The Best Sound Out of Your Traktor
Posted on: 17.11.2011 by Darryl Landaiche
hey guys, so recently i was watching this interview with Tony Andrews, the Owner of Funktion One speakers, probably the best live systems in the world. look em up if you don't know, anyway i was super stoked to see him using the echo audiofire sound card, as i kno that is a card Ean uses and highly recommends (would probly have one if i wasnt tsp user), and he made it pretty clear that is the best sound card there is haha.

But he also reveled some info i believe alot of people would be suprised to hear, mentioning how NI had asked them to review there sound card, as the legend of a company they are regarding high sound quality, and they were suprised to find not very good results, but only when in use with traktor, but when the soundcards were used with Fubar2000, the sound quality was very close to on par with the echo, but slightly less.

Then he mentioned how NI called them back 2 weeks later telling them how to fix it, step one, classic eq, the other eq settings add layers of processing and change the dynamics resulting in alot lower quality sound(atleast if your trying to retain full quality of a properly mastered dynamic 320,wav,flac ect.), second step, turn of auto limiter inside traktor.

also through a google search i found this article wich pretty much covers just that, but doesnt mention the limiter, and does mention the key lock (wich would make sense aswell)
http://www.native-instruments.com/kn...+Sound+Quality

if anyone wants to see the video of Tony Andrews talking about it heres the link, starts talking about it right at 39 mins

[ame="http://vimeo.com/31191130"]Lecture: Tony Andrews of Funktion One (Madrid 2011) on Vimeo[/ame]

ill also add i called NI to ask what the difference in the MK2 timecode vinyl was today, so i decided to mention that aswell and see if they recognized the issue and if they planned on adressing it at all, the employee immediately got deffesnsive and said hes not aloud to talk about that subject and he knows nothing about it... lol w/e.. just curious if im the only one a little bugged by this, lol, i never would have known if my buddy didnt show me this vid
Lauretta Ehrhorn
21.11.2011		As an owner of an Audiofire I can testify to better audio output (purely subjective). No DVS though means I sacrifice this for a more pleasurable performance experience through the Audio 8.
Latoria Kavulich
21.11.2011		mainly cpu issues for me @ jon (esp now i've commited to TP2) .. also most of the time i use a 3% diff between tracks max. this means with trance i can use a bpm range of 133 - 138 and run at 136 with no keylock and still sounding minty fresh.
Latoria Kavulich
21.11.2011		6% is pretty much the max you can change tempo without changing the key too much. plus that gives me 5bpm either way when playing progressive trance
Lisa Lochotzki
21.11.2011		Any kit when they're badly tunned will sound like shit... and then you have the "Shit In = Shit Out" saying...

There's a place in here having a Funktion One P.A.. They even changed the club name too... they put an HD after the club name... lame.

So I went there.. and... disapointed.

Went a second time, another DJ... disapointed too.

I heard it's been tunned by Funktion One... sound was harsh everywhere.

In the DJ booth: a DB4 and 4 CDJ2000.

Funktion One a hype?!? meh, I don't believe so. Pretty sure if properly tunned, it has the potential to sound better.. however... something that sounds harsh to me probably sound good for someone else, and vice versa.
Music was fantastic though.
Romelia Stankard
21.11.2011		Is a funktion one system really that great even? I feel like it has a lot more to do with the room and I have heard some good systems and some really overrated systems. I believe there is a funktion one at the vegabond in miami I'm going to have to check out.
Branden Wentler
21.11.2011		According to him Funktion1 is the only system audible in the vacuum of space and even then the air is not a fine enough quality to transfer the sound energy generated by the speakers.
I hate keylock adn use mp3 at 320. and some wavs as well...can't tell the difference but I get tons of compliments on how so much cleaner my sets sound (back when I was actually gigging back in the states) compared to some of the other guys/girls who play the same spots.
Always strive for perfection but there is a line between spleen and ideal.
Lin Danek
20.11.2011
Originally Posted by Xonetacular
He is very pretentious and I believe he makes up half the sound quality stuff. There is a video where he says .wav files are barely high enough quality for funktion one systems.
AND patronising. I agree with M re Echo Audiofire.
Lin Danek
20.11.2011
Originally Posted by Jester.NZ
dont use the keylock
Because of CPU demand, or the affect on harmonics? Did a sound-check before a gig this weekend with keylock ON (S4 into club mixer via RCA routed through 4 Wharfies ) - it sounded GOOD. Played with keylock on - lots of compliments from the CDJers on the sound quality
Romelia Stankard
20.11.2011
Originally Posted by mostapha
I'm not disparaging someone who obviously has a shit-ton more experience than I do and obviously knows his shit
Lin Danek
20.11.2011
Originally Posted by Jester.NZ
yes i use 6% tempo range and dont use the keylock
Why (only) 6% Jes? And, should Headroom be a consideration?
Latoria Kavulich
20.11.2011		yes i use 6% tempo range and dont use the keylock
Peggy Gabrielson
20.11.2011		interesting stuff re: traktor eq settings. I just checked my own settings and found that limiter was on... OOPS.
Kristin Tesfamichael
18.11.2011
Originally Posted by sarasin
I would not play a low quality MP3....thats a NO NO, but i personally can not tell the diff between 320 and Wav.
same here, dont understand some people who freak out just because of the file. I understand why mp3 can have a bad rap but as long as your not playing transcodes and you stick to 320 then you should be ok.

sure with the right gear and at the appropriate sound level I'm sure some people can tell the diff between lossy and lossless, but if your at a club or festival your ears are most likely getting damaged like every second that your there.
Dorie Scelzo
18.11.2011		I'm not disparaging someone who obviously has a shit-ton more experience than I do and obviously knows his shit
Leah Shawkey
18.11.2011
Originally Posted by sarasin

@J5K....there is a thread about them MK2 TCV's here in the General Discussion bro.
Cool thanks. I read through it but it was basically "will mk1 vinyl still work?" or "why won't mk1 work with x?". The OP seemed to have an issue with the mk2 that NI was being tight lipped about. My mk1's work fine, but are getting worn out so I'm believeing of ordering mk2's.

ill also add i called NI to ask what the difference in the MK2 timecode vinyl was today, so i decided to mention that aswell and see if they recognized the issue and if they planned on adressing it at all, the employee immediately got deffesnsive and said hes not aloud to talk about that subject and he knows nothing about it... lol w/e.. just curious if im the only one a little bugged by this, lol, i never would have known if my buddy didnt show me this vid
Lilliana Perris
17.11.2011
Originally Posted by JonathanBlake
And the mikes dropping out . I would expect to really learn something from a legend like Andrews, but found that interview tedious. I don't claim to be an expert in this field, but found his insight sparse. There was unbiased support to 'certain' brands, without objective comparison.

I am always amazed at the assumption that club-goers do not discern or appreciate good sound - why is there such complacency about optimising their listening experience?

Lastly - a 'quickie' please - to keylock, or not to keylock - that is the question.
You should not keylock if you have a slow machine or if you are more than a couple BPM off the other track.

It degrades the sound for sure.

@J5K....there is a thread about them MK2 TCV's here in the General Discussion bro.
Leah Shawkey
17.11.2011		What's the deal with the mk2 timecode? I'm believeing about ordering a few pairs soon.
Lin Danek
17.11.2011
Originally Posted by koffa
Wow. That was really low volume on the video, is it ironic or does it serve a function?
And the mikes dropping out . I would expect to really learn something from a legend like Andrews, but found that interview tedious. I don't claim to be an expert in this field, but found his insight sparse. There was unbiased support to 'certain' brands, without objective comparison.

I am always amazed at the assumption that club-goers do not discern or appreciate good sound - why is there such complacency about optimising their listening experience?

Lastly - a 'quickie' please - to keylock, or not to keylock - that is the question.
Lilliana Perris
17.11.2011		LOL...thats true Jojo.

My mate...who taught me to mix back in the day came onto Skype yesterday asking me which version of Traktor I use and how? He is wanting to now jump on the band wagon.

He is a producer first....so sound quality and production is a big concern to him. He will be playing a lot of his own music as well as other producer mates music.

Usually, we play WAV and have always snubbed the cats playing MP3's.

So I tell him that when I play Psytrance, its Wav files (as this is how I get em from the producers etc), but my Electro collection is all MP3.

He went nuts...

If you are a perfectionist....I guess you would not want to play 320 MP3's, but its so common place these days and seeing how subjective it is....who cares.

As long as YOU personally are happy with the sound and the mix....why should anyone else care.

I would not play a low quality MP3....thats a NO NO, but i personally can not tell the diff between 320 and Wav.

If its not distorting and sounds clear on my Tannoy's, I am good to go I guess.

I believe the point is, to try and do the least amount of degradation to the audio.

If you playing Wav's....but you have all these odd settings....you will have a bad sound.

If you playing a 320 MP3 and you have all the settings correct, you should not have an issue.
Queen Sichel
17.11.2011		Wow. That was really low volume on the video, is it ironic or does it serve a function?
Leeanna Ayla
17.11.2011		Makes sense that if you turn off the things affecting the sound the sound will be better. It's all so subjective anyway If people are dancing who cares. I guess if you're lucky enough to be playing on a Funktion system you should do these things, but for the average club and average drunk club goer it's not such a big deal.

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