S4 channel LEDs vs Traktor mixer LEDs

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S4 channel LEDs vs Traktor mixer LEDs
Posted on: 14.02.2011 by Saturnina Guminski
While I'm 99% delighted with my S4, the one issue that bothers me most is the S4's channel volume LEDs. Well, the LEDs work just fine it's just the fact that there are only seven lights which I find virtually useless when compared to the much higher resolution on-screen readout when checking track volume levels before a mix.

Does anyone have any workarounds for this? I'd really like to disable the on-screen channel volume/eq section.
Saturnina Guminski
15.02.2011
Originally Posted by lsdave
use your ears in the headphones and bounce back between the two. should be pretty easy to set up gains that way.

I remember mixing back before the pioneer djm 500 was released and almost all mixers were pitiful for led vu level monitoring back then.... All we did was used our ears. plain and simple.
No offence but I've DJ'd on and off for over ten years, I know how to do it the hard way That's no reason for NI to scrimp money on the volume LEDs though, IMO.
Saturnina Guminski
14.02.2011
Originally Posted by sebastiannz
I basically only use the channel LEDs to check that the track only rarely hits the red. Is this how everyone else uses them? Would also have liked a bit of a graduated LED display (e.g. yellow)...but you can't have everything I guess :-)
It's all they're good for I suppose I wouldn't really be too bothered with more colours if they had added more LEDs and separated them better! I wasn't really expecting everything but for nearly 900 euros I did expect a little more.

Still, these are minor niggles compared to the deliciousness that is the S4 altogether
Saturnina Guminski
14.02.2011
Originally Posted by Tobes
No I'm not really a fan of them either. I want more and I would have liked a yellow/orange LED before the red as I'm either clipping or not. I like having a bit of give.
True, at least it would help make the best of a cheap design!

Originally Posted by Karlos Santos
I have to say that the Channel LEDs have always been useless in Traktor.

I just dont use them.
I haven't found them to be too bad personally except for the giant faders that block the lights where I find they are most needed lol.

Originally Posted by Tarekith
They suck, plain and simple in my opinion. I don't believe the hardware LEDs correlate very well at all with the actual signal level or timing.
I'd wondered was I noticing a delay in the LEDs too, it's hard to tell when the lights spill over into neighbouring light's area like crazy

Originally Posted by Jason Cerna
i have the track gain level listed on the deck view. so with a quick glance, i know how loud it is.
But isn't that just how much you've adjusted the gain from 0 though no? I didn't believe it showed the actual output levels.
Saturnina Guminski
14.02.2011
Originally Posted by alexndr
O_0

Preferences > Mixer > Mixer Layout: EQ + Fader?
My point was that I can't rely solely on the pitiful hardware volume readouts and need to use the far more intuitive on-screen readouts instead, which I believe is a waste of screen real estate.

My question is; how do others deal with this?

EDIT ::

I believe the best way to get the answer I'm looking for is to ask a different question :

Do you guys find the channel volume LEDs on the S4 to be adequate to match volumes during a live set?
Saturnina Guminski
14.02.2011		While I'm 99% delighted with my S4, the one issue that bothers me most is the S4's channel volume LEDs. Well, the LEDs work just fine it's just the fact that there are only seven lights which I find virtually useless when compared to the much higher resolution on-screen readout when checking track volume levels before a mix.

Does anyone have any workarounds for this? I'd really like to disable the on-screen channel volume/eq section.
Saturnina Guminski
15.02.2011
Originally Posted by lsdave
use your ears in the headphones and bounce back between the two. should be pretty easy to set up gains that way.

I remember mixing back before the pioneer djm 500 was released and almost all mixers were pitiful for led vu level monitoring back then.... All we did was used our ears. plain and simple.
No offence but I've DJ'd on and off for over ten years, I know how to do it the hard way That's no reason for NI to scrimp money on the volume LEDs though, IMO.
India Hakobyan
15.02.2011		use your ears in the headphones and bounce back between the two. should be pretty easy to set up gains that way.

I remember mixing back before the pioneer djm 500 was released and almost all mixers were pitiful for led vu level monitoring back then.... All we did was used our ears. plain and simple.
Saturnina Guminski
14.02.2011
Originally Posted by sebastiannz
I basically only use the channel LEDs to check that the track only rarely hits the red. Is this how everyone else uses them? Would also have liked a bit of a graduated LED display (e.g. yellow)...but you can't have everything I guess :-)
It's all they're good for I suppose I wouldn't really be too bothered with more colours if they had added more LEDs and separated them better! I wasn't really expecting everything but for nearly 900 euros I did expect a little more.

Still, these are minor niggles compared to the deliciousness that is the S4 altogether
Peggy Gabrielson
14.02.2011		I basically only use the channel LEDs to check that the track only rarely hits the red. Is this how everyone else uses them? Would also have liked a bit of a graduated LED display (e.g. yellow)...but you can't have everything I guess :-)
Saturnina Guminski
14.02.2011
Originally Posted by Tobes
No I'm not really a fan of them either. I want more and I would have liked a yellow/orange LED before the red as I'm either clipping or not. I like having a bit of give.
True, at least it would help make the best of a cheap design!

Originally Posted by Karlos Santos
I have to say that the Channel LEDs have always been useless in Traktor.

I just dont use them.
I haven't found them to be too bad personally except for the giant faders that block the lights where I find they are most needed lol.

Originally Posted by Tarekith
They suck, plain and simple in my opinion. I don't believe the hardware LEDs correlate very well at all with the actual signal level or timing.
I'd wondered was I noticing a delay in the LEDs too, it's hard to tell when the lights spill over into neighbouring light's area like crazy

Originally Posted by Jason Cerna
i have the track gain level listed on the deck view. so with a quick glance, i know how loud it is.
But isn't that just how much you've adjusted the gain from 0 though no? I didn't believe it showed the actual output levels.
Harley Hendzel
14.02.2011		i have the track gain level listed on the deck view. so with a quick glance, i know how loud it is.
Monserrate Rupnow
14.02.2011		They suck, plain and simple in my opinion. I don't believe the hardware LEDs correlate very well at all with the actual signal level or timing.
nayit ruiz jaramillo
14.02.2011		I have to say that the Channel LEDs have always been useless in Traktor.

I just dont use them.
Milda Poucher
14.02.2011		No I'm not really a fan of them either. I want more and I would have liked a yellow/orange LED before the red as I'm either clipping or not. I like having a bit of give.
Saturnina Guminski
14.02.2011
Originally Posted by alexndr
O_0

Preferences > Mixer > Mixer Layout: EQ + Fader?
My point was that I can't rely solely on the pitiful hardware volume readouts and need to use the far more intuitive on-screen readouts instead, which I believe is a waste of screen real estate.

My question is; how do others deal with this?

EDIT ::

I believe the best way to get the answer I'm looking for is to ask a different question :

Do you guys find the channel volume LEDs on the S4 to be adequate to match volumes during a live set?
Kim Curnes
14.02.2011		O_0
I'd really like to disable the on-screen channel volume/eq section.
Preferences > Mixer > Mixer Layout: EQ + Fader?

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