Traktor 3 Pro - 4 decks/headphone cue and DVS - Audio interface

Qjames · 2023-09-01T07:35:36+00:00

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Qjames

I have a question about audio interfaces and getting full functionality from 4 decks Traktor.

I have:

2 x Technics 1210s vinyl decks

Xone 23c (with DVS rewire activated)

2x Xone K2s

The K2s carry out lots of the Traktor control work (through mapping tsi), also I like the ability to use the 1210s as 'jog' controllers using DVS (at least some of the time). I would like the possibility to incorporate playing vinyl as well (at least some of the time). All of this while having headphone cue ability for the 4 Traktor decks (I appreciate that headphone cueing for vinyl + the 4 Traktor decks from one jack will not be possible) - this is the most important function I want to achieve. I do not want to get an Kontrol S4 or splash out on a new mixer (with 4 inputs and dvs) as I like the portability of my set up.

I've assumed that X23c can handle the DVS/vinyl part. and I can aggregate it with a new audio interface (8 inputs) for the traktor decks.

Is there an audio interface that will definitely allow me to incorporate all these requests and works with Traktor? Is there any headroom/scope in this setup for incorporating a Maschine at a future date (assuming the purchase of an 8 input audio interface above)?

Does this set up look feasible or am I missing something?

Many thanks for all your assistance!!

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Accepted answers

lord-carlos

Pretty sure internal mixing mode will let you cue like you want.

But then everything will come through one deck on the mixer and you lose the best part, the nice a&h filters etc for mixing.

I don't know if a large audio interface will help. Only if that interface has a cue i assume. But then the cue is always before the mixer and you can't hear filters / master on the headphones?

I would go for a used a&h 43c. Or px5.

Anselm.

c) was the idea to have eg. four faders to have like two mixing devices:

eg. F1, Jam or some other fader controller controlls four channels line faders and eg. A+B (or C+D) are linked to the same output. Previewing is then done via the K2 headphone out. I couldnt play that way as I need a master output on my headphones too. Just a suggestion.

So I guess mixer upgrade is your option, which I actually think of a good idea to have all four channels on a single device.

All comments

lord-carlos

You want to use 4 decks in traktor on a 2 channel mixer?

I think everything you want to do would work with current setup with no extra hardware. But limited to two decks. You can switch them to live input if you want to spin vinyl. Cueing you do on your xone, no matter if it's live vinyl, DVS or k2 controlled deck.

Qjames

Thanks for your reply, lord-carlos.

I currently route 4 decks through the x23c, which is ok as I can use all the mixing functions within Traktor with the xone K2s (each is split A/C; B/D - more than enough controls for FX, transport, gain, etc). However, the headphone cue on the 23c only plays the 4 decks mix together (of course) there is no way to split/isolate each of the individual decks in the 23c.

I've tried aggregating the audio interface of the 2xK2s and x23c together, but it doesn't work, even if I plug the headphones into each of the devices, I can't get the individual feeds - the best is either A/C or B/D simultaneously (from the K2s), which is unsuitable for previewing the next track for my ears. I've assumed that I can split the decks internally (using an 8 input audio interface) and use the headphone output on it, for example an ESI Gigaport eX or Scarlett 18i8, to isolate each deck's feed, which I can control/select from within Traktor on the K2s. I can see that I would have to use the x23c headphone out to cue vinyl, but I can live with that.

I like the x23c and K2 set up (see pic)

and want to use a 8 in audio interface, but only if it will work. Otherwise, I have to consider an Allen Heath PX-5 (or other, but I really like the AH sound), but that is a lot of money when I can perhaps use an 8-in interface to achieve my goal for much less.

lord-carlos

Are you using internal or external mixing mode?

Anselm.

Not sure if I got you right.

a) It is possible to route several channel signals to a single interface output. That way you could eg. route A/B C/D to channel A/B on the mixer and have the chance to at least gain some previewing habbits. Depends on your playing style and might need some strict workflow.

b) Internal Mixing mode gives you the ability to utilize the K2 headphone jack for previewing. The Mixer is then loosing most of its necessity. You could also adapt the K2 Headphone to RCA and use channel A as preview mixing channel and B as Main channel.

c) instead of a new mixer you might as well think about some linefader controller (Launch Kontrol, Nano Kontrol, Maschine JAM) and go fully digital with a main + cue output.

Qjames

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/91708#Comment_91708

I've tried both. External only gives dvs and 4 decks combined in one stereo channel. Internal gives me control over gain for each deck, but I still cannot headphone cue each deck independently. I've tried with x23c and 2x K2s aggregated but this doesn't solve the headphone cueing wish.

Qjames

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/91774#Comment_91774

Thanks for your reply.

a) yes, this is what I have, but I want to be able to switch to hearing one deck in headphone cueing. My style started out with vinyl (1990s) 2 decks and having a set and knowing my tunes intimately - the break beat points, how the tracks run together, generally long mixes. Nowadays, I still have older tunes in the digital box, but use loops to layer sounds. It is much more spontaneous and I have literally 10,000+ tunes - I need to preview because sometimes I've forgotten how the track sounds or didn't make cue points.

b) Yeah, but this is still too limiting with the headphone cueing wish.

c)The K2s are largely handling all the traktor controls. Not sure what your suggestions bring in terms of my desires: DVS; 4-deck control; independent headphone cueing for each deck.

lord-carlos

Pretty sure internal mixing mode will let you cue like you want.

But then everything will come through one deck on the mixer and you lose the best part, the nice a&h filters etc for mixing.

I don't know if a large audio interface will help. Only if that interface has a cue i assume. But then the cue is always before the mixer and you can't hear filters / master on the headphones?

I would go for a used a&h 43c. Or px5.

Anselm.

c) was the idea to have eg. four faders to have like two mixing devices:

So I guess mixer upgrade is your option, which I actually think of a good idea to have all four channels on a single device.

Qjames

Thanks for you both for your ideas. At the back of my mind, I had a new mixer as the best solution, but was trying to resist. I appreciate your inputs and helping me to think out loud.👍️👍️👍️

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