Andrew87
I'm still awaiting my new vinyl but believe I may have encountered a new problem. I ordered the ESI U46 SE which does not have phono preamps. The bcd2000 costs only a little bit more than the U46 SE and BEAT800 (assuming I do buy preamps) and would have seemed the better option because it is a controller which features built in phono pre-amps. Although I've read numerous times that the bcd2000 as a soundcard and VirtualDJ are just not compatible.
No one on this site seems to have any experience with the U46 SE so I've taken a bit of a gamble ordering it over the Maya 44 USB which also doesn't have phono pre-amps. Whilst I've been using the Mk2, I do have a 100% timecode signal with faulty vinyl, although I did read on scratchworx how one of the reviewers used djdecks and phono pre-amps made a big difference in detecting pitch correctly. Which led me to believe that I may need phono pre-amps. VirtualDJ can report at times quite a bit of fluctuation when using TCV (I have sensitivity set to 250ms, I would set it even lower if the continuous fluctations didn't bother me) and on one side of each vinyl, it will not hold two of the same track together even with quartz lock enabled. djDecks held them in sync even if I adjusted the pitch in parallel (i.e. both decks to +8% at the same time) and then quartz lock on both decks.
So that made me start to think I'm having some sort of issue which although could be hardware related, can be fixed in software. Anyway, do I need phono pre-amps. Do they allow for better tracking during something like a slow scratch? If I do, I can add them to my order before it is shipped, and save myself some shipping fees.
No one on this site seems to have any experience with the U46 SE so I've taken a bit of a gamble ordering it over the Maya 44 USB which also doesn't have phono pre-amps. Whilst I've been using the Mk2, I do have a 100% timecode signal with faulty vinyl, although I did read on scratchworx how one of the reviewers used djdecks and phono pre-amps made a big difference in detecting pitch correctly. Which led me to believe that I may need phono pre-amps. VirtualDJ can report at times quite a bit of fluctuation when using TCV (I have sensitivity set to 250ms, I would set it even lower if the continuous fluctations didn't bother me) and on one side of each vinyl, it will not hold two of the same track together even with quartz lock enabled. djDecks held them in sync even if I adjusted the pitch in parallel (i.e. both decks to +8% at the same time) and then quartz lock on both decks.
So that made me start to think I'm having some sort of issue which although could be hardware related, can be fixed in software. Anyway, do I need phono pre-amps. Do they allow for better tracking during something like a slow scratch? If I do, I can add them to my order before it is shipped, and save myself some shipping fees.
Posté Mon 13 Aug 07 @ 11:20 pm
sbangs
the u46 mk2 is just the same as the old one with a mixvibes logo on it
they should work fine , the preamp helps if the timecode signal is quiet , in the timecode options there is a software preamp should it be to quiet
not likely to happen tho:)
what turntables do you use?
and how are the vinyl faulty?
they should work fine , the preamp helps if the timecode signal is quiet , in the timecode options there is a software preamp should it be to quiet
not likely to happen tho:)
what turntables do you use?
and how are the vinyl faulty?
Posté Mon 13 Aug 07 @ 11:31 pm
Andrew87
I haven't ordered the Mk2, for some reason having a Mixvibes logo puts the price up double. I ordered the SE which is pretty much the Mk1 but without phono pre-amps. I've had these vinyl for such a long time but have been using the goodish size where mixing is actually possible. I posted pictures of the center spindle up a long long time ago; although the surface of the vinyl looks fine that particular section gave away which sides don't work as well. This is true for both of the vinyl. I use a pair of TT-500s (the good Numark kind, not the cheapo things they sell in Argos!) which imo are rock solid in terms of holding their pitch, but the TTs aren't the problem; it's mainly the one bad side of the vinyl where drift occurs. It has happened on the good side too but it's much easier to correct as it doesn't catch you by suprise.
Posté Mon 13 Aug 07 @ 11:46 pm
Andrew87
I've e-mailed thomann about adding phono pre-amps (the BEAT800) to my order. If it's too late to do so, I'll just run the Mk2 with an ac adaptor as that has phono pre-amps, although ideally I would like to eliminate it from my setup completely.
I tested the Mk2 with VirtualDJ in line mode and the applied the riaa curve; it does a good job at keeping the timecode signal constantly at 100%. However, after using the djDecks demo (which gives you an exact reading of how many codes being detected) - it was clear that using a pre-amp was at least 10x more accurate than it's own software curve, although its own apply curve feature made no difference with the VirtualDJ vinyl which leads me to believe its not affective with this brand of vinyl. Now I should state that VirtualDJ may do a better job of applying the phono pre-amp for its own vinyl and may indeed work fine without pre-amps - but I usually prefer to do things in hardware if possible as it generally gives a better result.
My biggest concern is hoping that the U46 SE doesn't turn out to be an absolutely awful card. I should have ordered its bigger brother last year when it was the same price :(
I tested the Mk2 with VirtualDJ in line mode and the applied the riaa curve; it does a good job at keeping the timecode signal constantly at 100%. However, after using the djDecks demo (which gives you an exact reading of how many codes being detected) - it was clear that using a pre-amp was at least 10x more accurate than it's own software curve, although its own apply curve feature made no difference with the VirtualDJ vinyl which leads me to believe its not affective with this brand of vinyl. Now I should state that VirtualDJ may do a better job of applying the phono pre-amp for its own vinyl and may indeed work fine without pre-amps - but I usually prefer to do things in hardware if possible as it generally gives a better result.
My biggest concern is hoping that the U46 SE doesn't turn out to be an absolutely awful card. I should have ordered its bigger brother last year when it was the same price :(
Posté Wed 15 Aug 07 @ 2:35 pm