AKIYAMA PULSAR





for VirtualDJ 8.0+
Last Update : August 2016
 

SETUP


Step 1. Connections






Step 2. Drivers


Windows only : Install the Akiyama ASIO drivers from http://www.akiyamadj.com/akiyama+pulsar+2+channels+midi+controller-p-PULSAR.html?cPath=115_117

No drivers is required to be installed for Mac OSX computers


Step 3. VirtualDJ Setup


Download and install VirtualDJ 8 from http://www.virtualdj.com/download/index.html (in case you have not done already)

Once VirtualDJ 8 is opened, a Login Window will appear. Login with your virtualdj.com account credentials.

A Pro Infinity or a Pro Subscription License is required to use the Akiyama Pulsar. Without any of the above Licenses, the controller will operate for 10 minutes each time you restart VirtualDJ 8.
http://www.virtualdj.com/buy/index.html




Detection Window
A detection window will appear when the unit is first connected with VirtualDJ, verifying proper detection.

Click to “Use Soundcard”. VirtualDJ will automatically create the necessary audio configuration. Speakers need to be connected to the rear side of the unit in this case.

Click to OK


The unit is now ready to operate with VirtualDJ
 

CONTROLS




KEY

ACTION

SHIFT (SECONDARY) ACTION

S SHIFT
Press this button down to access secondary actions as described in the SHIFT ACTION column
1 CUP
When track is playing, goes to the last Cue point and play from there when button is released. When track is paused, sets a temporary Cue point
Tap on track's tempo (fat least 4 times) to manually calculate tempo
2 CUE
Set temporary Cue point or return to Cue and preview while pressed
Jump to the beginning of the track
3 PLAY
Play/Pause track
If playing, pauses track. If paused, play the track and sync tempo and phase with the opposite deck
4 JOG
Touch-sensitive platter for scratch or bend, depending on the Vinyl mode
Fast search (seek) through track's time
5 SCRATCH
Sets Jog to Scratch (Vinyl) mode when enabled or CD (Bend) mode when disabled
Plays track in reverse while pressed. When released, track will continue playing from the position it would have been if the button was never pressed (censor)
6 SYNC
Sync Tempo and Phase with opposite or Master Deck
Set deck as Master Deck
7 DECK A/C-B/D
Assign left/right side of controller to Decks 1/2 or 3/4 respectively
8 KEYLOCK
When enabled, locks the Key of the track so that it doesnt change when the pitch/tempo changed
9 PITCHBEND -/+
Temporary slow-down/speed-up track's tempo while button(s) is pressed. When released, tempo will return to the value designated by the Pitch fader.
Select previous/next available -/+ % range for the Pitch fader
10 PITCH
Adjust track's tempo
11 SAMPLER 1-4
Trigger Samples 1 to 4 from the selected Sampler Bank. If the Bank has less then 5 samples, both sides trigger samples 1 to 4. If the Bank has more than 4 samples, left side triggers Samples 1 to 4 and right side triggers Samples 5 to 8.
Stop the playing Sample 1-4 (or 1 to 8)
12 HOTCUES 1-4
Assign a Hotcue 1 to 4 or jump to that Hotcue if assigned.
Delete the assigned Hotcue when the Delete mode is enabled
Hotcue 1,2 : Move track backwards/forward in time by 4 beats.
Hotcue 3 : Enable/disable Smart Cue
Hotcue 4 : Enable/disable Smart Loop
13 LOOP IN
Set current track's position as Loop In (Start) point of a manual loop
Sets jog to Loop In Adjust mode. When enabled, the jog fine adjusts the Loop In point of a manual loop
14 LOOP OUT
Set current track's position as Loop Out (End) point of a manual loop. Exits loop if a loop is enabled.
Sets jog to Loop Out Adjust mode. When enabled, the jog fine adjusts the Loop Out point of a manual loop
15 LOOP ACTIVE
Triggers an Auto-Loop of the selected size in beats. Exits loop when loop is enabled
Sets jog to Loop Move Adjust mode. When enabled, the jog fine moves backwards/forward the triggered Loop through time
16 DELETE
When enabled, sets Hotcue 1-4 buttons to Delete mode.
17 FX1/FX2
FX1 : Sets FX buttons and knobs to Effect mode (default mode)
FX2 : Sets FX buttons and knobs to Sampler mode
18 AUTO LOOP ENC
Halves/doubles the size of the Loop.
Push to enable/disable an Auto-Loop of the selected size in beats
When Loop is enabled, moves the loop backwards/forward in beats equal to the size of the loop
Push to enable/disable Loop Back mode
19 FX ON
In Effect mode : Selects and triggers the Echo Effect.
In Sampler mode : Records deck to a new sample
20 FX RSTON
In Effect mode : Selects and triggers the Flanger Effect.
In Sampler mode : If the selected Sample is in Loop mode, halves the size of the Sampler Loop
21 FX BUT1
In Effect mode : Selects and triggers the BrakeStart Effect.
In Sampler mode : If the selected Sample is in Loop mode, doubles the size of the Sampler Loop
22 FX BUT2
In Effect mode : Selects and triggers the Backspin Effect.
In Sampler mode : Sets the selected Sample to Loop (repeat) mode
23 FX DRY/WET
In Effect mode : Selects the previous/next available Effect.
Push to trigger the selected Effect

In Sampler mode : Selects the previous/next Sample from the selected Sampler Bank
Push to trigger the selected Sample
In Effect mode : Selects the previous/next available Effect
Push to open/close the FX GUI of the selected Effect.

In Sampler mode : Selects the previous/next available Sampler Bank.
Push to select the next available Sampler Trigger mode for the selected Sampler Bank
24 FX PARAM1
Adjusts the 1st Parameter of the selected Effect
Adjusts the 3rd Parameter of the selected Effect
25 FX PARAM2
Adjusts the 2nd Parameter of the selected Effect
Adjusts the 4th Parameter of the selected Effect
26 FX PARAM3
Adjusts the Volume of the selected Sampler
27 CROSSFADER
Blends audio signals between the decks assigned as left and right sides of the crossfader
28 XFADER/LINK
Left button : Toggles the mode for the Crossfader. (Audio or Video) to allow the Crossfader to control the Audio or the Video Crossfader
Right button : Enable/disable Video Crossfader Link. When enabled, the Video Crossfader will be linked to the Audio Crossfader and will follow its position
Triggers the selected Video Transition to the Left/Right side
29 VOLUME
Adjust the Volume of the Left/Right assigned Deck (1/3 & 2/4)
30 VU METER
Indicate the pre-fader Output Level of the Left/Right assigned Decks
31 PFL
Send the Left/Right assigned Decks to the Headphones channel (for pre-listening)
Selects the previous/next Mixer Center panel of the default VirtualDJ GUI
32 EQ LOW
Adjust the Low (Bass) Equalizer Band.
Push to kill (cut) the frequencies of the Low Equalizer Band
Apply a High/Low-Pass Filter to the Left/Right assigned Deck.
Push to reset (turn off) Filter
33 EQ MID
Adjust the Middle Equalizer Band.
Push to kill (cut) the frequencies of the Middle Equalizer Band
Adjust the key of the Left/Right assigned Deck.
Push to reset track's Key to the original value
34 EQ HIGH
Adjust the High (Treble) Equalizer Band.
Push to kill (cut) the frequencies of the High Equalizer Band
35 GAIN
Adjust the pre-fader Output Level of the Left/Right assigned Deck
36 CH INPUT SEL
Route audio signal from a source to the Left/Right Mixer Channel.
Set to middle position to route the USB Input to a Mixer Channel and control a VirtualDJ Deck.
Set to AUX/MIC or IN 1/2 -3/4 to route an external source connected to the rear panel to a Mixer Channel.
37 MASTER VOL
Adjust the Volume level of the Master Output
38 BOOTH VOL
Adjust the 1st Parameter of the selected Video Transition
Adjust the 1st Parameter of the selected Master Video Effect
39 BROWSE
Scrolls through files or folders
If focus is on the Songs List, push to add the selected track to the Automix List.
If focus is on the Sideview, push to load the selected track to the default Deck.
If focus is on the Folders List, push to open the next available sub-folder if the current folder has no tracks, or set focus to the Songs List if the current folder has tracks.
Scrolls through foders.
If focus is on Folders List, push to open/close sub-folders.
If focus is on the Songs List, push to add the selected track to the Sidelist.
If focus is on the Sideview, push to cycle through the available views of the Sideview
40 LOAD
Load the selected track to the Left/Right assigned Deck
Set focus to the previous/next Browser window
41 TX/VFX ENC
Selects the previous/next available Video Transition
Adjust the 1st Parameter of the selected Video Transition, while the Transition is active.
Push to trigger the selected Video Transition
Selects the previous/next available Video Effect on Master.
Adjust the 1st Parameter of the selected Master Video Effect while the Video Effect is active.
Push to trigger the selected Video Effect on Master
 

FRONT & REAR PANELS




Akiyama Pulsar Front Panel


KEY

Operation

42 MIC INPUT
Connect a Microphone via the 1/4" socket
43 MIC LEVEL
Adjust the Level of the Microphone Input
44 MIC ON/OFF
Turn on/off the Microphone Input
45 TOUCH SENSITIVE
Adjust the Touch sensitivity of the Left and Right Jogwheel
46 XF CURVE
Adjust the slope (curve) of the Crossfader (from Scratch-Cut to Smooth)
47 PFL MIX
Blends audio signals in Headphones Channel between the Master Output (when in maximum-right position) and the Decks that have been selected (with PFL)
48 PFL LEVEL
Adjust the Output Volume of the Headphones Channel
49 HEADPHONES
Connect your Headphones to either the 1/4" or the 1/8" socket



Akiyama Pulsar Rear Panel


50 DC
Optionally use a proper power 6V DC Power Adapter to connect the unit to a power outlet.Note that the unit can operate with USB Power as well
51 POWER
Power on/off switcher. Power on the unit after all other connections are done
52 USB
Connect the unit to a USB port of your computer using the provided USB cable
53 MASTER OUT TRS
Connect your amplifier (speakers) to this balanced Output using TRS 1/8" cables. The level of this output is controlled by the Master knob at the top panel of the unit
54 MASTER OUT RCA
Connect your amplifier (speakers) to this unbalanced Output using standard RCA cables. The level of this output is controlled by the Master knob at the top panel of the unit
55 56 INPUTS
Connect your audio sources to these inputs and can accept both line and phono-level signals.
57 PC/THRU
Use the PC/THRU switcher to send all Inputs directly to the master out (THRU) and mute the software output or to VirtualDJ (PC). See Advanced Setup
59 AUX
CD players, MP3 Player, Tablet Pad and other line level instruments may only be connected to this jack. Input volume will be controlled by the channel fader. The channel INPUT1 (36) selector switch must be in the "AUX".
58 AUX GAIN
Adjust the Output Level of the Auxiiary Input.









 

Advanced Setup


The built-in audio interface of the Akiyama Pulsar offers 2 stereo inputs and all 4 available Inputs, (AUX, 2xLINE and Microphone Input) can be routed either directly to the Master Output or routed to VirtualDJ, depending on the back PC/THRU switcher.

External sources


Connect any CD player, Turntable or other media source to the Inputs 1/2 , 3/4 or AUX at the rear side of the unit. You can then choose one of the following ways to output those Inputs to the Master Output of the unit.

Routing Inputs to VirtualDJ
Make sure the PC/THRU switcher at the back of the unit is set to PC position. Go to the AUDIO tab of VirtualDJ config and click on the LINE INPUT button in order the following audio setup to be created.


Line Inputs – Audio configuration


Click to APPLY.

Once the Line Inputs are set as above in the Audio setup, 2 AUX panels will appear on the skin next to the Jogwheels (in the SCRATCH panel of the 4 Decks default skin). Click on the AUX buttons to route the external source to the left or right deck.

Use the INPUT1 and INPUT2 (36) source selectors at the top panel of the unit to select which source you wish to use (AUX/LINE12 for the left and MIC/LINE34 for the right)


Routing Inputs directly to the Master Output
This option is mainly used if you wish to directly output a media source (e.g. a CD player) without VirtualDJ to handle these inputs. Use the PC/THRU switcher at the back of the unit to route the external sources (at THRU position) or the software decks (at PC position) to the Master Output..
In this case, no special audio configuration is required (use the pre-defined that the special button offers)
Note that the mixer of the Akiyama Pulsar will not control the volume of the external sources (will not operate as a standalone mixer) except from the Master Volume knob. The mixer of the unit will still continue to control the software internal mixer, however once the THRU position is selected from the rear side, the sound output of the software decks will be muted

Timecode


The Akiyama Pulsar is capable of Timecode setup and control (DVS).
Connect your CD players or your Turntables to the Line Inputs 1/2 and 3/4. Set the PC/THRU switcher (54) to the PC position. Go to the AUDIO tab of VirtualDJ config and click on the TIMECODE SIGNAL button in order the following audio setup to be created.


Timecode – Audio configuration


Click to APPLY.

Once the Timecode Inputs are set as above in the Audio setup, the TIMECODE panels will appear at the SCRATCH center panel of the default 4 deck skin (or on the side of the Jogwheels for the 2 Decks skin).
Use the ON buttons to enable the timecode control to any of the 4 software decks.

Note. Timecode function requires a Pro Infinity license


Microphone & Recording


The Microphone Input of the Akiyama Pulsar is directly routed to the Master Output of the unit, therefore there is no reason to modify the audio configuration in order to use it properly.

However, in case you will need to record (or broadcast) the microphone along with your mixes, you will need to choose the MIC position from the INPUT2 source selector (36) and manually create the following audio configuration by adding a mic line assigned to Input channels 3&4.


Microphone recording – Audio configuration


Set the PC/THRU back selector to the PC position and enable the MIC from the MASTER center panel.
Note that the Microphone will still go through to the Master Output of the Akiyama Pulsar even if the MIC ON is disabled from the software.

To operate the microphone, you will still need to adjust its volume from the front panel and turn it on/off from the front switcher as well.

No special audio configuration is required in order to simply record your mixes with the Akiyama Pulsar




For further Technical features and specifications, visit

Akiyama Pulsar
Product's Page






Hardware Integration Department
2016 - ATOMIX PRODUCTIONS



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