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Sujet: New Timecode ASIO Soundcard

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Hello Everyone,

Im looking at upgrading my soundcard and I need some advice....

I used to use the M-Audio Conectiv but that has a problem with static when sometimes connecting / disconnecting the phono cables which makes their driver crash (have tried different ones with different drivers and same problem).

I then started using the Hercules Trim but I found the output levels of this isn't very good (the Torq has a +10db gain on the outputs), which is a problem when I do the bigger clubs.

Can anyone suggest a stable timecode USB soundcard which has a tweaked output gain which could be used for timecoding?

Cheers

Dan
 
Posté Sat 13 Mar 10 @ 6:36 am
I find that you should want the soundcard to have a relaible signal for input, but you should rely on your mixer for proper gain output in the club. I use a MAya 44usb and have also used Serato's SL-1 in the club and both perform fine when using a quality mixer such as a pioneer DJM, but when used on like a behringer I find the power lacking and I'm maxing my output on both the channel and master. If you are finding a weak signal from the timecodes, consider upgrading your needles or possilby turntable (I use a Numark TTX which makes a strong enough signal I connect it to line instead of phono; also no need to ground). Another thought is using a better timecode vinyl like Serato. Hope this helps.
 
djtriple9 wrote :
I find that you should want the soundcard to have a relaible signal for input, but you should rely on your mixer for proper gain output in the club. I use a MAya 44usb and have also used Serato's SL-1 in the club and both perform fine when using a quality mixer such as a pioneer DJM, but when used on like a behringer I find the power lacking and I'm maxing my output on both the channel and master. If you are finding a weak signal from the timecodes, consider upgrading your needles or possilby turntable (I use a Numark TTX which makes a strong enough signal I connect it to line instead of phono; also no need to ground). Another thought is using a better timecode vinyl like Serato. Hope this helps.


Yeah I used to use a Maya 44usb but then upgraded to the Conectiv. Its really the output thats the issue, the timecode inputs are fine. With DJM's I have no problems. The issues seem to be on the Allen and Heath mixers but obviously they are professional mixers so I can't ask the club to change!

Dan
 
Wow; I'm surpised. I got excellent reposnse on a Xone-92, and with that mixer you should be able to plug into the midi with usb making the sound card a non-issue. If that's not possible you could try boosting the output in your ASIO control panel in VDJ....othe than that Connectiv does have the highest output. You may want to look at the audio8 by traktor or look at firewrire solutions.
 
djtriple9 wrote :
Wow; I'm surpised. I got excellent reposnse on a Xone-92, and with that mixer you should be able to plug into the midi with usb making the sound card a non-issue. If that's not possible you could try boosting the output in your ASIO control panel in VDJ....othe than that Connectiv does have the highest output. You may want to look at the audio8 by traktor or look at firewrire solutions.


The one at the club is the Xone-64 I believe so doesn't have the midi connection. The asio control panel for the herc is totally maxed out. Couldnt see anywhere within virtual DJ to booth the output level though?

The audio 8 does look tastey but seems very expensive (twice the price of the herc), I would be more inclined to buy a serato SL3 box. Don't suppose you know if that works with VDJ?

Cheers

Dan
 
Look at the Hercules DJ Trim, i traded in my audio8 for one and wouldnt go back build and sound quality is top rate.
 
djjameslake wrote :
Look at the Hercules DJ Trim, i traded in my audio8 for one and wouldnt go back build and sound quality is top rate.


Thats what im using mate and that is what has the low output
 
Virtual dj wont be able to find the SL3 box if you connect it. It wont work
 
Caliente123 wrote :
Virtual dj wont be able to find the SL3 box if you connect it. It wont work


How about if I used "Asio 4 All" with it?
 
The best output gains I have test has with +4DB nominal outputs (professional standard use). If you are looking for best of those, I prefer to use Echo AudioFire 4. It sounds better than Hercules DJTrim and also better than NI Audio 8.

You can buy a cheap PCMCIA or PCI FireWire extension ports card and use FireWire.

Any Music system with RCA inputs need -10db nominal input/output sources, not +4db. Only when you use some 1/4 plugs or balanced input, you may need +4DB.

Anyway, Echo AudioFire 4 has +17.2db output rates. The outputs are cristal clear and with deep bass sounds, I can't find anything like this in other sound card, maybe NI Audio 8 is not so bad, but even with that Echo is better in 6db (Audio 8 has 108db Dynamic Range than 114 in Echo AudioFire) and flat response.

SSL has nothing, nothing to do with any of those, because it has about 105 db of Dynamic Range and has no flat response.
 
The SL3 box uses a proprietary driver. Not asio or anything else.
 
acw_dj wrote :
The best output gains I have test has with +4DB nominal outputs (professional standard use). If you are looking for best of those, I prefer to use Echo AudioFire 4. It sounds better than Hercules DJTrim and also better than NI Audio 8.

You can buy a cheap PCMCIA or PCI FireWire extension ports card and use FireWire.

Any Music system with RCA inputs need -10db nominal input/output sources, not +4db. Only when you use some 1/4 plugs or balanced input, you may need +4DB.

Anyway, Echo AudioFire 4 has +17.2db output rates. The outputs are cristal clear and with deep bass sounds, I can't find anything like this in other sound card, maybe NI Audio 8 is not so bad, but even with that Echo is better in 6db (Audio 8 has 108db Dynamic Range than 114 in Echo AudioFire) and flat response.

SSL has nothing, nothing to do with any of those, because it has about 105 db of Dynamic Range and has no flat response.



Yeah it looks good, but don't see how I can use it for Timecoding as it need to have 2 pair input and a 2 pair output?
 
Caliente123 wrote :
The SL3 box uses a proprietary driver. Not asio or anything else.


Ah right I see. Thank you for clarifying!
 
Ok after further investigation I have found the Audio 4 which looks more suited to my needs, here is the comparison with my current DJ trim. If somone could tell me which is louder either -10dBv or +10dBu this would help me out a lot.

Audio 4

Professional 24-bit/96 kHz audio interface with ultra-high quality Cirrus Logic® AD/DA converters
Four 9.7 dBu outputs (RCA)
Four 12 dBu inputs switchable between line and phono

Hercules DJ Trim

Two +4dBu ¼" Jack outputs for PA equipment and four -10dBv RCA outputs for mixing decks and conventional amplifiers.
The Wolfson WM8770 codec, a 24-bit codec (DAC: 106 dB SNR A-weighted / ADC: 102dB SNR A-weighted)
The Wolfson WM8781 stereo ADC code (102dB SNR A-weighted)
Apart from the above I couldn't find any more technical information on the Trim e.g. the input levels or the frequency

Any advice would be appreciated.

Regards

Dan
 
When you use AudioFire 4, you also use 8 adapters from 1/4" plug to RCA. I use it with Timecode vinyls and CDs too, I don't find anything with this clear sound Hi-Fi and deep bass. That's why I recommend it.

I already test Audio 4, Audio 8, SSL-1, M-Audio 410, 610, Fasttrack Pro, Numark DJIO, OmniControl, Maya 44, U46DJ, Creative X-Fi PLatinum, Creative X-Fi 5.1 USB, Denon HC-4500, DN-2500, DN-1200, Pioneer CDJ-400, CDJ-2000, SPC-1, MEP-7000, AudioFire 2, AudioFire 4, AudioFire 8 Pre, Hercules DJ Console MK2, RMX, and some others Like Presonus and others...

All those with exception of CDJ-2000, sound less clear & sharp and good as Echo AudioFire works. Echo AudioFire is the only sound card I found that really sounds like a CDJ-2000 or CDJ-1000 with CDs. So because of this, I recommend it.

About your question on Audio 4 or DJTrim... I go for DJ Trim all the ay, because it has more output than Audio 4 and has more support than NI Audio 4. But based on my experience, I go for Echo AudioFire 4 to have clear sound Hi-Fi quality and deep bass like no others.
 
Hi, just to add my 2 cents, I got the echo audiofire 4 recommended to me a while ago, I bought it and it kicks serious butt!

I don't use timecode I'm afraid so I can't comment on that, but quality and latency wise it's a very good card. I can't compare to the NI audio 4 and audio 8 because I've never used them, but this thing is a beast!

As was just said, a few phono to jack adaptors is all you need to get it working. (the reason the card uses jack inputs and outputs is so that it can handle balanced signals from mics and professional broadcast and studio recording equipment as well as the unbalanced signals from turntables and CDJs)
 
Cheers for your input guys.

I shall investigate this further and do the calculations based on the technical specifications of the device.

FYI though, I have been doing some calculations on output levels and have found the following which is quite interesting:

Hercules DJ Trim - Output
-10 dBV
-7.78 dBU
0.31 v (RMS)

Serato SL1 – Output
2.78 dBV
5 dBU
1.38 v (RMS)

Audio 4 – Output
7.78 dBV
10 dBU
2.5 v (RMS)

I will see if I can dig out the specs for the Audiofire 4 also!
 


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