Traktor sounds like crap?

**BennyJ** · 12-25-2010, 10:02 PM

No effects, internal mixer on, no filter, it sounded 'better' before i activated it

**theory28** · 12-25-2010, 10:05 PM

turn off all effect units (and the effects them selves)

and raise your latency
tell me what its at and ill give you a number to go to (try 25, if thats smaller than what youre at then go to 40-50 for now.)

**BennyJ** · 12-25-2010, 10:09 PM

My latency for the audio output? I dont think i can move that

**deviantdigi** · 12-25-2010, 10:12 PM

I take it you have common sense, but check your audio settings inside and outside of Traktor.

I had a bug awhile back where all my audio from Traktor sounded like a piano. Reinstalled and it fixed the problem.

**BennyJ** · 12-25-2010, 10:15 PM

I found it. It was the driver settings. the sampling rate in traktor was lower then the one in the windows driver, so i changed it so that they matched and it sounds perfect now. thanks guys!!!

**theory28** · 12-25-2010, 10:17 PM

thats a midi signal problem. i dont think thats his problem.

but re installing might help.

basic order of diagnostics:
1. close/ re open
2. is everything plugged in right?
3. raise latency
4. retry everything.
5. dick around with the inputs and outputs (if you cant hear anything at all)
7. re install

EDIT: i was typing when you posted. glad to see youve solved the problem.

**mostapha** · 12-26-2010, 01:32 AM

Originally Posted by BennyJ

I found it. It was the driver settings. the sampling rate in traktor was lower then the one in the windows driver, so i changed it so that they matched and it sounds perfect now. thanks guys!!!

Yay.

Yeah…you have to make things like that match. Glad you got it sorted.

BTW, the advice about turning Traktor's limiter off and turning down the master is good…Traktor's limiter sounds like garbage and Traktor's gain staging is kind of messed up IMO.

If you care, turn the limiter off and turn the master down so that the little red lights at the top of the master output meter never turn on. It's basically impossible to clip traktor's mixer based on my testing (unless you try), but it's really easy to cause your sound card to clip or to kick in the limiter, both of which sound bad. Then, just turn up your sound card's volume (even the internal sound card) 'till it's loud enough for you.

Oh, about needing an external sound card…that's kinda BS. You need an external sound card for convenience. IDK what laptop you have or how good/bad its sound card is, but the sound card on my Macbook sounds fine as long as I don't screw things up in software.

**Proof** · 12-26-2010, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by mostapha

Oh, about needing an external sound card…that's kinda BS. You need an external sound card for convenience. IDK what laptop you have or how good/bad its sound card is, but the sound card on my Macbook sounds fine as long as I don't screw things up in software.

Really? I think you need to organize to have a real good listen to a selection sound cars on a good system. It is fairly night and day that, say, an RME sounds a whole lot better right after listening to the output of a Mac.

A lot more separation in the minds and highs will be there, sounding like you have essentially removed a blanket from the speakers, and the highs will generally be less shrill.

Incidentally, the new NI boxes sound a whole lot better than the first Serato box (the original one, the new one is different).

This is based on my observations while looking after the local clubs sound system. I generally back the highs off when cheepers cards are being used. You lose the highs, but you also don't cut peoples heads off.

Also, inboard cards are notorious for grounding issues. Which you can still get with external cards, just less likely.