Soundcard : M-Audio Fast Track Pro

[piburr]

Hay guys, I have the Fast Track Pro and so far it's been working great, with one exception. In the world of DJing I am still extremely wet behind the ears, I've had the Love and Enthusiasm for this music for years and my head is just bursting with ideas and I've been dying to get them out and make it all real, so a few weeks ago I got a vci100 and traktor3.3 and the FTP, and I've been slowly teaching myself how to reconfigure traktor to work the way I want it to. I'm well on my way to getting the knack of oldschool beatmatching and I'm doing quite well with all the midi command rewriting and whatnot, but I just can't figure out how to hear the cue in my headphones.

I'm entirely positive that it's something ridiculously basic but I can't put my finger on it. Could somebody please give me a step by step on how to headphone cue with traktor and the FTP?

It would be much appreciated

[orca]

I'm entirely positive that it's something ridiculously basic but I can't put my finger on it. Could somebody please give me a step by step on how to headphone cue with traktor and the FTP?

it´s simple:look at the picture and set the outputs to the four channels of your FTP(M-audio USB ASIO).
Then plug your headphones to FTP,push the button(to hear the 3/4 channels) next to the headphones level,and you should hear the cued deck(push the cue button in traktor,etc...).
that´s all

[piburr]

Thanks man, but I just figured it out 2 days ago For some reason my monitor output is 1/2, and the master out is 3/4.

It's all working now tho

[ToS]

I Believe to have found the solution to the "vulnerability".
The RCA connectors on the soundcard are (true) too sensitive.
Happened to me that the soundcard freezes while performing on a live DJ gig(5-10 times in one night).

I'm not TOTALLY sure about this solution but in few days I will have this confirmed.

SOLUTION is to avoid usage of RCA outputs in clubs/caffes and connect to TRS balanced 1/2 output. (I feel sorry for the people that need all four outputs.)
I also haven't tried connecting to the SPDIF out, maybe that too works as it should (stable).

If you don't have balanced inputs on your equipment (as many don't) feel free to convert blanced to unbalanced...I do it.

Here is a good document on connectors and balanced conversion.

Please double check everything before you do this. I am not and will not be liable for any damage that you induce on your equipment. My FAST TRACK PRO soundcard works connected like this as I'm writing this article.

[corporation]

this type of convertor exists ? you can convert digital straight to rca ? where can i find such a thing ??

the converter i have does the opposite.

this box converts analog signal to digital signal.

Radio Shack Digital Series Toslink / PCM / S-Video Analog - Digital A/V Signal Converter

model 15-1242

http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Shack-Di.../dp/B000HULNEK

currently you can only find them on ebay...


there are also digital to analog convertors out there as well, these are more common than the analog to digital ones...

[Peter Willis]

has someone tried the line input of the card used as a live input in traktor ?

[ToS]

I did try line input, it works. Even better, you can use two mono inputs and mix it right into the main output therefore the card can be used as a mini mixer.

The solution that i have posted before does not work. IDK if I got a faulty soundcard or the hardware that it is connected to is really bad but I can't get it to work a full hour while out of my home setup. I'm sad, shocked and appalled. Can someone help me please. In two weeks I have a nice gig (that can have an impact on my DJ career) but I can't do it with this hardware. My dj-self-esteem is lost...help pls.

[ToS]

HERE BE THE REAL SOLUTION (or so I hope, it works for me)

With a help of my friends I probably have found the solution to the "sound stops" problem. USB power from the computer is limited to the 500mA which, is not always 500mA but LESS(and this soundcard needs power). That made me go to the store and buy an universal DC power supply 1.5-12V 1000mA (aka wall wart). The wall wart (among many other things haven't helped) because it's output was not filtered and regulated(to the 9V).

The link above is a cheap (and a bit dirty) solution to the problem of voltage regulation. Any electronics engeneer will probably build a better one, and I hope to hear what components should be changed.
PLEASE DO NOT THROW YOUR Fast Track Pro away(as I was intending to) but try to build someting like this or get a wall wart with regulated output(yes, they are sold as regulated and unregulated). To put it simple, buy an expensive one. Hope I helped.

EDIT&UPDATE: This fix helped partially, the #$%@ still manages to lock-up but not so often as it used to. I'm still searching for a solution to this problem...

[Peter Willis]

At first I wanted to get a fast track pro, which is 200 € in Europe. But I finally went for a Presonus Firebox for 260 €.
Here is the stuff you get for you 60 €

- 8 outs vs 4
- great preams
- Smaller size
- Metal casing
- Firewire

I think it's a no brainer !

[ToS]

Mine was 100eur....I guess I did well.