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Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:27 pm
by mta7388
Hey all,

I've been asked to DJ for a party coming up but my current hardware is very limiting, as I've bought gear with only producing in mind. I have a Presonus Inspire audio interface that only has an rca stereo out (red/white), meaning no proper multi-output possibilites to monitor on headphones.

Are there any workarounds so I could pull off having a mix going into my headphones to preview/beatmatch the next track? My only thought would be if Ableton (what I'm using live) could recognize two soundcards (internal + inspire), and that way I could just plug my headphones into the internal soundcard on my macbook.

Possible?

kinda feel like a jackass asking this question, but hey why not.

Re: I want YOU to help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 3:03 pm
by faultier
http://www.ableton.com/pages/faq/audio#faq_13_link

"I have two sound cards in my computer. Can I use one for the main output and one for pre-listening?
Live does not support simultaneous use of multiple sound cards/audio interfaces."

just trainwreck every mix, unless there's another dj in the audience, no one will notice :4:

(sorry for not being helpful at all)

Re: I want YOU to help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 3:23 pm
by mta7388
well that takes ableton out.....i wonder if virtual dj can do multiple soundcards? mainly because it's fo free, at least the non-pro version?

and i've pulled off djing with my setup just fine, but i'd like to do it without having to set up everything preshow and have more of a live feel to it.

Re: Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 5:32 pm
by NRHc
Are you on mac?
If you are on mac,you could go in Audio Midi Setup,choose create aggregate audio device,select your interface and the built-in audio and name it say "double soundcard',when you go in ableton you should have 'double soundcard' in your interface list..
Thats what I did to be able to cue on traktor since I have an apogee duet with only one output too..I plug my phones in the built in and the master on my soundcard!
sorry for the bad english,hope this helps!

Re: Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:45 pm
by mta7388
thanks for the tip, that is extremely helpful. I am on mac I never bothered to understand aggergate devices in the audio midi setup. I don't think it will show up as "double soundcard" but besides the terminology this is exactly the solution I needed. will have to wait until i get home to try it.

thanks

Re: Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:06 pm
by dubmatters
I also use the aggregate setup for traktor and it also works with ableton:

Image

Re: Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 1:33 am
by sully_harmitage
Nice hint that.
But if doesn't work, there's solace in the fact that if you know your tracks and have warped them properly you can definitely do ableton sets without any headphones...

Re: Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 6:04 am
by Electric_Head
Use one cable but split it to 2 mono channels.
Route one channel to left and another to right.
It`s not great bit it works just fine.

Use a virtual DJ prog to mix.

It`s how I got by for some time.

Re: Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:11 am
by mta7388
yeah i got by for a few gigs with the prewarping method, but it's not idea. The aggregate device way seems like the way to go.
And if I were to split my stereo out into two different mono channels, not sure which cable would be able to do that.

Re: Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:15 am
by Electric_Head
You have to cut the cable up and mod it.
It`s not too difficult

Re: Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 2:59 pm
by mta7388
gonna try the aggregate device before there's any cable cuttin

Re: Multiple soundcards/help me with my ghetto DJ setup

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2011 6:25 pm
by mta7388
:(
setup works fine and got the cue going into my headphones, but ableton slows to an absolute crawl when using an aggregate device for some reason. Whenever I inseert a song and it starts to warp it just freezes. Then if I switch to back to my regular audio interface, it works flawlessly. Any fixes?