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I've decided to start using Traktor and Ableton for a local 'original music only' night (i.e laptops only - lol). Looking for a USB soundcard for my laptop, but I don't really understand what I need. Presumeably I need a soundcard with two outputs - one to monitor and one for output, but can this be achieved using the headphone socket on most USB soundcards?

Or is this just for monitoring playback whilst you record?
Would I then have to get a 4 in/out in order to have a secondary output for monitoring?

Plus any recommendations?

the edirol ones are rather good
i had a ua25 -

"Have to listen in real time? Monitor Direct! The UA-25 includes a power set of direct monitor controls that allow you to route audio directly from the inputs to the outputs & the headphone jack, so you don’t have to listen with latency. "

i used it with a little tapco mixer so i could have the aux sends to the laptop and the standard outs to my speakers

fuck my diagram screwed up but basically a ua 25, 2 standard instrument cables and an rca and a little tapco mixer is the ideal setup for an ableton windows rig , used it myself until recently - no problems at all , easy installation etc piss to setup on ableton... if u get any probs just let us know

motu make sick cards but tend to be expensive..the ultralite is boom - but 500 in paperworth...

it's not usb, but i recommend one of these.


http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/CardB ... /index.php

I've gigged for 2 years with one. it has a headphone socket, and it's totally compact.

The only problem you are going to have with laptops is called a "ground loop". This happens when the sound source (laptop) is connected to the same mains loop as the P.A.- it creates a loop through the ground connections in the mains circuits- a buzzing feedback sound.

The solution to this is to either a) buy a more expensive soundcard with balanced (xlr or phantom) outputs, or b) take the earth wire off your laptop's power supply... Take a guess which is the Health and Safety preferred method

andythetwig wrote:it's not usb, but i recommend one of these.


http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/CardB ... /index.php

I've gigged for 2 years with one. it has a headphone socket, and it's totally compact.

The only problem you are going to have with laptops is called a "ground loop". This happens when the sound source (laptop) is connected to the same mains loop as the P.A.- it creates a loop through the ground connections in the mains circuits- a buzzing feedback sound.

The solution to this is to either a) buy a more expensive soundcard with balanced (xlr or phantom) outputs, or b) take the earth wire off your laptop's power supply... Take a guess which is the Health and Safety preferred method

Ahhh nice one twig!!! Thats why I get that ground loop!

the ua25 has balanced 1/4 outs and
"the aluminum is an excellent shield against high-frequency interference from other electrical components", costs about 20 more than the indigo.

most soundcards have this these days , that indigo is abit underspec but if it works it works....

clarkycatDealer wrote:the ua25 has balanced 1/4 outs and
"the aluminum is an excellent shield against high-frequency interference from other electrical components", costs about 20 more than the indigo.

most soundcards have this these days , that indigo is abit underspec but if it works it works....

ahh shit didn't release how much that indigo thingy was.. surely with edirol it only has one set of outputs though? So if you were going to monitor one channel and play another, you'd have to use the mono left/right thing that traktor has to split one output into two?

haha, do you work for roland or something?

thas the thing a bit pro sound cards most are not really built with dj'ing specifically in mind but obviously work just fine - but with this tapco blend 6 [or indeed any other compact mixer with aux sends] you have it totally sorted


http://media.zzounds.com/media/brand,zz ... ba88f8.jpg

basically you just use the aux send out as your headphone out thusly giving each channel seperate speaker and headphone volume controls! sorted!

and u can plug a mic straight in and start shouting shit . what more can you ask for?




if you look about you can get both the ua 25 and blend 6 for under 200 quid , well worth it i reckon!



yeah man i run shit at roland anyone want a crate of new old stock 808s?