Prelistening while playing audio on laptop?

TranceAddict Forums (www.tranceaddict.com/forums)
- DJ Booth
-- Prelistening while playing audio on laptop?

Posted by StanVoid on Dec-03-2008 02:08:

Prelistening while playing audio on laptop?

I have two sound cards installed on my laptop (en internal one and an external one (Xmod). Is it possible to set up my Winamp to play something on my speakers and prelisten something else via my headphones at the same time?

If not through winamp, would a more advanced audio suite like Ableton allow me to do this? I'm basically trying to DJ a party off my laptop and would like to have the ability to prelisten to stuff while the main audio is playing on speakers.

Thanks,
Stan.

Posted by Excess on Dec-03-2008 02:33:

Re: Prelistening while playing audio on laptop?

quote:
Originally posted by StanVoid
I have two sound cards installed on my laptop (en internal one and an external one (Xmod). Is it possible to set up my Winamp to play something on my speakers and prelisten something else via my headphones at the same time?

If not through winamp, would a more advanced audio suite like Ableton allow me to do this? I'm basically trying to DJ a party off my laptop and would like to have the ability to prelisten to stuff while the main audio is playing on speakers.

Thanks,
Stan.

not sure about ableton but you can try VDJ since it's very basic and i believe has cueing. traktor definitely does if you care to check that out

Posted by whiskers on Dec-03-2008 04:36:

you can set up winamp preferences (output -> direct sound?) to use a specific sound card and you can tell windows to do the same (control panel -> sounds -> audio -> default device)

this way you can set up winamp to use the internal souncard and set the external one as windows default

most 'pro' dj software will have output routing... however, i think in traktor, for example, you can only use one soundcard. you'd have to deal with asio drivers and settings if you want more.

Posted by StanVoid on Dec-03-2008 05:08:

quote:
Originally posted by whiskers
you can set up winamp preferences (output -> direct sound?) to use a specific sound card and you can tell windows to do the same (control panel -> sounds -> audio -> default device)

Is there maybe a Winamp plugin that would allow to play different tracks from a playlist at the same time via the speakers and via the headphones?

Posted by veezee on Dec-03-2008 05:30:

Why not just "demo" some other software like Traktor or something along those lines? Much easier..

Jay

Posted by whiskers on Dec-03-2008 14:33:

quote:
Originally posted by StanVoid
Is there maybe a Winamp plugin that would allow to play different tracks from a playlist at the same time via the speakers and via the headphones?

I don't know, but why would you want to do that anyway, without at least pitch control, and a fader, let alone EQ and volume faders?

Just get some DJing software, there's free apps out there. I heard http://www.mixxx.org/ is OK, probably much better than winamp.

Posted by ziptnf on Dec-03-2008 21:57:

Hey, guys, I'm having similar problems. I just bought a new Creative Soundcard and I'm using Traktor Pro, trying to prelisten with the little headphones button next to the deck.

The plugs on the soundcard are, mic, line in (for speakers), a black plug (i suppose for headphones?), and a blue one for some other audio input i believe. I'm trying to figure out how I should route the outputs so I can listen to one deck while the other deck is playing.

The only things they have in the Output Routing menu is the Output Monitor and the Output Master. The options for Monitor and Master are Digital Audio Interface Out 0 and 1, or Speakers 0 and 1. Digital Audio Interface is selected by default.

Any input on how to route properly to headphones would be great

Posted by djsaekone on Dec-03-2008 22:21:

Ziptnf,

You prob need the right ASIO drivers for that.

Stanvoid,
I dont think you can run winamp with 2 audio cards....but i know winamp has a crossfade feature. Someone posted some free dj software a while back.....I think its called Mixxx

Posted by elFreak on Dec-03-2008 22:42:

http://www.asio4all.com/

Posted by ziptnf on Dec-05-2008 04:38:

Alright, I've tried everything. I installed those ASIO drivers, set up my soundcard as 5.1 and it opened up 8 more channels for the Master and Monitor. I see the logic in it, have the Master play out of 1 and 2 (the front two speakers), and have the "rear speakers" (my headphones in the black port) play through the Monitor at 3 and 4, 5 and 6, or such combinations.

Unfortunately, that basically routes the same audio to my headphones that is being played out of my speakers. How do I get it to separate the two so I can cue? Is that possible?

By the way, I'm on a desktop, not a laptop.

Posted by Stu Cox on Dec-06-2008 11:21:

quote:
Originally posted by whiskers
I don't know, but why would you want to do that anyway, without at least pitch control, and a fader, let alone EQ and volume faders?

Get the pitchfork plugin for Winamp, select the option in preferences in Winamp allowing multiple instances, set each one to a different sound card output and you're away

Bloody awkward to use, but it can be done!

But yeah, you might as well just get a bit of kit designed for the job.