Ideally, yes.

But if you don't (like most people), there's a different option. I highly recommend that you use headphones for this. You can set up Traktor in such a way that the main channel is playing through the left earcup, while the cued up channel is playing through the right. This way you can mix within the headphones.

There is an option for this in the configuration menu, but I don't remember exactly as I'm at work now. I think you just select the "single soundcard" option instead of the "dual soundcard" option (the wording might not be the same).

Now this is how the cueing works: You see the three buttons underneath the volume levels? There's "A", "MIX", and "B". When you click "MIX," you will hear the main channel within both earcups, in stereo. When you hit "A", the main channel will be playing mono within the left earcup, while channel "A" will be playing in the right earcup. The same applies when you click "B".

However, please note that if channel "A" is playing and you click "A" you'll still hear "A" in both earcups, it'll make no difference.

two cards is definitly ideal.. or a usb interface will usually work just fine for monitoring too

-mer

Yea, 2 soundcards is the way to go. But for about $65 you could buy a Turtle BeachSanta Cruz, this has the 2 outputs needed and is supported by Traktor DJ and Studio. Oh and if you use the ASIO drivers from Cubase and Win 2k you can get the fastest latency without spending more than £400+.

Woah, wait a second here guys.

randummboy, how serious are you about mixing using Traktor? If you just want to learn to beatmatch before getting decks then maybe it's not worth shelling out cash for another soundcard. Though it's better to have two, the program is perfectly functional with only one - you can still mix very well.

But if you want to mix only mp3's, or if you foresee using Traktor for a long time, or if you just want the best, then consider getting two soundcards.

This was just to let you know that two soundcards, though preferred, aren't *required*.

a soundcard sufficient for monitoring will run him about $10-15

-mer

Yup, that's correct... I just didn't want him to get the impression that he needed a Soundblaster Audigy Platinum or something.

yea that is fair enuff, u could just use 2 SB 128's for $15.

Ok i use Traktor frequently to keep practising till i can get decks and you don't need a second soundcard. I have a 4 speaker output soundcard (SB live!) and i get it to play the mix out of the front speaker output and i plug my phones into the rear output.

Having said that it's gonna be easier and better to just get a second cheap n nasty sound card

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