APC40 - do you need an audio interface?

[sneaky]

Hello all,

This has most likely been covered in previous posts but...
I'm saving up for an APC40 at the moment so I can make the transition from serato to playing fully from Live. Do you think an audio interface is necessary? I've read bits and pieces about it being necessary, especially for cueing tracks. Does everyone use it with an audio interface?

Cheers,

Ollie

[SBRK]

Hello all,

This has most likely been covered in previous posts but...
I'm saving up for an APC40 at the moment so I can make the transition from serato to playing fully from Live. Do you think an audio interface is necessary? I've read bits and pieces about it being necessary, especially for cueing tracks. Does everyone use it with an audio interface?

Cheers,

Ollie

It's better to have one, yes.
Then it depends on what you want to do with it. If you play gige other than in your bedroom, and if you just need one or two stereo outs, a NI Audio2DJ is enough.

[sneaky]

Thanks for the feedback man.

I'd be looking to do eqing, filtering etc using ableton's plug ins rather than using a DJ mixer.

You still think audio2dj is the one?

[Khazul]

Which audio interface to look at depends what you want to connect it to.

Audio 1 Kontrol - balanced XLR mic input, or stereo instrument line, or Hi-Z guitar input, balanced outs suitable for connecting to studio monitors and other 'pro-audio' gear - good low ened studio audio interface.

Even cheaper from NI - Audio 2 DJ - RCA out puts (ultimately) for connecting to consumer HiFi and DJ gear - ideal little audio interfaces for live performance where you just need to cue to cans and connector to back of a DJ mixer.

At the other end of NI scale at the Audio 4/6/8/10 DJ models - all for connecting to DJ gear rather than normal studio gear, but very good for their intended purpose - these are for connecting multiple output to external DJ mixers.

I have both the Audio Kontrol 1 (as a convenient portable pro-audio compatible interface) and Audio 8 DJ (which I use for DJ gear, live connection to DJ mixers etc.)

For you purposes, I would look att either Audio Kontrol 1 or Audio 2 DJ as a minimum depending upon what you are likely to connect it to -0 if nearly allways DJ gear for live performance, then Audio 2 DJ might make sense.

There are loads of other cheap audio interfaces from loads of manufacturers as well - dont know much about them except RME, but my experience with the NI interfaces is they are have very reliable and highly functional audio drivers (at least on PC, cant comment on mac drivers).

If you want something portable and upmarket for connecting to either type of systems and for high end studio recording and montoring use as well as convenient live use, then RME babyface comes to mind - very high quality audio, quite decent drivers, great connectivity options with additional cable loom (balanced TRS/XLR and RCA supported via two different cable looms). Obviously costs a load more.

I personally trust NI software drivers much more for live performance than anyone else at the moment however - even RME.

[IP]

Audio 2 DJ is great for simple DJing (2 chan external mixing), advanced DJing (x-chan Live internal mixing) or for simple semi-live setups (all internal)

in your case (if volumes, eq, fx etc, all happen in live)

A2DJ out 1+2 = live's master out (goes to a mixer input)
A2DJ out 3+4 = Live's cue (goes to headphones)

and everything set

however if you are thinking more as a DJ than a performer you might check vcm-600 (instead of an APC-40)

[sneaky]

Thanks for feedback guys, really helpful!

[Dj Ace]

do you think he vcm 600 is more dj friendly than the apc 40? why?

[IP]

first, its all about personal opinion!

vcm 600 imo is much more logical layered (its knobs faders etc.) ...
each channel has its own space with everything the user needs in a line (classic mixer layout)

it has not 8 faders on left and 8 knobs to the right like the apc does (not saying its bad but for sure it is not so DJ friendly)

This is an example setup of the vcm for a DJ/semi-live set ...
(that i have in mind for my personal needs)