Vinyl Time Code Signals unprecise!

Hello everyone,

I have some serious problems which bug me since a long time but i always thought was not mentioning. But this morning I made some session and it freaked me out!

I run Traktor scratch on a MacBook 13'' 2,4GHZ intel core due with 4 gb ram. Hardware Set up is 2x Reloop RP-6000 1x Pioneer DJM-500.

So what bugs me is, that with old school proper Vinyls I play 2 or 3 hour sets and every transition perfectly matched. But since I own Traktor thats since 3 Years I always had the fealing that the Time Codes are influenced very MUCH by basses and stuff like that! I played on an other DVS and I never recognised it to be so bad as in Taktor. With Tomecode CD's everything is perfectly fine! But as I said, I am not able to get a 100% or even a 95% match using the Traktor Scratch Time Code systems with Vinyls!:angry:
I also can see the pitch indicator jumging up and down for like 0,2 -0.4 percent all the time. Also the "circles" which are representing the Timecode signal jump around get bigger, smaller etc. It happens even on "shick resistant DJ Booths"!

I mean in a club it is not that bad, but for Promomixes etc, I can't touch the vinyl every 5 Secs to correct it! (Perfectionist)

I am running the newest version of Traktor.(Very Old time Code Vinyls though) 96 khz Sample rate and 14 Secs respond time!

Can somebody give me an advice of what to do! Shall I stop using Timecode Vinyls? Only CD's? New turnies? Is there a way to get it better? What ever it is tell me! Because I stop loosing my pleasure on using the Timecode Vinyls right now!

Thanks for the answeres already!

Cheers
Dave

 

Buy new timecode vinyl first.
I think you mean 14 ms latency instead of 14 seconds.
With your Macbook you can hit 5 ms latency easily, so lower it.
Pitch fluctuation is normal but maybe your vinyl is a bit of center, or your Reloop's are not that precise.
No worries, try new vinyl first.
When this does not fix your problem, try another set of turntables.

 

Hi fella,

Thx for the response at first! Ur right of course, 14 ms haha imagine 14 sec of latency xD Well I am pretty much afraid of lowering down the latency to 5 ms cause I want to run Traktor perfectly stable under any circumstances. But if you tell me that my BeatMatching problems could be solved or lowered with this I go and give it a shot.

Second, ok I try and buy new Vinyls, but this will probably not solve the problem with the bass influencing the bouncing of the calibration circles. They are always bouncing "on beat" and I think the pitch indicator jumps up and down corresponding to the bouncing calibration circles.

But are Traktor Vinyls for you running perfectly precise? With this post I was also trying to find out if the Timcode System of Traktor with Vinyls isn't that precise anyway. I always heard the opposite but one never knows.

Cheers
M8

 

the lower the latency the quicker the track will react to your manipulation, so yes, lower latency will help your mixing

if the needles bounce during bassy parts of the song it's due to either or both of the following:

not enough tracking force/weight: recalibrate your tonearm and set to the recommended tracking force

speakers way too close to the decks - try isolating them, moving them away from the speakers, or putting the speakers on spikes (prevents transmission of vibrations through the table/floor)

new control vinyl will help too, as they wear out far more quickly than your average record, as you use the continually

EDIT: also, using timecode vinyl, the tempo will never be exact, there will ALWAYS be some fluctuation, but that's normal due to the nature of turntables and playing vinyl, you won't notice it sonically

 

@dj Anubiss

Yes, Traktor timecode vinyl works perfect for me.
For best performance on a Mac turn of wifi, bluetooth and dashboard.
They eat CPU cycles.
Also dj stick gave some good advise.
Good luck.