Native Instruments has announced their cheapest DJ product of the year – a simple splitter cable that takes a headphone output and splits it into two outputs, one for a master out and the other for a precue. Essentially, the Traktor DJ Cable is a basic stereo splitter that then allows DJ software to send mono outputs to each split end.
Is having a cable like this handy? Absolutely. In fact, you can use it with any laptop or iPad with a headphone output, as long as the software supports splitting the master and cue outputs to different channels (left and right) on the same device.
The key thing to note here is that this isn’t an innovative product – while the hero video from NI below describes it as the easiest way to split up outputs from Traktor DJ, any splitter cable will do the job. While the Traktor DJ Cable clearly has reinforced structure on the cable itself to prevent it from bending excessively and getting shorts at the connection points, it does have a price tag of $19.99.
A quick search on Amazon shows that less-heavily-designed cables that do the exact same thing cost less than half the price:
Works as well with Djay Pro, which is awesome!
i’ve been using this with the first mixing software…more than one decade ago
the routing diagram
wow — they marketed my idea …. finally
most PA systems run in mono — see my other posts from that era
http://www.native-instruments.com/forum/showthread.php?79535-Audio-Output-When-Djing-On-Laptop&highlight=split+mono+signaturex
Let’s clear this up. Yes, this cable splits to two mono channels. BUT the mono signals are routed to both the left and right channels of each output. Meaning you hear the mono signal out of both speakers of a stereo PA AND in both ears of your headphones. Most splitters end up giving you true mono on the output side. This means you only hear out of one ear in your headphones + one speaker of a stereo PA. Or they just duplicate the signal out both channels so you can use two pairs of headphones.
The only other cable I have found that does what this one does is by Griffin (it is a little cheaper):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0056XAWOU/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I guess it’s very handy cable for ipad dj…but not for z1,s2,s4…owners
Why did the article says no sound card needed…?coz without a proper sound card,
you will not be able to get the descent 24 bit sound that is essential for the clubs..!
hmm…fill me out guys.
For $20 I was expecting them to TDM two stereo outputs…
Two mono outputs. Lame.
Any splitter cable could do this, hell they even give them out free on some airlines!
Most (or some) splitter cables split in two stereo outputs (i.e. both outputs have the exact same sound) instead of 2 mono outputs, so no, not any splitter cable could do this. Not that there’s anything new or innovative about this cable either.
Ah yes, good point.
it is the software that puts the channels you are mixing (your two music tracks) separately onto the left and right stereo outputs as mono signal. The cable then splits the stereo left (mono) into two speakers and the stereo right (mono) into two headphones ears.
My question is. If I record my set, is it recorded in mono or stereo?
If you are using Traktor to record your set it will stereo as the recording is independent of the output setup you’re using.
So you end up with the music in mono? Seriously? What a lame product.
Works with Traktor Pro ?
yes will work with traktor pro just set your output master R and output monitor L or vice versa
But I will get two stereo output ? Just bought a Traktor Audio 2 i’m sad haha
No stereo. Just two mono channels one for master and one for monitoring.
You would be best going out of your Audio 2 into a 2 channel external mixer or using it along side a midi controller with the internal Traktor mixer.
Ok thanks for the information, I will stay with my great Audio 2 🙂
Both outputs will be mono with this cable.
This is a very, very clever move. Provide simple answers for kids who just want to “turn up and rock a party”. Their software gets installed on more devices, people get to experience the limitations of mono outs and poor levels and search for better solutions. NI then provide incremental improvements at the bottom end of the market – external soundcards, pro soundcards, controllers, pro controllers, entire rigs.
By covering the bottom end of the market they get users from Day 1 and provide them a clear upgrade path. The fact that everyone in the know already had these cables but had to go digging through the settings to set up Mono outs, means Traktor just add a simple option to their software and make a play to grab the market from top to bottom.
Very smart move giving explicit options for the got-no-money-but-big-ideas teen market.
When I started using Traktor it wasn’t possible to monitor without having a soundcard with multiple outs. How long has this been possible?
it has been possible since at least traktor 3
I have Traktor pro and it’s possible to split a stereo USB card to monitor and master out.
A bit more opinion in the comments to keep the article less opinionated: my guess is this is targeted at non-DJ purchasers who want to buy “everything they need” to get started DJing – and that this will simply be an upsell product with the Kontrol Z1.
But if they get the Z1, why would they need a headphone splitter? It already has a cue out. I’d wager this is more toward the sometimes-iPad DJ who has set a very distinct margin between their impromptu Traktor DJ sets and more professional Traktor Scratch Pro sets.
Good call, Z1 already has headphone split. Maybe they’ll sell the cable from inside of the the Traktor DJ application?