Many DJs own turntables or CDJs but don’t have the cash to start building out a full setup for control vinyl right away – so how can you test the waters of a DVS system without breaking the bank? Today we’re sharing a tip from DJTT reader ssamkange on how he built his own DVS setup for less than $7.
Editor’s Note: The process described below is for experimentation and budget setups – don’t expect to plug in at a club or festival with the low-end sound cards discussed in this article and to be impressed with the results.
BUDGET CHALLENGE: HERE’S TWENTY BUCKS
- Mixx DJ Software: free download
- Timecode: free if you’re burning CDs (Serato), vinyl can be as cheap as $10
- Cheap USB Soundcards: $5 – $8 (you’ll need two)
- Y-Cables: $0 – 5
Total: $10 if you’re good, but maxing at around $30 if you go “all out”.
In terms of sound sources, if you don’t already have them, scope your local used gear outlets, Craigslist or the DJTT Buy/Sell forum for two decks (turntables or CDJs) and a mixer. These are not included in the budget challenge. Odds are that if you’re reading this article, access to a computer isn’t an issue, so that’s not in the budget either.
CHEAP SOUNDCARDS
This is the major DJ life hack in this project. Forget everything you’ve ever heard about sound cards – it is possible to get halfway decent audio out of a very low-cost USB soundcards. You also don’t need the most incredible soundcard ever for timecode control. It likely won’t stand up to the test in a club or major festival environment, but to quote ssamkange‘s email:
[the setup] worked PERFECTLY. I did a proper hour with NO HICCUPS. Took it a step further. Did a house party and the whole night used my $7 DVS and it was all good.
Here’s a few rules for choosing a cheap soundcard:
- Make sure the inputs and outputs are both stereo – mono will not work (read customer reviews to find out if it isn’t listed)
- Buy two of the same soundcard – they’ll have consistent clocking, and adjusting the latency settings will have the same result on each one.
- Be ready for them to die. Most of these cheap soundcards have a handful of reviews mentioning an untimely demise. They’re cheaply made.
The three cards that we’ve sourced over on Amazon are the iLuv USB Audio Adapter ($9.99), CommonByte USB Sound Card ($3.49), and Virtual 5.1-surround USB 2.0 External Sound Card ($1.90).
ROUTING THE AUDIO
In order to get these soundcards to work for your two-channel DVS setup, you’ll need to have four Y-Cables (Stereo RCA to 1/8″). This is two for each soundcard – one from the turntable/CDJ to the stereo line input, and one from the stereo output to your mixer.
With the software discussed below, you’re able to route input and output audio across multiple soundcards. However, you may need to adjust the latency of the soundcards – and it’s a lot either to do this when they’re grouped together. We recommend combining them in ASIO4ALL (PC) or the built in Audio MIDI Setup utility on Mac OS X and adjusting the latency compensation/ Buffer Offset / Buffer Size until the latency is acceptable. Ssamkange found it worked best when reducing the buffer size to 256 samples and using a 44100k sample rate.
SOFTWARE SELECTION
The last step of getting this budget rig all working is on the software side of things. Serato and Traktor are out right away as they both require proprietary scratch soundcards. Virtual DJ will work fine, but to unlock timecode control will run $299 for the Pro version. This is where the free Mixxx DJ software is the best option. There’s free timecode control that works with Serato, Traktor, or Mixvibes control signals, and the ability to use multiple soundcards within the software’s settings.
You’ll need to configure the settings to choose the soundcards’ (or combined audio device, if applicable) inputs as the timecode input, and the outputs as the master out (see image above). There’s also a place to adjust what type of time code is being used with the system, and additional latency control within the preferences if you’re still having issues.
Have your own extreme budget DJing solution that you use (or had to use in the past)? Let us know in the comments below how you made it happen without throwing down dough.
Anyone found a cheap source for these soundcards yet?
Hello everyone!
I have a drawback with the configuration with serato cds, I managed to make the play work but the sampling of the song goes backwards.
I would like to know if you have given someone and the second question is that it reproduces at a very slow speed.
they help me?..
Thank you!!
Can someone recommend-me a good (and cheap) usb sound card with stereo mic input, because these listed on the article doesn’t have stereo mic in.
I ordered one of the above pictured and found it only has a mono microphone input, at a guess the others pictured are mono too looking on eBay. I have just ordered two USB soundcards that definitely do have stereo mic inputs for 15.00 for the pair from eBay hopefully this will work when I receive them. You should put a note on that picture that those soundcards are all mono input. I have virtual DJ pro already and it put a message up sting the card was mono when I pressed calibrate on virtual DJ 8.
Hi Mark – did you get this to work in the end? And if you did, which soundcards did you end up getting?
No I just ended up buying a second hand traktor a6.
Ah – fair enough. Think I’m going to go down the Akai AMX route as my mixer’s on its way out anyway. Thanks for getting back to me.
Hello! i dont know if this is still alive, but i have a question about headphones and the pre-listen, Can i use the headphone plug of the mixer? (it’s an analog mixer) Or i have to connect the headphones to a different soundcard (or pc headphone out)?
Thank you in advance!
okay now heres the thing i live in country where you 9 dollar soundcard turns out to be 19 dollars when i purchase it here ,(shipping costs are way too expensive here) ,well here is thing is there any sort of solution to use this setup in traktor or serato ??? Please let me know ,i really need to know this before i make a move ,
Con solo una tarjeta de sonido y el programa completo mixxx 2.0 puedes hacer un sistema dvs bien barato. http://deejays.es/mixxx-2-0-ya-es-oficial/ en el enlace analizo la última versión http://deejays.es/mixxx-2-0-ya-es-oficial/
complete digital noob here confused by technology…I”m wanting to create a setup like this but I would like to use my dj mixer. is that possible or do I have to use the software itself to actually mix? also does any one have a picture or link of how to route the audio cables to everything to get this to work? thanks.
http://www.instagramal.com/photo/jeanjaq/954979930645193685_344693831
@spacecamp:disqus Do you have a picture of the setup perhaps? Can I attach a 2 seperate cd players and a 2 chan mixer to this? Thanx!
I am mostly a “home dj”. I love vinyl and have 2 turntables and a mixer. I have wanted a DVS setup ever since I started playing with midi controllers but didnt want to dish out $300-500 to get into it. After reading this article I spent $47 to get everything I needed: 2 usb soundcards, 4 rca y cables, 2 serato contol vinyls, and downloaded Mixxx. It works and I actually like Mixxx. If you are like me and want to try it before spending $500 on traktor/serato gear, dont hesitate, just do it. The cables can be used forever and the control vinyl can be used with the upgraded options.
If anyone is still trying to do this I would recommend getting 2 UFO202s ($30 each) , their inputs and outputs are much more high quality than the cheap sound cards. Right now my current setup uses the cheap sound cards for output to the mixer and it sounds like garbage ( I have tested both my mixer and the sound cards, and it is definitely the sound cards). The UFO202s can be modified using the method here to prevent the timecode signal from going to the outputs: http://www.mixxx.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2438
Not quite the under $20 solution but for about $100 (2 serato time code records + 2 UFO202s) this isn’t bad. The Cheap sound card solution is pretty much unusable though.
do you have to do the mod to the uca202’s as well?
[…] Leia o artigo completo no DJ Techtools (em inglês) […]
I still haven’t found a (cheap) USB sound card with -stereo- line in. Any suggestions?
A Chinese 6-channel soundcard (different brands) in blue aluminium enclosure, available from Amazon, eBay or buyInCoins straight from Hong-Kong. Based on C-Media chip. Be aware: the outputs are ill designed for headphone use, it fails terribly at driving my headphones. Also disassemble before use, check solder quality, and re-assemble. There may be a stray bit of wire or solder, and if it gets between power pins, the result may be very sad indeed.
I’ll try to see whether a simple mod can fix the outputs to be more headphone-friendly, but you may want to use it in a chain with headphone amplifier instead.
Next up in price are the Behringer soundcards and then the bigger boys like U-Mix 44.
Thanks for your reply!
Hi Guys can i use this using a ddj sx and 2 x technics 1210s
Cheers
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
Hi. ssamkange here. Ok guys, I found these soundcards at some chinese shop. Unfortunately they weren’t branded (obviously) but, I’ll make sure I visit the same shop and ask but, I do know they can be found for sure.
So the question is has anyone found a USB soundcard that has a stereo input on the cheap? I have had a good hunt and most of the ones that I have found are mono mic input.
for people who know linux, there is a much more stable if minimalist project called xwax. http://xwax.org/
its a lot more basic than mixxx but performs extremely well on older computers. (3ms latency on an eeepc)
i’ve used it live for a few years and never let me down.
a word of warning though, if you’ve never compiled your own software and don’t know the command line then it’s not for you.
oh and i forgot an important thing: mixxx’s timecode engine is based on xwax.
when I was starting out. I used two behringer UCA 200 and did the same audio routing as this.. 🙂 at first, I tried it on Virtual DJ and with some tweaks it worked perfectly fine. Then, when I got my copy of Traktor Scratch Pro (When the waveforms aren’t colored yet) I did the same tweaking and it also worked fine.. Even used it for single timecode purposes, used it for a couple of years until I bought my Native Instruments Audio 6.
I taught it to some of my handful friends who still couldn’t afford to buy serato or traktor box, and up til now they do it. And because of that, I got loads of my own modified tweaks on audio and software 🙂
Can you share how to route this like set up wise. Like which rca goes where in to the mixer etc. I’m just trying to hook up one table to a gemini cdm-1000 for a basement set up using mixx
Hey, this is super helpful but if you’re looking to reach out to beginners it’s very jargon-y. Is there anything even more basic, for someone just looking to experiment?
Thank you!
ssamkange – if you’re reading this, what exact soundcard did you use?
Yooo, the CommonByte sound card does NOT have a stereo line-in. I didn’t see that mentioned here or in the Amazon reviews, but that very well could be my fault. Anyways, just so no one else makes the same mistake. I guess I jumped the gun and assumed the three mentioned in this article would all work.
What people should do is put money aside, if you dig, love and respect the industry you give something back, i bought a thousand records even before i even had a decen dj setup. i’ll NEVER stop using them as the soundquality is superior, im going a step forward and getting me a DSD Converter to improve the “ok” soundquality on CD
, imagine what it will do on crappy mp3s, it will murder it completely. the problem is that it cost about $2000 / 3000 but there no shortcut to the perfect sound!
Serato timecode is copyright protected. It’s not free, as you mentioned, for CD burners !
Just an idea… change that dollars pictures for euro ones, and this will work in Europe too!… (Just kidding…) Dan, thankyou for your great tutorial! Really great information on it, simple and well done!
I was just thinking today how to make a DVS system for an iPad. This HAS to be a much sought after set up!?
It already has Alan: http://www.digitaldjtips.com/2013/12/use-ipad-dvs/
Excellent – thank you so much for the link! Something I clearly missed, but now super happy you have directed me to this…. Cheers!
Shame I still have the audio 8 – non-usb compliant and no separate mains power!
just wana say u guys are nasty at pickn logos; there are ppl out there who appreciate the graphic-mashups too! nice: time-code/2-10s/technic-clipart: no guesswork as to the contents of the article!
very interresting tip, i will try with mixvibes dvs
mic input is more useable with phono signal
Mixxx lead developer here. Thanks for the mention of Mixxx!
Just a quick note that we’ve got our latest release, Mixxx 1.12.0 right around the corner. We’re planning a beta release April 1 and a final release May 1.
After over a year of development, we’re packing a lot this time around:
* 4 decks (including 4 vinyl control inputs if you want to use 4 turntables)
* Master sync
* Key detection and pitch shifting (independent of tempo) for harmonic mixing.
* 4 effect units for built-in effects (this also introduces all the necessary plumbing for LV2/VST, effect send/receive, and advanced chaining in a future release)
* beatloop rolls (now you can create beatloops and automatically jump to where the track would have been if you hadn’t enabled the loop when you release it)
* Resizable skins (yes, finally!)
* Vinyl control deck passthrough (switch to real vinyl temporarily)
* Auxiliary inputs that pass through to the master mix.
* Custom key notations (pick between traditional, OpenKey, Lancelot notation or a custom one)
* Beat jumping and loop move
* multiple library folders
* mono output and input support (easily do the Master/Headphone trick on one stereo output)
Along with over 100 performance, quality and usability improvements.
You can monitor our progress towards 1.12.0 here:
https://launchpad.net/mixxx/+milestone/1.12.0
And, if you are a programmer you can join us and add whatever features you want! Mixxx is a community effort created by DJs, for DJs.
All of our code is on GitHub here: https://github.com/mixxxdj/mixxx
Quite an impressive feature list there. I’m incredibly looking forward to it. Thanks for all the effort, and keep up the amazing work.
Thanks for the update, RJ! Looking exciting for this spring.
RJ thanks for the awesome free dj app been using it eversince. hope more devs are joining the project so i can add my video playback wishlist.
Is this possible to put it into an iPad App???
we need a WORKING mapping for the gemini g2v
I had no idea that there were such cheap soundcards available on the market. I’m definitely going to snag some for my bedroom set up so that I can leave my NI soundcard packed properly in my gear bag. I hate packing and unpacking gear cause there is always the chance something will get left behind.
-RT
It don’t get more ghetto than this.
I always wonderred if this would work, but never cared to buy 2 cheap USB devices to try it.
This is basically creating an aggregate device in WIN.
For those of you that can’t put 2 & 2 together – see also THIS blog article:
http://www.djtechtools.com/2014/03/07/hack-a-mixer-to-be-traktor-scratch-certified/
In the very beginning of my dj days I soldered a stereo to 2 mono cable on my own to use it with a cracked version of VDJ which allowed to select the stereo splitter option. It was hours of trial and error, because I had zero knowledge about the proper routing of the audio signals. Finally it worked and I had my own possibility to cue songs. I got a cheap cheap cheap omnitronic mixer at the flea market, soldered some more cables, played some housepartys and finally ended up in a huge club where I was allowed to play the first 30 minutes after opening 🙂
The DJs laughed at me and my DYI solution and the DJ who was supposed to play after me didn’t come so I played a bit longer. After about 30 minutes the main room soundsystem failed and suddenly my room was packed with people and they all liked it a lot.
End of the story: I played this same party in front of huge 500 people crowds for the next 6 years and bought my first DVS M-audio torq with the money I got. (I was more satisfied with my DYI solution)
So yeah… try stuff like this it gives you so much more knowledge and experience than just plugging in some shitty controller!
Wow, thanks for the great story. It makes me want to go and try stuff out!
As I got interested in DJing I downloaded mixxx and controlled it with my gamepad and joystick (using MJoy and mixxx’ scripting engine) – well I still use mixxx with my controller and external mixer along with ableton live.
My first controller were two pots (x/y) broken out of the joystick. It was not even a USB one but D-sub 15 connected directly to the soudcard.
Man you had it easy compared to me, I started djing with a brand traktor s4 with every built in feature and the traktor pro 2 software.. Psshhh beat that 😀
The soundflower may have a huge negative impact on the latency… In my opinion its much better to make an aggregate device on the osx to combine the soundcards than using any 3rd party app like the soundflower or jack etc…
Great call – I’m going to modify the article to reflect this.
Awesome! Thanks for this one DJTT