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Forum: VirtualDJ Technical Support

Topic: Audio quality - Page: 1
I've been using Serato for last 6 years, and bought virtual DJ last month started using it. I can see huge difference between on Audio quality between both softwares.

I feel Serato is more good on audio quality than virtual Dj. can anyone suggest how to improve the audio quality on virtual Dj
 
Posted 7 days ago @ 6:40 am
Use a VST plugin like Loudmax if you want a more "coloured" sound output.
 
Posted 7 days ago @ 7:22 am
VDJ Guru wrote :

I feel Serato is more good on audio quality than virtual Dj. can anyone suggest how to improve the audio quality on virtual Dj


Actually Serato audio quality is technically worse. You can directly measure that

But it's by design - they change the audio to make it warmer and punchier
So you don't get the audio out that you put in, but instead you get something else that some prefer, even though it's technically bad quality. Like pressing the "Loudness" button on old stereos

If you want to mimic that in VDJ you can use a plugin like Loudmax like suggested
Here is an example:
 
Posted 7 days ago @ 10:21 am
It's really unfortunate that this conversation keeps coming back up but it doesn't seem like the persons making the claim actually understand the reason behind it (Serato's hidden coloring mechanism)/do some form of audio analysis to confirm.

It's even more unfortunate that some of these people echoing the claim are DJs running prominent blogs/websites/channels that other DJs may look up to.

Is there any value in having a Wiki page written to capture this information and maybe even have a reference to it anchored somewhere near the top of the main Technical Support page?
 
Posted 7 days ago @ 11:18 am
DJ VinylTouch wrote :

Is there any value in having a Wiki page written to capture this information and maybe even have a reference to it anchored somewhere near the top of the main Technical Support page?


It won't help. People don't want to learn
The only thing that would work would be to add a loudness plugin, and call it something positive like "Enhanced audio output" in the settings - and then show that to people when they complain, without telling them that it's actually making the audio quality worse
It's for the "venti iced coffee, 22 pumps caramel, 11 sugars, and extra cream" Starbucks order -segment
 
Posted 7 days ago @ 11:41 am
AdionPRO InfinityCTOMember since 2006
Something that would also help to understand the difference is if someone could provide a recording of both to let us hear the difference they are getting.
 
Posted 7 days ago @ 12:33 pm
But that's the thing...they don't provide evidence because they really can't - they don't really have a definition for "higher quality", outside of assuming punchier/more colored = higher quality.
 
Posted 7 days ago @ 7:25 pm
OK, this morning I installed Serato on my test machine using just default settings (as I've never used it before in my life) and recorded a couple of tracks then did the same with VDJ. RCA output from the FLX10 to a Creative sound card input to a second laptop and recorded in audacity.

I did the Serato ones first then noticed the VDJ output was REALLY hot so had to set zerodb at -6 to stop distortion.

Here are the files mp3 at 320kbps.

Have to admit the Serato ones actually sound far nicer, more depth. Have a listen and see what you think.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/x7b42b5m1w2874pmd22r6/love-is-forever-serato.mp3?rlkey=ptwqqi5f3udyon1tni77u9b21&st=e6ukj1g8&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/srdr2ow9v3eq0cvo325ao/love-is-forever-vdj.mp3?rlkey=on63f0lnss6hj02k2o0ql30qd&st=4h6yibks&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tzfvvhs23lknipddnz02i/turn-me-on-serato.mp3?rlkey=84l68rkjkq0drki5vmruz7xa8&st=6i5c55ql&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/tlrosuf7k3pk4hh5fa7o4/turn-me-on-vdj.mp3?rlkey=48iofcr5xrrmu4i6v3a9o3zir&st=8fu47vya&dl=0
 
Posted 6 days ago @ 11:44 am
AdionPRO InfinityCTOMember since 2006
It looks like there's still some limiting/clipping in VDJ, though I'm not sure at which point it may have been introduced.
If you check the tag editor in VDJ, what is the detected gain?

Edit: Since it's possible that it's some compression added by the FLX10, could you try an internal record from within vdj as well, both with the record input in audio config and without it?
 
Posted 6 days ago @ 12:08 pm
following.
If you use timecode vinyl records/CDs, do a beatjuggle, beat tap the track, scratch, and you can hear the VDJ "algorythm" is slower than Serato or Traktor(imo this is the best sound(check slow scratches) and fastest in timecode), you can check the VDJ slower "decoding" if use timecode vinyl/cd and pitch ride up/down, in VDJ there is something "digital" going on, that is faster in other DJ SWs
 
Posted 2 days ago @ 8:19 pm
Traktor definitely seems to function really well with DVS, better than Serato IMO, but Serato is really the quickest to home in on the right BPM display value for a pitch slider change. VirtualDJ definitely is slower than both to apply a slider tempo slider change, even with tempoSliderIgnorePitchBend off, (and it still occasionally homes in on a value that is off by 1 or 2 tenths of a BPM).

I noticed with Master Tempo on, that VirtualDJ seems to switch it off once it detects movement believed to be hand manipulation and takes a bit longer to switch it back on, which means drops can sound a bit "wobbly" if you aren't as precise. With that said, I also noticed previously that, given master tempo is on, I could get into a state, where VirtualDJ was stuck on a certain pitch tone for a second before catching itself. However, with scratchQuality at 32 (highest), pitch quality at 4 (best) and more practice in VirtualDJ, I eventually became unable to reproduce it (Master Tempo off and on). Slow scratches I've never taken the time to inspect closely, but I've done a couple really slow movements just randomly before practice and sounded ok. I wonder if the lowering timecodeSilence setting could help with that.
 
Posted 2 days ago @ 8:45 pm
its slower for BPM on-screen also, but I mean the audio pitch change, VDJ takes like half a second till you hear it, when you do move the pitch slider -8% > 0% > +8%, at 33RPM in 45RPM works OK

beatjuggling breakdown (tapping the record), you can hear the "digital distortion" in VDJ
 
Posted 2 days ago @ 9:11 pm
Yep the audio "wobble" is what I'm getting at. Given the settings are maxed (pitchQuality, scratchQuality), you have to be lighter + push a bit with tap pauses compared to other DVS systems for them to sound acceptable.
 
Posted yesterday @ 1:17 am
kradcliffe wrote :

Have to admit the Serato ones actually sound far nicer, more depth. Have a listen and see what you think.


Yes, they color the sound - just like the "Loudness" button on old stereos

They are of course not supposed to do that by default (you can't disable it), since they are technically ruining the output and don't let you decide
- but they have always done it and people have stopped complaining about it a long time ago, even though you can of course compare and see that the audio going in is not the same as the audio coming out, even with all settings at neutral
 
Posted yesterday @ 1:27 am
klausmogensen wrote :
kradcliffe wrote :

Have to admit the Serato ones actually sound far nicer, more depth. Have a listen and see what you think.


Yes, they color the sound - just like the "Loudness" button on old stereos


This is just the thing people is asking for: a sort of "loudness button". You don't like it? just disable it. Otherwise keep it enabled to enjoy a powerful, vibrant and colored sound to mix.
 
Posted 17 hours ago
I'm not against adding such a master FX being added. It would be just like Echo or Delay or EQ FXs
It should of course be off by default. The default should always be the correct/clean sound.
But you could then turn it on if you like - just like people do now with loudmax
 
Posted 16 hours ago
The other easy solution is to lower your ZeroDB setting and use EQ10 as a master effect. Takes seconds to do .
 
Posted 16 hours ago
I do wonder if there is a case for external mixer setups where the Master FX cannot be applied due to limitations of FX send/return. If there is such a case, what can we do then?
 
Posted 16 hours ago
I think what we have now is ideal - the ability to choose our own plugin across the master output.

I image that if Atomix DID build something in, people would just switch their complaints to that. Comments along the lines of "I don't like the sound of it", and they'd probably end up using their own plugin anyway.
 
Posted 15 hours ago
klausmogensen wrote :
I'm not against adding such a master FX being added. It would be just like Echo or Delay or EQ FXs
It should of course be off by default. The default should always be the correct/clean sound.
But you could then turn it on if you like - just like people do now with loudmax


The thing is that should not be added as a Master effect but rather as per deck basis despite of being a global setting, Breakaway DJ does this beautifully, the problem is that it's no longer available. I know that we can achieve this now using the FX slots on each deck, but I guess is dangerous to keep activated a VST on 4 decks all night long.

DJ VinylTouch wrote :
I do wonder if there is a case for external mixer setups where the Master FX cannot be applied due to limitations of FX send/return. If there is such a case, what can we do then?


Exactly. That's why it should be done as per input/deck basis and not with Master Effect. Roland's DJ707M can't use Master Effects from VirtualDJ, instead it has a 3 band hardware compressor integrated, but I bet no other controller mixers have this feature.
 
Posted 14 hours ago
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