5. Maquinari DJ
Tot i que el Mixxx pot ser utilitzat només amb un portàtil o ordinador de sobretaula, l’experiència completa s’obté mitjançant maquinari especialitzat per a DJ. Depenent del vostre pressupost i zona d’acció, la configuració i requeriments poden variar. Aquest capítol proporciona informació general sobre diversos tipus de maquinari DJ.
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The Mixxx DJ Hardware Guide lists specific devices with information about their prices, features, and compatibility with Mixxx.
5.1. Controladors
DJ controllers are devices with knobs, faders, buttons, and jog wheels to control DJ software such as Mixxx. Controllers allow quick access to different controls while providing tactile and visual feedback indicating the state of each control, such as the position of a knob or whether a switch is on or off. This allows you to focus on manipulating the music without needing to look at your computer screen all the time. Controllers also allow using two hands to manipulate two different controls at the same time, which is required for many mixing techniques.
DJ controllers typically do not do any actual audio processing. Instead, they send signals (typically MIDI or HID over a USB cable) to the computer to instruct DJ software how to manipulate the audio. Many DJ controllers include an audio interface with 2 separate stereo outputs built into the device. This allows the DJ to transport and setup only one piece of hardware in addition to a laptop. Some devices can be used as both a controller and hardware mixer.
Mixxx can work with any MIDI or HID controller as long as there is a mapping file to tell Mixxx how to understand the controller’s signals. Mixxx comes bundled with a number of MIDI and HID mapping presets, which are listed in the Mixxx DJ Hardware Guide on the wiki. For controllers that Mixxx does not yet support, you can search the forum to see if anyone has started a mapping. You can also start one yourself using the information in the Controller Mapping Documentation on the wiki.
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Amb controladores MIDI/HID describes how to configure Mixxx to use controllers.
5.2. Interfícies d’àudio
An audio interface (also known as a «sound card», although few of them are shaped like cards anymore) is a device that allows a computer to send output to and receive input from audio equipment. Whether using internal or external mixing, it is recommended to use a single audio interface with at least 4 independent output channels (2 separate stereo pairs).
The headphone jack on most laptops is not a second audio output. Rather, plugging headphones into the jack simply redirects the laptop’s single stereo output from its speakers to your headphones. A splitter cable can be used to separate the stereo output of a headphone jack into two separate mono outputs for headphone cueing, but it is recommended to use a sound card with at least four mono outputs (for two stereo pairs). Such sound cards tend to be higher quality than those built into laptops and allow your mix to be enjoyed in stereo by your audience.
Unlike some proprietary DJ systems, Mixxx can use any audio interface and any MIDI or HID controller that your OS has drivers to use. If your controller has an integrated audio interface, you may choose to use a different audio interface for higher quality audio. Mixxx can also use multiple audio interfaces simultaneously.
5.2.1. Audio Interface Considerations
This section provides background information to help you choose an audio interface to use with Mixxx.
5.2.1.1. Bit Depth and Sample Rate
Most music is published with a bit depth of 16 bits at a sample rate of 44.1 kHz because this is all that is needed to store all the detail of music in digital form.
Bit depth determines the possible dynamic range of the signal. 16 bits is more than enough for playing back music. While 24 bits is helpful for recording, it is useless for playback.
Half the sample rate determines the maximum frequency that can be represented by the signal. Humans generally can’t hear frequencies above 20 kHz, so a sampling rate of 44.1 kHz, representing a maximum frequency of 22.05 kHz, is fine for playback. Higher sample rates like 88.2 kHz and 96 kHz can be helpful to reduce aliasing distortion when recording, but have no benefit for playback and make your computer work harder.
For a more thorough and technical explanation of why 16 bits at 44.1 kHz is all that is needed for playback, read 24/192 Music Downloads Are Very Silly Indeed.
5.2.1.2. Especificacions
When considering specifications, higher dynamic range, higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), higher maximum output level, lower THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise; look for a more negative dB value or smaller percentage), and lower crosstalk (more negative dB value) are better. Cheap audio interfaces tend to not have these specifications published.
5.2.1.3. Tipus de cables i connectors
If you are unfamiliar with professional audio equipment, read Digital DJ Tips” Essential Guide to Audio Cables for DJs to understand the different kinds of connectors on audio interfaces. It is better to use an audio interface with balanced outputs, especially if you will run long cables directly into an amplifier or active speakers without going through a hardware mixer. Balanced signals reject interference and are less susceptible to ground loop hum issues (which can be a problem when plugging unbalanced gear into separate power sources).
However, most venues have DJs plug into hardware DJ mixers, which typically only have RCA inputs (RCA cables cannot be balanced). Most home/computer speakers and amplifiers have RCA and/or 1/8» TRS stereo inputs. Most live sound mixers have balanced 1/4» TRS mono inputs. If you need to interconnect balanced and unbalanced gear, refer to this guide from Presonus (deleted, via archive.org) and this guide from Rane (deleted, via archive.org).
5.2.1.4. Nombre de canals
Audio interfaces sometimes have multiple connectors for a single channel, resulting in more connectors than channels. So, not every connector can send or receive and independent signal. For example, some audio interfaces made for DJing have 4 output channels with 4 mono output connectors and 1 stereo headphone connector. This does not mean that the audio interface can send out 6 different signals at the same time; rather, the signal on 2 of the mono outputs and the stereo headphone output would be the same. Also, many controllers have separate master and booth outputs with independent volume controls, but they both play the same signal.
5.2.1.5. Preamplificadors fono i control amb vinil
Turntables output low voltage (phono level) signals that need to be amplified to line level before most audio equipment can work with them. So, if you want to use Control de vinil, sometimes referred to as a Digital Vinyl System (DVS), it is best to have phono preamplifiers (one for each deck) somewhere between your turntable and sound card to boost the turntable’s phono level signal to line level. Mixxx can amplify phono level signals in software, but it is better to do it in hardware. The phono preamp can be in the turntable, in the audio interface, or a stand alone device. Most audio interfaces do not have phono preamps; these are generally found on audio interfaces specifically made for controlling DJ software with timecode vinyl. Mescladors with audio interfaces have phono preamps on their deck inputs, but not necessarily on every deck input. Many higher-end all-in-one controllers also include audio interfaces with phono preamps.
5.3. Mescladors
Mixers are devices that combine audio signals. DJ mixers are different from live and studio mixers because they have multiple stereo channels with phono preamplifiers for connecting Tocadiscos. It is conventional to use a DJ mixer with Control de vinil, but vinyl control can be used without a hardware mixer.
Using Mixxx with a DJ mixer requires an audio interface with at least 4 mono outputs (2 stereo pairs) to send Mixxx’s decks to the mixer’s stereo channels. Some DJ mixers have a USB audio interface built into them. This lets Mixxx send unmixed audio files directly to the mixer without needing a separate stand-alone audio interface.
Often DJs who use DJ software with internal mixing send their master output to a hardware mixer. This can be helpful to send the mixed signal to both a main speaker output for the audience and booth speakers for the DJ with separate gain controls for each output. It also facilitates smooth transitions between DJs.
However, using an external mixer with internal mixing is not necessary and reduces the sound quality. Each piece of equipment an audio signal passes through reduces the sound quality, so avoiding unnecessary equipment in the signal path can provide better sound quality. Many DJ controllers provide separate master and booth outputs with independent volume controls. Alternatively, a sound card with at least 6 output channels can be used with Mixxx’s Booth output.
Many people confuse «analog mixers» and «hardware mixers», but these are not the same. Many hardware mixers process audio digitally with specialized signal processors as opposed to a general purpose CPU like those in laptop and desktop computers.
5.4. Tocadiscos
Els tocadiscos o plats, són dispositius mecànics que reprodueixen música i enregistraments fonogràfics mitjançant vinils. Abans que el Mixxx fos una realitat, l’art del DJing s’obtenia amb els plats i DJ mixers mescladors. Actualment podeu punxar als vostres plats amb vinils especials que tenen gravat un codi de temps i així controlar la reproducció d’arxius digitals des del Mixxx, com si aquest fitxer fos la gravació original del vinil en comptes d’aquest codi.
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control amb vinil
5.5. Reproductors de CD
Els reproductors de CD són dispositius que reprodueixen fitxers digitals d’àudio i disposen de controls per manipular aquesta reproducció. Originalment, els reproductors de CD només reproduïen aquest tipus de suport, però els més recents inclouen també ports per a unitats USB o targetes SD. Alguns reproductors es poden connectar a un ordinador mitjançant un cable USB per funcionar com un controller controlador per al Mixxx.
5.6. Micròfons
El micròfon converteix els canvis de so a la pressió de l’àire en impulsos elèctrics o voltatge (un senyal analògic d’àudio). El Mixxx pot treballar amb qualsevol mena de micròfon que pugueu connectar a la interfície d’àudio.
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micròfons