Traktor HID vs Rekordbox USB sound quality

You're not alone. I've always felt that there was something odd occurring when using Traktor HID with my original NXS. There always seemed to be something sucking the life out of the track's dynamics, even with the headroom/limiter settings disengaged in Traktor disengage. It could be a placebo, but I can't help but agree with you–though I have no hard proof. If I feel motivated one day, I'll attempt to make a recording using each app and will see if I can spot any differences using my meters in Ozone.

Cheers.

There's no doubt in my mind that there's a difference when comparing the dynamics and sound quality of the two. I've had people tell me this both when playing in a club and a concert venue, that they can cleary hear a difference if I'm playing back2back with someone, me using Traktor HID and the other Rekordbox formatted USB stick.

I just don't understand why there should be a difference since it's the same built-in soundcard of the CDJs they are using...

My best guesses:

1. An "oddity" within the programming of Traktor's internal gain structure (or some type of passive hi-pass filtering) that doesn't play nicely with the NXS internal sound card.
2. A difference in the way a CDJ decodes audio files D>A before it's gets to the mixer's output stage vs. how Traktor decodes audio files.
3. Gnomes.

Probably #3

if you use the spdif Outs of the cdjs there is no unecessary d/a conversion :-)

Most places I play use the digital/coax (spdif) outputs and I still experience the problem I've described so the outputs are not to blame here.

Best guesses are still the ones "lostnthesound" described in #1 and #2.

open a ticket at NI for this issue. it's clearly on Traktor side.

btw, how does it Sound if you use for example the djm900 soundcard instead of the cdjs?

@Daniel Ventura

Haven't tried using the djm900 soundcard, but I'll get that tested out as soon as possible.

i Play on cdj 2000/nxs/900/nxs since years on hid with Traktor, always using the cdjs soundcards (set up on 128 samples 44,1/24) never had an eye/ear on the rb difference will test it These days.

forgot to mention that i Play on Windows :-)

@Daniel Ventura

Just try to play the same track from Traktor and then a Rekordbox formatted USB thumb drive and I'm sure you'll be able to hear the difference, especially in a club environment.

I'm on Mac, but shouldn't make any difference in this matter.

I think I might found the problem.

I've changed the Mixer EQ Type to "Classic" in the Traktor settings and that apparently seemed to fix the audio quality for some reason.

https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/210273465-EQ-and-Filter-Models-in-TRAKTOR-PRO-2

Yup, that'll do it. The EQ emulations dramatically color the sound (even when set in a neutral position), as do the filter filter emulations. Cheers.

I just bought a DJM-900 Nexus and I also have separate Traktor Audio 6 interface from my previous setup to compare to (Ecler Nuo5 + Traktor Audio 6 + Macbook Pro, El Capitan). 

First thing I noticed was the poor sound quality thru the Nexus with Traktor. Nothing seems to help. I've set everything in Traktor to zero and the EQ's to Classic. Updated the firmware and software to the latest versions.. but no. It still sounds lifeless, boring and lacking dynamics. It's very obvious in bass heavy kick drums (upper low region) that really lack the depth, definition and punch they have played thru the Audio 6 interface.

https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/210311385

In this article NI state that Traktor attenuates the signal level by -3db in external mixing mode. To me this sounds like an unnecessary step if I'm mixing externally. Any modifications to the original signal in the digital domain will drastically impair dynamics and quality of the signal. Why the same doesn't happen when using the Audio 6 interface though? I don't know. Better quality DACs and preamps in the box?

Same tracks played in iTunes thru the DJM-900 sound much better. VU-meters confirm that Traktor attenuates the signal about -3db (limiter off, no autogain). I did a comparison having the same track playing from iTunes to channel 1 and timecode Traktor to channel 4. Trims were set at the same level and no EQ or Preamp-settings in iTunes. It just doesn't play as loud and clear thru Traktor.

I'm extremely disappointed by all this. Having spent a huge amount of money on the DJM and having it's arse kicked by the old Audio 6 interface kind of defeats the purpose of it. 

Is there something I've missed? Any ideas?

I'm also curious if the same happens using Recordbox DVS? Really not wanting to spend  any more money to find out though.