Stereo to Mono: Keep Both Channels?

January 18, 2006 6:34 AM

So, I'm gonna DJ tonight using my 12" PowerBook as the source. I know the mixer requires mono--the question is how to do it. I don't want to ignore the right stereo channel. But do I use a stereo-mono adapter? Stereo-mono cable? Software?

I'm betting the adapter just ignores the right channel. I'm betting the cable fuses the two channels into one mono signal. As for software...

I could use DJ software under the right conditions--it's the kind of event where I want to just put a bunch of songs in a playlist (while still create that playlist on the fly) and have it crossfade between them automatically.

Baytex Party 4 is almost perfect because it integrates so well with the iTunes playlists containing the source mp3s, and i can get headphone output of songs with my iMic, but it won't let me 1) save playlists 2) automatically play songs from the playlist (as far as I can tell, I have to add each song from the playlist pile to a deck and then crossfade myself at the appropriate moment--not what I want to do.)

Is DJ-1800 that much better? Any others?

posted by kenneth to computers & internet (7 comments total)

DJ-1800 is great, interfaces directly with the iTunes library. Does useful things such as automatic adjusting of the gain. If you took stereo out from your Powerbook, you could setup DJ-1800 to output using left as the main channel, and right as the monitor channel. Wether your mixer allows monitoring however is another question.
posted by samstarling at 6:45 AM on January 18, 2006

Do you mean whether the mixer knows that the left channel is main, and the right channel for monitor? If it doesn't, the iMic is basically a USB soundcard--and that can be my main and the headphone plug on the mac's soundcard could be used for monitoring.

I found DJ-1800 to be pretty hard to use. Just using straightup iTunes was so much more efficient for the job. I'm loathe to try new software for tonight, but merging the right channel for a complete sound is the utmost importance...
posted by kenneth at 7:22 AM on January 18, 2006

I think you should try to configure this so you are outputting stereo to the PA. Seems like party shuffle in itunes will work for you for this event...but I don't think you can set up the left-main/right-mon split in iTunes. (Not familiar with Baytex Party 4)

I think you are on the right track to have the iMic be main and use the headphone jack for monitor.

But if you keep the left-main/right-mon config, get 2 Y cables:

1) 1/8" headphone male to 2 females
2) 1/8" male to a stereo pair of RCA female jacks.

Connect your headphones to one of the #1s, connect #2 to the other oputput from #1. Then connect the appropriate RCA cable from #2 to the mixer (probably with more adaptors!)

Mixing live with only a keyboard & mouse is pretty tough, though. I've played around with Traktor but never used it live. I want one of these some day...
posted by omnidrew at 8:10 AM on January 18, 2006

Can I ask for clarification? When you say 'DJing', do you mean actual beatmatching or just playing one song after another smoothly? Traktor is definitely suited to the former, and DJ-1800 to the latter.
posted by samstarling at 8:33 AM on January 18, 2006

I use Traktor for live beatmatched DJing, with just the keyboard and mouse. (Example mix - self link.) I also use it for less hyperactive, more traditional playlist mixing.

It's probably not as painless as iTunes or DJ 1800 for simply building playlists, but you have a whole lot more control. And from what I've heard, that Hercules DJ console isn't all that and a bag of chips. It's apparently pretty squirelly and a pain to configure for a real copy of Traktor.

The cheapest way to get mono out of a stereo miniphone output is to use one of those mono headphone adapters. It just bridges the left/right signals into one mono 1/8th inch pair.

I'll also simply default to Winamp for simple playlist building and mixing. Like iTunes, there are crossfade plugins available.
posted by loquacious at 9:02 AM on January 18, 2006

I'll be using a variation on Party Shuffle. Alt-country doesn't take too well to beat matching (not that you knew what genre I'll be playing). I'd rather avoid the software angle, and pickup the headphone adapter, so long as it makes both channels into one, rather than leaving out the right. Thanks!
posted by kenneth at 10:47 AM on January 18, 2006

You can pick up a mono 1/8th inch headphone adapter at any Radio Shack for a couple of bucks. Have fun!
posted by loquacious at 11:08 AM on January 18, 2006