Windows audio player with low latency speed control. Is there one ?

2021-07-17 15:12:28

Hi,

I've been experimenting with using Windows as a sort of more open audio and DJ'ing ecosystem that is very different to being locked into a single monolithic DJ application (Traktor, Serato ... ). I'm using Virtual Audio Cable as well as Voicemeeter and routing VLC into Traktor inputs.

As part of this I've been looking for a player with a speed control (what is known as the pitch control on a turntable). Both VLC and foobar2000 can do it but they are not dynamic controls. There is latency and, in VLC, the sound can break up when adjusting the control.

What I'm looking for is something like the venerable K-Jofol 2000 ...









It still works after all these years but has limited format support and can't select the output device. I've searched around a lot but can't find anything.

Re: Windows audio player with low latency speed control. Is there one ?

Reply #1 – 2021-07-18 00:47:19

Classic hacker or demoscene group player of the time. Even featured a predecessor to MPEG-2 (not 4) AAC, in a hacked together container of some sort. I don't know what the real format was, but it required an equally hacked together unlicensed encoder to produce the files, and no source code was ever released for either the decoder or the encoder.

It was the "Astrid AAC" encoder and decoder, presumably just illicitly used form of the reference code for the MPEG-2 AAC codec, before the bitstream or containers had even been finalized. A total hackjob, and was probably terribly niche to even see in the wild, much less people even using it for experiments, considering the "Astrid" tools and K-j0f0l were the only things which supported it.

Re: Windows audio player with low latency speed control. Is there one ?

Reply #2 – 2021-07-18 18:46:48

Yes, it was great !

I just went through a massive list of players with none having an easy to use speed control.

In frustration I remembered I have a very old copy of Mixvibes Pro 2.21 from 1999 ...



To me that looks like the clearest EVER interface !

Crucially is has multiple audio device outputs ...



Why do Serato and Traktor insist on only one ?! This software could do it in 1999. IMO we're all being subjected to a sort of scam,

Also If you notice it uses standard Windows widget controls. For example the speed control responds to up and down arrows on the keyboard and does all the usual things like speeding up after a short delay if you keep the arrow key pressed down. In my opinion all the usual human interface design approaches were thrown out in deference to Serato and Traktor. Don't even mention Ableton to me  . I can use them. I see DJ's using them. But do I note a reduction in the quality of the music, partly due to bad design ?

So unless anyone else knows of any more up date players then I'll use this.

Re: Windows audio player with low latency speed control. Is there one ?

Reply #3 – 2021-07-26 23:49:51

Have you considered Mixxx?  Newer versions are greatly improved.

http://mixxx.org/ 

Free, Open Source and cross platform... I've no idea if the pitch / speed control will suit your requirements, but you can at least configure multiple outputs - even per deck if required, as well as monitoring in headphones or booth, main mix etc.