Serato DJ Pro General Discussion

Talk about Serato DJ Pro, expansion packs and supported hardware

ITCH time stretch quality compared to competitors...

djcerla 2:06 PM - 25 November, 2009
www.djtechtools.com

a bit sad to admit, but ITCH timestretch is by far the worst of the bunch; on the -27% example things get almost embarrassing compared to the competitor's results.

I personally use those giant tempo variations only as a FX, so I kinda enjoy the poor quality, of the current ITCH algorithm, as it sounds like a vintage AKAI timestretch with a distinct metallic tone that fits my style.

However, given that Serato are the same guys behind the industry-standard Pitch&Time algorithm, which is great sounding, I hope ITCH 2.0 will bring at least an option to switch on an hi fi timestretch for those who own a powerful computer and dislike the sub-par current algorithm.
Cid K 2:11 PM - 25 November, 2009
Yeah totaly agreed, or at the very least that top notch beat/warp algorithm from Ableton.
djcerla 2:12 PM - 25 November, 2009
Quote:
Yeah totaly agreed, or at the very least that top notch beat/warp algorithm from Ableton.


not that the Ableton algorithm is that great... sounds a bit thin compared to the best one (Torq) IMHO
Cid K 2:24 PM - 25 November, 2009
Yeah in those test, Torq was shown to have the best Algorithm, i still think that Ableton Partenership will bring alot more then just time strech engin.. :-P Some stuff Torq or Tracktor wont be able to do hehehehe
djcerla 2:26 PM - 25 November, 2009
My hope is Serato Pitch&Time timestretch and Ableton warping

best of both worlds ;)
Cid K 2:30 PM - 25 November, 2009
ohh yeah that's what i was meant to say, the beat warp, specially if things tend to go pass 2 chanal mixing, like for instence that new Xone DX with 4 chanals, that almost perfect beat warp engin would be mindblowing inside of Itch and of course cherry on sunday with the industry standar pitch&time.
marcA 4:03 PM - 25 November, 2009
+1
nik39 11:16 PM - 30 November, 2009
At least the punchiness and *timing* does not get lost with SSL/Itch.

However... it still sounds bad.
I1Kirm 11:22 PM - 30 November, 2009
Oh, I've noticed timing problems even with small pitch ranges (+/- 3%) and it happens on specific songs
I too hope this will get fixed soon
adb3 4:17 AM - 1 December, 2009
I was dicking around with a NS7 (before I got my DN-HD2500) and I wasn't that disappointed. Certainly not as good as SSL, but I felt limited (poor speakers, angry Guitar Center staff...) I generally keep my pitch range pretty small too.

I absoutely LOVED SERATO ITCH!!!!! Much more what I'm looking for than ScratchLive.


How much do you think the quality of the hardware impacts the sound??
How is the internal mixing algorithm?
djcerla 10:30 AM - 1 December, 2009
The internal mix engine is really OK, and the NS7 sound is fantastic.
But time stretch algorithm is a totally different topic.
DJ MDX 3:38 PM - 1 December, 2009
I agree with the Serato ITCH/SSL time stretch algorithm not being that great. If you have melodies & vocals you are mixing it sounds really bad. Especially if you have vocals with someone who can really sing and hold a note for more than 2 counts – it makes them sound like they are under water – it reminds me of the early Denon/Pioneer days.
Kmxorbit 4:19 PM - 1 December, 2009
Quote:
it reminds me of the early Denon/Pioneer days.

indeed, it does :-D
KLH 3:01 AM - 2 December, 2009
Just stay at +/-1% and you'll be fine.

Just kidding. IMHO, the pitch shifting needs to be smooth for at LEAST +/- 25% and at most +/-100%.

-KLH
matteoionescu 1:04 AM - 28 December, 2010
please could someone of the staff comment about Scratch Live & Itch's timestretch algorithms. I just got a CDJ 900 and it's built in timestretch seems to sound SO MUCH better than Serato's! It's late night now I can't play loud in my house, will try a more detailed comparison tomorrow.
Is it so hard on our CPUs to process at the same depth the cdj does?
jon- e- blaze 5:56 AM - 28 December, 2010
i find the timing of this discussion halarious... although i am not a huge tech guy, and dont claim to be well versed on all the time stretch talk, i was doing a lot of vocal mixing today, with songs were the guys have absoulutely phenominal voices, and i agree with that under the water sound. You would expect it to sound the best but it sounds the worst.. can someone maybe put into more lamen terms on what we are talking about and how it is effecting the music... just curious thanks. i guess the time stretch algorithm thingy ma bobber.....lol
djcerla 8:03 AM - 28 December, 2010
The algoritm doesn't suck "per se", as it's more or less on the same league as the one found in Logic Pro. In Traktor the situation isn't much better. The problem is that DJs are used to Pioneer's one, which is great (another great sounding time stretch algo is the one in Mixmeister Studio).

What I know is that Serato will upgrade their algoritm in one of the next releases, likely as a switchable option in order to keep the minimum specs requirements for ITCH.
nik39 2:27 PM - 28 December, 2010
Quote:
In Traktor the situation isn't much better.

Traktor's timestretch algorithm sounds better than Serato's DJ software product algorithm.
djcerla 3:35 PM - 28 December, 2010
Quote:
Quote:


In Traktor the situation isn't much better.

Traktor's timestretch algorithm sounds better than Serato's DJ software product algorithm.


As I said, isn't MUCH better, as anybody can tell from the samples.
nik39 3:48 PM - 28 December, 2010
My bad, I read "it isn't better".

But I also disagre on the "isn't much better". It sounds significantly better to me. I can distinguish both, so there is a noticable difference which seperates those two.
djcerla 3:54 PM - 28 December, 2010
And I agree, but IMHO still sucks compared to Pioneer, Mixmeister or Serato P&S.
djcerla 3:55 PM - 28 December, 2010
*Pitch&Time
Cid K 1:49 PM - 23 August, 2011
No one seems to talks about Ableton's Warp/Time Stretch...

I still think it's the best, along side "Pitch & Time" of course.