I got the soundbite micro today and I must tell you it works great. I run Serato and Ableton on my Macbook Pro at once. It`s so easy now to beatmatch Ableton to Serato. The bad thing is: there are so many cables now and warping plenty of songs :-) .

I also have one works well haven't tested the midi capability yet, but the loopings ace!!

I thought I might add to this discussion.

I'm running ableton and serato and would love to hook the two of them up.

When talking about mixing with ableton and serato, do we mean track one is left deck and track 2 is right deck. Or, is a matter of having access to a single channel in ableton that can be simultaneously played with scratch live, which would not really be djing in ableton but using it as a library much like serato.

I know this sounds like cheating, which I guess if you're a purist it is, but does this also mean that I'd be able to take advantage of the syncing offered in ableton, thus removing the necessity for beatmatching? By that I mean, can I que up my tracks and use the vinyl control surface to affect they're playback while ableton takes care of the matching and leaving me to play with remixing and effects at the same time?

and lastly, anyone know where I can pick this up in japan?

Thanks!

and what about the upgrade versions, the xl and the pro? necessary? no?

I don't think it can be used as described, for that you'd be better off just using ableton and a midi controller.

The way I would use it would be:

as an effects unit,
playing samples and loops,
adding beats or bass/melodies over the top using vsts

Thanks for getting back getting back to me. Yeah, I've been using ableton with a midi controller for a bit and it's cool, but I still like that vinyl touch, you know?

Thanks!

Hey Menace, just a question... The MIDI out on the micro is 5 pin din and not usb? Just wanna know if I'll need a MIDI interface as well...

5pin yeah

Looks like I need a MIDI interface then...

Cheers for the info...

In my setup it goes into a Firebox external soundcard. From there it goes via Firewire to my Macbook. At the same time I use the Firebox for my separate 2-3 Ableton stereo audio outputs which go into the mixer next to the 2 Serato channels which also go into the mixer. With the Soundbite Micro I can sync my Ableton tracks easily to Serato tracks. I also bought an Y-Cable for the headphone`s output on the mixer - so I don`t have to switch cables for a Serato track audio signal which goes into the Soundbite Micro. I also use a Trigger Finger for controlling Ableton & Serato.

Hi Menace .. could you explain your set up in a bit more detail ?

I'm using a RANE TTM 57 MIXER for Serato, from the BOOTH or the AUX i send a signal to the SOUNDBITE ... the MIDI from the SOUNDBITE then goes into a M-Audio MIDI SPORT .. which is connected to my Macbook .. Syncing wiht ABLETON works great .. but as far as i can tell the only way then to get audio out of my MACBOOK is through the Headphone jack .. How are you using your FIREBOX ?

is there anyway for a mac to use 2 different soundcards ? (ie SERATO and another ?)

cheers

In Ableton`s audio preferences I chose the Firebox as my output device. Otherwise my Ableton sound would go through the headphone jack, With the Firebox I can have up to three individual stereo output Ableton channels (1&2 for track/deck 1, 3&4 for track/deck 2 and 5&6 for track/deck 3). These outputs go into the mixer inputs next to the Serato inputs. I have the Serato box and the Firebox connected to my Macbook at the same time. Works great. Last night I was switching between Serato and Ableton a lot. It was much fun :-) .

Could I help you already?

What's the difference with the PRO version? Does the PRO version sync via midi also?

The Pro version is the same as the XL, but includes 1GB internal memory to save samples, loops, drops, etc. Pro doesn't sync or generate and MIDI clock, only the Micro does that.

So does the soundbite micro sync Ableton to SSL OK?

I mean if I play minimal techno 124-127 bpm does it really keep Ableton stuck to SSL's turntables? For how long does it stay beatmatched? You also have a manual pitch bend correct? (so you can still align the beats manually?) Does it also keep ableton's bpm updated automatically if I start changing the pitch on the turntable?

Can somebody please make a youtube video showing how it all works?

Thanks!

I'm really considering this soundbite micro because I use Ableton for producing and for some live dj sets too but I still love playing with turntables and SSL, and I hate and don't have enough time to spend warping all my music collection in Ableton, so I want to have both of best worlds: Mix with Serato and TTs, and have Ableton on the side with a midi controller with my own loops and samples (not entire tracks).

&please someone answer this? thanks.

bump

If you change the pitch of a track you play with Serato then you have to just press the "BPM"-button on the Soundbite-Micro again. Then let it recognize the BPM for about 15 seconds and then disengage it, then a little pull/push pressings and you are fine.

Here`s the manual: www.redsound.com