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8. The rst option enables E xternal Control. Click the drop- down menu and select “Yes”.
9. The next step requires you to select the type of control sign als you’ll be using for each Deck. If you’ll be using the Torq
Control Vinyl records, selec t “Torq Vinyl” for the Control Type. If you’ll be using the Torq Control CDs, selec t “Torq
CD” for the Control Type. Since this selection is ind ependent for each Deck, you can use any combination of vinyl and
CD control that you’d like.
Note: If you own t he Ms. Pinky Interdimens ional Wrecked System, you can use those vinyl record s to control Torq. Select “Gen1”,
“Gen2”, or “Gen3” corresponding to the g eneration of records you own. Torq currently suppor ts generations 1 through 3.
10. The playback of the Decks will now be controlled by t he incoming control signals you have selected.
External Control Calibration
While terms such as “digital vi nyl” are sometimes used to describe vinyl control sy stems such as the one used in Torq, the truth
is that the system is still analog. There are “digits” en coded on the Torq Control Vinyls and CDs, but those digits are transferred
to Torq by analog means—through th e inputs of your audio interface.
Because of this, the co ntrol system is subject to certa in environmental and physical variable s that can inuence its perform ance.
The system is ver y robust and compensates for ma ny of these factors, allowing a wide range of variance bet ween equipment to
yield ident ical control respo nse. This mean s the equipme nt you already own (turntables, cartridges, styli, CD players, etc.) is
probably sufcient for u se with Torq’s external control system.
M-Audio has dilige ntly tested the control syste m using a wide variety of equi pment from different manufac turers, but not every
possible combination of gear could be tested. While unlikely, it is possible that there could be problem s with components in your
DJ setup that might rend er the control system inoperable . When this happens, the Cont rol Calibration displays on the Ex ternal
Control Preferences tab wi ll be your rst place to look in order to diagnose the probl em.
Control Type
If the ex ternal control system is enabled but doesn’t seem to be working, rst check the Control Type setti ngs for each
Deck before you tear out all the wiring in your DJ rig. If you have the wrong Control Type selected, Torq will not react in the
proper manner to the control sig nals. Once you’ve veried the setting here, you ca n continue diagnosing your problem.
Velocity and Position
When the external control system is operating prope rly, it provides three vital pieces of info rmation to Torq’s Decks: the
speed and direction of the Control Vinyl or Cont rol CD as well as the current position on the record or CD. The Velocity
display shows a number that indicate s both speed and direction at the s ame time. When th e Velocity is 0, t he record or
CD is stopp ed (or the needle has been lifted of f the record). If the number is 1.0, t hat means the vinyl record is running
forward at normal speed (when usi ng the Torq Control Vinyls, this refers to 33 1/3 RPM playback on the turntable). When
the number is -1.0, it means the re cord or CD i s running back wards at normal speed (33 1/3 RPM). As you manipulate
the record or CD by hand or with their pitch adjusters, you’ll see the Velocity display c hange immediately to reect the
movements.
The Position display shows a nu mber that Torq uses to calculate the playback position for the audio le loaded into the
Deck. When the record or CD is playing forward, this number will increa se—it will decrease if the record or CD is playing
backwards. You’ll also notice that this numb er will jump whenever you lift the needle off the record and pl ace it in another
location (known as a “needle drop”). This is what allows Torq to play b ack a song just as if it wa s pressed right in to the
Control Vinyl or Control CD.
< Reversed Playback Direction
If you nd that Torq seems to be responding bac kwards to the Control Vinyls or CDs, t ake a look at the Velocity
display. If the number shown is negative while the control source is playing forward , it could mean that the audio
cables connecting the turntab le or CD player to your interf ace are backwards. Swap the left and right plugs on the
back of the audio interf ace and the problem should be xed.