Torq 1.5 User Guide Chapter 1 34Torq 1.5 User Guide Chapter 6 348. The first option enables Exter nal Control. Click the drop-down menu and se lect “Yes”.
9. The next step requires you to select the t ype of control signals you’ll be using for each Deck . If you’ll be using the
Torq Control Vinyl records, select “Torq Vinyl” for the Control Type. If you’ll be using the Torq Control CDs, sele ct
“Torq CD” for the Control Type. Since this selection is independe nt for each Deck, you can use any combination of
vinyl and CD control that you’d like.
✓ Note: If you own the Ms. Pinky Interdimens ional Wrecked System, you can use those vinyl records t o control Torq.
Select “Gen1”, “Gen2”, or “Gen3” corresponding to the generation of r ecords you own. Torq currently supports
generations 1 through 3.
10. The playb ack of the Decks will now be controlled by the incoming co ntrol signals you have selected.
✓ Note: You can also enable and disable the Exter nal Control system by clicking the E xternal Control button in
Torq’s Toolbar.
While terms such as “digital vinyl” are someti mes used to describe vinyl control systems suc h as the one used in Torq, the truth
is that the system is still analog. The re are “digits” encoded in the analog domain on the Torq Control Vinyls and CDs a nd those
digits are transferred to Torq by analog means throug h the inputs of your audio interface.
Because of this, the control syste m is subject to certain environment al and physical variables that can influe nce its performance.
The system is very robust and compens ates for many of these factors, allowing a wide r ange of variance between equipmen t to
yield identical control response. Thi s means the equipment you already own (turntab les, cartridges, styli , CD players, etc.) is
probably sufficient for use with Torq’s external control s ystem.
M-Audio has diligently test ed the control system using a wide variet y of equipment from different manufac turers, but not every
possible combination of gear could be test ed. While unlikely, it is possible that there could be proble ms with components in
your DJ setup that might render the control syst em inoperable. When this happe ns, the Control Calibration displays on th e
External Control Preferences t ab will be your first place to look in order to diagnose t he problem.
Control Type
If the external control system is e nabled but doesn’t seem to be working, first chec k the Control Type settings for each
Deck before you tear out all the wiring in your DJ rig. I f you have the wrong Control Type selected, Torq will not react
in the proper manner to the control signal s. Once you’ve verified the setting here, you can conti nue diagnosing your
problem.
Velocity and Position
When the external control system i s operating properly, it provides three vital pie ces of information to Torq’s Decks:
the speed and direction of the Control Vinyl o r Control CD as well as the current position on the reco rd or CD. The
Velocity display shows a number that indicate s both speed and direction at the same time . When the Velocity is 0, the
record or CD is stopped (or the needle has been lif ted off the record). If the number is 1.0, th at means the vinyl record
is running forward at normal speed (when u sing 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 is running backwards at normal spee d (33 1/3 RPM). As
you manipulate the record or CD by hand or with the ir pitch adjusters, you’ll see the Velocity displ ay change immediately
to reflect the movements.
The Position display shows a number that Torq uses to calculate t he playback position for the audio file loaded into t he
Deck. When the record or CD is playing for ward, this number will increase— 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 t he record and place it
in another location (known as a “needle drop”). T his is what allows Torq to play back a song just as if it was pressed right
into the Control Vinyl or Control CD.