TORQ'S Browser
The Xponent is what you touch- it's the tactile interface. What's under the hood is the Torq software. It's a beautiful thing, how well the Xponent is configured to work with Torq- the excellent match keeps you playing, and spending less time pecking a computer. Still, one way or the other, you are going to have to get to know Torq, the software. And you are definitely going to have to deal with Torq's browser.
Bluntly stated- Torq's browser is a pain. If you have a big song library and have spent the hours required to properly tag it, you'll find that Torq's browser will not see the key information. It is also commonplace to have the browser hang for several seconds while you search it. Not a huge deal at home, but on the job it will make you extremely nervous. All I can say is don't wait until the last second to choose your next track. Also, the browser isn't able to be customized. Say you don't care what album a song comes from, and don't need to see that info- well, you can't tell that column to hide. Torq is innovative in so many ways, offering features that even the most expensive units haven't implemented yet- it's a shame to see it fall short in an area as fundamental as a browser. Even with the headaches, Torq/Xponent does so many things well that I can put up with its bad browser. If they don't make the effort to improve it with software updates I will be extremely disappointed.
iTunes is the salvation for the Torq browser. Torq easily recognizes your iTunes database. All the playlists you make in iTunes are quickly accessible in Torq, and it's a lifesaver. And no, you don't have to use iTunes songs to use iTunes software. I don't have a single iTunes song in my library and it works flawlessly. For the record, my files are mp3 from Beatport, WAV files from my record pool, and WAV files ripped from my vinyl collection. Aside from WAV and mp3, Torq will read AIFF, WMA, AAC, and Apple Lossless files. Any decent MP3 tagging program would be better for managing files than Torq's browser, and I find that since I use a Macintosh, it makes the best sense to use iTunes for tagging. My favorite approach is to make custom playlists in iTunes because they are easily and immediately recognized in the Torq browser.
Since I've bashed the Torq browser, let me go a little deeper to explain. Torq, like Live, Acid, and many other audio programs, needs to analyze every file before it can work with it. Each time Torq analyzes a file, it creates its own proprietary file to hold information such as: waveform, cue points, beatmapping information, and tag information. This is a tiny file, and it is created and saved right alongside the original audio file when Torq analyzes a song. It's where the 'magic' is stored, so Torq can work its wonders. So we love- and we hate it. Why? Because this teeny file holds the tag information: Artist, Title, BPM, Key, Comments, etc. And if you've added thousands of files to Torq, then you have thousands of these teeny Torq files. If you update a tag field in hundreds of your songs, after you've added them to Torq, using either iTunes or another MP3 tag program, then Torq will not recognize those updates. See, Torq has already written the small info file for the songs and as far as Torq is concerned, the info in those tiny Torq files are the last word for file information. Even though you just updated comments to 700 of your songs.
So, before you add songs to Torq, make sure the tag info is as complete as possible. Changing tag info after the fact is a royal pain. And, since Torq so wonderfully integrates with iTunes- use those iTunes playlists to keep yourself organized. Also of note- Torq can't play iTunes files with DRM. It can play the iTunes Plus files, because they don't have DRM. This isn't Torq's fault, it's DRM's fault: DRM limits your usage of a file. And, as of late, DRM is on the way out.
