USB 2.0 Desktop Audio/MIDI Interface

Still trying to find something that meets the above specs that works under Win 7. I've spent too much time looking and I have yet to get a peep out of my new workstation. What I've come up with are the Tascam US-144 Mk II and the M-Audio Fast Track Pro. I also like the looks of the Lexicon Omega, but I think I was warned off of it earlier, nor am I certain whether it will work under Win 7. Hardware volume and level controls are essential.

My perfectly good Soundblaster A2ZSPP and Tascam US-224 are not usable in the new environment. The last is especially unfortunate because it makes everything else seem like a step backward. Absent that the 144 and the Fast Track look like the best candidates. Opinions please. Is there anything else I should be looking at in the $150 to $200 range?

Thanks as always

To do a better job helping you with a decision, it would help to lay out what is a priority for you.

Questions that I would want answered to recommend an interface besides a generic audio/midi description:

1. Do you want mic pre-amps on board - most I/O have at least 1 channel, but gotta ask - one of the cards mentioned in the thread doesn't have this fairly basic function.
2. If the answer to #1 is yes, then it begs a second question of 'How many mic-preamps do you want on board?'
2a. Do you need phantom power for at least one of those pre-amps (to power a condenser mic)?
3. What type of interconnects are important to you? 1/4", XLR, RCA, etc.
4. Will you always work through a mixer at home? (I never have, but seems that most folks work this way even when it is simply adding in a noise source into the situation)
5. Do you want both monitor and headphone output controls independent of each other?

etc.

That will help narrow things down. Sweetwater has a similar question list http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/computer-audio/audio_interfaces/buying_guide.php and if you look in their print catalogs, they publish a fantastic matrix of the answers to these types of question to help you cross off large piles of interfaces based on your priorities. As evidenced already in this thread, you are gonna get a different answer from every person who replies. I would take a serious inventory of what was important to yourself.

Right now, at Sweetwater's site, there are roughly 100 USB interfaces below $300! Some are in the form of mixers, some are co-opted cables, some are plug in the top, plug in the back, etc. etc. etc. If you recall your purchase decision when you bought the US-224, there are even more choices now. That's just in USB land. Choices in the PCI and PC slot-based card world have plummetted in the last 5 years.

In my opinion, there's no reason to limit a desktop based DAW to slot-based choices. Some of the really good stuff is no longer available (the EMU xxxxm series for example) There's alot of reason to learn ONE interface that you use both with a desktop and with a laptop.

Hopefully food for thought.

-Scott

Quote:

There's a lot of reason to learn ONE interface that you use both with a desktop and with a laptop.

That is a very good point. If a laptop is part of your equation, a USB interface would be preferable. If however, your plan is to focus on a home studio then I would go PCI. Once it’s installed and configured properly it becomes an integral part of the system and never, (never say never, LOL), has to be messed with again other than to use it to record.

From what I’ve read about the card rharv recommended, it’s a good one. But I don’t have any personal experience with it.

Good luck Richard. Keep us posted.

After discussing my situation with one of the fantastic professionals at Atlanta Pro Audio I have selected the Cakewalk/Roland UA-4FX. I'm not positive it will do everything I need, but it met the basic criteria, and I needed something immediately in order to have a shot at enrolling in a course at The MIDI School on May 11.

Parameters were pretty basic: Compatible with Win 7; hardware volume control; rear panel audio connections; and PCIe, PCI, or USB connection. (I did consider some Firewire devices but really didn't want an adapter. I'll revisit that if this thing pays its way.) This was $99 less 10% for being a display model, much less than I thought I might have to pay.

The technical specs are pretty impressive. It even has a mastering suite, Roland COSM amp and effect modeling built in, and comes with a bundled version of Sonar and other virtual instruments and production software just in case Reason 6, BIAB, and RealBand aren't enough.

I'm as surprised as anyone at this piece, which wasn't even on my radar. Thanks as always for your collective input. I'll keep you posted.

According to the roland site it looks like it is only usb 1.1, and it doesn't mention anything about Windows 7. The spec stops at XP SP2.

"OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home/XP Professional/Me/2000 Professional/98SE
Computer: Windows compatible computer equipped with a USB 1.1 port

* USB 2.0 Compatible. Works as a USB 1.1 device without changing the specifications and performance. ."

I backed off on the USB 2 spec since the most I will ever use for now is two channels in or out. If/when that changes I will get another interface. (That will mean that the thing has paid for itself and it makes sense to do so.)

There is a sticker on the box saying "Now Ready for Windows 7". The box itself reads exactly as you describe it, so I am assuming that Roland has created drivers for it relatively recently.

The reference to Atlanta Pro Audio in my previous post is a link. I highly recommend that serious audio hounds check them out. They are THE go-to guys in Atlanta for small studios and performance artists. I was actually surprised that they had something in my price range. They had a few interfaces for around $250, then it was $500 and up. WAY up.

One of many reasons I love doing business with them is that they treat you the same whether you're spending $100 or $100,000. I left the store with more information than I went in with and a couple of potentially valuable contacts.

I didn't pick up on the USB 1.1 spec. That's why it's only $99. It's also likely why you haven't heard a great deal about it.

I'd make sure you can return it for full refund with the Atlanta place. They should have a grip of USB 2.0 interfaces below $200.

-Scott

Well, guys, it's not working.What I hear from CDs, mpegs, and streaming audio sounds like ring-modulated sawtooth waves. It is absolutely unrecognizable as the original audio.

I've un/re-installed the driver, gone through the Roland Troubleshooting guide, replaced the USB cable, and checked all connections and settings, with no change. I've got a message in to APA. Next stop is Roland.

Richard, you would be well advised to buy an interface that's been on the market and is still on the market, with a loyal following even on Win7. You paid quite a bit for the computer you bought - consider it part of the computer cost.

M-Audio Fast Track Pro, for example. They go on sale quite often and they are so popular, they are also available on eBay and Craigslist all the time.

Rear audio controls, etc.

Don't go firewire if you can avoid it. If you want to give it a whirl, I have a PreSonus Firebox that is in nearly new condition that you can purchase for a very good price.

-Scott

Scott, I agree with you completely. But this thing did look good on paper. If it only worked it would be great!

I thought I had it sorted--I was using HDMI sound into my LED monitor, which I thought might be conflicting. But I changed it to DVI and rebooted, with no change. Boo hoo.

Quote:

Well, guys, it's not working.What I hear from CDs, mpegs, and streaming audio sounds like ring-modulated sawtooth waves. It is absolutely unrecognizable as the original audio.

I've un/re-installed the driver, gone through the Roland Troubleshooting guide, replaced the USB cable, and checked all connections and settings, with no change. I've got a message in to APA. Next stop is Roland.

"...sounds like ring-modulated sawtooth waves..."

That problem is often the result of the sound card's settings being set to a fixed bit depth and bit rate that is other than the 16/44.1 (with on-the-fly conversion for all those 48khz windows soundfiles) that is needed to play normal streaming audio.

Check in the Control Panel or whatever they call the software spplet that has all the sound device's settings in it, looking for something that unlocks it from a forced setting and allows programs to select the bitrate.

Refreshing to view such a good description of the audio heard, most times the descriptions given don't mean all that much to the realworld audio engineer.

--Mac

There is a hardware switch to select bit rate. It is set at 44.1. There are no associated apps, just the driver. I can't find a Windows troubleshooter such as I am accustomed to. I looked for Roland forums but they don't seem to have any. I'm about to call the store.

I need something working now. I just signed up for an online Reason 6 course that commences today.

Try toggling that setting to others and then back, maybe it is stuck or something.

Don't overlook the fact that a lot of USB stuff has to be plugged in, recognized by the OS before starting up any programs that would use it...

--Mac

I have moved the switch around. The device had to be unplugged to install the driver, then plugged in to be recognized. It appears in Control Panel as the default device. As far as the system is concerned it is working properly. I also just tried listening to a demo song in Reason. Same deal.

I have a call in to the sales guy.

By the way, it came bundled with the Roland VSC. I though, "Great, they updated it after all." Uh, negatory. A few seconds in to the install it told me that I needed a processor that was MMX capable. Guess a puny ol' Core i5 2500K 3.3 GHz quad core just ain't good enough.

Bingo.

Ran out and picked up a Presonus Audiobox USB. Had a bad moment when install kept timing out, which seems to be a common problem, but I kept at it and whaddya know? Beeyooteeful noises coming out of blue and silver box.

Meanwhile I got my money through to the Manchester MIDI School (MMS) for their Reason 6 course five minutes before closing on Friday. They won't unlock my account until Monday. But I'm ready.

Glad you got something sorted out. The PreSonus shouldn't have cost you much more than the Edirol unit and it's USB 2.0.

-Scott

I've had this Presonus AudioBox USB for two whole days. It played audio from various sources successfully during that time using the DX drivers. Then I tried to connect a MIDI keyboard to drive Reason 6, first by USB, then by standard MIDI In. I have successfully used this keyboard before on another PC through two different interfaces.

Today I'm getting crackles for sound and nothing more. I thought it was just the MIDI side gone fnort, but I get the same result with all sources. I've got a message in to Propellerheads but I can already tell this isn't a Reason problem. Is it possible that my PC is toasting these interfaces? Now I've got two boxes to return/exchange, no sound, and I'm starting an online Reason 6 course tomorrow.

Trying to understand and help, confused by your comment: "I tried to connect a MIDI keyboard to drive Reason 6, first by USB, then by standard MIDI In." In looking at the Presonus hookup diagram ( http://www.presonus.com/products/detail.aspx?productid=53 ), it looks like how I hooked mine up...midi out on the keyboard to the midi in of the Prosonus AND USB out from the Prosonus to your computer...you need both to drive your DAW. Perhaps I misunderstood your comment. Are you using an isolated USB port ....one that is not shared with any other USB items (usually this is the top USB port...the one below it usually uses the same port.

Note under specs and downloads the updated drivers for 32 and 64 bit machines and the fact that this unit is USB 1.1.

I can see how that would be confusing--I left something out. The Keystation 49e can be connected and powered by USB, OR powered by an external transformer and connected by standard MIDI. I tried both; neither worked.

New information: I took it to the store, where they tested it and it checked out 100% okay. That's good news and bad news, because I have no explanation for why it's not working here. I just got back and am about to reinstall. Back in a few.

Any updates? Just moved from Kennesaw six months ago, would have been more than happy to come over and take a look.

Richard, One oddity I've found with my rascal us800 is that it likes to be the most recent USB device installed. If I install a device after it there is a cOnflict. Removal and reinstall the drivers seems to work.

Scott
Are they sharing an Interrupt?

Quote:

Scott
Are they sharing an Interrupt?

I dunno. I haven't looked into it that deeply. Not an issue if I don't bring in any new USB devices. Next time it happens, I will have a deeper look.