Acoustica User Forums

I just made the plunge into the world of DAW's and have yet to lock down the major hardware for doing anything really wonderful. What I have been using (pre-DAW) is an LTI Blox laptop interface by Rapco Horizon. It has a 1/8" stereo plug on one end and an XLR male on the other. I have used it to not only interface into a laptop, but to link the laptop to a Soundcraft GB2 console and also as an interface through the output from an acoustic amp into the laptop.

I though it important to mention,that as I have come to discover...some computers/audio interface combos,do not play well with Mixcraft 7.
I believe,that due to my former computer being so under-powered,it created a plethora of issues between my M-Audio M-Track 2 Plus and Mixcraft 7 and the core issue(as it were),was that this combination of devices,generated false error messages.

My former computer,an Acer Aspire AXC-603G-UW13, was absolutely no match for Mixcraft 7,as I realized just how taxing,M7 can be on a PC(especially one that has only 4GB of RAM & only a 2Ghz processor.)
I am now using a Gateway PC with an i5,3Ghz & 8GB of RAM(16GB total),with the upgrade I installed and I could ask for a more stable workstation set up!

The reason I mention all this,is that there was some speculation about my audio interface & the possibility of a faulty driver in it,but this turned out to be not the case,at all.

Even on my old PC,my M-Audio interface worked fine within Ableton....so in case anyone has their eye on the very audio interface that I have,be rest assured,that the M-Audio M-Track 2 Plus,is a solid interface & a great value.

On my other PC,I have a Presonus AudioBox 44VSL,which is also a great purchase...but it is twice the price of my M-Audio interface(as it has twice the # of inputs).

I may have to try one of this new Tascam unit-
http://tascam.com/product/us-16x08/

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... -interface

That looks interesting! I wish the 4 Ch. model had the virtual DSP mixer features. I like the channel strips with EQ and Compression.

Mark Bliss wrote:That looks interesting! I wish the 4 Ch. model had the virtual DSP mixer features. I like the channel strips with EQ and Compression.

let's just hope it's a better build quality than the Tascam us-1800 which I'm reading is pretty much junk these days.
I would still like to see the meters on the unit itself like the US-2000 had,if for no other reason than to save screen real estate.

t.c. electronic desktop Konnekt 6 Firewire Audio Interface / Monitor Control

http://www.tcelectronic.com/desktop-konnekt-6/

Highly recommended, plays nice with everything, pretty flexible.

The only 'complaint' I have is that even when recording at peak levels and can't get a nice waveform in Mixcraft, I have to 'normalize' every track in order to get a decently viewable waveform for editing. I'm used to it, but it's a pain. Very little latency with the Asio driver.

freightgod wrote:t.c. electronic desktop Konnekt 6 Firewire Audio Interface / Monitor Control

http://www.tcelectronic.com/desktop-konnekt-6/

Highly recommended, plays nice with everything, pretty flexible.

The only 'complaint' I have is that even when recording at peak levels and can't get a nice waveform in Mixcraft, I have to 'normalize' every track in order to get a decently viewable waveform for editing. I'm used to it, but it's a pain. Very little latency with the Asio driver.

why not just stretch the tracks vertically to see the waveform better?

how much gain are you using on the Konnekt?

is the PAD button always on no matter the instrument or mic?

gypsy101 wrote:

freightgod wrote:t.c. electronic desktop Konnekt 6 Firewire Audio Interface / Monitor Control

http://www.tcelectronic.com/desktop-konnekt-6/

Highly recommended, plays nice with everything, pretty flexible.

The only 'complaint' I have is that even when recording at peak levels and can't get a nice waveform in Mixcraft, I have to 'normalize' every track in order to get a decently viewable waveform for editing. I'm used to it, but it's a pain. Very little latency with the Asio driver.

why not just stretch the tracks vertically to see the waveform better?

how much gain are you using on the Konnekt?

is the PAD button always on no matter the instrument or mic?

What is this PAD button of which you speak? How much gain? Ummm, as much as I can without clipping, minus a tad for headroom. You know, don't let the red meanies get you.

And yeah, I still stretch vertically a lot even after normalizing. But now that that feature is available, I often don't have to, so that's a real time saver.

freightgod wrote:

gypsy101 wrote:

freightgod wrote:t.c. electronic desktop Konnekt 6 Firewire Audio Interface / Monitor Control

http://www.tcelectronic.com/desktop-konnekt-6/

Highly recommended, plays nice with everything, pretty flexible.

The only 'complaint' I have is that even when recording at peak levels and can't get a nice waveform in Mixcraft, I have to 'normalize' every track in order to get a decently viewable waveform for editing. I'm used to it, but it's a pain. Very little latency with the Asio driver.

why not just stretch the tracks vertically to see the waveform better?

how much gain are you using on the Konnekt?

is the PAD button always on no matter the instrument or mic?

What is this PAD button of which you speak? How much gain? Ummm, as much as I can without clipping, minus a tad for headroom. You know, don't let the red meanies get you.

And yeah, I still stretch vertically a lot even after normalizing. But now that that feature is available, I often don't have to, so that's a real time saver.

pad button (alson known as an attenuator switch on a D.I.) knocks too hot signals down -10 or -20db depending on the unit.

I don't see that on yours but I do see input/pre/post metering options so maybe you have one set too low.

the waveform should look like the top or middle ones in this pic.
(I was experimenting to show levels @ unity,-'10db, & -20db attenuation on a D.I.'s PAD switch.)

Worth checking, but input/pre/post is just for metering, doesn't affect output. And I've got a 12db boost enabled in the software controller

Like I say, it's just one of those things...it's a great interface.

I recently upgraded from a 1st gen Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 to a 2nd gen 2i4, and I love it. The 2nd gen interfaces are much better than the 1 gen, and the headphone output volume is much louder too. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 is a nice little audio interface, and IMO much better than the 2i2 design because of the added input/playback knob.

I recently upgraded from an M-Audio M-Track (basic 2-channel) to a Behringer 1820 8 channel input. So far I'm very pleasantly surprised. I'm using it with MX on an i-5 and have low latency and minimal resources used. I have not done any extensive testing of using all 8 inputs yet but have a schedule to do so in March.

Hi,
When I got my new computer, built for music production, I got Mixcraft and a Focusrite 18i20. It works great with Mixcraft. I gives me the inputs in wanted, and is expandable if I need more inputs. It allows me to use hardware processing as well.

- Myran

Focusrite Scarlett 2i4
I am a home recording hobbyist (wannabe)
For flexibility I run all mics, guitar, bass, keyboard, edrum module into a Behringer Xenyx 1202FX
Main outs go to the Scarlett then into Mixcraft Pro Studio 9
By using the mixer up front I can switch inputs quickly without having to rewire my rig