Input options and microphones

How to use MultiTrack DAW
Scot Solida
Posts: 12
Joined: November 28th, 5:37 am

Re: ART dual pre

Post by Scot Solida »

pwnified wrote:
Keith wrote:Has anyone used the ART dual pre (USB) with the iPad?
I got one, its working great. A nice feature is that it only draws 50ma of power, even with phantom power enabled. It also has enough gain for dynamic mics, and the direct monitoring can be turned off by turning the mix knob up. http://www.artproaudio.com/products.asp ... t=9&id=150
First off, I just got Multitrack DAW on my iPad and am liking it quite a bit. Very nice work here.

I am still searching for good, portable I/O options, but it seems the list just got a lot slimmer with the reduced USB power allowance of iOS 4.2. I think the max USB draw allowed is now 20 mA. Even things that have their own power supply are requiring a powered USB hub since I updated.

pwnified: do you know if the ART will still work on the iPad on the latest iOS?
Keith
Posts: 70
Joined: October 3rd, 1:25 pm
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: Input options and microphones

Post by Keith »

The ART is working with 4.2 however when monitoring the computer a high pitched whine occurs. I'm on my third unit with both ART and Sweetwater involved. This noise happens on every computer I've attached it to. It seems to be some sort of syncing issue.
Scot Solida
Posts: 12
Joined: November 28th, 5:37 am

Re: Input options and microphones

Post by Scot Solida »

Thanks, Keith. That's good information to have. I can't get the ART locally, so I can't "try before I buy". Reports like your can save me a bundle.

I may make a trip into the Guitar Center in Wichita today (I live in a much smaller town) to see if they will let me try a couple of things out.
Keith
Posts: 70
Joined: October 3rd, 1:25 pm
Location: Nashville, TN

Re: Input options and microphones

Post by Keith »

As soon as anything is resolved I'll post my results.
Scot Solida
Posts: 12
Joined: November 28th, 5:37 am

Re: ART dual pre

Post by Scot Solida »

Scot Solida wrote: pwnified: do you know if the ART will still work on the iPad on the latest iOS?
I just noticed that pwnified mentioned that it was still working for him in another thread.

Keith, I'll look forward to your results. If one shows up in my vicinity, I'll give it a go. As a side (but related) note: my M-Audio Fast Track Pro also gives me a faint high-pitched whine on my iMac, though it is only evident in my speakers... it isn't recorded. There is also a distinct "digital hash" whine if I have my speakers too close to my wireless router. That may not be what you are experiencing, though.

On a more-to-the-point side note: The audio inputs of the above -mentioned Fast Track Pro work with Multitrack DAW. No audio out through it, though (maybe because there is no routing with the iPad?). MIDI out works with MIDI Touch. Haven't tried MIDI in. Oh, and the Fast Track only works when using a powered USB hub. It won't work without it, even if I power the Fast Track with the wall-wart. Still, it's a start! I successfully tracked my big modular synth into Multitrack DAW this morning, so I am feeling confident.
Scot Solida
Posts: 12
Joined: November 28th, 5:37 am

Re: Input options and microphones

Post by Scot Solida »

My trip out to Guitar Center was revealing and ultimately somewhat successful. I tried a number of interfaces before settling on the Alesis MultiMix 4 USB, which was on sale for $79. It lacks MIDI, but the audio worked fine. It requires power from a wall wart.

While I was there I tried the Tascam US-122 MkII and that one didn't work at all.

Ditto for the Yamaha Audiogram 3 and 6, and the Presonus Dual Pre. You'll note that all of these units must be bus powered and have no power supply of their own.

The rather spiffy-looking Lexicon Ionix U22 also didn't work as far as I could tell. The iPad didn't reject it, but the iPad's built-in I/O was not defeated, so arming a track resulted in feedback when the transport was rolling in Multitrack DAW. I was rather distracted in the store with all of the people around, so maybe I made some foolish mistake on that one.

In any event, the Alesis will do the job for me for Multitrack DAW, though I'd prefer an interface with audio and MIDI. For now, though, I'll swap this in and out with a MIDI interface (new versions of the Uno worked for me) as needed.
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pwnified
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Joined: August 17th, 9:41 pm

Re: ART dual pre

Post by pwnified »

Scot Solida wrote:pwnified: do you know if the ART will still work on the iPad on the latest iOS?
I'm starting to get the issue that Keith is talking about (high pitched whine) with the Art USB Dual Pre (Project Series). I've been moving my development studio to a new location, and just tried the Art again using a different setup at the new location. The unit works with iOS4.2 if you turn off phantom power before plugging it in, and then turn on phantom power with the mics attached. This test was done with some Oktava MC 012-01 mics.

But there is some kind of ground loop or shielding issue with the Art USB Dual Pre. It seems to be happening when using headphones directly into the unit, whereas before I had the outputs going to a mixing board (maybe that was providing more grounding and lower noise). Using a powered hub didn't help the noise issue.

I'll do some more tests as time prevails and let you know, but it's looking like the Art is not going to pan out afterall.
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Scot Solida
Posts: 12
Joined: November 28th, 5:37 am

Re: Input options and microphones

Post by Scot Solida »

Thanks for the report, pwnified. I almost ordered one in... glad I held off (for now).

On a happier note, I have been recording into Multitrack DAW through the Alesis Multimix4 for the past few days and haven't experienced any trouble at all. I am quite pleased with how it is working out.
jkevinwolfe
Posts: 50
Joined: July 16th, 3:52 am

Re: Input options and microphones

Post by jkevinwolfe »

Jorgen,

Sorry for the late reply. The TuneTalk sounded fine, but I was getting a noticeable amount of noise with both the mics and the line in.

For those interested: OS4.2 has crippled my CakeWalk UA-1G USB audio interface. Can't get it to work at all. The Yeti has gotten less predictable, but works most of the time. Recently bought a Samson GoMic. The quality is nowhere near as nice as the Yeti (noisy, not as warm) but it consistently works, after okaying the prompt from the iPad that says it won't work.
beyond
Posts: 49
Joined: June 24th, 7:17 am

Re: Input options and microphones

Post by beyond »

jkevinwolfe wrote:Jorgen,

Sorry for the late reply. The TuneTalk sounded fine, but I was getting a noticeable amount of noise with both the mics and the line in.

For those interested: OS4.2 has crippled my CakeWalk UA-1G USB audio interface. Can't get it to work at all. The Yeti has gotten less predictable, but works most of the time. Recently bought a Samson GoMic. The quality is nowhere near as nice as the Yeti (noisy, not as warm) but it consistently works, after okaying the prompt from the iPad that says it won't work.
Dude, you were freaking me out there for a minute. I just tried the cakeawalk interface with the powered USB hub I bought for the yeti -- works great.

Sounds like you need to buy a powered USB hub, I got one for $30 at radio shack. Won't allow truly "anywhere" recording because you have to plug in the hub to a wall outlet, but at least it still works -- probably even more reliably than before, because it's not dependent upon what your iPad's battery level.

Breathing a big sigh of relief!... :mrgreen: