ATTN: All DIAMOND MONSTER MX400 and SB LIVE users! LESSON LEARNED.

William Choi

New member
OK, well. In a previous thread where nobody could help me, I stated that I had an SB LIVE! value soundcard and I wanted to get a second one, the DIAmOND MONSTER MX400, as my dedicated softsynth output.
Reason1:
I wanted to track my softsynth output. Softsynth's usually output as a WAV output(if it's truely a synthesizer and not just a MIDI sampler of synth sounds). So, trying to record the Softsynth with the same soundcard would be impossible becuase you'll get the whole mix in there as well.

Hope1:
Outputting my softsynth through my SBLIVE, I got a good 40ms Latency using my softsynth. So I wanted something equivalent or faster.

Anyways, I got the MX400 and installed it.
With those of you familiar with the DM MX400, it uses a program called "Audio Incontrol Tools" which is the equivalent to SB LIVE's Audio HQ.
Anyways, on loading the program you'll experience some REG errors. After pressing OK to all of them -there are plenty- you end up at the controls. although there are these errors, the soundcard runs perfectly regardless.
BUT!:
You'll find that if you run any softsynth outputted through the MX400, you are going to have to set the latency pretty darn long(75ms) or else 70ms will give ya the click of death.

And this is using DIAMOND Monster's Directsound Capabilities.
Directsound is suppose to be what makes it run a lot smoother. utilizing less of your CPU and directX processing.

I lived with this trashy, yet acceptable, performance for about 2 weeks. Then out of nowhere today, I just opened up the Audio Incontrols again and looked at it.
I had this weird feeling that if I turned off the Directsound acceleration, something might happen.

So I loaded up my softsynth again(Native instrument's PRO52)
Checked the settings, made sure that it was using the DIRECTSOUND output, and slided the Latency meter to 40ms.

tested it out: FUCKING EH!!! Primo sound!

Changed Latency down to 20.

20ms gave me wicked shit!!!

So, to all of you wanting to get a DM MX400 as your one and only soundcard or a second. You might want to consider this lesson if you're planning to do Softsynth recording.

Thankyou.
 
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