Direct Pro vs. Delta 66 (or 44) w/ small mackie or..????

D

duewest

New member
So, I'm at a stalemate...the AArdvark box has the DSP and a full version of Cakewalk. I don't own a mixer, so the built in pre's are a plus. The Delta's cheaper but probably more flexible in the long run with a Mackie 1202. I've already got N-track and with my SB live and a cheap stereo minidisk mic get OK results, but the latency makes it unusable. All I want is the ability to record a few inputs at once for writing and arranging. It would be nice to possibly use those track in my master project and burn on my computer. I've already got a burner. (P3 800, 440bx chipset, Asus P3BF MB. 128 ram.) I've also considered the Solo and the Mona but don't want to spend more than 500 or 600 total.

Please give me some sage advice!

Thanks in advance,

Jason
 
this is a golden question.... i am in a veeeery similar situation.
on one side, having the mackie and the delta would be a lot more versatile and maybe a little cheaper (even if i dont think so), and you get excellent preamps.
but, with the aardvark things become a lot easier (you can save "scenes" presets, the effects are ready to be switched on with the push of a button and no wiring and so on..), you get compression (veeeery useful) and all the other effects, and you get the software... i dont know... the same doubt here!!!! someone reply!!
 
I bought the Aardvark DirectPro 24/96. To me, the mic pre's sound better than my mixer (Mackie). Latency? What's that? This thing rocks. Definitely the best purchase of my musical career. Everything is shielded very well.

You can get it cheap at http://www.bayviewproaudio.com
 
Also the Direct Pro has MIDI I/O, the Deltas do not (you would need to purchase a seperate MIDI box too). I have a Direct Pro and love it.
 
I have a Direct pro as well, and have a question for you other owners. What has been your luck with the compressor? I bought this unit for the pre-amps and DSP and am not sure I've saved any money. I am finding that if I compress the incoming signal to defeat peaks, I end up with the signal sitting at -15 db or so. That means I am not using many of the bits (and a lower quality signal). Most compressors have a makup gain on the unit so this will not occur. But, since I have no mixer with inserts, I can't introduce a "proper" compressor either.

Has anyone had the same problem, or am I missing something?
 
Delta

I know that the Delta 66 with the Omni I/O break out box is hard to touch. I live in Germany and so I don't really know exactly about the Aardvark's price. The Delta-66-Omni I/O has everything that a project studio would need. I already have a MIDI sport 2x2 interface. So that is not a problem. Latency is not a problem. I push Logic Audio Platinum Software and that is a big help with everything. This is a question and an answer thread. Can you tell me how much the Aardvark costs?

Thanks,
Mike
 
I am using the gain. I am using a Shure KSM, with the gain around 35-38 db. The goal would be to have the recorded material between -3 and -10 db or so, using a good amount of the available headroom. If I increase the gain higher, I find that the compressor cannot catch the trainsients, and I get clipping. This may be due to a minimum attack time that is not low enough to catch the transients. I assume the minumum setting is 1 ms, which is high compared to hardware units I have looked at (RNC for example). The compressor seems to be post-fader, so adjusting the fader makes no difference when compressing the signal.

I have no problems achieving the goal I describe with the Waves or Cakewalk compressor, but using plugins means I have to start with a wimpy input track.
 
i agree

i agree, that's why i bought the direct pro (the compressor before it goes digital) - i've tried to get Aardvark to work on the compressors...

lD
 
So, in the end, I would say I am a little disappointed with the Direct Pro, at least as far as the effects go. I was originally going to do separates, but ended up with the Aark. For $500, it is still probably the best solution, and does cover all bases, but one loses a good deal of flexibility in trade. The delta solution is more flexible, but you don't get quite as much, and the I/O will be replaced by a mixer eventually, believe me. Aark could concievably fix this, since its all in software, but I haven't seen too many companys seriously enhance a product that is already available.

I will probably end up going for an 01v, with an ADAT card, which will give me mixing, compression, and a control surface for the DAW. This unfortunately is not a $500 solution however.
 
could.t hurt to call aardvark

Let Aardvark know - - They have done some improvements in the past year i have owned the direct pro - -


lD
 
I have, or am. I have an e-mail thread going on with them now along these lines, but they started with "adjust the slider". I have replied to them with more detail, we'll see if they have any suggestions.

I would say that if they fixed the compressor, the Direct Pro would be all by itself in price/performance. The DSP is its hook over the Delta products, and without it, I'd rather have the installed base of the Delta with me. it seems that Cakewalk for example is working closely with M-audio in conjunction with SONAR.

Ironically, Aark's most recently announced product (Q10) has most of what I would be looking for today, except a mixing surface (I hate mixing on the computer screen). They seem to have given up on the on board DSP for that one, though. I'm not having sour grapes about obsolescence, but I think I was a little naive about what I should expect at a certain price point. For what its worth, I have a 3630 as well. I guess I should know better.
 
schwa,

Are you using the compressor to monitor, or are you recording it?

When you record the compressed signal, the makeup gain is done by pressing the "rec FX" button, and using the fader to adjust the makeup gain. When you press the rec FX button, the fader for that channel is the makeup gain and adjusts the level that you send to "tape" (acutally whatever software that you are using). This applys to the EQ as well. I track with both the compression and EQ and use the fader for makeup gain with no problems, check it out it works well.

ET
 
Yes, I am using the rec fx button. I find that if I use the compressor with settings that would be typical for a hardware or plugin, that the Direct Pro is letting peaks through. In order to effecitvely compress the mic signal (to avoid clipping), and get a 10-15 db dynamic range (to get a good number of bits to work with), I ned to set the threshold pretty low (-15db or more).

The faders can provide some makeup gain, but according to tech support it may not necessarily be enough to make up for the compression. I can tell you with the settings above and the fader pegged, you'll see a signal sitting around the threshold, with some peaks.

I find I have the problem with line sources, that is the compressor works, but only if I squish it well.

A more likely candidate for a solution would be if I could figure out how to set the gain structure so it would put out a less dynamic signal, but that what I thought the compressor should do.

Also to update my conversations with Aark directly, they have indicated that there are no changes coming to the compressor anytime soon.

Anyone want to buy a Direct Pro?
 
I dont know man...I just don't have those problems. Its just like any other compressor that I have used, what do you want from a soundcard? If I had the $ I would buy your Direct Pro. That is a stupid reason for selling it....
 
What other compressors have you worked with? Its not like any compressor I have worked with (RNC, Waves, Cakewalk, 3630 to name a few). I can't seem to find *any* others that have a minimum attack of 1 ms. (even the 3630 has .1 ms) I also can't seem to find any others without a makeup gain, so one might think that others find its a good thing to have.

By the way, I'm not only one who noticed this. This same issue was brought up in the keyboard magazine review of this card. (I saw the review after I had bought the card).

I want to be able to record a signal that uses a healthy amount of the available bandwidth without clipping. It does not seem to be possible based on my conversations in this forum and with Aark.

Why would it be stupid to sell this card?
 
kind of irritating

It's kind of irritating if you read Aardvark's write-up promo stuff. ET did you get some sort of updated manual? - - My xerox-copied manual says very little...


lD
 
No updated manual, I figured out the Rec FX on my own.

When I record into Cakewalk, using 2:1 ratio, threshold at about -12, and use the fader for makeup gain I get the perfect waveform, no overs and a great sound.

schwa,

Imagine that the DirectPro did not have any effects....would you think that a soundcard with 4 excellent mic preamps, phantom power, midi, s/pdif, no noise, great sounding card etc. for under $500 would be enough? If you purchased the DirectPro for the for the effects only you probably made a mistake. However if you think of the effects as an added bonus to an already sweet system, you will be happy. Be happy for what you got man....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top