Help: Interfacing MultiTracker with PC?

J

Jinglez

New member
Firstly I would like to say Hello!

So for an introduction. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to hardware, I'm much more comfortable in the realm of software.
A while back a friend gave me a Fostex MR-8HD multitracker and MXL 992 Condenser Mic. Im trying to use this gear in conjunction with my PC which is a HP Pavillion Elite 'HPE 500y'.

So I will explain what it is I want to do exactly, and hopefully you lovely people can point me in the right direction.

I want to use the Condenser mic to record vocals, but I dont want to record them onto the multitracker HD. I just want to use the multitracker for its phantom power, which my condenser mic needs to operate.
So ideally I want to stream the mic audio straight from the multitracker and into my PC, to be recorded using software on the PC.

Is this possible with my current gear? Do i need additional equipment? Are there any work arounds?
I would like to accomplish this task with minimal additional purchases if at all possible(Im broke as a joke).
The research I've done so far suggests to me that i may need something like the "M-Audio Fast track" and drop the MR-8HD from the equation completely. I would like to make use of what I already have though.

Tips? Suggestions? Advice? Help?

Thanks, Cheers!
 
You can do it with what you have* but you probably can't "stream" it directly from the unit as it won't have that type of capabiity.

Your unit will accept the incoming signal and convert it to digital, so it's just a matter of getting the digital file from the unit and importing into your DAW software on the PC. Should be easily done these days.

Or, you can assign the Fostex device to its rightful role as a doorstop, get an audio interface and go direct. If you go this route, do your reseach and don't get a single channel device. Eventually you'll want two channels, if not more.

*I'm assuming the device outputs digital files somehow. Read your manual.
 
Read the manual is an instruction you will find here a lot. That's because half the questions people ask can be answered that way. ;)

You can find the manual HERE A quick look through tells me you can only export WAV files (after internal conversion) from the 'master' tracks 7 & 8 on the recorder, so no, you cannot use it an an audio interface as you had hoped. Maybe you can find someone to buy it from you - I see they're going for $50+ on fleabay. That'sll give you about 1/3 of the cost of a new audio interface.
 
Thanks for the replies.
I will give the manual a look. when my friend gave me the Fostex he didnt give me the paperwork for it, so I was just experimenting with it trying to figure it out.

I did get a stream going. although i did it in a most unproper way. I used a 1/4 to 1/8 converter jack on the phones output on the fostex and ran a mic line from that to my PC mic port.
The result was a horrid and completely unacceptable quality.
I had hoped there would be someother way to output the audio from the fostex unit. If i have to export to my pc everytime i finish a recording that is going to be a pain in the ass, especially if i have to do a lot of retakes.
 
The m'tracker seems to be a 16 bit only device so there would be little to lose by using a Behringer UCA202 (222) interface.

I have had two of these over the years and they are really quite good IF you realize their limitations. For around £25 they really are the only solution for that sort of money and you would struggle to find a second hand AI in decent order for that (tho' a £50.S/H M-A fast track pro or Tascam US144 would be much better...DOH! You would get phantom power then and not need the Fostex!)

If you are UK based OP, PM me and I will lend you my 202.

Dave.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top