Can I use a USB interface as a standalone ADC?

J

jeffoest

New member
Probably a dumb question - but I'm loooking at getting a M-Audio Audiophile USB for a particular application. After I got to thinking, I realized that as a second (and completely unexpected) benefit, this unit has all the interfaces that I would need to do something I've always wanted to: bypass my hard-disk recorder's micpre's and go direct into the SPDIF digital.

But since I don't have a computer in the 'studio', can I use the Audiophile USB not plugged into the computer? (i.e. just for the analog in and digital out) Does it still work? lol (told you it was a dumb question!)

Thanks!
 
You cant do that because the unit has to have power and this unit gets it power from the USB buss, sorry :(
 
Well, that's what I was thinking too but after closer inspection - this unit does have it's own AC supply. Now can I? ;-)
 
Good suggestion! lol

I just did - they didn't sound COMPLETELY sure, but they said that even when used as a pure ADC (no computer) it needs to be plugged into a computer at the USB port. I imagine that's the way you set the options in the unit anyways so that sort of makes sense.... oh well :-( I suppose I can schlep a laptop with the driver software into the studio but that's just one more thing to make a little more noise (doing vocal recording)....
 
I wonder if you can plug it in to one of those powered USB hubs and fool it into thinking it's hooked up; or if there's a more complicated handshaking protocol.
 
reshp1 said:
I wonder if you can plug it in to one of those powered USB hubs and fool it into thinking it's hooked up; or if there's a more complicated handshaking protocol.
Click to expand...
....................interesting idea......


PS I HATE kittens, so I better get crack'in!
 
reshp1 said:
if there's a more complicated handshaking protocol.
Click to expand...
This is what I am thinking. But you never know until you try, I guess. Just be careful you don't mess something up...
 
jeffoest said:
Probably a dumb question - but I'm loooking at getting a M-Audio Audiophile USB for a particular application. After I got to thinking, I realized that as a second (and completely unexpected) benefit, this unit has all the interfaces that I would need to do something I've always wanted to: bypass my hard-disk recorder's micpre's and go direct into the SPDIF digital.

But since I don't have a computer in the 'studio', can I use the Audiophile USB not plugged into the computer? (i.e. just for the analog in and digital out) Does it still work? lol (told you it was a dumb question!)

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I'm gonna say no cause this is not how the device was designed to work. Even with the unit plugged into the wall jack it would still need to be connected via USB to a CPU to configure the card anyway once you disconnect the usb cable the unit will fail to function without the DRIVERS on the CPU constantly giving the card its instructions.

But hey its your money anything is worth a shot if you can afford the cost of what might go wrong if your experiment fails. :eek:
 
You need it hooked into a computer to setup the options. You will need to choose 16 or 24 bit, etc and that can't be done without a computer of some kind.
 
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