Can you use 2xUSB Interfaces

  • Thread starter Thread starter McbLt
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McbLt

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Hi,

I'm thinking of getting the Edirol UA25 but I'm just concerned about being able to get more inputs later on. Would it be possible to say, get a USB hub and have 2 of these running?
 
No, probably not. The drivers will be the same, so your software will only recognize a single device. You shouldn't run any USB recording device through a hub, anyway.
 
If you're looking into the UA-25, and are concerned about future expansion, you might check out the Presonus Inspire. It's $199 and Firewire, and right now you can daisy chain 4 of them together for 16 inputs total. Each comes with 4, including 2 mic preamps. Seems like a pretty nice piece, and Presonus has now developed quite a good reputation with there Firepod.
 
scrubs said:
No, probably not. The drivers will be the same, so your software will only recognize a single device. You shouldn't run any USB recording device through a hub, anyway.
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Actually, I did run two SuperMPUs. They worked fine, but the funny thing is that the order of detection will determine which is device A and which is device B, and that can sometimes throw your setup off. Ither than that, it worked fine though. You can have multiple instances of the same USB driver running.
 
I run 2 Midex 8x8 with no problems what so ever and occasionally will plug a 3rd interface into the hub, so you will be fine. Remember that midi is a VERY slow interface (31.25K) so your USB bus would have to be pretty clogged be4 you start seeing problems
 
hmm cheers.

I think I might go the Inspire, it looks like a very funky piece of kit :D
 
fraserhutch said:
Actually, I did run two SuperMPUs. They worked fine, but the funny thing is that the order of detection will determine which is device A and which is device B, and that can sometimes throw your setup off. Ither than that, it worked fine though. You can have multiple instances of the same USB driver running.
Click to expand...

That's one of the big disadvantages of USB compared to PCI or FireWire. Devices don't have a location that can be used to identify them like PCI does, and USB doesn't require that each device have a unique ID like FireWire does.

The result is that there's no way to guarantee that two interfaces of the same model from the same manufacturer won't renumber themselves. And it isn't limited to initial detection, either. The same problem occurs when the bus is reenumerated due to certain types of errors, hybernating/sleeping the machine, etc.

That's not saying that there aren't ever unique IDs for USB devices, just that they aren't required in the spec, and thus most manufacturers don't bother with them.
 
Unless you are specifically told by the manufacturer that their interfaces are built to be daisy-chained, it's not a good idea.

Every device you have has at least one (sometimes many) crystal clock all beating along at their own "heartbeat". Your computer has a number of them.

Unless you can sync up those "heartbeats", you're going to have major problems.

(Kinda like tieing together three or four airplanes and trying to fly them off the runway together.... any synchronization problems between the pilots is gonna get MESSY....)
 
I went out to ZZounds and read all the comments on the MobilePre, Firebox, US-122, and UA25.

There is a whole lot of ugliness commented about the US-122. The MobilePre is "hissy" and made from plastic. The Firebox has driver issues, clicks and pops. It seems the UA-25 is the best sound of the low end bunch.

Funny about the Edirol UA25, it has only a 6.7 overall rating, but all the reviewers gave it 9 or higher on the good stuff: sound quality, construction, reliability.

At $239, the UA25 is a bit more pricey than the Mobilepre, which I've seen out on eBay new for $129 shipped. The real winner is the Apogee Mini-Me, but at $1500 it is out of the running.
 
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