Couple of quick questions if I may?

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ChaosToo

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I've recently put together this basic setup :

Intel Core Duo 3Ghz, Windows 7, 4GB RAM, Soundmax integrated soundcard
Magix Music Maker (simple and cheap)
Wharfedale Connect 502 USB (had the Behringer on order for ages, but it was always out of stock)
Behringer C1 mic

As the interface comes with limited docs, I have struggled a bit to set it up. It has no specific drivers - so I installed ASIO4All - but using it, I can't seem to get playback alongside recording subsequent tracks. It seems a widespread problem with ASIO from the searches I've done, but without any docs to help, I can't figure out if it's a routing issue?

Using the Wave driver, all is well - so am I missing out by NOT using ASIO? Latency doesn't seem to be an issue, so should I just stick with the Wave driver? Using the Wave driver, I have been monitoring via the headphone socket on the soundcard - obviously this gives me playback monitoring for recorded tracks, but no live monitor. If I use the headphone socket on the interface, I get the live monitor, but no playback monitor. It's no biggy on instruments, but it might be an issue on vocals. Am I missing some sort of routing or cabling solution to/from the PC to the interface?

Also, I have used USB as the i/o, but it seems to introduce white noise to the tracks, so I've worked around it with a jack to jack solution from one of the MAIN outs to the line in on the soundcard - works well and reduces the white noise - but is it better practice to use a twin 1/4" mono to single mini jack stereo lead? Or have I also missed something regarding the USB that I'd be better off sticking with that as the i/o?

Cheers in advance for any help / links / advice you can give.
 
Hi,
You need to make a choice between onboard sound and the usb interface.
That's the way it works; Technically they are both audio interfaces, but your recording software can't 'see' them both at the same time.

It sounds to me like selecting 'Wave driver' is telling the recording software to use built in audio, and selecting ASIO4ALL is telling it to use your USB interface.

Just to simplify things, I'd disable onboard sound in your BIOS and then take stock of what you have and how it works.




This is a stab, but.....
ChaosToo said:
If I use the headphone socket on the interface, I get the live monitor, but no playback monitor.
Click to expand...


There's a button on your mixer that says 'USB to Phones'.
That should send computer playback to headphones. There's a good chance you just need to press the button.
The reason can currently hear live monitoring is because it's pure analog; What you hear hasn't gotten as far as the computer.

Once you engage 'USB to Phones' you'll probably hear two copies of your input; The real analog one that you hear now, and a slightly delayed one that's been to the computer and back.
Just mute the live audio track in your software whilst recording to get around this.
 
Bugger - didn't think of that! I'll give it a go in a bit!

You're correct in your assumption about the button - but obviously when I've tried that, due to the doubling up of the output, I wasn't hearing any noticeable change!

Thanks for the help!
 
OK - so I tried disabling the onboard sound and still the same thing. Now it might be just the software, so I'm going to try a few other free trials to see if it all behaves the same.......
 
What is the same thing? You can hear direct sound as you speak into a mic, but not playback from the computer?
Make sure the correct device is selected in your software settings panel, and make sure the track+master outputs are set to main outs 1+2.

To test, you could pick the USB mixer as your windows system device, then play some youtube videos or something.
You should be able to hear that through the phones. If not, there's probably a setting on the desk that needs changed.
 
I've just had a quick mess with Audacity and the USB playback/recording worked straight away ........ as did the punch in buttons to enable me to monitor the playback and recording via the interface ........

I've got a trial of Reaper, FL Studio and Sonar to try out next to see if it's a software issue with Magix, or just my stupidity .......

At least the Magix software was cheap ........

Oh - and I've just checked the You Tube idea - worked just fine through the interface - so hardware wise, it's all working as it should - just not in Magix ......... it's a learning curve, that's for sure ..........
 
Well that's good. It proves it to the Magix software, as you say.

That being the case, it should just be a matter of changing your settings somewhere within Magix software..
I don't know that software at all myself, but I'm pretty sure Ecc83 uses it.

Maybe he'll help if you're stuck.
 
Steenamaroo said:
Well that's good. It proves it to the Magix software, as you say.

That being the case, it should just be a matter of changing your settings somewhere within Magix software..
I don't know that software at all myself, but I'm pretty sure Ecc83 uses it.

Maybe he'll help if you're stuck.
Click to expand...

Someone shake me pram???
Music Maker? Yeah, pretty ToysRus. Don't let that put you off MAGIX tho! Samplitude Silver is totally free and is in every way a "growed up" DAW except you are limited to 8 tracks (4 stereo). This is however more than enough for the beginner (those Analogue Only boys seem to cope!) and also keeps things simple.

With respect to OBSound et al. I would clear out all references to the Wharfedale, a Restore would be good. Then disable OBS, in BIOS if you can, in Device Manager if not (N.B! Do NOT uninstall it. All that will happen is the PC will find and re-install it at the next boot) . Then plug the usb mixer back in and let Windows find it. Win 7 is a bit "funny" with usb audio devices and so you might have to drill down into the audio settings to optimize things. This latter COULD be the reason for the noisy playback although this is a common complaint about (WGR) cheap usb mixers.

Note also that the mixer only runs 16bits. Not that big a deal but 24bits is a bit of a norm'. All is not lost however. If that is a desktop PC fit an M-Audio 2496 PCI soundcard. The mixer itself should be quite good. I have a Wharefedale 16-m2 that does duty as a monitor controller and combiner for two PCs and other sources. Had it 4 years and no worries save a noisy main mix pot which succumbed to a squirt of de-oxit.

If a laptop, look out for a second hand M-A fast track pro or Tascam 122/144.

Dave.
 
Thanks for the info Dave. I'm back on nights tonight, so I'll have a play on my days off.

Having said that, so far I have tried disabling the obs in BIOS, and then disabling any reference to Soundmax in the control panel. It still didn't seem to want to play - unlike Audacity, which didn't need any fettling with.

Also, with Audacity, the USB white noise wasn't apparent, which was a little odd.

The PC is a SFF desktop but I'd kind of hoped the interface would be man enough to negate me using another soundcard - and the M Audio is full height anyway, which means it isn't an option. The Wharefdale was chosen mainly because it has a full 48v phantom power for the C1, but I'll admit it was also one of the cheaper options.....

I do like the Magix stuff - I demoed a load of their stuff before buying the MM software, as it seemed the most simple to use, with a good GUI. Sadly, it also does have a tendency to crash quite a bit, but if I can get it stable, then all is not lost. Having said that, the fact that I found out that it can't run VSTs until after I bought it is a little annoying ....... not that it's too much of a problem right now, but it might be something I regret in the future ......

Anyway - thanks for all the help guys - I will go off and give it all a good shakedown over the next few days and see if I can get these basics sorted.....

Keith
 
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