Fca202

  • Thread starter Thread starter pdadda
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pdadda

pdadda

Captain Sea Boots
I am looking to get a portable audio interface for live softsynths (at a gig). My controller is a keystation49e (MIDI out, USB out). I also use it with a BCR2000 controller. Right now, I am lugging my rack with my MOTU828 in it to gigs, but this is excessive, especially since I only play a few songs pew gig on keys.
I had it narrowed down to the indigo i/o and the tascam US122, but then I started looking into the new Behringer FCA-202. It seems to have what I'm looking for, it's firewire (which I prefer), and its $80. Don't give me the Behringer sucks speech because it doesn't mean much to me (never had a piece of their gear break on me). Also, it has balanced outs.
My beef is this: it doesn't have MIDI in. Thus, I would have to have my BCR2000 plugged into the USB port, my keystation plugged into another USB port, and the FCA-202 in my firewire port. Is this a bad idea? My synth stuff isn't too CPU intensive-not many plugins.
 
What would be the best way to hook this up live? Can I just send the outputs from the FCA directly into the mixing board? Do I need a DI box for this?
 
I've used the FCA202 in this application and it worked great. Before that I was taking my rack bag with a Firepod with me, and using the Behringer enabled me to get rid of one whole bag of gear (alot nicer). I never had any issues with it and had latencies down to 2ms with no hiccups. As far as your setup is concerned, it shouldn't be a problem what you're wanting to do. Do you need the BCR, is it controlling some of the synth settings? Just wondering, may not need that extra piece of gear.
 
Yes, I use the BCR to control synth settings in synth1 live. What about the DI box? I am probably going to buy it this weekend, and I would prefer to just do one order.
 
OK, I don't fully get what is causing suckiness.

Situation 1: MIDI keyboard->computer soft synth->MOTU828mkii->guitar amp
This setup sounds great.

Situation 2: MIDI keyboard->computer soft synth->output of laptop soundcard->guitar amp.
Whenever I hit a reasonably hard note, there is a horrible distortion noise.I also tried putting the soundcard output into a VTB-1->guitar amp. Still horrible.

Is this because my laptop soundcard D/A converters suck? Is it because I am using a 1/8"-?1/4" adapter out of the soundcard? Other crap? I ask because I don't want to buy the FCA202 and have the same problem.
 
You hit it right on. The output of your soundcard has crappy D/A, and is probably having a hard time handling the louder hits. With the FCA202, you would not need a DI, just stick it in the place of your MOTU that you had in Situation 1 and you should be good. Like I said before, I did the exact same thing and it worked great for me.
 
I went ahead and ordered it! I'll let you know how it works for me.
 
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