Firepod Help!!!

[Slowjett]

Allright I didnt read every post, but TURN OFF your input monitoring in your software. Your hearing the delay becuase its bouncung back from the computer and into the playback part of the firepod.. If you mute the input monitoring in your recording software you will not hear the delay.

 

[leaversday]

Allright I didnt read every post, but TURN OFF your input monitoring in your software. Your hearing the delay becuase its bouncung back from the computer and into the playback part of the firepod.. If you mute the input monitoring in your recording software you will not hear the delay.

This is a good fix for the initial problem but it creates another which is not necessarily that of the Firepod but rather a problem with my knowledge.

We tried this last night. After recording the entire band, we went back to lay down the vocals. I had to turn off the monitoring in Logic Express but we could not hear the vocals as we sang over the playback. The playback of the band was great through the headphones but when you try to record without hearing what you are singing, it cause all kind of issues. I have a headphone amp for playback which is going into the back of the firepod.

Should I monitor this differently?

 

[aaroncomp]

As already suggested - place the playback and monitoring knob in the middle (12 o'clock) on the firepod. If one is too loud, you can turn it toward the other (record or playback). Sounds like it's that simple.

 

[Slowjett]

Express but we could not hear the vocals as we sang over the playback.

As Arron said, use the MIX knob on the firepod, set it in the middle and turn it couter clockwise till you GET the desired input (this case your vocals) to playback mix... It really IS that simple. As you trun the knob counter clockwise the playback volume will decrese and your input volume will increase. You wont have any noticable latency since it is direct monitoring. For monitoring one source such as vocals this a perfectly ussable solution, and is all that some need.


For getting several monitor mixes you will need a board with as many busses as you want sub mixes. 2 should be fine for a small setup.. If you want more info on this somone can explain, but sometimes its hard to wrap your brain around the signal paths if you arent formilar with useing these things on a mixing board.

-josh

 

[innobidova]

If you turn off the input monitoring in your software, the only way to hear yourself while recording is to use the zero latency monitoring in the Firepod. Right? I think that, In doing so, you are monitoring what's currently being recorded as well as the prerecorded material. So those two things are synchronized when monitoring, but, once you are done recording the new track and go to playback what you just recorded, the new track will then be delayed. The only way to solve this problem is to shift every new track a little backwards so that it lines up with the first one. Can anyone confirm if this is right?

 

[Slowjett]

, once you are done recording the new track and go to playback what you just recorded, the new track will then be delayed. The only way to solve this problem is to shift every new track a little backwards so that it lines up with the first one. Can anyone confirm if this is right?

Wrong. Your software will (it should anyway) compinsate for any sort of offset issue like that. I do my recording at high latency sometimes just to ensure a good pop free recording, never and offset issues. I use Cubase SX3 and have done so with Cubase LE as well.

Josh

 

[warble]

...but, once you are done recording the new track and go to playback what you just recorded, the new track will then be delayed. The only way to solve this problem is to shift every new track a little backwards so that it lines up with the first one. Can anyone confirm if this is right?

Didn't have this issue when I used a Firepod with Sonar 4. I'd agree with Slowjett.

 

[innobidova]

I was hoping so. I just don't really comprehend the quality of most programs, so I tend to underestimate them. I'm glad this is the case. Thanks a bunch for the explanation!

 

[innobidova]

Wait. If the software pertaining to the scenario does not compensate for latency, then I am right. This topic would not have been started otherwise. This raises another question: how can you tell if your software compensates for latency?

 

[Slowjett]

Wait. If the software pertaining to the scenario does not compensate for latency, then I am right. This topic would not have been started otherwise. This raises another question: how can you tell if your software compensates for latency?

What is your software? As far as I know mostly all software will compinsate for the offset.

Josh

 

[innobidova]

1. Tracktion 2
2. I would hope so, as this would be a very useful feature! I didn't think all programs had it. I know pro tools has it, for one. And now I know Cubase and Sonar both have it.
3. Is there a certain way to find out if your program has this feature?

 

[arghpirate]

I like oranges!

 

[livingwatersoun]

I've never had this problem with my Firepod, even at the highest latency setting. I will say, however, that I had crackles/pops initially - after 60 hours spent in one week (yeah, really - 60 hours in a week!) the problem ended up being on my computer's end. I had been running into the motherboard's firewire. I replaced it with a PCI slot firewire card with the Texas Instruments chipset - problem solved. You're problem, obviously appears to be different.

OK, I just got my Firepod and computer (both were purchased and configured by Sweetwater) and am having the same crackle/pop issues. Doesn't appear to be a latency problem but I am using the firewire on the motherboard (I've only spent about 30 hours trying to fix it among other things - took me forever to realize the headphones input was mono, playback was stereo and how Sonar 5 categorized the inputs and outputs - only uses odd numbers; none of this is in the manual they send). I'm not really a computer guy - any advice with adding the PCI slot firewire card with the Texas Instruments chipset.
Thanks. Isn't getting new equipment frustrati.. I mean fun? I use to just plug into my Boss BR-8 Digital recorder and record away. I can't wait to figure all this stuff out and just enjoy recording.

As far as overdubbing with a mic in the same room as the monitors (just tried it for the first time today with the firepod), I turned the main level all the way down, put the mixer at around 12 o'clock position (as already recommended) and adjusted the headphones volume towards 1 o'clock.

 

[innobidova]

1. Tracktion 2
2. I would hope so, as this would be a very useful feature! I didn't think all programs had it. I know pro tools has it, for one. And now I know Cubase and Sonar both have it.
3. Is there a certain way to find out if your program has this feature?

Nevermind. Problem solved. I called Mackie tech support and they told me about the "Auto Detect" feature within Tracktion 2, which sends a signal through whatever interface you're using and determines the latency. My Firepod's latency is 111ms, FWIW. The funny thing is that this is the most important feature to me, and they admitted to mistakenly excluding it from the Tracktion manual. I'm happy that I know about it now, since everything is much easier now. It angers me, though, to think of all the people out there who are using programs that have the "auto detect" feature, and don't know about it. It should be the very first step!