Please help me with my set up

[65stang]

I have a Boss DR-880 and an M-Audio USB interface. I am using Sony Acid Music Studio pro 7. When I try to record, the sound is hissy, distant, and delayed with echos. Can you give me some set up tips? What is this rookie doing wrong?????

 

[Jim Lad]

You have picked what may be M-Audio's worst piece of gear as an audio interface, I'm afraid.
Tinker around enough and yo will get decent results but in all honesty, that USB device will continually hold you back.
Can you upgrade?
Other M-Audio gear is quite superb, by the way.

 

[wilkins978]

well i agrea m-audio makes alright stuff but not the besat for interfaces especialy preamp wise dont really like it but can get the things u want layed down and recordd
so if ur willing to get something else what are you willing to spend and does it have to be m-audio you could go with presonus digimax d8 it has xmax preamps 8 channel inputs for 300 good stuff it gives u a nice smooth sound i heard really good stuff on it and same thing with the focusrite octopre mkii alittle bit more expensive but really good tone on the pre amp

 

[The Cancers]

Dude, Wilkins.
That's the second time I've seen you recommending external preamps as interfaces.
Do some research.
The Digimax and the Octopre are not interfaces - they're 8 channel preamps with digital outputs. You still need a way to get ADAT or line level signals into your computer - which someone whose looking for an interface doesn't have.
Also, those preamps, while not bad by any means (I use them both), are not especially great. They're pretty much industry standard for that price point.
They sound about like all the other preamps that cost in the range of $50 a channel, including the ones on 8-channel interfaces like the presonus digimax FP10 or the Focusrite Saffire pro series, which are interfaces.

 

[65stang]

Thanks!

Looks like I bought something too cheap. Any recommendations for a USB interface that works well with the Boss DR-880 I have? I would upgrade if I knew the new piece would work!!

 

[The Cancers]

what is your interface?
Whatever it is, it shouldn't be that bad going straight from the drum machine to the interface.
How do you have it set up now?
Describe it if you can, in as much detail as you're able.
Pictures of all your connections could help too.

 

[65stang]

Thanks for the help, hope the pics help

The red and white chords coming out from behind my DR-880 are coming out of the "Master out" port and they are going into the USB interface via a 1/4 inch jack. When I put that jack into my amp, the sound is awesome. Only when I try to run it into my recording port on the USB interface do I get all the hissing and really bad sound quality. The other jack going into the USB interface is my mic chord. No problem there. Great sound through the USB interface, but it doesn't go through the DR-880. Hope the pics help you help me. I am recording with Acid Pro 7. Is there maybe a setting in there I can tweak?

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Jim Lad]

what is your interface?
Whatever it is, it shouldn't be that bad going straight from the drum machine to the interface.

I thought from his opener that he owned the Fast Track USB but that picture looks like the Fast Track Pro, in which case the problem is with the set up.
It's an excellent unit.
I think you're doing too much there.
Can you actually use 4 ins with the Fast Track Pro simultaneously?
I thought it was an either/or thing.
Mics, lines or SPDIF.
Also, I see your PAD switches are out. Try using them and make sure your not running lines into your "Insert" ports.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

When I put that jack into my amp, the sound is awesome. Only when I try to run it into my recording port on the USB interface do I get all the hissing and really bad sound quality.

This suggest to me that a direct box might be the ticket. It would come in handy for other stuff anyway.

 

[The Cancers]

If I'm seeing that right, you've got a Y-cable with two RCA connectors on one end and a TRS connector on the other.
This is trying to send a pair of signals - stereo unbalanced ones - into a mono balanced jack.
I'm not 100% certain, but I think this might be your problem.
Try either:
getting just a normal 1/4" to 1/4" cable (like a guitar cable) and taking it from the master out (mono) on the back of your drum machine (it's the one just below the rca outs you're using now, on the right if you're facing the back of the drum machine) to the same input you're using.
OR
getting two 1/4" cables and going from the stereo master outs on the drum machine (the pair just below the ones you are using) and into both inputs of the Fast Track if you want stereo drums.

You only have two inputs on your interface, so you'll have to choose between either stereo drum tracks without a simultaneous mic input or mono drums with a simultaneous mic input. The decision is down to what sounds best to you.

Anyway, try that out and see if it doesn't help.

 

[65stang]

Touchdown!!!!

Kudos to Jim Lad and The Cancers! By pushing in my pad buttons and by running separate 1/4 inch cables from my master out into both recording channels on my USB interface, then choosing "Channel 1&2" to record, it works!!!! No more hissing and the sound is great. You guys are awesome. Thanks sooooo much for your expertise and patience in helping me. Let me know if I can give you guys reviews or anything to pump up your ratings. Although, I don't know if it can get any higher than "Force of Nature."

65stang