M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB Audio Interface

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supersleuth
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2009/05/16 00:41:15 (permalink)

M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB Audio Interface

Hey everyone. I'm very new to home recording and finally just got Home Studio 7 XL up and running on my laptop. I had previously posted a question regarding my internal sound card (Realtek HD) and have been trying it out. It's become quite apparent that I'm going to have to buy an external card as the Realtek just doesn't cut it and I'm having some latency issues with it (I've played around with the settings but can't get it any better than 30.0 msec and it drives me nuts).

Anyway, I was always planning on getting a better sound card but was hoping to put it off for a little while. I think I'm just going to bite the bullet on this one though. I've been reading around the forums as well as Beagle's website to find the best and cheapest solution and there are a lot of posts regarding this issue. However, I haven't seen anything about the M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB Audio Interface. Does anyone have an opinion on this interface? I don't need anymore than 2 inputs since I also use an Allen & Heath MixWizard board to run everything through. Also, I do have 2 GB of RAM in my laptop. Will this suffice for my current sound card needs for a good recording and help with my latency problem?

I appreciate any help you can give me. Thanks.
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    Beagle
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    RE: M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB Audio Interface 2009/05/16 08:44:15 (permalink)
    Hi supersleuth - if you've been on my website, then you already know that I recommend the fast track pro. I've never had one, but I've helped people with them on the forums and they seem to be rock solid devices.

    as far as using the mixer to run everything thru - I'd reconsider that approach. I have a mixer myself that I use, but I don't use it for mixing the project before going into cakewalk. if you mix down the tracks in the mixer and output stereo to the soundcard then you've mixed outside the box instead of inside. mixing in SHS gives you much more flexibility. what if you want the guitar to come up at 1:44 in the song? what if you want to add reverb only to the vocals? you can't do that if you don't have separate tracks in SHS because they're already mixed into a stereo wavefile. that kind of defeats the purpose of having a sequencer like SHS.

    re: 2G on your laptop - that should be OK, but what version of windows are you running? if vista 32, 2G will work, but that's the lowest I'd try to record with using vista.

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    supersleuth
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    RE: M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB Audio Interface 2009/05/18 01:25:33 (permalink)
    Thanks Beagle. I guess I just didn't notice your recommendation on your site...there are so many options out there it didn't register.

    Anyway, I do intend to mix using SHS but was referring to using my mixer as a source of extra inputs if I were to track drums or do a live band recording (I see that I was unclear on that point). I just can't afford one of those super awesome interfaces with a boat load of inputs right now. I'm thinking that the M-Audio one should suffice for the moment.

    Also, I'm running Windows XP on my laptop.
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    cankruk
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    Re: RE: M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB Audio Interface 2010/07/21 15:06:10 (permalink)
    I am using sonar producer with Fast track Pro om my desktop PC. have a problem recording audio using a mic. See signal on Fast track Pro but sonar don’t recognize audio. Can somebody help me?
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    Beagle
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    Re: RE: M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB Audio Interface 2010/07/21 16:05:39 (permalink)
    hi cankruk, first you should have started your own thread and not post a reply into someone else's thread.  next, this is the sonar home studio forum, not the sonar producer forum.  you want the sonar producer forum and then the GET STARTED subforum of the sonar forum.

    but I can probably help you anyway, just know where to post in the future.

    after you installed the software for the fast track pro you need to run the wave profiler or change to ASIO driver mode in sonar.  OPTIONS>AUDIO>DRIVER MODE = ASIO

    click apply (for versions sonar 8 and above)

    also, make sure you are monitoring from the fast track pro with speakers or headphones connected to the fast track pro and do not try to monitor from the computer soundcard.  that will cause you problems.

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    johnnyV
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    Re: RE: M-Audio Fast Track Pro USB Audio Interface 2010/07/24 19:58:36 (permalink)
    Hi SuperS.
    I have a Fast Track Pro running on an old dual core AMD with 2 gigs ram XP SP 3 and its as Beagle says been rock solid. I only have problems with my CPU right now which is nothing to do with the M audio. I use the ASIO drivers and plug a my guitar and bass into one side and always have a mike in the other. The Guitar and bass go thru stomp box pre amps and the mike through a ART tube pre.
    But For a little more than I paid for the M audio  I just bought a Tascam US 1641 from Musicians Friend for $299 and It does 16 Channels which I use my old Acer laptop to record our band . I take the tracks home and use the M audio to add my overdubs
    If you are on a tight budget I think the M audio is a good deal. The drivers seem to be solid. But 2 channels is not enough if you want to record your band, trust me. Make them chip in on one.
    post edited by johnnyV - 2010/07/24 20:00:56

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