Mackie Onyx 1640 with fw, Latency?

When I was working with one for my article in WSM, the best I could get was 256 samples latency (roughly 5.5 ms).

The PC was an Intel P4 3.2 GHz w/ 2GB RAM.

Unfortunately, I had to return the unit they loaned me. Otherwise, I'd set it up again and give it a go.

thanks for that corrupted.

I'm kinda right on the edge of this.

The thing is thomann are offerring it with the firewire card for £929 - but to get it i'd need to sell the fireface which would be a painful thing - but it would make recording gigs a breeze.

We currently use a mackie desk which is pretty much identical to the onyx but the older version (mackie are knocking them out cheap too) for our p.a. mixer so the option of just plugging in a firewire cable and hitting record is very tempting indeed.

dunno dunno....

Kind regards

Dave Rich

Dave-
In your situation, I would do everything possible to keep the Fireface AND buy the Mackie. The Mackie really shines as a live recording/ PA desk, but lacks return routing features from the computer playback that makes it convoluted* to use as an o/dub or tracking machine. The Fireface (I have a Firepod) is a much better studio machine, but lacks the inputs necessary for live.

I don't find latency to be a problem, as you can add any FX in hardware (if you're talking about recording while monitoring FX). The Mackie's auxilliary outs (6, individually pre/post switchable) mean that you can have 6 individual headphone mixes, or 4 phones and 2 FX sends, so if you want to give someone verb in the cans, it's no prob to do it outside the box, if you have the required external FX unit.

Here's a couple of snippets from other threads re the Onyx which may be relevant - routing tips & suchlike -

Here's how to beat the direct from preamp routing in the Onyx 1640 - if you want to record using channel eq & inserts, etc -
Route channels 1,2,3,4 to groups 1,2,3,4 using group assign buttons & panpots on channels. From the 1/4" jack out on the groups, run a short 1/4" jack cord to the line ins of any other four channels (say 13,14,15,16)

Channels 1234 become your input channels, use the eq & inserts on them. Channels 13-16 are your record channels - set up Sonar to record from them. Levls are controlled by the channel & group faders.

If you need another 2 fully- functional channels, route two more channels (5&6) to main out L&R and set Sonar up to record from 17 & 18. This gives you a total of 6 channels with eq & inserts, with another six available to record from normally.

The only limitation to doing real recording is the lack of routing options on the return (playback) signal from the computer - there's no way to add it into an aux send for headphone mixes - it routes to main outs & control room outs only. This isn't a limitation for a single musician, or a live take of a whole band, but it does limit your foldback mix options for o/dubbing more than one muso at a time.

*(I found a way to get round this too - you can route the Main L&R out (which aren't used for studio recordings) back to a couple of channels, make sure the CHANNEL outs aren't routed to any busses (that's a NASTY feedback loop!), and then you'll have the return from the computer playback available on auxes 1-6 for headphone mixes)

Well I think i'll probably keep the fireface for now and see what the rest of the year brings - it's do-able with the fireface for now with the ada8000 and the direct outs of the VLZ (strangely only 8 of the channels have direct outs though so I need to use Y-cables for the other channels)

Thanks all for your input.

Seems to me a gap in the market here though....

Kind regards

Dave Rich

No... but if you wanted to mix everything live within sonar (using input echo) it would. I wouldn't risk that myself... but it's possible if you have low latency.