I currently have the presonus audiobox 44vsl. I have nothing but issues setting this up in X1. Between getting the proper drivers to work correctly, routing and now after finally being able to get it to work I go to my studio, hook up my laptop and a new issue has arrived. Changing absolutely nothing to my setup the audiobox will no longer playback or monitor through the mains or headphones that are connected to the 44vsl. I have been going back and forth with presonus on this issue and quite frankly I am tired of dealing with attempting to get this thing to work properly after 4 weeks of owning it. This leads me to my decision to return this unit to get another interface. I need one that is quality and will be simple to interface with X1. For that reason I am looking into the Roland built units as I assume, I know assuming is dangerous, that since Roland also make cakewalk their units will be easy to setup and use with Sonar X1. I am looking at the Octa-capture and the V-Studio 100 and the Boss BR-800. I like that the Octa-capture has multiple in's and the autosense input levels as I find myself tweaking input levels often before recording. However I like the fact that with the VS-700 I can use it as a DAW controller for X1. The limts of simultaneous inputs on the VS-700 are a drawback for me. For most applictions 2 inputs are ok but at times I may have band members over and need more inputs. Not often but at times. I can see me in the future wanting to expand to have more mics set up to record. Anyone have experiences they are willing to share regarding either of these units, the Octa-capture or the VS700? Pros and cons of one over the other? How about the Boss BR-800? I have even been looking at the Zoom R16. Would this unit be a viable option for using to control X1 DAW?

Hi - I own a Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, and while I had some setup issues they were resolved and I am LOVING it.

Perhaps I can assist you before you dump your smaller brother to my interface.

I also just yesterday helped another guy with a Presonus interface.

can you give me about 30 minutes to finish something else up?  I will try to help you.

Bob Bone

maestro72


 The limts of simultaneous inputs on the VS-700 are a drawback for me. For most applictions 2 inputs are ok but at times I may have band members over and need more inputs. Not often but at times. I can see me in the future wanting to expand to have more mics set up to record. Anyone have experiences they are willing to share regarding either of these units, the Octa-capture or the VS700? Pros and cons of one over the other? How about the Boss BR-800? I have even been looking at the Zoom R16. Would this unit be a viable option for using to control X1 DAW?

I assume you mean the VS-100 here, which only has 2 inputs....the VS 700 can have many many inputs...it's their Flagship console.
If you need multiple inputs, bang for buck, I have 2 recommendations...

1. $699.00  Octa-Capture - 8 inputs - ultra low latency - same preamps as the VS 700, and you can chain 2 together for 16 total inputs. USB ONLY
    I have the Quad-Capture - same preamps...outstanding....and compression on both inputs...very nice interface...

2.  $549.00 Motu Track16 - 16 inputs 2 Mic Preamps, 2 Guitar inputs, 4 line level inputs and 8 Digital inputs - built in DSP effects.
        USB and FIREWIRE 400

Both of these units are outstanding - 24 bit / 192 Khz capable units...and both are portable enough.  
Octa-Capture is expandable to 16 inputs - at another $699.00.

It all depends on how much coin you want to drop...both will do the job very well.


I had a VS-100 - it's an awesome unit.  Both standalone and Interface with built in DSP Effects.  Only 2 preamps and only
24 bit / 96 Khz.

That's my 2 cents worth....

Those are both good units.  I also like my Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL - 8 preamps - first 2 have phantom power for 1/4" inputs as well as for mics, all 8 have phantom for mic inputs.  (all 8 inputs can be 1/4" as well).

It runs 24-bit/96, for USB 2.0.

The other 2 units are indeed better - higher resolution - and probably better converters and pre-amps, but I have no trouble with my interface either.  I would DEFINITELY talk to some of the folks in the VS-700 forum BEFORE laying out cash for one of those.  At the very least go review posts in that forum.

BUT, before you go off and do that, let me take a crack at fixing your issues TONIGHT, on the interface you HAVE.

If we can get that working, and I think we can, then you will have not so much of a rush to go replace/upgrade and all of that.

So - I just need about 10 more minutes to finish helping someone from Europe, and then I will come back and give you my undivided attention.  OK?

Bob Bone

robert_e_bone


Hi - I own a Presonus Audiobox 1818VSL, and while I had some setup issues they were resolved and I am LOVING it.

Perhaps I can assist you before you dump your smaller brother to my interface.

I also just yesterday helped another guy with a Presonus interface.

can you give me about 30 minutes to finish something else up?  I will try to help you.

Bob Bone

Hi Bob...
 
that's cool... I didn't realize you too were using an 1818VSL... I just installed mine the other day and I must say I'm enjoying it very much... Especially after total disappointment with a Tascam us1800...
 
My older machines use SSL/Soundscape Mixtreme/Mixtreme 192 interfaces and I find it hard to get anything to measure up to them... If I had the cash I would have bought an SSL Slpah Link which would let me use my Soundscape Mixtreme9 (yup, I've got one of them too) for 24 i/o...
 
I've got an old Soundscape SS8IO-1 which I'm using via it's ADAT i/o to add an extra 8 line i/o to the system giving me 16 analog and 2 s/pdif...
 
Wonderful stuff... and as to the Mic Pre's? they may not be designer (I still love Neve or UA pre's), but they are excellent and very transparent allowing the user to color the signal with other processors as they chose...
 
I highly recomend these...
 
Keni
 

I wonder why the OP didn't follow up? That was quite nice of you Bob!!!

Rocky

I agree!  We are GREAT decision makers!  :)

Are you still there, Maestro?

I am REAL close to being done helping the other guy on HIS interface, and I PROMISE I will help you til we get it working or broken by throwing it against the wall.  EITHER WAY, it WILL make a noise.  :)

So, just a couple more minutes - Keni, can you get him started on looking at settings and such?  That I can cruise through the posts when I come back and it will help speed things along for Maestro.

Thanks, and to anyone else who might want to jump in, 

Bob Bone

maestro72


I currently have the presonus audiobox 44vsl. I have nothing but issues setting this up in X1. Between getting the proper drivers to work correctly, routing and now after finally being able to get it to work I go to my studio, hook up my laptop and a new issue has arrived. Changing absolutely nothing to my setup the audiobox will no longer playback or monitor through the mains or headphones that are connected to the 44vsl. I have been going back and forth with presonus on this issue and quite frankly I am tired of dealing with attempting to get this thing to work properly after 4 weeks of owning it. This leads me to my decision to return this unit to get another interface. I need one that is quality and will be simple to interface with X1. For that reason I am looking into the Roland built units as I assume, I know assuming is dangerous, that since Roland also make cakewalk their units will be easy to setup and use with Sonar X1. I am looking at the Octa-capture and the V-Studio 100 and the Boss BR-800. I like that the Octa-capture has multiple in's and the autosense input levels as I find myself tweaking input levels often before recording. However I like the fact that with the VS-700 I can use it as a DAW controller for X1. The limts of simultaneous inputs on the VS-700 are a drawback for me. For most applictions 2 inputs are ok but at times I may have band members over and need more inputs. Not often but at times. I can see me in the future wanting to expand to have more mics set up to record. Anyone have experiences they are willing to share regarding either of these units, the Octa-capture or the VS700? Pros and cons of one over the other? How about the Boss BR-800? I have even been looking at the Zoom R16. Would this unit be a viable option for using to control X1 DAW?

Hi Maestro...

Let's see if we can find something good for you... Mind you every device has strong and weak points so it's always a tradeoff between things to arrive at what's most important for your needs and desires...

I believe the problem you've been having with the driver and it's constant demand to re-install drivers is actually easy to deal with once you understand it... Using USB has it's strengths and weaknesses... One weakness is that the system scans new devices when it boots up and as drivers are not leaded yet, it needs to find one for the Presonus... this is a USB thing and most USB devices have this... After you've successfully installed the driver and it's working you must remember to always turn it on AFTER the computer has booted up... this way the driver is loaded and available and the Presonus will be fine... I've seen this issue with many users... Including myself before I discovered this... I have many friends and clients using Presonus gear with ease... I just installed mine the other day and inside of 10 minutes it was purring like a kitten for X1/X2... and I've installed a number of them for various friends and clients...

Have you done an actual uninstall of the VSL driver or repeatedly installed? I'm guessing you tried many things while working with the Presonus reps, but I need to start somewhere if I hope to help you.

Have you re-run Wave Profiler? If so, what did it report?

Let's see what you've got setup in your Sonar settings... Which driver type are you using? I find the Presonus no longer work with WDM/KS so if you have that selected, switch to the ASIO (which you actually setup in the VSL's Setup screen). Talk to me tell me which sample rate and bit depth you're setup with both in the VSL setup and Sonar's... These things may have gotten messed up while trying to problem solve as they set themselves up rather easily on install...

You might need to clean out your current settings as a simple way to get the VSL working again... Something must have gotten fouled ...  Are you comfortable editing in Regedit?

Give me more clues...

The Roland gear is quite nice. Dependable and good sounding... I'm not happy with the front/back connections that it requires as it demands a combination of snake and front panel access... For me... One or the other, not half of each... Some people might like it, but it's not for me... USB? It may have the same startup issue as the Presonus.

Tho firewire is on it's way out (slowly), you might look into the Focusrite line as I've had excellent results with them on firewaire... But there you need to make sure of your computer's firewire chipset as well as wireless networking cards... I've also heard good things about MOTU devices and they've been around longer than most in this field... You might want to look at them?

I have not used a VS700 or BR800 so I can't speak of them, but I know the VS700 is a bit spendy so I would make sure it's really what you wnat before going further on that. The Zoom? I haven't used, but they're not a company I typically think of in this respect... If you really want to give up the Presonus, I don't think I'd head there...


Hang Tough... I'm sure you can help you find a solution!

Keni

I did have a Zoom R24.... I liked it...was quite nice...not the best pre's...but for what you get for $499
it was pretty amazing.  Decent sound, DSP Effects, and an 8 channel control surface,
it's a lot of bang for the buck...

First off I want to say thank you so much to you guys who are willing to be helpful in resolving my presonus issue. I would have been there to receive but unfortunately I work 12 hour night shifts, I am at work right now, so I couldn't have stuck around this evening. I had no idea my post for purchasing advice  would lead to offeres for help and especially so quick of a response. Believe me I am not ignoring anyone and this is greatly appreciated.
 
Also I mistyped and am not interested in the VS 700, well I am but its pricey for my situation, and yes I meant the VS-100.
 
As for my 44vsl situation when I get home from work at 8AM I will get back on here and post some specifics to my issue. I will copy/paste some of my conversations I have had with reps at presonus since it is sort of a log of my issues and what I have attempted to resolve them. Of course after I post this morning I will have to get some shut eye and get ready for working another 12 hours of graveyard tomorrow night. So I won't be available again until about 3 or 4 in the afternoon til 7P when I come back to work.
 
Thanks again guys.