Best USB sound and midi module including Phantom mic input !

**imbeaujp** · **02-22-08, 08:00 AM**

Hello, I think that I found an interesting product : Fast Track Pro - 4 x 4 Mobile USB Audio/MIDI Interface with Preamps
This external module includes :

Microphone XLR input with Phantom power to plug the EMC 8000 Mic. (replace my external mixer)
Midi interface to control the filters on the FeedBack Destroyer Pro
Digital and analog output to listen music on my HT from my PC

All that for less than 200$

What do you think guys ?

**glaufman** · **02-24-08, 09:56 PM**

On the surface it looks great... I wonder how it'll work... I've been dying to find one with a spdif in/out...

Did you purchase? how's the cal look?

Is it Vista compatible?

**mojogoes** · **02-25-08, 04:29 AM**

If it also had a soundcard incorperated it would be the dogs.

**imbeaujp** · **02-25-08, 08:36 AM**

Yes this is a USB soundcard, 24-bit/96kHz
Powered via USB or external Adapter
SNR -103 dB

PC: Windows XP (SP2)
Mac: OS X 10.3.9 / 10.4.2

Specifications HERE

**mojogoes** · **02-25-08, 10:04 AM**

Quote:

imbeaujp wrote:

Yes this is a USB soundcard, 24-bit/96kHz
Powered via USB or external Adapter
SNR -103 dB

PC: Windows XP (SP2)
Mac: OS X 10.3.9 / 10.4.2

Specifications HERE

So let me get this right.....i would not need to buy a pre-amp for my mic/spl meter nor would i have to buy a sound blast live 24 sound card (phantom) plus neither would i after acquired a midi because this piece of kit does all three job of down loading from my laptop to the bfd..........is this right!!

P.S....And what about the ADS-RDX MarkP does this also perform all three tasks.

**imbeaujp** · **02-25-08, 10:18 AM**

My understanding is that this product do it ALL !

No more need for an external sounblaster card, no more external mixer, no more external midi, all in one ! M-AUDIO is an AVID compagny. AVID is well knows for professional audio and video editing.

But I did not test it. This post is to get some feedback from members who knows that product.

**mojogoes** · **02-25-08, 11:01 AM**

Just confirmed with my stockest's that it will carry out all three duties , and as i took the sound card i bought back for a refund and would like to go down the midi route although i think that i may have one of the newer 1124p's which is having difficulties in receiving down loads from the pc/laptop.

Does any one know how soon the newer 1124p upgraded midi down load will be available.......is the sound-card in the fast-track pro ok for what we need.....connection wise etc etc.

Just recieved my Monolith a couple of hours ago and the quality of this unit for the money you spend is far higher than my expectations......i'm just braking it in nice and slowly but already it sounds flat and i have moved it from my first position which i suspected wasn't right with peaks and nulls i can hear..............its amazing how once you know what your listening for the faults seem to be amplified..............UFO's not included

.

**mojogoes** · **02-25-08, 11:10 AM**

Quote:

imbeaujp wrote:

My understanding is that this product do it ALL !

No more need for an external sounblaster card, no more external mixer, no more external midi, all in one ! M-AUDIO is an AVID compagny. AVID is well knows for professional audio and video editing.

But I did not test it. This post is to get some feedback from members who knows that product.

Yeah as you say it looks good plus does the biz by the looks of things........i will send my Behringer mic800 back to where i bought it (£27+vat) and order one of these babies (£110+) should cut down on the mess on my table if nothing else.......but like you say it would be really good for someone who has used one or knows someone who has used one to speak up and report there findings.

**mojogoes** · **02-25-08, 11:48 AM**

Will it do what the mic100/mic800 and what this quoted s/c can do , mensioned in this thread......

Quote:

The real difference will come when you get a new preamp.

If you look at the specs it reads:

It features a carefully selected 12AX7 vacuum tube with UTC technology for exceptional warmth and lowest noise. Thus, the MIC100 can be used to eliminate the "dull" sound of standard digital recorders and sound cards. Also, it perfectly complements studio-grade condenser microphones. Dedicated Low Cut filter eliminates unwanted noise, e.g. floor rumble. .

hehehe, all this verbiage really means is that it has anything but a flat response that you would require for a piece of test equipment to measure a room using REW. The HPF look undefeatable, so your bottom end would be cut off; which may render it uncompensatable if attempting to include the preamp in the soundcard cal file.

You'd be better off with a solid state preamp that enjoys a flat response...

As far as the ECM8000 is concerned, we've checked a few (three I believe) and they've been identical....... I guess a larger sample would be better....

brucek

**glaufman** · **02-25-08, 08:04 PM**

So we're saying "Not appropriate for out kind of work, better to stick with the SB Live Ext?"

**mojogoes** · **02-25-08, 08:51 PM**

Is that how you interpreted it as.....i couldn't work it out one way or the other.......i have another problem my 1124p very lightly has the 1.3v firmware inplace so i would have to change it out first anyway for the newer 1.4v firmware via a new eprom chip after taking out the old one.........does anyone know if the UK 1124p version had the 1.4 firmware inplace at the get go or not.

**imbeaujp** · **02-25-08, 08:59 PM**

Quote:

mojogoes wrote:

Is that how you interpreted it as.....i couldn't work it out one way or the other.......i have another problem my 1124p very lightly has the 1.3v firmware inplace so i would have to change it out first anyway for the newer 1.4v firmware via a new eprom chip after taking out the old one.........does anyone know if the UK 1124p version had the 1.4 firmware inplace at the get go or not.

Hello, this thread is not for the 1124 firmware upgrade, the topic is the fast track pro sound card..

**mojogoes** · **02-25-08, 09:07 PM**

And i was just pointing out the fact that it would be a pointless exercise for me to purchase the fast track pro because of said fact in my last post........on top of which the fast track doesn't seem to be inline for what we would want it for.....or would it please do tell!!!

**imbeaujp** · **02-26-08, 07:07 AM**

No prolem Setphen, I understand you have to update your firmware first to use midi ports.

You will find more info on that issue on this thread : BFD 1124P Owners... the MIDI issue...

**mojogoes** · **02-27-08, 12:53 PM**

Quote:

imbeaujp wrote:

No prolem Stephen, I understand you have to update your firmware first to use midi ports.

You will find more info on that issue on this thread : BFD 1124P Owners... the MIDI issue...

Thanks for the url.....i have recently been told by brucek that after i carried out is instruction on how it obtain which firmware i had loaded from the getgo that it was v1.0 which means its good to go as is.....so i'm chuffed about that..........but unless someone can confirm to me that the M-audio fast track pro does exactly what we need/want i will just go out and buy either the S/B live24 or the mp3+ to try and keep things simple along with some form of behringer midi and keep the new B mic800 pre-amp i've just bought.

**imbeaujp** · **02-28-08, 03:20 PM**

I think I will get the fast Track pro on e-bay tonight. It should be delivered to me soon and I will keep you posted.

Bye !

**stevenkelby** · **03-04-08, 04:43 AM**

I hope it works! I want something like that. I have no idea what I'm doing, just started reading up a couple weeks ago and am confused, but plan to get buy a laptop, EMC 8000 and something like this Fast Track Pro, using REW so I can know what response I have in my room, then ask here what to do about! I want to measure it before I start with room treatment and/or EQ.

Let us know how it goes!

**imbeaujp** · **03-15-08, 07:15 PM**

Hello I just recieved it yesterday and did some test today. It is a WONDERFUL product. You got everything in one device, Midi Interface to control the FDP (how did I live without that !), the mic preamp and 2 channel mixer with phantom power to use my EMC8000 microphone, analog output, and digital coax input and outut (I use a PC as a mediacenter in my HT).

This device is really simple to use.

Here is the sound card response and some mesurements I did today:

**m-fine** · **03-16-08, 10:47 AM**

How is the sound card response down to 5-6 hz?

**stevenkelby** · **03-16-08, 06:38 PM**

The unit, and your subs, look pretty good!

How far away was the sub only measurement taking?

Do you use an external EQ?

**stevenkelby** · **03-16-08, 06:39 PM**

One thing, before logging into the forum I could see the file names and see what the measurements were. Now that I'm logged in, I can't see the filenames and there are no labels, so members might not know what the graphs show.

**imbeaujp** · **03-16-08, 09:02 PM**

Quote:

stevenkelby wrote:

The unit, and your subs, look pretty good!

How far away was the sub only measurement taking?

Do you use an external EQ?

Thanks !

The listening position is 13 feet from the subs. I used the EMC8000 microphone at the listening position.

I got the DSP1124P and I am currently using 3 to 5 filters, not more.

JP

**stevenkelby** · **03-16-08, 09:55 PM**

Thanks JP, you're subs look really good. I have no measurement/EQ gear yet, am researching. I plan on an EMC8000 though, and probably the FSP as you ar having success with it!

I just want to measure first, then room treatment, than EQ (maybe RANE RPM 26Z).

How does your 1124 know what to do? Does REW program it, then once unplugged from the PC, does it remember the settings? Or is there another program for the 1124?

Thanks!

**stevenkelby** · **03-16-08, 10:00 PM**

One more thing, do you want to EQ your mains to match the target curve, and can you do that with the 1124?

I re-read you posts agin, what's an FDP?

**imbeaujp** · **03-16-08, 10:49 PM**

Hello, FDP is for FeedBack Desroyer Pro = DSP1124P

You have an EQ screen in REW where you can apply filters manualy and then see the predicted result. When your filters are done, you can manualy enter the parameters in the DSP1124 or, if you have set the midi interface, send the filters to the DSP (verry nice feature to use the midi link). REW also have an automated fonction to find peeks and to apply filters to correct them. Buy with some practice, I think that you would like, like me, to do that process manualy.

Important : The REW help and BFD tutorial and help files are VERRY USEFUL. But like many, I must admit that I prefer to experience it myself and after that reading the manual !! But, my good advice for anyone is to READ first, experiment, and READ AGAIN. I am on the READ AGAIN stage now...

JP

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