Korg Zero 8 Mixer questions

Hi All!

Does anyone have any experience with the Korg Zero 8 mixer. I'm keen to buy it but have been seeing some mixed reviews. I've asked some questions on the korg forums but they don't seem to get too much use so I was hoping some people here could answer my questions.

Firstly, I want to use the mixer both for traktor pro, but also on seperate occassions as an audio mixer and midi controller for livesets using hardware (MV8800 sampler/sequencer, Dave Smith Evolver, Waldorf Blofeld and Future Retro Revolution - no laptop/computer!). I want to use audio on channels 1-4 and midi on 5-8 (to control the Blofeld synth which has limited knobs to tweak!). Can you use the midi functions without having the firewire connected as I won't be using a computer!

Secondly, I read that if you use midi you can't use internal fx as well..is this true?

Thank you
Geoff

 

Hey Vinyl Wizard

Firstly: I wanna say yes since the Z8 does have MIDI I/O assignable via the mixer. I have not tried this yet with an external piece of gear as of yet though.

Secondly: If you use MIDI you can only use its internal effects via the Master.

 

Thanks As22!

Appreciated..when you say you can only use the master effects..why is this? Surely if I have midi on 5-8 and audio on 1-4 I should be able to use the channel effects on 1-4? If not thats a major ommision on korg's part!

Thanks again for your help..I'm really undecided about this mixer..on the one hand it seems perfect, then I'm a bit worried about splashing a load of cash to find it doesn't function how I want!

Would you recommend it mate?
Geoff

 

I just got this mixer myself - and after a few teething troubles, I've got it working mostly how I want.

I'm not quite sure what you are trying to achieve in terms of hooking up your synth in conjunction with the channel effects - do you want to control the midi controls of the synth with the knobs/faders on the mixer? If so you'll still need to take the output from the synth and feed it into an audio channel on the mixer (which you'll be able to use the channel fx on, of course).

With relation to TPro:
Korg have just released Vista drivers for the Z8, which work really nicely down to about 4.5ms latency on my system, so no complaints here on that score. Using timecode with Traktor Scratch Pro and the Z8 works without the Audio8, which is great. The only problem I've found so far is that the rotaries to the right of the Z8 don't work quite right yet (they work fine in one direction, but not in the other), but NI have assured me they're working on this, and it should be working in an update.

There's been a lot of noise on forums about hiss with this mixer - apparently after june they started supplying the Z8's with a fix... I use the digital output mostly, and there's no problem with it on this output, but I've plugged speakers into the master and booth outputs, and I can't notice anything. So hopefully this issue is now fixed. The channel meters aren't really accurate enough to use well, so it's a shame that autogain doesn't work in external mixer mode in TPro yet. Anyway, I'm working on a .tsi file for TPro at the moment, and when the rotary problems are fixed, I'll put it up here for all to fiddle with

Overall, I love this mixer, and when NI sort out the couple of niggles I have with TPro in conjunction with it, it'll be even better

Fus

 

You are right about using Channel effects on 1-4 ...thats my bad. You wont be able to use it for the channels you assign MIDI to.

Like Rufus said I think this mixer got a bad wrap when it first shipped but I have not had any issues with using it so far. I will say that this mixer has to been run "HOT" and your levels have to be set accordingly from your AMPS and or Powered monitors. I am currently trying to use it with Live 7(huge project ) that I find it works great so far. My TPro .tsi is almost done but like Rufus, but I am waiting on NI to fix the Rotary issue (just like Rufus) he he he.

Rufus - To answer your question about the meters... the meters from what I am told is the total readout from all channels only. You will start to get some readings if your run your Master Out and Gains louder(HOTTER) and/or use multiple outs at the same time. You will get little to no readout if your just using 1 or 2 channels with your gains and master set accordingly.

Here is some good convo over at djforums.com about the Zero8.

http://www.djforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165742&page=3

 

Christmas day, just got the chance to open up my Zero8 and now I am looking for the right drivers. I have a MAC and a PC with me, but found that no firewire cable was included with the box....and I only have a firewire that I can use with my PC for now....

Anyway, can someone point me to the newest Vista drivers? You say they are new - a google search found them on the uk site, but it isn't clear if these are the newest ones? Just want to make sure that I am starting off with the right drivers for vista, thanks!

 

guys, thanks very much for the honest feedback.

I was hoping that Korg are addressing some of the issues and this seems to be the case!

Sounds like it should be what I want..

I will be using it to control the midi of the blofeld synth (cut off, resonance, lfo's etc..) and yes, having the audio feedback into another channel.

My main concern was that the midi wouldn't work unless the firewire was plugged in but that doesn't appear to be the case so that's good!

Bit annoying about the meters issue. Hopefully they can fix? Everyone wants to see the ol'' VU meters flicking up and down!

Thanks again
Geoff

 

OK, the vista driver is v1.10, I got it from: http://www.korg.co.jp/Support/Download/Software/Firewire/win.html

Just so you know though, I've found this works much better with SP1 on vista than without though. Also I haven't had much luck getting the Korg Zero Edit software working well under Vista yet, it just seems to crash as soon as it establishes connection with the mixer. Most of the things this software does can actually be done from the touchscreen anyway, so I'm not losing too much sleep over it.

With regards to the meters, yeah the Vu meters aren't that sensitive, but I was actually meaning the channel faders (the blue LEDs next to each fader). Using the mixer with T3.2, so long as all the gain knobs are set to the same point, I can pretty much be guaranteed that the music will stay about the right volume, as Autogain works its wonders. With TPro, I have a bit of a nightmare, as even when these meters are both peaking at 9 (the first orange light), one channel can sound vastly louder than the other.

Vinyl: with regards to the synth, I can tell you for definite that the MIDI ports work just fine without anything connected to the firewire.

Fus

 

Hello..My name is Damian...I am new to this forum.

I am using a Korg Zero 8...I have been using it with Traktor on an XP system. On XP it has worked well. I am trying to upgrade it onto a faster laptop but so far have had no luck with getting the sound to work across the firewire...

The new computer is a Toshiba Satelite with 4 gigs of ram and a 2 gig processor..OS is Vista Home Premium 64....

Everthing installs correctly for the Zero 8 drivers even down to all the channels showing up as options in the audio control panels. But the Korg control panel reports 'Error' on the Streaming state and no sound is still the result...

Is this because of the 64 Vista?...do I need to got to the 32?....

 

same problem with with 64 bits

i can play korg zero 8 with traktor pro uising vista 32 bits, but doesnt work with my newest laptop using vista ultimate 64 bits.

bravo to korg that arent following technology

 

yea word is that V64 is still not stable and some pple like Rufus are having pretty good success with Windows 7 beta.

 

Works in 32 bit great....Now I have to wait for a 64 bit driver if I want to use the full throttle on my new laptop....Patience dificult sometimes...

 

Does any one know how you can identify the new (without hiss) model? I am looking at buying the mixer but don't want one that is bad.

 

Hello everbody,

seams, that NI havent fixed the Encoder-Problem, yet. I am using the Zero 8 with TP and i want to asign the rotary-encoders to TP and they only work in one direction correct. I've spend much time to find a working configuration, without success.

In my option i have to use the following settings:

Zero8:
Control Mode = Relative

TP:
Control Type: Encoder
Interaction: Relative

Both Encodertypes only work in one direction correct, left or right, depending to the asigned encoder-type. the other direction causes "parameter-jumps".

In other programs like Live or Cubase the rotarys of the korg works fine, the problem seams to exists only in TP?

Does anybody use the Zero 8 with TP succesfully?

<Nasty>

 

I am using Traktor and a Zero 8...Is in 32 bit vista ultimate...Would love to get the drivers for 64 bit...Seems like that could be dreaming....I recently read that someone was using a zero 8 with windows 7 in 64 bit mode....Is this true?....Will have to try for myself but would be nice to know if anyone else is successful in this.?...

 

Hey Rufus.....did you ever finish the .tsi file for the Zero 8? I just picked one up today and am quite eager to use it with the features of Traktor. Im new to midi and would like a solid base to start from. If you have it could you post it please?

TIA!

 

Hey Folks,

I'm thinking of buying a Zero 8 as well as the price is down right now (clearance).
The Z8 should work with Traktor Pro and 4 decks in my set up and right now I'm not sure if that would be a good workflow.
Traktor is already comming with a TSI file for the Zero 8 for Traktor Pro and Scratch, does anybody know how the things are mapped here?

I did not find any documentation about what is mapped were and so on, andy ideas?
My hope is, that I can use the org. TSI and adjust it to my requirements, guess that should work!

 

I messed around with it a bit and it's not all that hot. Very basic and not real functional. You're better off starting off with your own or one that someone else made.

As for the mixer....I highly recommend it! Sound quality is excellent once you figure out how to properly level everything.

If you pick it up I highly recommend you STUDY the crap out of the manual!

 

I cannot afford this bit of kit, very jealous tbh!

 

?

However, I know got my Z8 just today and played a bit with the settings and tried to map a few things.
The TSI from NI is not usefull for me, ist'S like you said khutchinson22.
But may I can use it as a start up!

What did you guys adjust in Traktor Pro, internal or external Mixer?
I believe the best way would be to switch to external mixer and set the Z8 channels 1-4 to Audio+Midi.
Am I on the right path?

Then I found also a problem with assigning one of the rotary's for scrolling through playlists, it won't work corectly...but I remember that I saw a solution or a tool which can be used to filter the midi data....didn't remember were I saw that.....any idea?

Next step would be to assign the transport (play, sync etc.) to some buttons on the Z8...right now it looks like a job for the next few weeks....hehe...