USB 2.0 Bus Powered Audio Interfaces?

Ok for various reasons I need to ditch the long serving but not so trusty Quattro.

Because my new-ish laptop has Express Card & unpowered Firewire connectivity I need to go USB 2.0.

The new interface has to be bus powered (I've had enough of ground loop and power supply problems).

The two options currently seem to be the M-Audio Fast Track Pro (cheap & M-Audio are a known quantity) or the NI Audio Kontrol (not so cheap but added functionality).

I've been lurking on the Audio Kontrol Forum and there appear to be issues with this interface dropouts, power hogging etc

I'm leaning towards the M-Audio - does anyone here have any constructive advice or alternative suggestions before I bite the bullet?

 

Unless you really need the midi control bit of AK1 I'd go for the M-Audio

I went for the AK1 as much cos it included Traktor LE and therefore could upgrade to full Traktor as much as anything else.

 

I know a guy who has the Fasttrack Pro and has nothing but praise for it. He would probably have sex with it 'cept he has plenty of sheep handy.

Phil

 

Thanks fellas - I'm gonna stick with M-Audio. Better the devil you know I think

 

Phil is the Fast Track Usb 1.1 or 2.0? there seems to be some confusion between vendors

 

I'm gonna jump on here since there's no need to start a 1 million'th tread about soundcards. I've been using my laptop for the last year and a half, well with sldz1200 and cdj1000's but I want to stick to using my laptop for size and convinience.

I'm presently using an edirol 2rca in 2rca out usb device as one output "player A" and my headphone jack as a second output "player B" to play with your compititions software "PCDJ Red" on an old HP laptop witch I connect to a board using 2 RCA cables.

I'm getting a Dell 6400 Laptop next week, Obviously I know the way I did it before will still work now here's my question,

Can I use a device like Gigaport to run Traktor's multi players off of?

What I want to do is use my laptop for the players and an external mixer "the clubs" to play out of.

I like the fact that gigaport as multiple RCA outputs and I'm assuming would let me for example out of the 8 outputs use them as 4 sterio outputs where I could connect or "set" player "A" to run off output 1-2 and player "B" to run off output 3-4 ... etc

Would I be able to pull off such a stunt?

Just checking before I cash out for this software and a gigaports adaper. Either way I'm switching to Traktor but I'm just checking out options

Let me know if it's duable or if I need to ginnypig myself for the testing!

Thank you!

 

I used to have the gigaportag it worked fine for years. I had to buy a headphone booster amp for it becuase the volume out to headphones was not hot enough. set up was just laptop and soundcard cueing striaght from the soundcard. You should have no issues since you will be using a mixer.

 

Good stuff I'll swing by my local shop and price this all out!

Thanks for the help!

much appreciated!

 

The gigaport is a USB 1.1 device if you try to run 4 decks out this you will likely run into difficulties. While some people absolutely have success with the gigaport many do not. I had one for a short time and was pleased to get rid of it when I upgraded to the 410. Best advice in my opinion is to look to USB2.0 soundcoards if you go down this road.

Phil

 

Sean, to be honest I'm not certain. I think its 1.1, but seeing as its Friday night in Auckland, Stevie was out shagging one of his girlfriends so I could not get and\ answer. I can call M-audio tomorrow for you and ask if you like. My experience has been that the vendors will tell you its 2.0 if it is, and just say USB if it is not.

Phil

 

I'm in the same boat as Sean -- my Quattro has started getting hinky and I want to upgrade. I got a Lexicon Omega and it was SWEET -- the sound quality was amazing, the mic pres are clean. But the headphone out wasn't assignable; it only play what went out on the 2 outputs. So now I'm paranoid about these nice desktop USB solutions that have 2 outs and a headphone jack, because it's hard to learn if you can assign the headphone jack as a separate out. Without it you can't cue a deck. I'm not married to USB2 but my lappy doesn't have the full FireWire port (I forget how many pins). I'm still eyeing the FireWire 410, though.