I recently bought a B stock M Audio MobilePre mkII. The quality isn't exactly what I was hoping for, and I'm having several basic problems. Some of these may be based on the Pro Tools SE program and interface specifically, but I was hoping you guys could help.
Problem 1: The volume on my instrument is next to silent. I've maxed out everything, and I can't get the audible sound I desire without clipping. If there are any basic solutions to this, please elaborate for me.
Problem 2: Several times, the playback has come out as an extremely loud screech. During the recording, no problem or any sort of clipping sound was audible, but the playback is horrid. I'm assuming it has to be some sort of connection problem or something. This one is definitely specific to the product, so anyone with experience with this interface PLEASE chime in and help.
Problem 3: The program (Pro Tools SE) won't open without connection to the interface. This, I don't think is solvable. But I can't edit without it, and I like to take my laptop out without my speaker system.
I can post sound clips of the volume problems, but I'll spare you for the screeching. Please help! I guess this is the quality of recording you get on the cheap.
Samurai: Thanks for responding! Is Reaper free? I'll definitely give it a shot.
I am connecting the interface by USB (obviously), and have my bass plugged through the front input (mic/inst input), and my headphones/speakers are plugged in through the headphone input on the front. Really nothing out of the ordinary. I'll add I'm using a cheap cable for the bass, but I've never had problems with it before.
I tested a guitar on the system, and it was slightly louder, so I'm starting to think this is a problem with the pickup output. I'll try my backup bass. Either way, the screeching is still a problem. It happens randomly, so I can't provide anything else for that.
Reaper is free to try. When the trying period expires, you can still use it though, and if you want to buy it, the pricing model is very fair (I will buy it as soon as I start doing some serious recording)
Well, as soon as you download Reaper, watch out for the levels it indicates! I have more or less the same issue with my Tascam, the levels that I'm actually recording are OK, but the direct monitoring of the instrument offered by the interface is just a bit too low. In fact, I tend to lower the mix of all the other tracks while recording.
I'm not very familiar with M-audio, since the only "decent" interface I've had is this Tascam, but if it offers some kind of software control panel, mess around a bit with it, maybe it has some sort of digital mixing that would allow you to adjust the ratio between the direct monitoring function, and the already processed sound.
Also, fiddle around while mixing your tracks, 0db is a critical barrier in this digital equipment we are using, maybe your other tracks are too high in the mix.
The mobile pre has some sort of led that indicates if it is saturating while recording? Maybe the screeching doesn't happens randomly, but you're actually recording too loud, caused by the fact that the monitoring is a bit low.
That's all I can think in this moment, my 2 cents, hope it helps!
Here should be my test file. Bass used to record was a Squier P. This demonstrates how quiet it really is. It also sounds a lot less clean than it should, but that might just be my ears.
hey there .....i've been doing the DAW thing for quite a while.
No...pro tools LE/ MP 8 and below is wired so nothing happens unless you have their hardware device plugged in ...sucks ...you can now get pro tools 9 and 10 that works with all devices but they want good money for it ....i really can't deal with the Avid stuff.
m-audio was a fantastic company until Avid pro tools bought em ....they used to have awesome drivers that were rock solid ..the screech you're experiencing is prolly a weak driver ...i have all kinds of funky problems with the newer m-audio avid drivers and the fix never comes.
as far as usb devices ....my buddy just bought a roland stereo usb and got Sonar LE with it .....i've been a long time sonar user but i haven't used a roland interface ...i was blown away by how much better the roland is than my M-audio mobile pre and fast track pro
i have always used m-audio cause that's what i started with and i also bought Pro Tools MP 7 a few years ago ....never use it but i need my m-audio to use it....
if i were you i would get a roland stereo interface ...a free Sonar LE and/or try Reaper as well ...not sure if it is still free but everybody who gets into it digs it ....
i'm just not sold on the Pro Tools empire ....i never will be ....apps like Cubase and Sonar have been offering more than PT for less for years ...geez, PT only went to unlimited audio tracks a few short years ago ....sonar and cubase have been unlimited for years!
AS far as monitoring goes ....you may need a little headphone pre amp so you can really jack up the over all volume without getting it from a super hot signal going in ......then you just balance the volume of the mix you're recording to and your instrument.
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I got an M Audio interface right before Christmas, and haven't had volume issues, except occasional spiking, but I've found that I have to do my editing and mixing in Audacity to get it where I want it, due to my somewhat unfamiliarity with Pro Tools. I used to use Logic with a PreSonus Firestudio interface, which was awesome. My problem with the M Audio interface is static/buzz which I never experienced with the Firestudio, but then I had more inputs and could DI as well as mic my amp to get a much fuller sound, whereas now, I'm down to just the single input until I get a mic. But the buzz has been less on some tracks than others, and I'm waiting on a 3.5mm to 1/4" jack converter so I can finally start doing direct monitoring. I absolutely hate how they require a 1/4" headphone jack, and won't allow the use of good computer speakers, nor allow headphones plugged into the laptop. I'd understand if you were at least able to enjoy playback on the laptop in between recording tracks, but no, the device acts as the soundcard. It's frustrating, and I definitely won't be getting more M-Audio products in future, but at least I'm able to record some stuff right now.
if i were you i would get a roland stereo interface ...a free Sonar LE and/or try Reaper as well ...not sure if it is still free but everybody who gets into it digs it ....
Which Roland interface are you referring to? I'm looking at getting something inexpensive but decent, so I don't have to lug the Firepod back and forth from the practice space all the time.
I found this: Roland Duo-capture - which retails under $100, but I can't seem to find any reviews on it.
It sounds to me like you've got some sort of routing or sampling issue going on. You need to set everything correctly in order for it to work the way you want.
Your screeching problem sounds like a feedback loop caused by routing...I.E, when you play back...your DAW is playing it through the interface, and the interface is playing it through the DAW so get a loop...
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Problem 2: Several times, the playback has come out as an extremely loud screech. During the recording, no problem or any sort of clipping sound was audible, but the playback is horrid. I'm assuming it has to be some sort of connection problem or something. This one is definitely specific to the product, so anyone with experience with this interface PLEASE chime in and help.
I got the mobilepre usb and pro tools mp 9 for Christmas and had this exact problem. I figured that the issue must be with the mobilepre because when it was plugged in, even when playing youtube videos there was that distorted, screech. So I went to the local music store and returned the mobilepre usb for the mk ii and there is still the screeching problem. No other website seems to have any answer, so if you find a solution please keep me posted. I even made this account just because I saw you had a similar problem and I have more faith in the TB community than anything else.
