M-Audio Fast Track Pros and Cons?

grifff · #1 08-12-2009, 03:35 PM

Anyone who has experience with the Fast Track, could you please englighten me on the pros and cons of this unit? My laptop only has USB 2.0 ports, so I can't use a firewire interface. From what I've seen it seems like a decent value for the money. I don't plan on doing anything professional, I just want a reliable interface that gives decent quality for recording bass. I'll be using my amps DI.

I'm running 64 bit vista on a Sony Vaio FW series laptop. 2.53GHZ processor, 4GB of ram and 320GB of hard disk space. I'm using Audacity to record.

If anyone has any other recommendations on interfaces, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks.

MNAirHead · #2 08-12-2009, 03:41 PM

Is this for your own use or will it go to a studio..

IF it's just for yourself - what limitations are you having with Audacity.

For stuff I need to multi track - there are some $50 programs that are good enough.

M-Audio Session does track good enough for home (there are versions that are about $25 on Ebay).. you need a dongle not box interface.

IF you're working with pro houses... this is where it really means something.

PM me if I can help.

T.

I have bigger interface.. find that audacity does a ton of stuff most of us use for simple deck type recording.

Lurker79 · #3 08-12-2009, 05:18 PM

^ It all depends on what you're working with software wise. It works really well for me. $60 is worth it, you can find them on sale right now. And that seems like a killer price for a two input interface.

grifff · #4 08-12-2009, 05:21 PM

It's only me recording, and I only really need one track at a time. I'm not finding any limitations with Audacity as of yet. I'm not expecting great quality, just good enough quality that I can listen to and be satisfied with.

zephyr_words · #5 08-13-2009, 12:12 AM

I just setup a home studio and I started off with the M-audio fast track pro. I'm using logic pro with it and it's a nice box. I have a really hard time getting levels correct with it though.

Do you guys find that you need the outputs cranked all the way to 10 on each one? This happens on direct line in and with my shure mics. That's my only complaint with the box...other than that the inputs seem to be very high quality, you really can't beat the price.

grifff · #6 08-13-2009, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zephyr_words

I just setup a home studio and I started off with the M-audio fast track pro. I'm using logic pro with it and it's a nice box. I have a really hard time getting levels correct with it though.

Do you guys find that you need the outputs cranked all the way to 10 on each one? This happens on direct line in and with my shure mics. That's my only complaint with the box...other than that the inputs seem to be very high quality, you really can't beat the price.

Thanks for the input, I'm looking into the M-Audio Fast Track Pro now since the reviews for the Fast Track were not that great. I'm hoping my laptop will be compatible with the interface and Audacity.

zephyr_words · #7 08-13-2009, 12:24 AM

It will definitely work. I'm using it on a Mac but I've plugged it into my 64bit Windows 7 laptop and it detected fine. M-Audio has the 64bit Vista drivers on their website.

I bought mine back in April so i don't know if it's the best deal but I got mine for $155.43 on Amazon if that's any help.

Anyone else that reads this I'd still like to hear on how you balance the inputs. It just doesn't seem right that they would need to be cranked up so far. The only thing I've thought of is maybe the passive power through the USB port isn't enough and it would like the power adapter but m-audio says if it turns on via USB it's fine.

grifff · #8 08-13-2009, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zephyr_words

It will definitely work. I'm using it on a Mac but I've plugged it into my 64bit Windows 7 laptop and it detected fine. M-Audio has the 64bit Vista drivers on their website.

I bought mine back in April so i don't know if it's the best deal but I got mine for $155.43 on Amazon if that's any help.

Anyone else that reads this I'd still like to hear on how you balance the inputs. It just doesn't seem right that they would need to be cranked up so far. The only thing I've thought of is maybe the passive power through the USB port isn't enough and it would like the power adapter but m-audio says if it turns on via USB it's fine.

Did you get the Fast Track Pro I assume? What program did you use to record with?

Did the Pro come with the power adapter?

wildhorse · #9 08-13-2009, 08:43 AM

It will work great for one person, 1 track at a time... I use the Fast Track Ultra and love it. A lot more expensive though. I use it with an iMac and Garageband. For years on my PC I used a program called Studio 7 that was 60 bucks. I went direct into the line in and monitored through a Behringer headphone amp that allowed me to monitor the direct signal balanced with the monitor signal to limit latency. I got some pretty good recordings that way.

Charling · #10 08-13-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zephyr_words

I just setup a home studio and I started off with the M-audio fast track pro. I'm using logic pro with it and it's a nice box. I have a really hard time getting levels correct with it though.

Do you guys find that you need the outputs cranked all the way to 10 on each one? This happens on direct line in and with my shure mics. That's my only complaint with the box...other than that the inputs seem to be very high quality, you really can't beat the price.

For the mic's, I imagine you are talking about shure dynamic mics? In which case they do need a fair amount of gain to get a good signal from them. The inexpensive pre amps in the m-audio are likely not able to give that much so its not surprising you need to crank them. Try giving more signal at source, ie turning the amp up.

Also using higher output mics will not need as much gain. Alternatively you could upgrade the pre amp.

With the line in I assume you are getting a low signal when plugging the bass in direct? That is to be expected, a bass does not give out line level signals, its a lot quieter so you will need to crank the gain!

zephyr_words · #11 08-13-2009, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charling

For the mic's, I imagine you are talking about shure dynamic mics? In which case they do need a fair amount of gain to get a good signal from them. The inexpensive pre amps in the m-audio are likely not able to give that much so its not surprising you need to crank them. Try giving more signal at source, ie turning the amp up.

Also using higher output mics will not need as much gain. Alternatively you could upgrade the pre amp.

With the line in I assume you are getting a low signal when plugging the bass in direct? That is to be expected, a bass does not give out line level signals, its a lot quieter so you will need to crank the gain!

Yeah it's an m57. I thought my bass having a preamp\being active would be enough to power it through but I guess not. I'll probably get better inputs once I've done everything I can on this one.

My amp is a Kustom trb400 and doesn't have a real direct out so that's a no go.
I love that amp head though it is so awesome having a switchable tube and solid state.

edit:
Just want to make it clear that I am getting a good signal,etc I just have to have the Fast Track signal inputs cranked way up so I have to really monitor for clipping, etc...

zephyr_words · #12 08-13-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grifff

Did you get the Fast Track Pro I assume? What program did you use to record with?

Did the Pro come with the power adapter?

I already answered all of that =D

Yes, Logic Pro, Macbook, mine didn't come with a power adapter.

grifff · #13 08-13-2009, 05:00 PM

I just got the Fast Track and I am not having any of those issues. I'm running through the DI in my amp though, so that will boost the signal going into the M-Audio. It sounds really good for what I'm doing with it.

Charling · #14 08-13-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zephyr_words

Yeah it's an m57. I thought my bass having a preamp\being active would be enough to power it through but I guess not. I'll probably get better inputs once I've done everything I can on this one.

My amp is a Kustom trb400 and doesn't have a real direct out so that's a no go.
I love that amp head though it is so awesome having a switchable tube and solid state.

edit:
Just want to make it clear that I am getting a good signal,etc I just have to have the Fast Track signal inputs cranked way up so I have to really monitor for clipping, etc...

yeah, cool, I mean theres nothing wrong with cranking the gain, its really quite nice on a good preamp because you are squeezing the most of the character out of it! (if thats what you want).

does your Kustom have a line out? If so that could plug into line in at the correct signal level. also a di box would get the signal ready for going into a mic pre and as such you would have more gain at your disposal.

Failing that getting a jack to xlr connector and going into the mic pre direct from the bass would allow you to use a more normal amount of gain, as (as I mentioned) the pre amp input will be able to give more gain than the line input.

There will be an impedance mismatch (thats what a DI sorts out) but for home recordings its nothing to fret about!

And yeah, this isn't anything that could be considered an 'issue' with the device, its as you would expect for any device in any price range, it's just about getting the signal path right! Though fancy pre amps generally (though not always!) to have a bit more gain at their disposal.