Firestudio Project

[jdurst15]

I just got the FS Project as a Christmas gift. Upon unwrapping it and installing (according to the instructions) I began to believe that I am having some problems with it....
First things first. Do I need to hook up monitor speakers to the Main Out L&R in order to be able to hear any of the audio? Can the FS Project output audio through my computer's soundcard (Creative Soundblaster Xi-Fi Platinum)?
My computer guy (not audio guy) claims I need to run a 1/4" instrument cable from the headphone jack into my soundcard to be able to hear the audio, but that outputs such a low level.

[josemitre@yahoo.com]

Depending on your particular setup: The main outs are routed directly to speakers only if they are powered (amplified) monitors. Otherwise, if you have passive monitors like I do you need to run those main outs to a power amp, then to your monitors...

[Pianojam]

When you use a FS, usually it IS your soundcard. Sometimes you can keep it and your original soundcard running, but you can only use one at a time. For example, you can set up WinAmp to either go thru the FS or Soundblaster, and the sound will come out of only the speakers you have hooked up to that card.

I'm assuming you had speakers set up with the Soundblaster.... The headphone jack on the FS acts just like the headphone jack on your soundcard. Just get a headphone adapter so you can do the same speaker setup you already had with your soundcard, plugging it into the FSP's headphone jack instead of the soundcard's. The computer guy probably should have said, plug your speakers (not the soundcard) into the FS. To hear anything, you'll have to set your default Windows audio playback device to ASIO Presonus. That'll be under control panel, sounds and audio or something like that. Depends on the OS. Speaking of OS, you didn't mention yours?

One observation: The headphone output is DEFINITELY not low-level. It's amplified to drive headphones (arguably) loud enough for a drummer. Could be something technical, like an impedance mis-match, or a protection function of the SB, or plugging into the mic in instead of the line in that's making the level low. Try just plugging whatever speakers you were using before into the PS headphone jack. If that doesn't work, there's something wrong with the routing or setup inside your computer. Let us know, we'll be glad to help you on that, too :) The routing program, CPL, can be a little tricky to understand, but make sure the headphone out is assigned to something. It should probably default ok, but if the setup doesnt' work, there may be something set wrong there. Write back with your results.

On a side note, what I've ended up doing (because Windows Vista won't play thru my FireStudio yet) is send the output of the soundcard to the FS. That's more complicated, though, and you shouldn't have to do that with the FireStudio Project at all.