Questions (on MIDI, volume knob etc.) before buying a S192
Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 3:00 pm
OK, now this is a copy of my post in the studio 192 area. Since no one has answered yet there, I'll try here, maybe the topic relates more to this subforum.
Hi there,
I'm thinking about replacing my old audio interface with a studio 192.
My old interface is an Emu 1820m which has been working fine so far but is a little outdated (made in 2005; the drivers' latest updates are from 2011 and the unit gets more and more unstable as the windows versions' numbers keep growing...)
The Emu provides many nice details I've found, at least in combination, in no other (affordable) interface so far, e.g. routable inputs and outputs, speaker management, internal FX, ADAT etc.
The S192 has it almost all. Paired with the assumption that 10 years of audio gear development may bring some general improvement to the sound, I'm willing to give the Studio 192 a chance.
But before I do so, I'd love to have some questions answered. Maybe you can help.
1) I've heard it's no good idea to have two audio units running at the same time under windows. So, before I'll connect the S192 to my PC to test it, I'll disconnect the Emu. Since it is connected via a PCI Slot inside the PC Tower, I'd have to open it, remove the card, and so on. I wonder if there is an easier way - can I just deactivate the PCI slot in the BIOS or, even more convenient, deactivate the interface in Windows' device manager (or in the audio device menu in Windows' system settings under "Sound and Audio")? Would that do?
2) I understand that the S192 doesn't have a "regular" MIDI connection. But it says in the manual that the usb 3 connection can receive MIDI control data to edit the Preamp Gain, phantom power state etc. - My question is: Can it receive (and be slaved to) MTC (MIDI Time Code)? The reason why I'm asking this is that I want to sync Cubase to an old Fostex D160, a 16-track 19" HDD recorder which hosts tons of audio material I would love to transfer via ADAT to Cubase. Tried this with the Emu years ago but the synchronisation proved to be so lousy that after a while I gave it up.
My idea now is to connect both ADAT Outputs of the D 160 to both ADAT inputs of the S192, put a MIDI-to-USB-Device from the Fostex to the PC / Cubase and press start.
Should work, shouldn't it?
3) Since my old hardware monitor controller in my studio setup is in the process of passing away, I thought about buying a new, better one. (I had been using it almost only for volume control). Then I saw the S 192 has a big volume button and can handle this job at the same time. - My question is: The reason why I'd been using an external hardware controller for so long was that I did not want to lose any bits and bytes (and quality, of course) of the sound by controlling the volume in the EMU control software and, by doing so, decreasing the resolution.
So I'd like to know whether the S192's volume know is operating after or before the D/A converter. I've downloaded the manual but could not find any information about this in it.
oh, and I almost forgot... : Can I make the channels not needed invisible in the UC software mixer? That might come in handy when (as in my case) I will mostly use two or three inputs and maybe on or two outputs at the same time.
Any help is appreciated.
Thank you in advance!
Hi there,
I'm thinking about replacing my old audio interface with a studio 192.
My old interface is an Emu 1820m which has been working fine so far but is a little outdated (made in 2005; the drivers' latest updates are from 2011 and the unit gets more and more unstable as the windows versions' numbers keep growing...)
The Emu provides many nice details I've found, at least in combination, in no other (affordable) interface so far, e.g. routable inputs and outputs, speaker management, internal FX, ADAT etc.
The S192 has it almost all. Paired with the assumption that 10 years of audio gear development may bring some general improvement to the sound, I'm willing to give the Studio 192 a chance.
But before I do so, I'd love to have some questions answered. Maybe you can help.
1) I've heard it's no good idea to have two audio units running at the same time under windows. So, before I'll connect the S192 to my PC to test it, I'll disconnect the Emu. Since it is connected via a PCI Slot inside the PC Tower, I'd have to open it, remove the card, and so on. I wonder if there is an easier way - can I just deactivate the PCI slot in the BIOS or, even more convenient, deactivate the interface in Windows' device manager (or in the audio device menu in Windows' system settings under "Sound and Audio")? Would that do?
2) I understand that the S192 doesn't have a "regular" MIDI connection. But it says in the manual that the usb 3 connection can receive MIDI control data to edit the Preamp Gain, phantom power state etc. - My question is: Can it receive (and be slaved to) MTC (MIDI Time Code)? The reason why I'm asking this is that I want to sync Cubase to an old Fostex D160, a 16-track 19" HDD recorder which hosts tons of audio material I would love to transfer via ADAT to Cubase. Tried this with the Emu years ago but the synchronisation proved to be so lousy that after a while I gave it up.
My idea now is to connect both ADAT Outputs of the D 160 to both ADAT inputs of the S192, put a MIDI-to-USB-Device from the Fostex to the PC / Cubase and press start.
Should work, shouldn't it?
3) Since my old hardware monitor controller in my studio setup is in the process of passing away, I thought about buying a new, better one. (I had been using it almost only for volume control). Then I saw the S 192 has a big volume button and can handle this job at the same time. - My question is: The reason why I'd been using an external hardware controller for so long was that I did not want to lose any bits and bytes (and quality, of course) of the sound by controlling the volume in the EMU control software and, by doing so, decreasing the resolution.
So I'd like to know whether the S192's volume know is operating after or before the D/A converter. I've downloaded the manual but could not find any information about this in it.
oh, and I almost forgot... : Can I make the channels not needed invisible in the UC software mixer? That might come in handy when (as in my case) I will mostly use two or three inputs and maybe on or two outputs at the same time.
Any help is appreciated.
Thank you in advance!