M-Audio FW Audiophile Help

[haaron]

Hello all. I am a ham radio operator, and recently purchased an M-Audio Firewire Audiophile. First, I am not an audio person, so please respond in simple terms. <ha>

I presently have a Mackie mixer, and use it to distribute audio from my radio, sound card and two TNCs (radio-based modems).

I bought the Audiophile to use as a replacement for my sound card as many of the digital transmission modes I use generate their signals by the sound card.

I have audio going into the Audiophile from the mixer, no problem on Ana 1/2 in. I then selected an output for the audio 1/2 out. Still no problem, I can see the audio and just wired a test speaker to Line Out 1. The audio level is low, but I hear audio through the speaker.

My next question relates to Windows XP. I have tried to set the software to use the Audiophile instead of the SoundBlaster. Problem is, the possible choices are:

M-Audio FW AP Multi
M-Audio FW AP 1/2
M-Audio FW AP 3/4
M-Audio FW AP S/PDIF
SB Audiology (internal SoundBlaster Card)

I understand that the SW Returns, 1/2, 3/4 and S/PDIF are the FW channels from which audio transits to and from the Audiophile.

First question, when setting Voice in the Windows Control Panel, which Audiophile device do I select? What is AP Multi?

Same for Audio where you select settings for Sound playback default, Sound Recording and MIDI playback. Which FW AP should be sued for each?

When playing a CD on the computer by Windows Media Player with FW AP selected as the output I see no audio coming from the computer to the Audiophile.

What I want to be able to do is:

replace the internal sound card with the M-Audio
route radio-related audio from the M-Audio to the Mackie Mixer and pass it along to the transmitter
drive a 5.1 surround speaker system (Klipch) – not sure how to do this. The internal SoundBlaster has a Firewire interface. Is there some way to pass the audio from the M-Audio to the SoundBlaster via Firewire only for audio playback through the speaker system?

Really appreciate your help as I have no idea what I am doing.

Thanks much,

Hank

[David Muniz]

My next question relates to Windows XP. I have tried to set the software to use the Audiophile instead of the SoundBlaster. Problem is, the possible choices are:

M-Audio FW AP Multi - Addressees all outputs for things like Surround out (ie. 5.1 WMA files from media player)
M-Audio FW AP 1/2 - Addressees only 1 and 2 out (ie. Stereo MP3's from Media player)
M-Audio FW AP 3/4 - Addressees only 3 and 4 out (ie. Stereo MP3's from Media player)
M-Audio FW AP S/PDIF - Addressees only S/PDIF out (ie. Stereo MP3's from Media player)

First question, when setting Voice in the Windows Control Panel, which Audiophile device do I select? What is AP Multi? - Voice set it to what ever you want your default input stream to be. Typically 1/2. However, you'll set the inputs you are recording from in you recording application. This is only for the Windows recording device and for default settings on other apps.

Same for Audio where you select settings for Sound playback default, Sound Recording and MIDI playback. Which FW AP should be sued for each?

See above

When playing a CD on the computer by Windows Media Player with FW AP selected as the output I see no audio coming from the computer to the Audiophile. -

THis is probably because you don't have digital playback enabled for the CD player. Usually, the CD player has an ANALOG cable that connects from the CD player to the Sound Card. In the device manger, you can enable digital playback for your CD-ROM.

drive a 5.1 surround speaker system (Klipch) – Unless you have an external decoder, you won't be able to do this with the Audiophile alone. SInce it only has two analog outs, it can't output surround analog. It can, however output surround via the S/PDIF connection to an external decoder which can then drive your speakers.

Is there some way to pass the audio from the M-Audio to the SoundBlaster via Firewire only for audio playback through the speaker system?

NO. this FireWire port is simply a FireWire port to connect firewire devices to your computer.


Thanks
D

[haaron]

Hi David, and thanks for the response. That clears up a lot of the original questions.

I wll look into an external decoder for surround.

I have had some success in routing radio audio to the M-Audio and having it generate transmit audio for digital modes that is then routed to the Mackie Mixer.

This brings about a few different questions. With the software I am now using it is lookinf for a sampling rate of 11025 or so, but locks when setting it to 44000. Is there some way to reduce the sampling rate of the M-Audio below the default M-Audio sampling rate?

When watching the audio from the M-Audio to the Mixer, one of the channels from the computer was also active via firewire to the M-Audio, and I suspect tit was the soundcard trying to do the same job as the M-Audio. WOuld it be best to totally disable the internal soundcard?

Some of the digital transmission modes are really critical when it comes to calibration for receive and transmit. Is there any routine to calibrate the FW Box? For example, the soundcard is calibrated in PPM (parts per million).

Thanks much for your help, adn I understand this is a strange application for the FW box.

[David Muniz]

Answers within.

With the software I am now using it is lookinf for a sampling rate of 11025 or so, but locks when setting it to 44000. Is there some way to reduce the sampling rate of the M-Audio below the default M-Audio sampling rate?

>>The 410 will default to what ever is last sent out of it. Be sure it is not selected in the system output as this will playback sounds and cause a change in the 410's output.

When watching the audio from the M-Audio to the Mixer, one of the channels from the computer was also active via firewire to the M-Audio, and I suspect tit was the soundcard trying to do the same job as the M-Audio. WOuld it be best to totally disable the internal soundcard?

>>I'm not sure what this means. What do you mean "was also active via the firewire to the m-audio" and "the sound card trying to do the same job as the M-Audio?" - The "M-Audio" is a sound card. If you are referring to the sound card built in to your computer, then it can't possibly sending audio to the 410 unless it is connected via an external cable to the input of the 410. This actually is probably audio from the system (windows sounds etc) and this is why your 410 keeps switching to 44100.

Some of the digital transmission modes are really critical when it comes to calibration for receive and transmit. Is there any routine to calibrate the FW Box? For example, the soundcard is calibrated in PPM (parts per million).

>>You shouldn't need to worry about this. I think the problem is cleared up above.

[haaron]

Hello. I'm back. I am still having no luck getting the M-Audio FW Audiophile to act as a sound card.

Your explanation below makes little sense to me. Assume you are talking to someone who knows nothing about audio.

Setup:

The good news is that the audio from my transceiver goes to the Mackie Mixer, and then enters the M-Audio by Input 1 and 2. The M-Audio then feeds a decoder using SPDIF Out, and the audio from the Decoder arrives at the speakers. This is with the M-Audio sync source set to internal. This is with no connection to the internal SoundBlaster card, and one of my goals is to replace the SoundBlaster with the M-Audio. To that point all is well.

Under Control Panel, Sound and Audio Devices I am still confused as what to set it option to in order to make the M-Audio the default soundcard.
Settings:

Sounds - No Sounds (current selectin sounds in the audio path are bad)

Audio - Sound Playback Default Device - which of the possible M-Audio selections should go here?

Audio - Sound Recording - Same Question

Midi Music Playback - Same Question

Voice - Default Playback - Same Question

Voice - Voice Recording - Same Question

There is a particular piece of software - MixW, that does digital mode transmissions using audio tones to drive the transmitter and to receive incoming signals.

It has an option to select input and output audios, but whenever I select one of the M-Audio options the program locks, and cannot be closed until the M-Audio is turned off. I have tried multiple combinations with the sync in external as well as internal on the M-Audio with different M-Audio input/output combinations selected.

MixW has a default sample rate of 11025, and works fine as long as the SoundBlaster is providing audio input and output. My guess is the sample rate may be the problem?

MY goal is to have the program work with M-Audio providing the input audio and an output path for the MixW audio out. Then M-Audio would then pass the MixW output audio to the Mixer which would use the audio to drive the transmitter.

Sorry to be a pain, but I just want to understand, and just want to get the card working. I watch the audio on an O'Scope and the Mi-Audio output is clean - this is a main requirement for digital transmission, so when ever it works it should be great.

Thanks much,
Harold

[David Muniz]

Sounds - No Sounds (current selectin sounds in the audio path are bad)

Audio - Sound Playback Default Device - M-Audio FW AP1/2

Audio - Sound Recording - M-Audio FW AP1/2

Midi Music Playback - MIDI is not sound. This is asking where it should send midi signal to create the sounds. You might have an option that says general midi software synth or something similar. Choose this.

Voice - Default Playback - This is for an Audio input and where it will be monitored through - I don't think this relates to the FireWire Audiophile as much as it relates to the Windows Mixer. If you have the option, set it to FW AP 1/2
Voice - Voice Recording -FW AP1/2

I don't understand your application here. We're having digital sync problems through an analog mixer?

[haaron]

Hi David. I really appreciate your patience. I have found the problem, and the device is working great! Turns out there was a bad firewire port on the computer. Once I replaced that everything fell into place.

The application I am using the FW Audiophile for is Ham Radio. When transmitting digital modulation schemes soundcard audio drives the transmitter with different encoding schemes depending upon the mode selected.

In some modes, purity of the audio signal is very important, and if the card is off a few hertz in frequency the application will fail. With the internal soundcards, the cards often pick-up noise from within the computer as well. My goal was to replace the internal card with the M-Audio box.

It is now working great, and looking at the audio on a scope - awesome.... Pure and clean.

Again, thanks much for your patience.

Best,

Hank

[David Muniz]

I"m glad it's working!