Newbie: Maudio2496, Mixer, PC

[vikjohn]

I have "inherited" some equipment and am trying to put it all together to do some recording. I had hoped to record multiple tracks at once but with my existing soundcard realize this is not doable. I have a M-Audio2496, a Behringer UBB1002 and a Fostex V8 hard disk recorder. I tried using the Fostex but you have to manage it all on the incredibly small LED screen and then dump to PC which is not an enjoyable process. I also have Sonar 2. I now understand after reading ALL MORNING about issues with the 2496 and a mixer that I can only record two audio tracks at a tiime. My question is how is that possible. I have tried and get the same thing on both tracks.

I have the mixer tape in/outs hooked in the card. Is there something I'm missing? I am new to all of this but really do not know anything and I guess I am more confused than ever. I want to record our band; 4 piece acoustic and have no idea how to start.

[lionstar]

Hi Vikjohn

Whats the line up of the band? do you have drums?

[itsplayed]

I have "inherited" some equipment and am trying to put it all together to do some recording. I had hoped to record multiple tracks at once but with my existing soundcard realize this is not doable. I have a M-Audio2496, a Behringer UBB1002 and a Fostex V8 hard disk recorder. I tried using the Fostex but you have to manage it all on the incredibly small LED screen and then dump to PC which is not an enjoyable process. I also have Sonar 2. I now understand after reading ALL MORNING about issues with the 2496 and a mixer that I can only record two audio tracks at a tiime. My question is how is that possible. I have tried and get the same thing on both tracks.

I have the mixer tape in/outs hooked in the card. Is there something I'm missing? I am new to all of this but really do not know anything and I guess I am more confused than ever. I want to record our band; 4 piece acoustic and have no idea how to start.

You need to pan hard left and right using the mixer into the left and right channels of the 2496. Then in Sonar each track should address that left and right input respectively.

[AndyH]

The two analogue inputs on the Audiophile are independent. If you feed it two different signals you will get two different tracks. If the same thing is on both, it is getting mixed prior to the soundcard.

Depending on the recording software you use, those two tracks can be independent mono tracks or the two channels of a stereo track. The former is generally desirable but some software won't address the inputs separately. With just a bit of extra work, the stereo track can be separated into two mono tracks post recording, with no modification of the audio data.

If you can get direct output from the ADCs in the hard disk recorder via S/PDIF, the Audiophile can record 4 tracks at a time. It just doesn't have its own converters for the second set.

[vikjohn]

I've got everything hooked up:
Tape in /out to AP in/out
there is a mic in mono 1 (panned left)
a pickup in 3/4 (panned right)
Sonar running 2 audio tracks:
audio 1 in = Mon M Audio Delta AP Multichannel 1/2
audio 2 in = Mon M Audio Delta AP multichannel 3/4
card interface
Patchbay / Router
H/W Out 1/2 \ = Mon Mixer

Now .. I'm not getting it to record. The green bar is fluctuating (the same) but no audio is getting recorded. For a test I have my instruments pickup hooked in and the mic in front of a small TV. I'm beginning to think this is too much for an "old gal". Wait what am I saying I'm not old just feeling that way :confused:

[GZsound]

I've got everything hooked up:
Tape in /out to AP in/out
there is a mic in mono 1 (panned left)
a pickup in 3/4 (panned right)
Sonar running 2 audio tracks:
audio 1 in = Mon M Audio Delta AP Multichannel 1/2
audio 2 in = Mon M Audio Delta AP multichannel 3/4
card interface
Patchbay / Router
H/W Out 1/2 \ = Mon Mixer

Now .. I'm not getting it to record. The green bar is fluctuating (the same) but no audio is getting recorded. For a test I have my instruments pickup hooked in and the mic in front of a small TV. I'm beginning to think this is too much for an "old gal". Wait what am I saying I'm not old just feeling that way :confused:

Your Audiophile 24/96 is a four CHANNEL unit. You have Sonar which you say will only record two tracks at a time.

The easiest way to record two tracks would be to simply take the left channel of your mixer (not the "record" out), and go to channel one of the M Audio unit. Take the right channel of your mixer into channel two of the M Audio unit.

Do all your panning and mixing in the mixer for the best stereo spread. You then can record two track stereo into your Sonar program..and call it good.

The next suggestion would be to step up to true multitrack software like N Tracks or Audacity, which are very inexpensive. Then you could record from all four outputs of your M Audio card to four tracks in your computer at once.

Your mixer has channel "inserts" on it. You can plug a 1/4" jack part way into the insert jack and use that chanel to feed one channel of your M Audio unit. Do the same with other channels and you could have up to four seperate channels (I am not sure how many inserts your Behringer unit has) going into your M Audio unit and being recorded at the same time in the computer.

Again.. I would use the MAIN outputs of the mixer, not the "record" outputs.. Other than that, you have everything hooked up properly to record to stereo in Sonar...IF you have Sonar set to record the M Audio channel 1 on track one and chanel 2 on track two.

[AndyH]

The Audiophile 2496 has two analogue input channels. It also has S/PDIF, which can be used to record if one has eternal A to D converters, but that is the only way to get four channels.

This part
audio 1 in = Mon M Audio Delta AP Multichannel 1/2
audio 2 in = Mon M Audio Delta AP multichannel 3/4
is very confusing, not labels I've seen before. I would guess, however that the "Mon M" part refers to Monitor Mixer. Those are not the inputs you want to use for recording under normal circumstances. Use the direct hardware inputs.

Besides the fact that the Monitor Mixer isn't the proper recording input for most purposes, there are not two stereo pairs available from it unless it is listing the S/PDIF as one of them. A rather strange approach.

[vikjohn]

I will have to get some additional cables to do what GZsound is suggesting; I'm home with a cold today so might get out later to do that. Sonar is a multitrack software program; I was referring to the 2496 that can only record two audio tracks at the same time.

In response to AndyH; the labels for inputs are what I'm seeing on the Sonar program, here is a list of all the choices under "IN" -

Mon M Audio Delta AP Multichannel 1/2
Mon M Audio Delta AP multichannel 3/4
Mon M Audio Delta AP multichannel 5/6
Mon M Audio Delta AP 1/2
Mon M Audio Delta AP S/PID
Mon M Audio Delta AP Mon Mixer

The choices under the patchbay/router tab on the soundcard are:

H/W Out 1/2
Wave Out 1/2
Mon Mixer
S/PDIF In
S/PDIF In (L/R rev)
H/W In 1/2
H/W Out SPDIF
Wave Out 1/2
Mon Mixer
S/PDIF In
S/PDIF In (L/R rev)
H/W In 1/2

I reset the H/W Out 1/2 from Mon Mixer to Wave Out 1/2 and now I am getting an audio signal - since I haven't got the appropriate cables to try GZsounds suggestion I am still getting the same thing on both tracks... I'll get cables and try to implement this setup ... thanks so much for the suggestions and help!

[GZsound]

I will have to get some additional cables to do what GZsound is suggesting; I'm home with a cold today so might get out later to do that. Sonar is a multitrack software program; I was referring to the 2496 that can only record two audio tracks at the same time.

In response to AndyH; the labels for inputs are what I'm seeing on the Sonar program, here is a list of all the choices under "IN" -

Mon M Audio Delta AP Multichannel 1/2
Mon M Audio Delta AP multichannel 3/4
Mon M Audio Delta AP multichannel 5/6
Mon M Audio Delta AP 1/2
Mon M Audio Delta AP S/PID
Mon M Audio Delta AP Mon Mixer

The choices under the patchbay/router tab on the soundcard are:

H/W Out 1/2
Wave Out 1/2
Mon Mixer
S/PDIF In
S/PDIF In (L/R rev)
H/W In 1/2
H/W Out SPDIF
Wave Out 1/2
Mon Mixer
S/PDIF In
S/PDIF In (L/R rev)
H/W In 1/2

I reset the H/W Out 1/2 from Mon Mixer to Wave Out 1/2 and now I am getting an audio signal - since I haven't got the appropriate cables to try GZsounds suggestion I am still getting the same thing on both tracks... I'll get cables and try to implement this setup ... thanks so much for the suggestions and help!

Well.. I was incorrect in my information. I hadn't done any investigation of the M Audio unit except to read it was a four channel unit.. Which it isn't, unless you use the S/PDIF I/O for additional channels.

It is a two channel analogue interface.

I don't know why there are choices for channels 3-4-5-6, since there are only two channels, presumably 1 & 2.

I suggest you use your outboard mixer to mix everything to stereo and run the main L/R outputs of your mixer to the analogue inputs of the M Audio unit. Without an extra analogue to S/PDIF converter, you can't use the S/PDIF inputs even though they appear to be simple RCA jacks.

So.. use a mixer to mix everything to two channels, Left and Right. Run those two channels from your mixer to the channel one and two analogue inputs of the M Audio unit. That should give you the ability to record to two tracks at a time in Sonar.

Sorry for the confusion..

[ecc83]

To boil this down. If for instance I wanted to record a mic on the left track(or trk1) and DI'd guitar on the right track(or trk2) from my Xenyx mixer(not that I ever do it this way) I have to remember to pan left HARD left and right Hard right to get two separate tracks, otherwise you get 50% of each on both.
I would also suggest downloading the manual for the 2496 if you do not have it. That will keep you quiet for a while!

Dave.