Topic: M-Audio MicroTrack I/II as Bit-Bucket Survey

[Brian Skalinder]

Please only respond if you have DIRECT, FIRST-HAND experience with the M-Audio MicroTrack I and II.

[Jhurlbs81]

Good Poll Brian!

I'd also add just to be clear for everyone voting.  A bit bucket means you're only recoding through the SPDIF input on the deck.  I've seen the term misused, and while I'm sure everyone knows that let's just make sure  ...I'm interested in the results others have with this deck.

I was just having a friendly debate about this in another thread.  I have owned both the MT1 and MT2.  I've had very good luck with both decks when running SPDIF out from either an AD2K or V3 at both 16 and 24 bits at various resolutions.  The only known bug I've experienced is it cannot continue to record if the bit stream is interrupted.  My V3 is pretty reliable at providing a stable bit stream so this hasn't been an issue for me.

I run mine off the 5v USB on a tekkeon 3450.  I use a 16GB card and record at 24/44.1 usually. The deck splits seamlessly at 2GB. 

For me it does just what I need to. 

[StuStu]

I used MT 1 for a short while. Not impressed with its freezing up. What it did record sounded fine. I was using its spdif input.

[willndmb]

I used MT 1 for a short while. Not impressed with its freezing up. What it did record sounded fine. I was using its spdif input.

this is where you will get flawed stats (at least from some users)
after the new firmware there were little to no issues buyt by then many people stopped using the device so they are not going to say it works good because they never experienced it

[Todd R]

I got a MTI when it first came out and used it for quite some time.  I voted reliable but problematic.  Not really that it wasn't reliable once I understood its idiosynchraties, but its quirks and difficulties led me to replace it.

I did go thru several firmware updates, so enough I think that it was fixed/stable.  But it still had things like if I kept it in record pause for too long, it would shut off.  But if at the same time I had the external battery connected, it wouldn't really shut off, it would go into charging mode, and it couldn't be woken up properly, so I'd have to remove the external battery to get it up and running again, and then get it back into record mode.  (At least that's how I remember it, I could have it bungled up.)  At any rate, I'd never want to have the external battery connected until the recording got going and the set was started.  And sometimes I'd forget to plug it in right away and would always agonize over whether I should plug in the external battery mid-set or avoid it.

IIRC, I only lost one recording to the MT's quirks (and had a 16bit backup from my iRiver, so nothing was lost).  And that was out of many, many successful recordings.  Still, I want something that is more reliable (or gives me the impression of being more reliable), so I got rid of it.  And went the to the opposite end of the spectrum and got a 722, though I've now settled more in the middle part of the spectrum with an R44 and D50.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

I voted for Not Reliable... But any component that isn't reliable is effectively worthless for recording live events.  I keep it for doing comps, where I never depend on it.

The jb3 was a far more reliable, and better engineered, device.

[greenone]

My experience is sort of between options 2 and 3 - I find it mostly reliable, but problematic at times. However, my upgrade path will likely be from MTI to MTII. The problems that I've had with it have ranged from a bad S/PDIF connection (which I think was on my V3 rather than on the MT) to failure to recognize a CF card it's used before (I carry multiple cards now for just such an occasion) to poor battery life, to just plain shutting down in mid-concert.

However, I'm happy enough with it, and there are zero other options at that price point for recorders with S/PDIF in (which baffles me, frankly). Yeah, I'm bummed when something goes wrong, but this isn't life or death for me. I think very few of my issues have been due to the MT itself - mostly human error or bad media.

[Chuck]

I voted:  Very reliable once I understood its idiosyncrasies.

[kirk97132]

I use a MTI at times and only as a secondary unit.  I find it to be ok when it works but sometimes a pain in the ass to get working.  And I have on CF card that it does not like to read which takes multiple boots to get it to see it.  If it wasn't free I'd be pissed but since it was given to me I am probably more likely to shrug my shoulders and let it go.  I would never buy one. 

[jlykos]

Had an original MT.  Not at all reliable.  Used it 15 times and lost two recordings.  That's not a good ratio.

Edit to add that the A/D in it is pure shit.  Like an ADC-20 but at 24 bits to amplify its awfulness.  Thin and tinny.  This is definitely a consideration if you want to record off a soundboard.

[Brian Skalinder]

I'm curious:  For those of you reporting Not at all reliable or Worthless POS...

• Were you an early adopter?
• Do you recall which firmware version you were using?

Just trying to get a sense for how many of the respondees' issues are potentially linked to early adoption and therefore crappy early firmware.

[barrettphisher]

Bought mine used a few months back.  Use it strictly as a bit bucket and have had zero issues.  I'd buy one to use only in a bit bucket application. 
Barrett

[JGuitar02]

I got an MT II to use as a bit bucket fed via SPDIF from an Apogee Mini-Me. It's worked quite well for this purpose.

I agree that the A/D on the MT II sounds bad, but I never use it for that purpose, so it's not an issue for me...

[jlykos]

I was not an early adopter and was using the latest firmware (forget which number) that supposedly fixed all of the issues.  Not so, I found.

[willndmb]

i got mine in the middle of people saying it was good and others saying it sucked
upgraded to the latest firmware when it came out (1.4 maybe ??)
never had any issues on the firmware that came with it or the latest
i have gone digi in and 1/4 in
1/4 i have gone line out of a satellite radio as was as mics > bb >
everything sounded fine to me
i will say it gets hot if you use a microdrive for hrs on end though, not so hot it burns or i ever got worried but hot enough you notice it