Topic: M-Audio Fast Track Pro preamp

[ldseeya]

I'm thinking of buying one of these instead of a Edirol UA-5.  Does anyone know if the 2 are comparable and what kind of battery source would you use with the fast track pro as it seems to work stand alone w/ ac power.  Can you use one of the universal DVD batteries like you use with the UA-5 and Microtrack?  Does it need a juice box like you would use with the Microtrack?  If anyone has any info. that would help me, I would appreciate it.

Source: Peluso CEMC-6 > Fast Track Pro > Microtrack

[Chilly Brioschi]

I don't know anything about the FastTrack, but it looks interesting and inexpensive, making it hackable.
You should be able to easily find a USB external pack for it, or can make one readily.

USB Power is Pin 1 = 5vdc and Pin 4 = Ground

some more here:
http://pinouts.ru/Slots/USB_pinout.shtml


Here's Wikipedia on USB power:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB

Power

The USB specification provides a 5 V (volts) supply on a single wire from which connected USB devices may draw power. The specification provides for no more than 5.25 V and no less than 4.75 V (5 V±5%) between the positive and negative bus power lines.[8] Initially, a device is only allowed to draw 100 mA. It may request more current from the upstream device in units of 100 mA up to a maximum of 500 mA.

If a bus-powered hub is used, the devices downstream may only use a total of four units — 400 mA (i.e. 2 watts) — of current. This limits compliant bus-powered hubs to 4 ports. The host operating system typically keeps track of the power requirements of the USB network and may warn the computer's operator when a given segment requires more power than is available.

On-The-Go and Battery Charging Specification both add new powering modes to the USB specification.

Some USB devices draw more power than is permitted by the specification for a single port. This is a common requirement of external hard and optical disc drives and other devices with motors or lamps. Such devices can be used with an external power supply of adequate rating; some external hubs may, in practice, supply sufficient power. For portable devices where external power is not available, but not more than 1 A is required at 5 V, devices may have connectors to allow the use of two USB cables, doubling available power but reducing the number of USB ports available to other devices.

[rowjimmy]

The Fast Track Pro will run off a simple 9v power pack. I ran mine with some rat shack rc batteries.

fwiw, the noise floor is pretty high on it. Loud shows would be ok (just ok) but the urge to move up will remain strong with you.

I think that, if you can save the scratch, you're better off going to a UA-5.

[illconditioned]

The Fast Track Pro will run off a simple 9v power pack. I ran mine with some rat shack rc batteries.

fwiw, the noise floor is pretty high on it. Loud shows would be ok (just ok) but the urge to move up will remain strong with you.

I think that, if you can save the scratch, you're better off going to a UA-5.

If anyone gets ahold of one of these, can you please show me the *guts*

I want to know what chips and power supplies are in there.  A good indication of quailty.  For example, I discovered that the Maudio "duo", a really old USB box, has INA163 chips and a +/-12V power supply.  That is very good, although I'm sure they've cheapened the design since then.  I just want to know how cheap (and moddable) the fasttrack is.

Oh yeah, stock UA5 has a pretty high noise floor as well.

  Richard

[kozakz]

I'm thinking of buying one of these instead of a Edirol UA-5.  Does anyone know if the 2 are comparable and what kind of battery source would you use with the fast track pro as it seems to work stand alone w/ ac power.  Can you use one of the universal DVD batteries like you use with the UA-5 and Microtrack?  Does it need a juice box like you would use with the Microtrack?  If anyone has any info. that would help me, I would appreciate it.

Source: Peluso CEMC-6 > Fast Track Pro > Microtrack

I use both of them now. I had no chance to compare their sound A-B, but sooner or later I will do it, because I got 2 sets of AT853.

I think both sounds very good for their price.

Without any modification I think M-audio is more user friendly.

Pros of M-Audio vs UA-5

works in standalone mode with coax digi out (24bit/44khz)
No need to find polirity inverter if you want to use with standard dvd batteries.
2 clip indicators vs 1 on edirol. you see which channels is peaking
signal indicator over -20db. You see if it is recording. you dont have to take out recorder for check.
can be powered via USB too (from laptop)
it's smaller

My 48wh dvd battery can run M-Audio for 15 hours.

The only negative thing I found out so far is quite strange. When I use my AT4051 with M-audio , with line out 1-2 I hear "whistling" noise when output level and mix levels are in maximum position. If i turn them down a little bit then this noise is gone. I do not have this problem with AT853 mics.

[ldseeya]

Thanks for the info.  it will be helpful.  if anyone else has any opinions this subject, please post them.  1 more thing, It does have 48v Phatom Power, right?

[kozakz]

Thanks for the info.  it will be helpful.  if anyone else has any opinions this subject, please post them.  1 more thing, It does have 48v Phatom Power, right?

yes it has phantom.

just one more thing. I am not sure it will give digi out signal on spdif if powered via USB cabel. That is not the "standard" standalone mode of the unit.

[ldseeya]

Thanks

[Matt Quinn]

Are you running the Peluso's with it? I ran that combo for a while & liked it a lot.

Some DB shows- http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=disco%20biscuits%20AND%20mediatype%3Aetree%20AND%20collection%3Aetree%20AND%20%22Matt%20Quinn%22

An UM show- http://www.archive.org/details/UM2007-04-12..PelusoCEMC64.flac16

Psylab show with a pair of AT SPCMC4(card, ORTF)>M-Audio Fast Track Pro>Cool EditPro @ 16/44.1- http://www.archive.org/details/Psylab2006-10-19


I think it's a great & underrated unit, and I REALLY don't think you can beat it for the price (I got mine on eBay for just over $100). I'd love to see someone start doing some mods on them.

[Javier Cinakowski]

damn dood, those recordings sound really nice.  I am very suprised at how good the fast track pro sounds...

[Matt Quinn]

damn dood, those recordings sound really nice.  I am very suprised at how good the fast track pro sounds...

Thanks, I agree totally. For the price, it's just a great combo pre/ad. It does 24 bit, too! granted, only at 44.1k, but still.....since I got it early last year, I've been sort of shocked that I haven't seen more of them in the field. I think the 2.16.07 Biscuits tape really shows what it can do with the Pelusos.

I recently upgraded to a T+UA5, and it's definitely better- but I ran a stock UA5 for a long time with AKG 393s & 460's & I'd say that the FTP is extremely comparable to the stock UA5.

I was trying to sell one here for a while, basically couldn't give it away- so I ended up keeping it, and I'm happy I did. It's become basically my outboard 24 bit computer interface, I use it for recording electronic stuff that I produce at home. 

[Matt Quinn]

Oh yeah, here's one for $130 BIN-

http://cgi.ebay.com/M-Audio-FAST-TRACK-PRO-9900-41870-99_W0QQitemZ180162567354QQihZ008QQcategoryZ3278QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem