Topic: Preamp - A/D options on Mac G4 laptop

[bayouav]

Using MBHO603's with a G4 powerbook running OS 10.2.8 and looking for preamp and A/D USB or firewire options- minime might be out of my price range. looking for an "all in one" unit . Anyone having any sucess with audio in OS x -  Have used Peak and Sound Studio at home, so pretty familiar with them. Peak drops sample routinely in OS 10.

[DaryanLenz]

With all of the computer options availible, I would say just look for the best one you can afford and go from there.  I am not a mac user, but if I was I would be running the metric halo uln-2 for sure.  I believe someone else on here runs it, and I think it would be the best sounding option for you.  Secondly, I would consider a ua-5 with all of the mods.  Maybe some mac users can chime in here.

Daryan

[Chris K]

i would get the ua-5

[nic]

does anyone have a recording of a UA-5 going straight to laptop that does NOT have dropped samples or digi-noise?!? I'm referring to a complete show, not a track here or there.
I honestly dont think such a thing exists...someone please prove me wrong.

havent tried OSX 10.2.8 yet, but as of 10.2.7 I still dont trust "core audio" for recording or even editing.

[Chris K]

havent tried OSX 10.2.8 yet, but as of 10.2.7 I still dont trust "core audio" for recording or even editing.

yeah...i feel the same way, although it is supposed to be straightened out with 10.2.8...although that's waht they said about 10.2.6 also

[nic]

I have a feeling core audio wont be fixed until 10.3-Panther at the earliest. . .

[Simp-Dawg]

might want to try the mbox by digidesign...it's about $450 i think.  probably has better pre's than the stock ua-5

[nic]

might want to try the mbox by digidesign...it's about $450 i think.  probably has better pre's than the stock ua-5

everyone I know who has used the MBox thinks the pre-amps are VERY noisy!
they just use it to have a portable PT session on flights and such

[MattD]

ULN-2 probably sounds the best of all of those mentioned, but is not yet the most reliable option unless you STRICTLY record from the analog inputs. I have my ULN-2 in for service right now and they are hopefully fixing the problem with the digital inputs.

I believe John Kelly uses a UA-5 with some very good results. I don't know if he's done 24/96 yet, but I'm pretty sure 24/48 is solid.

[Simp-Dawg]

might want to try the mbox by digidesign...it's about $450 i think.  probably has better pre's than the stock ua-5

everyone I know who has used the MBox thinks the pre-amps are VERY noisy!
they just use it to have a portable PT session on flights and such

cool, i did not know that.  i was just assuming that since it was made by the people that make protools and all their hardware that it might be better than a stock ua-5.  i've personally never used or heard any recordings from the mbox so i was making a blind assumption...oh well, you know what they say...assumption makes an ass out of you and umption.

[John Kelly]

ULN-2 probably sounds the best of all of those mentioned, but is not yet the most reliable option unless you STRICTLY record from the analog inputs. I have my ULN-2 in for service right now and they are hopefully fixing the problem with the digital inputs.

I believe John Kelly uses a UA-5 with some very good results. I don't know if he's done 24/96 yet, but I'm pretty sure 24/48 is solid.

Until my iBook died, I had great experience with the UA-5 in 24/48, but never tried the 24/96.  Check out my DMB from 9/13 or 9/14, both complete shows with no dropouts with MBHO 603a/KA200N > UA-5.

[scb]

>>havent tried OSX 10.2.8 yet, but as of 10.2.7 I still dont trust "core audio" for recording or even editing.<<

i'm still wondering what you're talking about.  i've trusted core audio for quite some time now in 10.2...as have plenty of studio mac users i know...

[nic]

"core audio" is the audio subsystem of OSX. most audio apps for OSX arent optimized for it yet. the technology itself is still somewhat immature and can cause dropouts and diginoise. you are the FIRST/ONLY person I know/met who has no problems with it.

what app are you using and with what interface?

[scb]

>>"core audio" is the audio subsystem of OSX. <<

i am well aware of what core audio is


>>most audio apps for OSX arent optimized for it yet<<

then these are application issues, not core-audio issues.  I have experience with Peak 3, all flavors of spark, sound studio (shareware), amadeus (shareware), digital performer 4, and various other os x audio apps.  the only one i had serious issues with that were software related was Peak, and they released a patch that supposedly fixed issues

Performer has a buffer issue with 4.1, but that's not a "core audio is immature" problem.  It's a performer problem


>>the technology itself is still somewhat immature and can cause dropouts and diginoise. you are the FIRST/ONLY person I know/met who has no problems with it.<<

I ditched os 9 back in january and have been strictly 10.2 ever since (i don't even own a machine that is capable of booting into os 9 anymore).  I've run various hardware interfaces anywhere from 16/44.1 to 24/96 with success.  Anything that did not work was not a core audio issue, but a driver issue that was the fault of the 3rd party, NOT apple.  

I also know plenty of studio types who use 10.2 exclusively too, using logic, spark, performer, etc with various dual and multichannel interfaces.   they don't have issues either.  There are people on these very boards who use 10.2 for audio and have no problems as well...

core audio seems pretty solid to me.  my question for you is what interface and software are *you* using?  maybe we can figure out what's going on here...

[Craig T]

does anyone have a recording of a UA-5 going straight to laptop that does NOT have dropped samples or digi-noise?!? I'm referring to a complete show, not a track here or there.
I honestly dont think such a thing exists...someone please prove me wrong.

plenty, but I run windows, so I can't say it works as well with a mac.