Topic: M-Audio MicroTrack 2496 - *actual* real-life experiences thread

[John Kelly]

Ok well I'm going to attempt a bit accuracy test for this thing.  I guess I'll just record my stereo with my m1290s > v3 > optical to jb3 and coax to microtrack.  After that I'm not exactly sure how to compare them...  But I'll worry about that after I have the files.

[mmedley.]

Any speculation on how long until the next batch is coming out, fixing the physical problems associated with the first batch ?

I was told by support that the LMH switch would be fixed via firmware and it was not a physical switch issue. 

[oleg]

why not to think the l as low signal and high as high(line signal) , i might think that the problem is in the manual and not in the recorder :-)

[oleg]

Ok well I'm going to attempt a bit accuracy test for this thing.  I guess I'll just record my stereo with my m1290s > v3 > optical to jb3 and coax to microtrack.  After that I'm not exactly sure how to compare them...  But I'll worry about that after I have the files.

can you please  check if its incode the digital input to mp3 files please , didnt see that some one checked that stuff
thanks
Oleg

[John Kelly]

Bad news is that the hefty digital cable i have wont even fit into the unit.  So I'm off to Rat Shack to get something smaller...

[John Kelly]

Hmm...looks like it will only take a 16/48 signal over SPDIF.  If I send it any other sample rate it locks up.  And even if I send it a 24 bit signal it records as 16...

[rdvdijk]

To create 48v from a small DC battery you need a charge pump type DCtoDC converter. This kind of circuit may need the load connected to give the correct voltage so if you guys are just sticking a voltmeter on the pins with no load this reading is meaningless.

Is there anyone here who will get an MT and knows how to confirm this?

I find it very unlikely that it would not support 48v, even the switch is named '48v'! They MUST have tested this.. 

Roel

[JasonSobel]

Here are some photo's of the unit.

On top of my V3:



The bottom, with the mini-USB plugged in (it's still charging):




These are the right-angle coax connectors that I have on the S/PDIF cable I have been using for a couple of years now. perfect fit, nice and snug (but not too tight)   



as far as the USB being too close to the digital input, I agree, it's a few millimeters too close.  the digi coax sort of pushes gently against the USB (the digi coax is a much more solid connection than the USB).  However, it looks like there is enough extra plastic on the mini-USB end, so I'll just take my swiss army knife and shave off a bit, shouldn't be too hard, and then problem solved.  When I bought the swiss army knife, years ago, the guy did tell me it "battle ready", after all.

can you bring it anyways? Id like to see it

Sorry Don, unless it's done charging by 8, then I'm going to leave it plugged in.  Besides, it seems like the Firmware isn't ready for 24 bit S/PDIF just yet, so even if the battery were fully charged, I won't be able to get anything better than my trusty D8 can give me.  If you want to swing by this weekend and check it out, I'll be playing with it the whole time

oh, and my unit also didn't start charging for the first 10 minutes or so.  The screen just wouldn't come on.  then it did.  I'm not really too worried about it.  This weekend, I'll be doing lot's tests, probably some bit accuracy tests of the digital input, at 16 bit  I'll transfer a DAT that I've already transferred to my computer, and then compare the .wav's)

As far as the build quality, as has been stated, it's not a V3 or 722 quality, but it's not that bad.  very light, but it doesn't feel like I'm going to break it just by holding it.  not by a long shot...

So those are my preliminary thoughts (all of course, before really using it)

EDIT TO ADD:
two more photos, this time with my D8 shown for size comparison.

next to the Sony D8:


the side view:

[John Kelly]

Ok, I have two files that I need to compare to check bit accuracy.  Anyone want to let me know how to do that exactly?

[JasonSobel]

Ok, I have two files that I need to compare to check bit accuracy.  Anyone want to let me know how to do that exactly?

once both .wav files are on your computer, open them up in a .wav editor.  Find a drum beat or something, and zoom real far in.  You need tro trim both files so that start and end in EXACTLY the same place.  once that is done, you can invert both channels of one file and mix it with the other file.  if you get an absolutely FLAT line of silence, than the files were identical, any spike from the silence shows where the files were different.

[John Kelly]

Great.  I recorded "Going to California" - no drums at all.   I'll do my best.

[John Kelly]

Well, it's confirmed to be bit accurate at 16/48. 

That was about all the tests I was going to run.  Anyone else want anything?

[burris]

once both .wav files are on your computer, open them up in a .wav editor.  Find a drum beat or something, and zoom real far in.  You need tro trim both files so that start and end in EXACTLY the same place.  once that is done, you can invert both channels of one file and mix it with the other file.  if you get an absolutely FLAT line of silence, than the files were identical, any spike from the silence shows where the files were different.

Once you have two aligned files of the same length you should just FLAC them both and compare the fingerprints.  The fingerprints are the MD5 hashes of the PCM data in a canonical format.  That's gotta be easier than inverting, mixing, and comparing.


I got my MicroTrack today also, but it sounds like I am going to have to wait for new firmware to do a test.

That bites about the peak hold.  A good peak hold waits until you push a button to reset it.  Everyone nag them to add a mode where the peak holds until you push 'del' or something.

[JasonSobel]

once both .wav files are on your computer, open them up in a .wav editor.  Find a drum beat or something, and zoom real far in.  You need tro trim both files so that start and end in EXACTLY the same place.  once that is done, you can invert both channels of one file and mix it with the other file.  if you get an absolutely FLAT line of silence, than the files were identical, any spike from the silence shows where the files were different.

Once you have two aligned files of the same length you should just FLAC them both and compare the fingerprints.  The fingerprints are the MD5 hashes of the PCM data in a canonical format.  That's gotta be easier than inverting, mixing, and comparing.

good point

[humbugu]

That was about all the tests I was going to run.  Anyone else want anything?

How long can it record with one battery charge and encoding at 320 kbit/s MP3, recording
from the 1/8" mic input?  I need at least 5 hours, otherwise that device is useless for me.
All numbers I've seen so far are for WAV recordings.