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

[John Kelly]

+T

Backatcha

Thanks Kohn +T for that.

Would you consider recording some silence, then silence with mic-in, then some simple monologue or basic instrument?

So should I still be looking at a pmd671? What's your feeling so far?

Also has it always been Kohn? OR was it John K. before... am I losing my mind?

Haha, yeah it's John.  My friends just call me Kohn Jelly so I switched my name up here.

I'll record that stuff tonight and get it up for ya.

so it still doesnt record digitally at 24 bit??
i guess its ok considering i dont have a computer that could handle those files...yet

Not at all.  I'm hoping the new firmware will fix it.

[JasonSobel]

Not at all.  I'm hoping the new firmware will fix it.

yeah, you and everyone else


and my battery symbol just stopped moving, so I think it's a go.
I should be able to get AC power tonight anyway, so I'll do that and not worry about testing the battery length.

I'll run the D8 out of the AES1 jack, because I know that works, and I'll run the coax S/PDIF into the Microtrack.  both at 16/48.  I'll be using a 4 GB Sandisk Ultra II CF card.  it says I've got 4 hours, 17 minutes, after formatting the card.

It'll give me a nice long test of the bit accuracy.  I'll let you all know how it goes.

[coloartist]

I thought I was losing my mind too Kohn! 

[Todd R]

Well, finally got mine fully charged.  Started playing around with it, recorded some TRS analog files fed from my stereo's RCA out, input into the microtrack using 1/4" TS (mono) to RCA adapters.  So it looks like TS (mono) plugs should work fine.  Recorded 16/44.1 and 24/44.1, both worked fine.  Then recorded into the spdif coax fed 16/44.1 from my SBM1.  Again worked fine.

Then tried recording 16/44 from the SBM1 with the MT plugged in.  At first the MT functioned fine with the "CHG" indicator on, went thru the menus with no troubles.  Then I tried to start the recording file and it locked up.  No way of getting it off this locked up screen.

Tried unplugging and plugging in the USB adapter, tried every button, tried taking out and re-inserting the CF card.  No dice, locked up.  Nice of M-Audio not to include a reset button.  Generally with things like this (JB3, Zen micro, etc) when the lockup happens I just take the battery out and re-install it, and the deck will re-boot.  No way of taking out the battery. 

Anyone know how to re-boot one of these things?  I guess my only choice is to let the battery die out completely and then maybe when I re-connect the USB it will re-boot.

Seemed like a pretty nice little recorder until this f*ckup, but this is pretty ridiculous.  Anytime the MT decides to lockup, you just have to give up recording for 8 hours until the battery dies.  (Or whenever that is, but the only function seemingly drawing power is the backlight).

[F.O.Bean]

that does blow, whats up w/ no reset button

[John Kelly]

Well, finally got mine fully charged.  Started playing around with it, recorded some TRS analog files fed from my stereo's RCA out, input into the microtrack using 1/4" TS (mono) to RCA adapters.  So it looks like TS (mono) plugs should work fine.  Recorded 16/44.1 and 24/44.1, both worked fine.  Then recorded into the spdif coax fed 16/44.1 from my SBM1.  Again worked fine.

Then tried recording 16/44 from the SBM1 with the MT plugged in.  At first the MT functioned fine with the "CHG" indicator on, went thru the menus with no troubles.  Then I tried to start the recording file and it locked up.  No way of getting it off this locked up screen.

Tried unplugging and plugging in the USB adapter, tried every button, tried taking out and re-inserting the CF card.  No dice, locked up.  Nice of M-Audio not to include a reset button.  Generally with things like this (JB3, Zen micro, etc) when the lockup happens I just take the battery out and re-install it, and the deck will re-boot.  No way of taking out the battery. 

Anyone know how to re-boot one of these things?  I guess my only choice is to let the battery die out completely and then maybe when I re-connect the USB it will re-boot.

Seemed like a pretty nice little recorder until this f*ckup, but this is pretty ridiculous.  Anytime the MT decides to lockup, you just have to give up recording for 8 hours until the battery dies.  (Or whenever that is, but the only function seemingly drawing power is the backlight).

I've had my unit lock up on me a few times.  Holding the power button down seems to turn it off every time.

[Todd R]

Ok, maybe this is covered somewhere in the manual, but yes, I was able to get it to turn off by holding in the power button for about 20 seconds.  You need to hold it in far longer than usual when it locks up.

So far, I've had it lock up 5 or 6 times when attempting to record a 16/44 spdif stream.  And it had recorded the exact same stream another dozen or more times without a glitch.  I can't find any rhyme or reason as to when it locks up, it seems to be completely random, with the exception that it has always been when recording the spdif stream.  I haven't pulled out the V3 to try a 24 bit signal, thought that sounds like it has been tested and won't work until the new firmware.  But 16/44, 16/48, battery only, plugged into USB, etc -- generally works, sometimes locks up.

Most of my high-end coax and RCA cables will not fit into the MT, but I have a few that do fit, and have plenty of RCA connector ends for building cables that do fit.  Guess I need to get busy building myself some new cables for this.  No problem fitting the 1/4" TRS connectors I have into the MT, including the right-angle 1/4" TRS connectors I got in case anyone wanted some custom cables with RA TRS.  Most of the beefy coax cables would not fit onto the spdif RCA of the MT, but the coax cables that have fit into the spdif RCA haven't had a problem fitting in next to the USB (ie, USB cable connected for external battery power).

The voltage regulator I put togeter worked great with the MT.  In fact, I didn't do the original charging with the USB/power cable, but instead charged it from my Walmart battery + Juice box + usb power cable.  The external battery set-up charged it no problem for 4 hours, but I haven't had a chance for full walmart li-ion battery testing.

Some things I'd like that might be able to be addressed with future firmware:
- well, the obvious that stated functions work (eg, 24 bit spdif)
- Meters that have db labelling, or at the very least labeling where 0dbFS is.
- At least at the beginning of a recording, briefly show what is being recorded (16 vs 24, 44 vs 48 vs 96)
- Info available for already recorded files, like above:  16 or 24, 44 or 48 or 96, length, maybe date and time recorded
- Menu lock-out/disabling of phantom power, no matter where the switch is (I can tape it down, but I'm not trusting that switch to stay in the off position if it might fry my upstream equipment

Oh, and as was already mentioned -- the headphone amp is very powerful.  Probbly more than enough to do permanent hearing damage if you decide you just have to do headphone monitoring while at the show.  (Though you can't do headphone monitoring when using the spdif input.)

[F.O.Bean]

damn man, i hope they get alot of those problems fixed todd, thats a laundry list of problems for sure

[udovdh]

both at 16/48.  I'll be using a 4 GB Sandisk Ultra II CF card.  it says I've got 4 hours, 17 minutes, after formatting the card.

2GB should give you 3 hours at 48 Khz/16. Double for 4GB. (!?)

[Todd R]

Mine says I have about 6 1/2 hours of record time available with a 4gb card (forget the exact timing).  Record time left depends on how you have the MT configured.  Even though Jason says he wants to record at 16/48, I suspect that his MT was set for 24/48 at the time he checked the record time available.

[it-goes-to-eleven]

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.. 

Someone should call them and report back.  I loaded it with two different resistors today and wasn't able to get it to pump anything above 30.  The second resistor dropped it to 28 volts.

[Todd R]

I put up a torrent of a comparison of the MT's line-in.  Up at COtapers.org.  Hopefully Ethan won't mind hosting it for a bit.

3 tracks, all about 2 1/2 minutes, moreorless from my CD player into:

1)  MT line-in, at 16/44
2)  V3 (16/44) > coax > MT (spdif in)
3)  ToddR-modSBM1 (16/44)> coax > MT (spdif in)

Not trying to do any blind testing here, and I skipped doing 24/44 line-in to the MT since I can't do 24/44 spdif in.  Just a few tracks to give some idea how the line-in sounds compared to a V3 and a modSBM1 (although my mod, not the more well known Oade-mod).

[rdvdijk]

I stealthed Beck 4061 > Microtrack!

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=60950

Cool! Jumping on it now, I'm very curious how this has turned out. How did your battery hold up, run into any troubles near the end or no big problems?

Roel

[Sebastian]

I stealthed Beck 4061 > Microtrack!

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=60950

Thanks! Seems like the bass levels are always insane at Beck shows. I'll certainly never try to tape him in front of the stacks anymore after ruining an otherwise perfect recording...

Anyway, could you also seed the 24-Bit version when it's done? I'd like to see how the MT performs on that.

[fuzn]

I stealthed Beck 4061 > Microtrack!

I ran afife's 20 db attenuator cable and set my levels nearly all the way down. Keep in mind that this likely impacted the audio quality. Also, my unit is believed to be defective because the level switch doesn't work (hence the cable).  The show was loud and had extreme bass. I set the SP bbox rolloff at 65 dB. 

I checked levels with the opener and then powered down until the main event..  Levels turned out good, my highest peak was -2.86 dB.

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=60950

Thanks a ton! Just wondering, did you go straight from the sp-spsb-1 to Mic-In or Line-In with a Dual 1/4 male to 1/8 female cable?