Topic: [PT 2] M-Audio MicroTrack 2496 - *actual* real-life experiences thread

[tightglobes]

so has anybody who has done some testing with the microtrack used a +4db line-in input thru the 1/4" trs jacks?  i'm very interested in this recorder for the ability to take a +4db line-level balanced signal (xlr to trs) from a sound board.  it was said on the oade boards that there is overloading at just over +2db but m-audio claims that it will take a +4db signal when the trs inputs are set to line-in.  i guess i'm just looking for conformation on this before i make the plunge.

[Brian Skalinder]

I've got a bittorrent up at COtapers.org comparing line in on the MT to the V3 and modSBM1.

Thanks for the comp!  Just a quick note to those listening:  the V3 coax > MT source seems to have swapped L/R channels relative to the other two sources. 

[svenkid]

coming out of my v3, I have a spidf cable to my dat, on the spidf out I put a spiter on it to feed my new hosa szpidf cable to the mt
things seemed to work, and I can run both the mt and the dat at the same time 

[prof_peabody]

Are any stealthers having static problems using the dual 1/4" TRS inputs? (where stealth is very stealth; mics, battery box, MT)

A friend forwarded me sample of static trouble.  The static only happened when he moved (which was only before the start, statue for all of show).  His rig:  SP AT mics > SP batt box > high quality 1/8" to dual 1/4" TRS cable > microtrack

I'm looking for other real life stealth experiences.

Here's the clip; the static is near the start.

[WiFiJeff]

Are any stealthers having static problems using the dual 1/4" TRS inputs? (where stealth is very stealth; mics, battery box, MT)

A friend forwarded me sample of static trouble.  The static only happened when he moved (which was only before the start, statue for all of show).  His rig:  SP AT mics > SP batt box > high quality 1/8" to dual 1/4" TRS cable > microtrack

I'm looking for other real life stealth experiences.

Here's the clip; the static is near the start.

I am using the 1/4" for line input, yesterday taped a recital at 24/44.1 with the whole rig in jacket pockets (MMA6000 to MT 1/4" inputs), old firmware.  No static at all, came out fine.  About the same results as the MMA6000 into an Edirol at 24 bits, I'd say.  Now let them get the 2 GB limit fixed so I can stealth 24/96!

[eric.B]

Silent Mark updated his firmware on the MT2496 today, after running it on the shipped firmware a few times for gigs at 16/44.1(v3>MT and modsbm1>MT).  His MT (at 16/44) ran just fine on a Kingston 4gig CF for all the shows.  Loaded fine to the HD blah blah blah
..  allthough our opinion of the level meters is marginal (slow, not accurate), the unit appears to be a DAT replacement (so far)..  which is good!   

__concerns at 16 bit via spdf with this unit__

Allthough our opinion of the level meters is marginal (slow, not accurate), the unit appears to be a DAT replacement (so far)..  which is good!   
Im also not sure what the red clip lights mean on the MT..  They will flash even though the v3 has not clipped..   
One last issue we had was the need to reboot the unit upon every recording session.  Run a set, stop/save file, hit record button for second set and freeze..   So it goes..  Run a set, stop/save file, shutdown, power up, start recording..  not that big of a deal.. 

thats pretty much all the issues that weve seen with the MT(mind you, just running spdf)

__updated firmware__

Smark and I are sitting here right now running a 24/48 (v3>spdf> MT2496) of just ambient sound..  its at about the 30 minute mark and it still says its recording data.  The level meters, however, are not functioning correctly.  It appears that the right channel peak meters sort of work (verry slow), but the overall bar shoots to peak with every ambient spike(handclap).  The left channel, on the other hand, has the same peak meter slowness (  ),however the bar is full on (clipping, but with no red light) and only dissapears when there is enough ambient sound to make the right channel spike.  Basically it appears that the bar meter on the left channel is reverse of the right channel(so right now, right channel nothing, left channel full).  Like I said, the little peak meters operate on both channels(albiet with a very slow response time).

as of right now..  neither of us like the meters one diddlydang bit on this unit..   

btw ..  the recording is now at the 56 minutes in, and appears to still be recording.. same level issues..

[svenkid]

Run a set, stop/save file, shutdown, power up, start recording..  not that big of a deal.. 

thats pretty much all the issues that weve seen with the MT(mind you, just running spdf)

__updated firmware__[\quote]

what does this mean, turn it off, and recharge the sucka???(6 hours)
or just stop it, turn it off and then turn it back on?

[eric.B]

what does this mean, turn it off, and recharge the sucka???(6 hours)
or just stop it, turn it off and then turn it back on?

No..   just power down and reboot the unit

[svenkid]

thanks! I bought one ofthese MTs
I thought it had been out for awhile.....

go team cascade!

[udovdh]

so has anybody who has done some testing with the microtrack used a +4db line-in input thru the 1/4" trs jacks?  i'm very interested in this recorder for the ability to take a +4db line-level balanced signal (xlr to trs) from a sound board.  it was said on the oade boards that there is overloading at just over +2db but m-audio claims that it will take a +4db signal when the trs inputs are set to line-in.  i guess i'm just looking for conformation on this before i make the plunge.

Maybe someone with the right tools could do a test to see if the extra 14 dB causes problems for this.
If so, we could put in a detailed bug report?

[xxxrec]

Are any stealthers having static problems using the dual 1/4" TRS inputs? (where stealth is very stealth; mics, battery box, MT)

A friend forwarded me sample of static trouble.  The static only happened when he moved (which was only before the start, statue for all of show).  His rig:  SP AT mics > SP batt box > high quality 1/8" to dual 1/4" TRS cable > microtrack

I'm looking for other real life stealth experiences.

Here's the clip; the static is near the start.

I am using the 1/4" for line input, yesterday taped a recital at 24/44.1 with the whole rig in jacket pockets (MMA6000 to MT 1/4" inputs), old firmware.  No static at all, came out fine.  About the same results as the MMA6000 into an Edirol at 24 bits, I'd say.  Now let them get the 2 GB limit fixed so I can stealth 24/96!

which adapter do you use ? (mma6000 to 1/4" inputs)

regards

[Steelcorner27]

 DPA 4061's > HEB bb > MT 1\4 line in

My unit last night lost the meters at about the 50 min. point of the recording when they went into some kind of maxxed out look with the left chanel a little dimmer and flickering, but the recording turned out fine, if fine.(real nice in fact). I do agree even when working properly the meters are hard to read the peeks are way out in front of the base (solid line) of the levels but all in all it has worked very nice for 2 shows.

Brad

[Steelcorner27]

btw which program are we using to track the 24 bit files? CDWave can only handle 8 or 16bit.

Brad

[Brian]

btw which program are we using to track the 24 bit files? CDWave can only handle 8 or 16bit.

Brad

download the latest version of CDWave.  It will handle 24/96 files  just fine

[jhirte]

Taped 24/48 last night from my V3. I am running the latest firmware onit...

my thoughts/experiences:

The levels suck BIG FLOPPY DONKEY DICK. So, I h ave the V3 dialed in, the horizontal bars appear as if they dont refresh correctly, they moved realllllly slowly, and wouldnt show where t he current level was - I went off the verticle black bar that shows peaks.. t hat worked ok. After it was going a while, the horizontal bar would flash all the way to the top, sometimes staying there... this was on the left channel... t he right would do  its "normal" thing... peak bar (verticle ones) were fine.....

WAV appears to be ok....

I was slamming the V3 on the opening band to see what the MT did as far as handling clipping... V3 peak lights would light up, the red lights on the MT would flash, but the WAV isn't clipping at all on really loud parts. Its weird!.

I didn't have ANY problems with it locking up, or stopping.

The record time left indicator showed I only had 1.5 hours left after recording only 1 hour. I am using a Kingston 4 gig CF card. I checked the file sizes when I got home, I only used 1.8gigs for 2 hours (approx).

Very strange.

The levels need to be reworked BADLY. They kept driving me crazy. I would reallly like to see a margin on it... like on the DAP1... that would be rad. And also some actual markers with db indicators on them.

If this could be fixed, as well as the available record time, and get t he inputs to actually BE line level, I'd be a happy camper.