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

[coloartist]

I was running mine,  V3>spdif>MT 24/48. I format my card after each show.I rip the shows to my laptop after each show, so my CF had been formatted about 8 times. Definately no Operator error on my end. It was running until the last encore, and it was froze up then. It said 1:45, and it was frozen up. I had to power it down for anything to work. I had the Juicebox running it off a Walmart battery, which I estimate had 10 hours left on it. The day before The show was longer, and everything went great. 

[L Ron Hoover]

Bummer!! It's weird how some people have had these problems and others haven't. I sure hope that next firmware update is soon.

[spoogles]

if they fix the spdif and write some code to auto start a new file automatically(ala jb3 or 722) in the new firmware then this option might be worth my money. as it is now it's to unstable now for my uses.

[John Kelly]

It's been working flawlessly for me for a while now.  I've done about 10 shows at 24/48 with my V3, and now I'm doing some lecture recordings with the included microphone.  Loving this thing so far...

[plucks]

i ran this unit succesfully for the whole vegoose weekend.  Only @ 16/44.1 so i wont blow up my computer working a 24bit file.
But i ran for close to 2 hour straight on a late nite set, and multiple 1-1.5 hour sets and havent noticed any probs

[mmedley.]

i ran this unit succesfully for the whole vegoose weekend.  Only @ 16/44.1 so i wont blow up my computer working a 24bit file.
But i ran for close to 2 hour straight on a late nite set, and multiple 1-1.5 hour sets and havent noticed any probs

I ran for a little over 4 hours (16/48) this past weekend with no issues. I had to hit record twice during the encore break to start a new file, almost hit 2 gigs on the first file, little over 3 hours, with no issues via 1/4" with phantom.

[jsfrank]

Mine was DOA at Wilco last night. I believe that I forgot to turn it off when I disconnected it after charging the day before and the battery got drained. It was still dead when I plugged it in at home, but it was alive in the morning. I think I'm going to need to have usb power in my bag and ready to go when needed.

[neutrino]

Mine was DOA at Wilco last night. I believe that I forgot to turn it off when I disconnected it after charging the day before and the battery got drained. It was still dead when I plugged it in at home, but it was alive in the morning. I think I'm going to need to have usb power in my bag and ready to go when needed.

I saw your stand come down at Wilco last night at I thought some piece of equipment must have failed... Sorry to hear that.  I ran SchoepsMK41>Lemosax>MT2496 at 24/48 into the 1/4" analog inputs with no problems.
dB-

[spoogles]

well thanks for reassuring me about the reliabillity of the MTout in the field. must have been user error that caused all the problems this past weekend @ vegoose. looks like i will be getting one of theses next week or should i wait tosee what mods oade comes up with for it?

[Brian Skalinder]

well thanks for reassuring me about the reliabillity of the MTout in the field. must have been user error that caused all the problems this past weekend @ vegoose. looks like i will be getting one of theses next week or should i wait tosee what mods oade comes up with for it?

The MT is more stable than previously, but I wouldn't say it's completely stable, yet.  As for getting one now or waiting for Oade Bros mods, I'd say...depends.  If you're dying to get one now, go for it, and sell it once (if!) mods become available.  If you're going to use it as many do, as strictly a storage device, then the Oade mods don't matter and you might consider picking one up now.

[coloartist]

PS- I have renamed my MT on all my recordings. It is now a MT24/48 until further notice. 

4 more tests at the Fillmore over the next 4 days.

[deadheaded]

Took my mt out on halloween.  1st real test, living room and radio shows don't count.

Local band at The Eldo.  Running 24/48 spdif v-3 > mt w/ Hitachi 6 gig microdrive  using Todd's Juicebox & jb3 truncated backup.
1st set 1:19 ran flawlessly
2nd set 1:52 ran flawlessly.

Truncated jb3 sounds better than 24/48 > 16/44.  I doubt any of us would here the difference between ANSR and truncated backup.

My observations are that the meters are worthless, luckily the 2 green signal indicators are good enough to know if there is signal.
Luckily again I'm using the mt strictly for a place to put 1's & 0's. so I don't need to worry about phantom, 1/4" and 1/8" issuses.
I do like being able to to 24/48 just miner listening on headphones sounds way better than 16/48.

In my living room and radio station tests i have gotten 2:40 with the internal battery, but never run it all the way down.  Seems like the Juicebox or other external powering is going to be necassary.
Once m-audio gets the seemless 2gig file closing & opening thing taken care I will be very happy.

All things considered I think the mt will work well for our needs as live music archivists.

Thanks to everyone who has been in the field for a month and reporting back here to the rest of us.

Keep up the good work kids
Thanks
Ed

[Chris K]

Took my mt out on halloween.  1st real test, living room and radio shows don't count.

Local band at The Eldo.  Running 24/48 spdif v-3 > mt w/ Hitachi 6 gig microdrive  using Todd's Juicebox & jb3 truncated backup.
1st set 1:19 ran flawlessly
2nd set 1:52 ran flawlessly.

i have been trying to figure out how to use the s/pdif in and a usb for power on the mt. the cables on mine dont seem to fit as the inputs for each are too close. i thought about shaving down the rubber on the mini usb cable. can you, or someone else, shed some light on this?

[Brian Skalinder]

i thought about shaving down the rubber on the mini usb cable.

That's what I plan on doing.  The coax S/PDIF and USB power cables Todd R made me mostly fit, but a little too snugly for my very persnickety tastes.  So I'm gonna shave down the USB connector's rubber housing a bit.  Won't take much, and I'm sure will work just fine.  Just haven't gotten around to it yet, since the internal batt gets me through most evenings.

[mwz]

10/26/05 - V3 SDPIF 16/48 > MT on internal battery w/ 4gb Kingston 45x CF card - formatted before show - recorded and saved 2 sets of YMSB. Level meters stopped working after 25 minutes or so. Powered off between sets.  Had a 1gb PNY CF card in for the opener - 45 minutes @ 16/48 - MT froze when I tried to save the file, I had to power the unit off and back on.  Had a zero byte file showing when I powered it back up.

11/02/05 - V3 SPDIF 24/48 > MT on external power w/ 4gb Kingston 45x CF card - formatted before show - recorded 80+ minute first set of Ratdog and saved the file flawlessly.  Left on between sets.  Recorded and saved a 2 minute test file between sets.  Recorded 90 minute second set - unit froze when I pressed the record button to save the file.  Slid the hold button to on and tossed it in the bag.  Still frozen 1/2 hr later when I got home(wishful thinking).  Turned it off and on again - the first set file and the test file were still there, the second set file was a zero byte file.