M-Audio Fast Track Pro (was Mobile Pre)

[Matt Quinn]

 


Hi all- long time no talk...........


So I'm thinking of putting together a small/cheap rig for local stuff & the occasional larger show. This stuff is not gonna be used a lot, so I am not trying to spend a bunch of money. I came across the M-Audio Mobile pre & was wondering if anyone can confirm that it will work standalone as an analog preamp. I just want it to feed an analog signal out of the RCA's to my iPod without a computer. I searched the Archives & there is conflicting info about it. I did find out that the Fast Track Pro will work for exactly this function, but I really don't need the extra bells & whistles & would rather save $50 and get the Mobile Pre.


Thanks!   

[rowjimmy]

Looking at the pics on the website, it looks like USB is the only option for powering this. While I know you can power the MicroTracker with USB, i bet that that isn't what they had in mind for this puppy. If the online documentation doesnt tell you what you want to know. I think you might would be better off dropping the extra bucks on the fasttrack pro if m-audio is where you want to go.

a) it can do standalone
and
b) s/pdif in/out

[Matt Quinn]

Yeah, having the digital option around is always nice. The Fast track definiely is much more flexible, probably worth the extra $50.

[Church-Audio]

Hi all- long time no talk...........


So I'm thinking of putting together a small/cheap rig for local stuff & the occasional larger show. This stuff is not gonna be used a lot, so I am not trying to spend a bunch of money. I came across the M-Audio Mobile pre & was wondering if anyone can confirm that it will work standalone as an analog preamp. I just want it to feed an analog signal out of the RCA's to my iPod without a computer. I searched the Archives & there is conflicting info about it. I did find out that the Fast Track Pro will work for exactly this function, but I really don't need the extra bells & whistles & would rather save $50 and get the Mobile Pre.


Thanks!   

The M-audio Duo will run standalone I have used it that way several times it works great and the specs are very good. The noise is up there when you try to get more then 40 db of gain though. These can be had on ebay for $50-$70

[poorlyconditioned]

Hi all- long time no talk...........


So I'm thinking of putting together a small/cheap rig for local stuff & the occasional larger show. This stuff is not gonna be used a lot, so I am not trying to spend a bunch of money. I came across the M-Audio Mobile pre & was wondering if anyone can confirm that it will work standalone as an analog preamp. I just want it to feed an analog signal out of the RCA's to my iPod without a computer. I searched the Archives & there is conflicting info about it. I did find out that the Fast Track Pro will work for exactly this function, but I really don't need the extra bells & whistles & would rather save $50 and get the Mobile Pre.


Thanks!   

The M-audio Duo will run standalone I have used it that way several times it works great and the specs are very good. The noise is up there when you try to get more then 40 db of gain though. These can be had on ebay for $50-$70

Watch out.  The Duo needs 9V, but AC volts, so you'll need some kind of power inverter or something to feed it.

I was tempted to get one of these and crack it open.  I'm curious both about the pres and how to power, eg., from two 12V batteries or something.  But other projects (UA5, R4, AKG actives, etc) are taking my time!

  Richard

[bluegrass_brad]

The MobilePre cannot be used as a standalone.  I had one for awhile.

[Church-Audio]

Hi all- long time no talk...........


So I'm thinking of putting together a small/cheap rig for local stuff & the occasional larger show. This stuff is not gonna be used a lot, so I am not trying to spend a bunch of money. I came across the M-Audio Mobile pre & was wondering if anyone can confirm that it will work standalone as an analog preamp. I just want it to feed an analog signal out of the RCA's to my iPod without a computer. I searched the Archives & there is conflicting info about it. I did find out that the Fast Track Pro will work for exactly this function, but I really don't need the extra bells & whistles & would rather save $50 and get the Mobile Pre.


Thanks!   

The M-audio Duo will run standalone I have used it that way several times it works great and the specs are very good. The noise is up there when you try to get more then 40 db of gain though. These can be had on ebay for $50-$70

Watch out.  The Duo needs 9V, but AC volts, so you'll need some kind of power inverter or something to feed it.

I was tempted to get one of these and crack it open.  I'm curious both about the pres and how to power, eg., from two 12V batteries or something.  But other projects (UA5, R4, AKG actives, etc) are taking my time!

  Richard

I think it would be pretty simple to have the dual into running from DC just take out the full wave recto and go in after that via dc should be pretty simple.

[Matt Quinn]

Thanks guys.  I actually just found a Fast Track Pro on eBay for $129. Can't beat that with a stick. 

Now onto the mics.........


Edit: Actually, I still have (somewhere) a 9.6V battery pack & charger from my old UA 5, will this work with the M-Audio box?

Thanks!

[batchain]

Thanks guys.  I actually just found a Fast Track Pro on eBay for $129. Can't beat that with a stick. 

Now onto the mics.........


Edit: Actually, I still have (somewhere) a 9.6V battery pack & charger from my old UA 5, will this work with the M-Audio box?

Thanks!

I just bought one as well and had the same question. I contacted M-Audio tech support and they said it had to be exactly 9V, but from what I gather here their tech support is not all that realiable. Anyone powering these things with a 9.6V battery pack?

[rowjimmy]

I am no expert in the areas of electricity but...

I'd be more comfortable trying it on less than 9v than more. I ran my m-audio audiophile 24/96 firewire on 8.5v and it worked just fine. (it is a 9v box too.)

[batchain]

I am no expert in the areas of electricity but...

I'd be more comfortable trying it on less than 9v than more. I ran my m-audio audiophile 24/96 firewire on 8.5v and it worked just fine. (it is a 9v box too.)

Yeah, I went to a local store called Batteries Plus. They said they would recommend using the 9V number as a maximum input voltage and not exceed it. They pointed out that most plain vanilla 9V batteries are acvtually 8.4V and though it will run just fine on those, from the very start with a fresh battery you're already below 9V. Looks like I'm gonna pick up one of those DVD batteries rated at 9V. I just saw this one at B&H Photo. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=375503&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation
Anyone used one of these?

[batchain]

I am no expert in the areas of electricity but...

I'd be more comfortable trying it on less than 9v than more. I ran my m-audio audiophile 24/96 firewire on 8.5v and it worked just fine. (it is a 9v box too.)

Yeah, I went to a local store called Batteries Plus. They said they would recommend using the 9V number as a maximum input voltage and not exceed it. They pointed out that most plain vanilla 9V batteries are acvtually 8.4V and though it will run just fine on those, from the very start with a fresh battery you're already below 9V. Looks like I'm gonna pick up one of those DVD batteries rated at 9V. I just saw this one at B&H Photo. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=375503&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation
Anyone used one of these?

Well I picked up this Initial DVD battery, but neither of the four tips supplied fit the Fast Track Pro. A trip to Ratshack fixed that and now all appears to be working well.
Also, you can get a cheap AC power adapter for 9v 500mA from Sweetwater.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/S10002/

[Matt Quinn]

OK, been thinking about it, and I'm wondering how powering mics in the field will affect the battery. I'm gonna run a laptop with a 5 hour external battery pack, powering the Fast Track (and consequently the mics) via USB. If I were to grab a battery pack for the fast track, it would't cause a problem, would it? I mean, the fast track would 'know' to take power from the battery pack as opposed to the USB connection? Just don't want to blow anything up.