Topic: M-Audio Flash Tracker details

[Rick]

I wouldn't have thought twice about this, unless you said it dave, but according to the smalldog site, the RCA's have level control. Hopefully that's just another button on the side or something.

They could also be assignable to either the inputs or the outputs. Guess we wont know until M-Audio tells us or someone gets to play with one.

Smalldog sez: "Inputs A and B have mini faders for input level with 3 segment LED indicators for input and peak. Green, yellow and red."

That would seem to imply that the LED's seen on the front of the device are the level controls. I can't imagine that a device this small has SEPARATE controls for the left AND right RCA outs. It just doesn't make sense - what's the point?

The image that accompanies the listing on smalldog is interesting in that it can be manipulated - try this link instead, and fiddle around with the "height" and "width" attributes in the URL below if you want to make it bigger/smaller.

http://images.smalldog.com/resize.php?file=/hw/maudio_microtrackrecorder.jpg&height=700&width=1000

It does look like a completely different machine, though it doesn't look like a photo, almost like a concept drawing.

That said, the CF slot appears to be on one side, not sure what's above it. The other side looks like a volume knob at the top, maybe a mic/line switch below it and two things below that, not sure what they are. The front looks like independent L/R sliders with the triple LEDs next to them, with an additional slider on the right - perhaps that's the RCA out level control? Top looks like a power jack, a mini jack and two 1/4" TRS jacks, bottom must be two RCA's and the S/PDIF. Though maybe the power jack is next to the RCA's and the S/PDIF is on top next to the mini jack? I also see four LEDs at the top of the unit - three green and one red...that to me means they're all inputs... Maybe the red/green LEDs indicate whether they're active or in use? That almost makes me think the power jack is on the bottom.

I bet its a concept drawing... The actual pic of the unit says the new name on it. I highly doubt its just a pre-production unit. Faders would suck for stealthing too

[nic]

It better have a hold button on it!

Indeed, very important!

according to smalldog, it does, but they call it a "lock switch"

[Simp-Dawg]

i love how everyone is a damn sherlock holmes when it comes to figuring out this things specs from some preliminary pictures and vague feature set explanations

i still want one!

[The Kilted Taper]

i love how everyone is a damn sherlock holmes when it comes to figuring out this things specs from some preliminary pictures and vague feature set explanations

i still want one!

Its kinda fun playing Sherlock and tossing out ideas. We have to entertain ourselves somehow untill official specs are released or someone has one in hand. 

[udovdh]

If I go over the info at http://www.smalldog.com/product/35375 I see no simple unbalanced line in on a mini-jack.
Only a mic-in and two balanced TRS mic/line-in's.
Assuming this info is correct, this is no good in my situation.

With the street date being so near, why doesn't M-Audio publish some decent spec sheets? Info? etc? 

Assuming the balanced line inputs work OK with unbalanced signals and preparing for the case described above: which company makes small, right angle 1/4" TRS connectors?
I may need to build a Y-cable from Lemo to 2*TRS...

[WiFiJeff]

With the street date being so near, why doesn't M-Audio publish some decent spec sheets? Info? etc? 

They're going after the STEALTH market, and this is a test.  Right?

If we guess the right specs we will all get a free machine, I think.

Jeff

[OFOTD]

Hey All,

I found this link to an online store that says the microtrack will arrive in mid to late august. Their selling price is listed at $399.00
Check out the link! http://www.smalldog.com/product/35375

Here is the smalldog photo blowed-up in Microsoft photo editor, sorry if its blurry, but this machine looks different...

This does not even resemble any of the previous spy shots that we have seen come out so far.  Looks to be a photoshop'd rendering of  something similar. 

[greenone]

Soo... I'm hoping those LED's light when the beast clips. And... I'm hoping I can pop the top and run an extension from those LEDs and the level rocker switches.

My ideal would be to have remote LEDs mounted on the inside rim of my glasses (so only I can see them) and have a pair of pocket rocker switches to adjust the levels.

That'll probably be my first mod

Let us know when it's ready.

[lordzoster]

probably it is driven by a BridgeCo chipset, even according to their last year agreement: these chipset can host F/W, USB OTG, LCD display and other things, included ADAT or any multichannel I/O: at the moment they drive the majority of F/W audio interfaces out on the market, Terratec, Apogee X-Firewire, M-Audio, EgoSys, etc.
AFAIK and have seen, a working prototype of multi i/o F/W interface with USB-OTG does exist.

Apart from that (it doesn't add any practical vaue to the 3ad) i'm sure at 98% that CF slot can drive any IDE drive, since the pinouts are the same.
That 2% off depends on the format implementation by M-Audio.
This could help to build an external (self-battery powered) harddisk instead of those expensive and limited CF (BTW 2GB are enough for a long 24/96 stereo recording).
Schematics are around on the web, if anyone would try (me personally would like to try with a photocamera of a friend of mine - not mine of course )

[nickgregory]

(BTW 2GB are enough for a long 24/96 stereo recording).

only if that recording is right around an hour

[Nick's Picks]

This could help to build an external (self-battery powered) harddisk instead of those expensive and limited CF (BTW 2GB are enough for a long 24/96 stereo recording).

you mean...59 minutes..because that is about all you get at 24/96 and 2gbs of storage.
a 2gb card is useless unless you are doing 16bit.

[lordzoster]

IMHO a 96KHz is far more than useful in a typical live recording.
Anyway i agree that 2GB is a small quantity, considering that average CF speed is around 10-12MBps and so it takes a bit to transfer all the program.
I started doing some tests around CF and IDE (just to be ready for when this buddy will hit the market )

If anyone has information about this, please share. (i suppose that such arguments have already been touched about digital cameras, but i'm not usual of those communities)

[JasonSobel]

a 2gb card is useless unless you are doing 16bit.

a 2 gig card is fine for taping an opening band at 24/48.   

[sleepypedro]

hee hee, i love babelfish   

[John Kelly]

a 2 gig card is fine for taping an opening band at 24/48.   

Or even a band who only has a 90 min set.