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Tobiah Tobiah is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

This has what I need as a hobbyist. Four preamps with two instrument
ready and extra line IO on the back. It has two phone jacks that can be
fed the same, or different mixes.

I can't find much in the way of how flexible the software is. My
present interface, an M-audio Fast Track Ultra, does all of the above,
but also has a great mixer panel. It has a tab for each output, and
for each, I can mix any/all of my computer returns, or hardware inputs.
Anyone know about the mixer for this unit?

Also saw a demo on Youtube at 80db mic gain and I couldn't hear any
noise. Anyone use one of these yet?

Bonus question: Why would I pay $100 extra for the USB-C model?
I mean the protocol is the same, right? Just the plug is different?


Thanks!

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geoff geoff is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On 7/03/2019 12:22 PM, Tobiah wrote:
This has what I need as a hobbyist.Â* Four preamps with two instrument
ready and extra line IO on the back.Â* It has two phone jacks that can be
fed the same, or different mixes.

I can't find much in the way of how flexible the software is.Â* My
present interface, an M-audio Fast Track Ultra, does all of the above,
but also has a great mixer panel.Â* It has a tab for each output, and
for each, I can mix any/all of my computer returns, or hardware inputs.
Anyone know about the mixer for this unit?

Also saw a demo on Youtube at 80db mic gain and I couldn't hear any
noise.Â* Anyone use one of these yet?

Bonus question:Â* Why would I pay $100 extra for the USB-C model?
I mean the protocol is the same, right?Â* Just the plug is different?


Thanks!



Don't know what the bundled software is like, but presumably works
similarly to most other DAWs. Maybe there is a downloadable trial version.

Note that the 'Artist' version of Studio One supplied with the bundle
does NOT allow use of 3rd party VST plugins, which is a major crippling.
I guess they offer an upgrade path to the Pro version.

Also "mixer" - why would you want a mixer, 'cos you are unlikely to want
to do anything outside of the software application ? The 1810 has all
the inputs and outputs you need.

From what I could see USB-C applies to a different (smaller and more
portable) model, and yes, really only means the different USB socket.

geoff
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Tobiah Tobiah is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

Also "mixer" - why would you want a mixer, 'cos you are unlikely to
want to do anything outside of the software application ? The 1810
has all the inputs and outputs you need.


Not a physical mixer. I'm talking about the software panel. The card
I have gives a tab for every output. On each is a level for every
software and hardware input. I've had units in the past that were
crippled in this respect.
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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

In article , Tobiah wrote:
Also "mixer" - why would you want a mixer, 'cos you are unlikely to
want to do anything outside of the software application ? The 1810
has all the inputs and outputs you need.


Not a physical mixer. I'm talking about the software panel. The card
I have gives a tab for every output. On each is a level for every
software and hardware input. I've had units in the past that were
crippled in this respect.


Right, why do you want that? You should be able to set the input gains
manually, so you don't care about that. And you should be able to feed
the converter outputs straight into your DAW application, so you don't
care about being able to make premixes.

So this "mixer" is just another layer of software to go wrong.

Now, if you -cannot- set input gains manually, then maybe you need an
application that does that... but that gives me the willies.
--scott


--
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Tobiah Tobiah is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

Right, why do you want that? You should be able to set the input gains
manually, so you don't care about that. And you should be able to feed
the converter outputs straight into your DAW application, so you don't
care about being able to make premixes.


I see what you're saying. I have all the routing and mixing I need
in the DAW software. I guess it goes back to Mike's point about
zero latency monitoring. Let's say a buddy and I are recording two
tracks. If the interface mixer is done correctly, I'd have no problem
making us each an individual phones mix of both of our inputs without making
the trip through the computer.




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Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On 3/8/2019 11:32 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
You should be able to set the input gains
manually, so you don't care about that. And you should be able to feed
the converter outputs straight into your DAW application, so you don't
care about being able to make premixes.


So this "mixer" is just another layer of software to go wrong.


The "mixer" is a DSP chip in the interface. The software is the control
panel for the mixer. This gives you a delay between mic in and headphone
out in the low tenths of a millisecond, compared to the 2 or more
milliseconds that it takes for the signal to go in, through, and out of
the DAW software and back to the interface's headphone output. The small
latency of the DSP mixer pretty much eliminates the comb filtering
effect that you hear on your own voice when speaking into a mic
connected to the interface input and hearing yourself on headphones.

2 or 3 or 4 milliseconds of latency is of little or no consequence when
you're in the control room monitoring musicians playing in the studio,
or when making field recordings, or even when you're playing an
instrument and hearing yourself on headphones. But for vocals, unless
you have the monitor level high enough so that it swamps out the
through-your-head level at your eardrum (which is, I suspect the reason
for the "I've never noticed that effect" reply when I mention it on
line) the un-natural sound of your voice in the headphones bothers many
people, whether they're singing or narrating.


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geoff geoff is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On 9/03/2019 6:10 AM, Mike Rivers wrote:
On 3/8/2019 11:32 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
You should be able to set the input gains
manually, so you don't care about that.Â* And you should be able to feed
the converter outputs straight into your DAW application, so you don't
care about being able to make premixes.


So this "mixer" is just another layer of software to go wrong.


The "mixer" is a DSP chip in the interface. The software is the control
panel for the mixer.


Surely there is an ASIO driver for the interface, which presents
directly to the DAW of choice, without the likes of a mixer applet.

Amongst others I have a Focusrite unit that operates this way in
addition to a monitor headphone mixer directly from the interface box
itself.

But low latency input monitoring is also available to the normal output
channels as well or instead. Can't imagine the Presonus would be much
different, as 'pro-sumer' level gear.

geoff
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Mike Rivers[_2_] Mike Rivers[_2_] is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On 3/6/2019 6:22 PM, Tobiah wrote:
can't find much in the way of how flexible the software is.Â* My
present interface, an M-audio Fast Track Ultra, does all of the above,
but also has a great mixer panel.Â* It has a tab for each output, and
for each, I can mix any/all of my computer returns, or hardware inputs.
Anyone know about the mixer for this unit?


PreSonus calls their mixer application UC-Surface. There must be a video
of it somewhere on the web site. You can take a look at it he
https://www.presonus.com/products/UC-Surface

Personally I think it looks more complicated than it really is, but
PreSonus likes to pack as many features as they can into whatever they
build and leave it to you, the user, to decide what you don't want to
bother with - though I don't know that you make things disappear from
the user interface if you're not going to use them. But it does what the
mixer application for any multi-channel audio interface does - gives you
a low latency mix of your inputs and returns from the DAW software.
Typically, when tracking you'll monitor your inputs, and when
overdubbing, you'll monitor a mix of the inputs you're recording at the
time plus a mix that you create using the DAW mixer (which appears in UC
Surface as another mixer channel strip).

Geoff:
Also "mixer" - why would you want a mixer, 'cos you are unlikely to want to do anything outside of the
software application ? The 1810 has all the inputs and outputs you need.


You can work without the UC Surface mixer and just create monitor mixes
in the DAW, but all the inputs make a trip through the A/D converter,
DAW program, and D/A converter before they get to the output. This can
be more latency than is comfortable. The mix that the UC Surface
application controls is a DSP hardware-based mixer inside the interface
box that offers much less time delay between mic input and headphone or
monitor output.


Also saw a demo on Youtube at 80db mic gain and I couldn't hear any
noise.Â* Anyone use one of these yet?


Turn up your volume, or figure out what the video is really about. I
don't believe that there's really 80 dB of mic gain, but anyway that's
kind of meaningless when it's being digitized anyway. The important
specification - the one that practically nobody publishes - is the
sensitivity at full gain. This is what signal level in gives you a full
scale digital output from the A/D converter.

Bonus question:Â* Why would I pay $100 extra for the USB-C model?
I mean the protocol is the same, right?Â* Just the plug is different?


The USB-C version will work with a smart phone. I suppose it could be
handy if you're doing a live field recording and just capturing multiple
tracks, but only young people who probably only produce EDM from samples
would want to try to pretend that their phone is their audio workstation.


--
For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

What do you guys know about the 'XMAX' preamps in this unit.
The Fast Track Ultra I have uses preamps "based on M-Audio's Octane technology"
for what it's worth. I'm looking for high gain and low noise like
for intimate Foley stuff.
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On 3/8/2019 12:41 PM, Tobiah wrote:
What do you guys know about the 'XMAX' preamps in this unit.
The Fast Track Ultra I have uses preamps "based on M-Audio's Octane
technology"


Marketing fluff.

I'm looking for high gain and low noise like
for intimate Foley stuff.


I don't believe you'll get what you're dreaming of with the PreSonus
preamps. They're not colored, which I think is a good thing, but they'll
need some help in the gain area with most modern mics when recording
quiet sounds.

While I haven't checked out that particular unit, they expect a fairly
hefty signal going in from the mic. As a benchmark, at full gain,
conversation-level speech a foot away from a Shure SM57 will get you a
peak recording level of around -10 dBFS. Quiescent noise at full gain
with the input terminated will be on the order of -75 dBFS.

You would probably want something like a Cloudlifter in line with
whatever mic you choose (and I'm not recommending an SM57 for Foley
work!), or a really high gain, low noise outboard preamp in order to get
a usable record level without pushing the PreSonus preamp to full gain.

--
For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com


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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.


You would probably want something like a Cloudlifter in line with
whatever mic you choose (and I'm not recommending an SM57 for Foley
work!), or a really high gain, low noise outboard preamp in order to
get a usable record level without pushing the PreSonus preamp to full
gain.


So any chance of doing better for my pair of NT-1A's for under $500?




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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

You would probably want something like a Cloudlifter in line with whatever mic you choose

The cloudlifter looks interesting. $250 for two channels which might suit
me quite nicely. What are they doing inside that they couldn't just build
into a full preamp?


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PStamler PStamler is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On Friday, March 8, 2019 at 1:48:30 PM UTC-6, Tobiah wrote:
You would probably want something like a Cloudlifter in line with whatever mic you choose


The cloudlifter looks interesting. $250 for two channels which might suit
me quite nicely. What are they doing inside that they couldn't just build
into a full preamp?


Nothing, but manufacturers don't. Most preamps are designed around the expectation that users will psir them with hefty-output condenser mics rather tan low-output moving-coil dynamics and ribbon dynamics. The CloudLifter adds that capability (and, in one model, variable impedance). While you can design those into a full preamp, they cost money which manufacturers, looking at a competitive marketplce, don't want to spend. Thus the Cloudlifter, where the people who need that capability spend the money, but people who don't, don't.

Peace,
Paul
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.



You would probably want something like a Cloudlifter in line with
whatever mic you choose

Reading about it, the Cloudlifter if for low output dynamics or ribbons,
and doesn't pass through phantom power. Sounds like it's not right
for the NT1-A's.


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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On 3/8/2019 2:56 PM, Tobiah wrote:
Reading about it, the Cloudlifter if for low output dynamics or ribbons,
and doesn't pass through phantom power.Â* Sounds like it's not right
for the NT1-A's.


Foley is a pretty special thing, usually. If I was going to recommend a
preamp for that application, I'd think about the AEA TRP-2. It can
provide 85 dB of gain (the equivalent of a nominal 60 dB preamp with a
CloudLifter) and while it was designed with ribbon mics in mind, it has
switchable phantom power. But it's about a grand last I looked.

Are you working with your M-Audio interface and not getting good
results? If the A/D converters in it are respectable, you could continue
to use that and try to find a preamp that will give you enough gain at
low enough noise to be usable for your application.

--
For a good time, call http://mikeriversaudio.wordpress.com


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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

Are you working with your M-Audio interface and not getting good
results? If the A/D converters in it are respectable, you could
continue to use that and try to find a preamp that will give you
enough gain at low enough noise to be usable for your application.


I get surprisingly clean results on things like classical guitar.
I turn the gain knobs up about 3/4. When recording quieter things
as I've described, I need to turn the gain up all the way (they
say it's 60dB) and I then hear loads of whiteish noise. What's that
trick I can use to make sure it's not coming from the mics or room?
A resistor placed correctly?

The unit sometimes generates odd blips and squeals which had me
looking at replacing it. It's also really old and was not supported
past Windows 7. I'm running 10 right now. The Presonus 1810 looks
like it does everything I'm used to. I know this means nothing
scientifically, but since they rate their preamps as providing
80dB of gain, I thought, hey, maybe they'll at least be quieter
than the ones I have at 60dB.
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Michael Beacom[_4_] Michael Beacom[_4_] is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On 2019-03-08 19:56:34 +0000, Tobiah said:



You would probably want something like a Cloudlifter in line with
whatever mic you choose

Reading about it, the Cloudlifter if for low output dynamics or ribbons,
and doesn't pass through phantom power. Sounds like it's not right
for the NT1-A's.



Triton Audio makes a line of inline preamps like the Cloudlifter,
including one that passes phantom power. See:
https://www.tritonaudio.com/fethead-phantom.html

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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On 3/12/19 9:29 AM, Michael Beacom wrote:
On 2019-03-08 19:56:34 +0000, Tobiah said:



You would probably want something like a Cloudlifter in line with
whatever mic you choose

Reading about it, the Cloudlifter if for low output dynamics or ribbons,
and doesn't pass through phantom power.Â* Sounds like it's not right
for the NT1-A's.



Triton Audio makes a line of inline preamps like the Cloudlifter,
including one that passes phantom power. See:
https://www.tritonaudio.com/fethead-phantom.html



The Fethead phantom looks interesting. I'd need 2 @ $100.
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Scott Dorsey Scott Dorsey is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

In article , Tobiah wrote:
What do you guys know about the 'XMAX' preamps in this unit.
The Fast Track Ultra I have uses preamps "based on M-Audio's Octane technology"
for what it's worth. I'm looking for high gain and low noise like
for intimate Foley stuff.


I have only used the StudioLive console preamps. They are pretty clean,
but like the Mackies they change somewhat as the trims are altered and they
not really something you want to be using wide open. You can do a whole lot
worse and they are fine for general purpose stuff but don't expect them to be
as quiet or clean as a Millennia.

Then again, if you use a mike with a high enough output you may not need to be
running them full out anyway.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
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Tobiah Tobiah is offline
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Default PreSonus 1810 audio interface.

On 3/8/19 10:53 AM, Scott Dorsey wrote:
In article , Tobiah wrote:
What do you guys know about the 'XMAX' preamps in this unit.
The Fast Track Ultra I have uses preamps "based on M-Audio's Octane technology"
for what it's worth. I'm looking for high gain and low noise like
for intimate Foley stuff.


I have only used the StudioLive console preamps. They are pretty clean,
but like the Mackies they change somewhat as the trims are altered and they
not really something you want to be using wide open. You can do a whole lot
worse and they are fine for general purpose stuff but don't expect them to be
as quiet or clean as a Millennia.

Then again, if you use a mike with a high enough output you may not need to be
running them full out anyway.
--scott


It will be a pair of Rode NT1-A's.


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