M-Audio Fast Track Ultra High-speed 8 x 8 USB 2.0 Interface Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been using the Fast Track Ultra for about a month now.
System:
Gateway MC7801U Laptop
Pentium Duo 2 core 2Ghz T5800
4G RAM
Vista 64 Home Premium
Sonar 8 Producer 64 bit
I almost returned the product initially because it was locking up my laptop. After some persistent searching, I found a message buried on the MAudio website that fixed the problem:
[The high-performance mode can be a bit tricky on some systems and what you are seeing is not a surprise. High-performance mode basically misuses the host computer CPU clock. On typical PC systems this allows the driver to increase the performance of the USB bus. On computers that are already tweaked for high performance or have high performance graphics cards or the like, this mode can !!!!cripple the operating system. It works best with older PCs!!!...]
AHA! I had enabled "high-performance mode" and that appears to have been he cause of the system lockup.
After uninstalling / reinstalling the driver AND LEAVING "high-performance mode" OFF, the unit has been performing flawlessly. I have enough confidence in it now that I will shortly be placing it into service in live performance for a weekly contemporary worship service.
It would be beneficial if MAudio would update their documentation - or even provide a pop up confirmation / warning when the high-performance mode is enabled - to advise users of the dangers of "high-performance mode".
1 star deducted for not documenting this "feature".

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The Fast Track Ultra 8 x 8 audio/MIDI interface takes M-Audio's acclaimed mobile recording line to the next level with high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity, MX Core DSP mixer and four preamps with award-winning Octane technology. Featuring both analog and digital I/O, it allows recording on all eight channels simultaneously with pristine 24-bit/96kHz fidelity--while M-Audio's mature low-latency drivers ensure rock-solid stability and performance. The on-board MX Core DSP mixer processes eight hardware inputs and eight software returns to the eight hardware outputs, delivering flexible routing and monitoring with delay and reverb. Compatible with most major audio software*, Fast Track Ultra lets you record the way you want--in the studio or on the go.

High-speed USB 2.0 Technology The next generation of mobile recording interfaces has arrived--the Fast Track Ultra features high-speed USB 2.0 technology for advanced performance. Like FireWire, USB 2.0 delivers the bandwidth for 24-bit/96kHz audio resolution throughout the recording and monitoring process. The increased data speed lets you enjoy exceptional fidelity on all of your inputs and outputs simultaneously.
Built-in Effects Processing Tired of tracking vocals and instruments dry? Fast Track Ultra features MX Core DSP technology that gives you reverb and delay on the headphone outputs with separate sends for every channel. Adding effects is an easy way to inspire creativity and infuse a performance with new energy--without taxing your CPU resources.
Make the Connection Fast Track Ultra provides a complete recording solution, with six channels of analog inputs and outputs plus 2-channel digital S/PDIF I/O. Unlike most USB interfaces, it features two dedicated inserts on the first two channels, giving you the ability to insert outboard processing before A/D conversion. Easy connection via a single USB 2.0 cable delivers both audio and MIDI communication with your computer. Compatibility with most major audio software, means seamless integration into any studio setup.
MX Core DSP Technology for Sophisticated Channel Routing The Fast Track Ultra makes it easy to create multiple monitor mixes when recording other musicians. The robust MX Core mixer employs an array of eight individual DSP cores to deliver near-zero latency and a matrix for sophisticated channel routing options--accessible via an intuitive control panel that utilizes a separate mixer for each pair of outputs. The mixer expands the total I/O to an impressive 16 x 8 configuration, allowing you to connect synths and outboard gear to any of the interface's hardware inputs, then mix them with the eight audio streams coming from your computer.
Professional Octane Preamp Technology The quality of your recordings is only as good as the initial signal. The Fast Track Ultra features four preamps with multi-award-winning M-Audio Octane technology, creating a premium front end that delivers amazing audio clarity. You get professional, low-noise, high-gain preamplification with enough channels for a variety of miking applications. Features include +48V phantom power for condenser mics, signal/peak LED indicator lights and a pull-out gain knob that activates a 20dB pad for recording at high volumes. See why world-class artists choose the M-Audio Octane preamp.
Dual Headphone Amp Whether you usually track vocals or an ensemble, you're likely to need multiple headphone mixes. Fast Track Ultra has two completely independent headphone outputs so you can take advantage of the DSP mixer's powerful routing options and create the right mix for your performers--complete with reverb and delay.
The Perfect Combination Apple's latest MacBook and MacBook Air laptops don't include FireWire connectivity--the latest models are all about USB 2.0. If you want to make music with a MacBook, the Fast Track Ultra high-speed USB 2.0 interface delivers the perfect solution. Whether you're a musician, producer or DJ, the powerful combination of Apple and M-Audio gives you everything you need to put together a high-powered personal studio.
Bundled Software
Ableton Live Lite Ableton Live Lite delivers much of the functionality of Ableton Live--the revolutionary, multi-award winning music production solution that allows you to spontaneously compose, record, remix, improvise and edit your musical ideas in a seamless audio/MIDI environment. Live brings your acoustic, electronic and virtual instruments--as well as your digital audio recordings and MIDI sequences--together in a single interface with unparalleled ease of use.
inTone | Express Bundle Creative Software Applications for M-Audio Hardware Products. Your M-Audio hardware is compatible with a suite of creative applications that enable you to start making music right away. Designed by leading audio effects provider Audiffex, the inTone series provides a broad array of tools--from guitar and bass stomp boxes to virtual mixers and much more. Each software program lets you arrange channel routing and effects in a variety of ways, so you can develop a sound that's truly unique.

What's in the Box M-Audio Fast Track Ultra, Software/Driver CDs, AC Adapter, USB Cable, User's Manual

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MAudio Audiosport Quattro 4x4 USB Audio/MIDI Interface Review

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(More customer reviews)I use this item for a virtual DJ setup with my technics 1200's and finalscratch time coded vinyls @ 125grams. I also use groovemaster IIrm and IIpro which suites my needs for beatmixing. This was my last piece of DJ equipment to complete my setup. Don't be fooled by the usb...it boast a latency under 10ms depending on PC configuration. I bought mine on ebay for 105. make sure you use TS to rca cables when you connect your preamp from your turntables to you quattro. you have to use all the channels for it to work with all virtual dj software. kudos to m-audio, they know whats up

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M-Audio's Quattro USB audio interface is perfect for any application that requires high-quality audio as well as portability and/or compactness, such as tight studio spaces. The Quattro provides four .25-inch TRS analog audio inputs and four analog audio outputs in the ASIO (Audio Stream Input/Output) format and two in/out in Windows MME (multimedia extensions) or when using the Macintosh Sound Manager. It also offers a front-panel 1 x 1 MIDI port.High-performance, 24-bit/96 kHz analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters ensure faithful reproduction coming and going, and all audio inputs and outputs are switchable between balanced (+4 dBu) and unbalanced (-10 dBV) operation to accommodate professional and consumer devices--and to work between them. Each 1/4-inch jack will accept either TRS or TS 1/4-inch plugs.You may connect the output of a line-level instrument such as an electronic keyboard or instrument preamp, the output of a microphone preamp (a mic preamp is required for use with a microphone), or the output of a CD player or similar line-level device.The Quattro lets you record at any sampling rate that your recording software will allow, up to 96 kHz at 24-bit resolution. You can also work at 16 or 24 bits with a sampling rate of 48 kHz or less. An ASIO control panel comes with your driver software, which lets you set the Quattro to its different operating modes. If you are not using ASIO or otherwise wish to monitor the signal at the Quattro inputs, a convenient direct/monitor switch bypasses the computer so you can directly monitor the input signal present at the Quattro.When all four input and output stereo pairs (two input pairs and two output pairs) are enabled, the Quattro will operate in 16-bit mode at either the 44.1k or 48k sampling rates. With three stereo pairs enabled, i.e., either one input and two output pairs or two input and one output pair, the Quattro will operate at 48 kHz sampling rate or lower, and at either 24- or 16-bit. When one stereo pair is enabled and in 24-bit mode, the Quattro will operate at the 96 kHz sampling rate or lower.You may connect the four outputs of the Quattro to a mixing console, or use two of the outputs for a stereo send to a monitoring system (power amp and speakers, or a home stereo), powered speakers, or a headphone amplifier.The Quattro can be your only MIDI device, or it can be used in conjunction with as many other MIDI devices in your system as your music program allows.
Additionally, the Quattro can be used in conjunction with M-Audio's Omni I/O desktop recording system (not included). The Omni will add two microphone/instrument preamplifiers to the Quattro inputs, and a mixer to the Quattro outputs. The Omni will let you blend MIDI keyboards with audio tracks, add effects to the Quattro outputs, and control monitor and headphone levels while mixing down.What's in the Box Quattro USB audio interface, one (1) USB cable, one (1) 9V AC 1,000mA power supply, one (1) driver disk containing drivers and additional software, and a user's manual.Note: It's usually possible to connect multiple devices to your USB port through the addition of a USB hub. The Quattro, however, requires all of the bandwidth that is available to the USB port, and therefore it is required that you plug the Quattro directly into your computer's USB port, and not into a USB hub with other USB devices. MIDI operation on Macintosh computers requires the OMS MIDI Manager from Opcode, which must be installed prior to the installation of the Quattro drivers.

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M-Audio Fast Track Pro 4x4 Mobile USB Audio/MIDI Interface with Preamps Review

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(More customer reviews)1.- This is primarily an USB External Soundcard, so don't ask more than a simple soundcard can deliver for you. If you want a multitrack recorder, or a high-end amplifier, or a 256 mixing console, then buy them, but not this one.
2.- The installation is the simplest. Don't use the CD. C'mon! This machine has been in the market since (I think) 2005, so don't expect 2010 drivers in the box. Forget about the CD and go directly to the M-Audio website and download the drivers that you need.
Don't forget to uninstall all previous drivers associated with older soundcards and physically extract your old soundcard from your computer.
And, beware: first of all install the M-Audio drivers, reboot your machine and just then, you can turn in your Fast Track Pro, never ever before (!).
3.- Maybe the interface it's a little enigmatic to understand - because the manual isn't that explicit - but not impossible to master. An advice... You`re surely gonna need some Y adapters because the only cable that comes in the box is the USB connector. In my case - only my case - I needed one Y adapter to connect my speakers (crappy ones) that have a 1/8 male connector (just enough for my old soundcard), so I needed a 1 stereo TRS 1/8 female to 2 mono RCA male Y adapter (lot of letters, uh?). Besides, I use an old second hand V-AMP with my guitar, so I needed a 1 stereo TRS female to 2 mono TRS male Y adapter, to connect my V-AMP in stereo and not mono. If you don't do this your instrument signal will be in mono and at one side.
4.- Some people complain that the sound is not that loud, but it depends of the kind of speakers and headphones you use. Bad ones, weak output - Good ones, strong output. With this dude, the bad stuff really sounds bad! So don't blame the Fast Track Pro for any weak sound.
5.- Some people - believe me - gets confused with the front, with all the knobs and buttons, but it's not that hard. The "signal" knobs at the side of the XLR/TRS inputs are exactly for that, for them only. The fun it's in the right side... The "mix" knob has two functions:
- When your're using the XLR/TRS inputs, for guitars, basses or microphones, just to mix them left and right. The upper bottom (inst/line) it's to select between a guitar signal or a synthesizer signal. The lower bottom (pad) is to cushion your soundcard from a too strong signal (maybe an amplified one). I use it to connect stuff I don't know how powerful could be.
- When you're not using those XLR/TRS inputs, and you just want to hear music (because, after all, it's a soundcard), then turn the "mix" knob all the way to the right, so then you can use the other two knobs, the "output" knob and the "level" knob.
The "output" knob is for turning up or down your speakers level or anything you have connected to the RCA outputs in the back. The "level" knob is for the same function, but only if you connect a pair of headphones to the TRS input in the front, exactly below the "level" knob.
6.- By the way, I haven't used the two TRS output, nor the TRS inputs, nor the secondary RCA outputs, nor the S/PIDF RCA connectors, nor the MIDI in/out connectors either. I don't have that many necessities, but they may come in handy for somebody else. And the MIDI connectors really come in handy when you need to plug a synthesizer or sampler that needs dedicated midi in/midi out messages; so there's no need to connect via USB first to your computer, then again via USB to your Fast Track Pro, and then again via USB to your PC to hear the results (!). So it's kind of common sense, to connect MIDI directly to the MIDI in the Fast Track Pro, isn't it?
Other thing, this device doesn't have an synthesizer chip inside, so don't expect to hear any MIDI sound if you connect your controller keyboard to it. You'll have to use softsynths for that, be it standalone or plugins (VST, DX, RTAS) in your Sequencer.
7.- This soundcard doesn't have a software interface as a Soundblaster or the likes, your equalization and volume depends only of the player or program you use, so don't look for a virtual mixer, equalizer or F/X board to modify the sound. I use Winamp or Windows Media Player, so I modify the sound in those programs.
8.- To configure it with your favorite software, you'll need to look on internet to find the right way, because it's not in the manual (the manual is basic hardware description and some instructions to configure it in your OS). I highly recommend The M-Audio forums to find your way in the different configurations, but usually - in any software - it's inside the "properties" or "audio hardware" menu, where you can assign the M-Audio hardware and drivers to make a software work.
In my case, I use Sonar 8 Producer Edition - a monster that I spent weeks trying to make it emit a sound in a humble Soundblaster - and Adobe Audition 3.0 (far easier to configure). And I had to read a lot in internet to make them work with Fast Track Pro, because the experience - without that valuable information - was really disheartening, something that made me understand absolutely all the people that put 1 star on this product. This dude is not for people with little or any patience, or for people that is not PC or Internet savvy, or for people that is not familiarized with Music Software.
9.- Finally, the hardware is really simple to master, just some knobs and buttons with double functions, some different connectors, inputs and outputs (believe me, you will need some Y adapters), and that's it. But on the software side, the one that makes your Fast Track Pro interplay with your Sequencer, your Softsynth, or your Audio Editor... You'll need some time to learn.
In my case, I had to navigate a lot in the M-Audio forums, the Cakewalk Sonar forums and the Adobe Audition forums, to get the information I needed.
PS: Remember that this soundcard (never forget this is a soundcard) doesn't have a CPU or RAM of its own (technically, a DSP), so you'd better have a new and powerful machine (not less than an Intel Core i3), because all the weight of dealing with audio, softsynths and special effects is gonna be on your CPU and RAM... That's why a lot of people with old and weak computers complain about the latency and cracking supposedly "caused" by this soundcard.

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The M Audio Fast Track Pro delivers all the mobile recording flexibility of the Fast Track USB, plus evenmore professional features. You get 2 front-panel mic/line inputs complete with phantom power for condenser microphones, inserts for outboard effects, balanced and unbalanced analog outputs, S/PDIF digital I/O, MIDI I/O, and more. Fast Track Pro also features near zero latency direct hardware monitoring and low-latency ASIO software monitoring, plus an A/B source switch and dual output pairs for DJ-style cueing. Fast Track Pro is compatible with most popular PC and Mac music software. USB connection and bus power along with class-compliancy for Mac OS X make it a breeze to set up. M Audio Fast Track Pro Features 4 x 4 24-bit/44.1kHz audio interface 2 front panel mic/instrument preamp inputs (Neutrik XLR/ 1/4-inch TRS) with: Gain controls Signal/peak lights Pads for each input Insert jack (1/4-inch TRS) for outboard processors 2 balanced outputs (1/4-inch TRS) 4 unbalanced outputs (RCA) SPDIF digital I/O with 2-channel PCM SPDIF out also supports pass-through of AC-3/DTS surround-encoded content 1 x 1 MIDI I/O with activity LEDs Headphone output (1/4-inch TRS) with level control> headphone A/B source switch for DJ-style cueingLI>Input/playback mix control for hardware direct monitoringLI>Mono switch for input/playback direct monitoringLI>Master output level controlLI>Near zero-latency hardware direct monitoringLow-latency ASIO software monitoringLI>USB connection to computerLI>Powered via USB or optional AC power adapterLI>Kensington lock portLI>Mac and PC compatible; class compliant with Mac OS X 10.3.9 and higher/UL>

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M-Audio Fast Track USB 2 Computer Audio Interface Review

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(More customer reviews)I was looking for an easy-to-use audio recording interface and thought I had found the right combination of features and price in this product. Unfortunately, I've had nothing by problems since installing the drivers for this item. While listening and/or recording through this device, I suffer intermittent cracks, pops, and extremely loud bursts of white noise rendering it completely useless. My original onboard sound card works just fine and I've been forced to reset it as the default audio source while looking for a solution to this problem.
I searched the product's support forum to discover A.) Many users with similar problems using this product specifically and other M-Audio Fast Track products generally; and B.) A rabbit's trail of tech-laden "solutions" requiring an unreasonable amount of trial and error diagnosing OS settings, optimizing PC performance, disabling other devices, etc., all of which in my case have unfortunately yielded no solution.
I'm no newbie to computers and this experience has left me befuddled. I will be returning this product as soon as I can find my receipt and the box it shipped in.
Short version: It's fair to expect USB products to simply "plug and play" (assuming updated drivers are available) without having to spend hours researching a solution to a problem. Apparently, this one does not simply plug and play for me. Too bad. I was really hoping this product was going to work.

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