[linux-audio-user] Re: Request for opinions on TASCAM US-224 (and US-122)

[Rui Nuno Capela]

> On Thu, 2006-01-26 at 03:31 +0100, Björn Lindström wrote:
>> Rui Nuno Capela <rncbc at rncbc.org> writes:
>>
>> > Björn Lindström wrote:
>> >> I've been offered a slightly used TASCAM US-224. I see in the sound
>> >> card matrix that it should be fully supported by ALSA.
>> >> Is anyone here using one of these with multitracking software under
>> >> Linux, and what do you think about it? Is it stable, are all its
>> >> features supported, and so forth?
>> >> As an alternative, I'm considering getting a new US-122. Would there
>> >> be any reason at all to go for that one instead, or are they equally
>> >> well supported?
>> >
>> > I do have a US-224 pumping low-latency full-duplex 2 channel audio on
>> > JACK (-p128 -n2) and full MIDI I/O. I specially love its control
>> > surface when directing ardour via MMC (for which I've contributed some
>> > code to us428control in alsa-tools, btw).
>> >
>> > It works great, but not without some attention. You have to take care
>> > about tunning your linux audio system accordingly i.e. using a recent
>> > kernel/alsa-driver (snd-usb-usx2y module). The now famous Ingo
>> > Molnar's realtime-preempt kernel patch is highly recommended if not
>> > mandatory to get the best experience.
>> >
>> > OTOH if you can't live without 48v phantom power, then the US-122 is
>> > the right choice. Otherwise the US-224 is a awesome addition to a
>> > laptop based studio, as I take it ;)
>>
>> On thing I'm wondering about the US-224 is whether you have use of all
>> the extra controllers. Can you use the transport control buttons with
>> Ardour, for instance?
>>
>>
>
> See above:
>
> " I specially love its control surface when directing ardour via MMC
> (for which I've contributed some code to us428control in alsa-tools,
> btw)."
>
> So, I think yes.
>

Exactly. The transport buttons do send outgouing MMC and reciprocally the
LEDs react to incoming MMC. So, if you make a closed-loop with ardour
you'll have total control over it. Even the jog wheel will do playhead
positioning...

Take note that almost every knob and slider of the US-224 (and also of its
bigger sister, US-428) do send MIDI controller messages. Taking ardour
again as an example, you are free to do arbitrary controller assignment,
at the application side that is

I guess thats what stands for a control surface, something that the US-122
hardly is at all. Phantom power is the only real decisive option on the
US-122. The US-224 really lacks that 48V supply--mostly because it does
already so much with stand-alone USB power :)

Cheers.
-- 
rncbc aka Rui Nuno Capela
rncbc at rncbc.org