On Wed, Jan 29, 2014 at 09:05:46AM -0500, Lewis Pike wrote: Hi Guillaume, I've been continuing to test the Fast Track Pro, trying to identify a solution to my problem, but unfortunately I haven't had any success thus far. I made a post on the alsa-user mailing list [1] but it hasn't generated any interest. As a contributor to the driver of for this device, can you recommend another forum where I might be able to find some help? Much obliged! .lewis [1] http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.linux.alsa.user/38146

Hi Guillaume, On Tue, Feb 04, 2014 at 06:29:28PM +0100, Guillaume Pellerin wrote: I added your suggested kernel module option line and rebooted my system for good measure. $ cat /proc/asound/card0/stream0 # now gives: M-Audio FastTrack Pro at usb-0000:00:1d.0-2, full speed : USB Audio Playback: Status: Stop Interface 2 Altset 2 Format: S24_3BE Channels: 2 Endpoint: 3 OUT (ADAPTIVE) Rates: 44100, 48000 Interface 2 Altset 5 Format: S24_3BE Channels: 2 Endpoint: 3 OUT (ADAPTIVE) Rates: 8000 - 48000 (continuous) $ cat /proc/asound/card0/stream1 # now gives: M-Audio FastTrack Pro at usb-0000:00:1d.0-2, full speed : USB Audio #1 Playback: Status: Stop Interface 3 Altset 2 Format: S24_3BE Channels: 2 Endpoint: 4 OUT (ADAPTIVE) Rates: 44100, 48000 Interface 3 Altset 5 Format: S24_3BE Channels: 2 Endpoint: 4 OUT (ADAPTIVE) Rates: 8000 - 48000 (continuous) Capture: Status: Stop Interface 4 Altset 2 Format: S24_3BE Channels: 2 Endpoint: 5 IN (SYNC) Rates: 8000 - 48000 (continuous) I've also updated my arecord test command to account for the the S24_3BE format: arecord -t raw -f S24_3BE -c2 -r 48000 -D hw:0,1 -vv | aplay -f S24_3BE -c2 -r 48000 -D hw:0,0 Unfortunately, I am still getting bad captures in about ~10% of my test cases. I have noticed a slightly different problem in this configuration: about half of the bad captures are not just a distorted signal, but instead very loud pure white noise. My ears are still ringing! No luck so far, and the mystery continues. Are there specific kernel configuration options which you would advise disabling? Here is a snippet from my current /proc/config.gz which shows some settings related to USB: # -------------------------------------------- # # Miscellaneous USB options # CONFIG_USB_DEFAULT_PERSIST=y CONFIG_USB_DYNAMIC_MINORS=y # CONFIG_USB_OTG is not set CONFIG_USB_MON=m CONFIG_USB_WUSB=m CONFIG_USB_WUSB_CBAF=m # CONFIG_USB_WUSB_CBAF_DEBUG is not set # -------------------------------------------- Again, your help on this one is much appreciated! .lewis

On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 01:34:21AM +0000, James Harkins wrote: This is actually encouraging, as it is the first time I've heard from someone else who is experiencing a similar problem with the Fast Track Pro. .lewis

On Thu, Jan 30, 2014 at 10:04:37AM +0100, Jeremy Jongepier wrote: Hi Jeremy, Thanks for your help here; it's much appreciated. I actually don't have JACK installed. I've really only been using a single application at a time so my needs at this stage are rather modest. I figured the added layer of abstraction offered by JACK would only complicate my troubleshooting. I'm really only speculating here, but it seems like the ALSA drivers are sometimes improperly initializing the Fast Track Pro. Why this happens only some of the time is strange indeed. .lewis

Hi Lewis, I know I'm late again, sorry > yes, try: CONFIG_USB_DYNAMIC_MINORS is not set CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND is not set Guillaume

I have searched for a long time for other people who have this problem, and this is the only place I have found an exact description of what I am experiencing: Lewis Pike's problems with his M-Audio Fast Track Pro match mine almost exactly. When I connect the FTP in order to record (just ordinary S16_LE, 48000KHz, stereo), one of three things happen: Either it just works, or I get an accompanying hiss or crackling sound, following the recorded material in intensity, or I just get insane noise that drowns out everything. The three cases occur equally often more or less, but it's hard to tell. In the second case (the one with the crackling sound) I have tried dumping the recorded data to see if I could discover any pattern, and apparently the most and least significant bytes are always equal for all samples. This problem can occur at any time by the way, for example after a couple of successful recordings, suddenly I get one with the crackle problem. This is maybe the most annoying thing, the fact that I can't reconnect the FTP until it works, and then rely on it to continue working. I record with arecord, doing something like this: arecord -D hw:1,1 -d 3 -c 2 -r 48000 -f S16_LE test.wav After reading this thread, I tried loading the usb audio module with modprobe snd_usb_audio vid=0x0763 pid=0x2012 device_setup=0x03 enable=1 nrpacks=1 And then recorded something with arecord -D hw:1,1 -d 3 -c 2 -r 48000 -f S24_3BE -t raw test.raw And I get exactly the same result Lewis Pike described: Sometimes it works, and I get a perfect 24bit recording, and sometimes I just get loud white noise. I have checked the kernel options, but I don't have either CONFIG_USB_DYNAMIC_MINORS, or CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND enabled, though I can't find CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND at all in my kernel. I'm using kernel version 3.12.13 by the way. I really hope somebody can help with this, beause the FTP is completely useless to me as it is. Thanks in advance, Morten Højer Denmark -- View this message in context: http://linux-audio.4202.n7.nabble.com/M-Audio-Fast-Track-Pro-unreliable-dis… Sent from the linux-audio-user mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

david-602 wrote I'm not sure what you mean. If you are suggesting that my FTP may be defective, that is of course a possibility. But firstly the issues I'm having correspond with the issues the original poster had, and secondly it works perfectly in windows with the m-audio driver. These two things put together suggest it is not a hardware problem with my FTP... At least they do to me :-) Morten -- View this message in context: http://linux-audio.4202.n7.nabble.com/M-Audio-Fast-Track-Pro-unreliable-dis… Sent from the linux-audio-user mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

I know this post is old, but has a solution been found? I have the exact same problem. I have seen some posts reporting this issue, but no solution. The card works well in Windows. David Jones wrote -- Sent from: http://linux-audio.4202.n7.nabble.com/linux-audio-user-f5.html

Am 02.08.2018 um 11:29 schrieb Ketil Thorgersen: Depends on what is more valuable to you: your time or a few hundred bucks for a new interface. Nowadays there is quite a choice of midprice USB audio interfaces, which work with Linux without hassle. My experience with M-Audio interfaces (I have a Fast Track Pro) on Linux is also that it's driver seems to not work correctly too often. For a band I would take a look at the MIDAS MR18, for example. It can also replace your mixer (because it is one). Chris

Ketil Thorgersen <ketil.thorgersen(a)gmail.com> writes: In the "slightly cheaper" category I'd have a Mackie 1220 Onyx (which has 4 mic preamps and 4 stereo channels), an RME HDSP Multiface I, a Cardbus interface card and an Expresscard adapter, and a DB25-to-8-TRS multicore cable to connect the recording outputs of the Mackie to the inputs of the Multiface (the TRS plugs are slim enough to fit the Multiface; that doesn't work with the commonly available cables using Neutrik plugs). The Multiface will synchronize to ADAT (at 48kHz with 8 channels or 96kHz with 4 channels) so you can hook up another A/D converter. It will also take/deliver S/PDIF. The HDSP is quite well supported under Linux/ALSA (it was one of the first audio cards) and has very high quality converters (hardware configurable to -10dB, +4dB and HiGain levels). You need the alsa-firmware package and a few others. Upside: full mixer, converters are high-end quality. Downside: bulk, just 4 mic preamps in this configuration, recording cable can be used on _either_ the mic _or_ the line inputs due to the distribution to the DB25 connectors (when I needed both, I wired the mic inserts to free line inputs and recorded the line inputs: not great but workable). Also, the Expresscard/Cardbus adapter is more awkward than an RME HDSPe Excpresscard, but the latter is priced beyond reasonable. I'd let the bundle go for €500 and help with the setup under Linux. The price is ok if you want the mixer, it makes no sense if you don't. RME is one of the few companies with good legacy support so this thing will also work under MacOSX/Windows. That is different than the OS support of Mackie's Firewire offerings: for that reason Onyx mixers with Firewire are quite affordable on the 2nd-hand market and are a nice option for Firewire-capable Linux systems. The specs of the converters are quite reasonable even if not in the RME ballpark. Mackie devices with Onyx in their name that I'd recommend against: Mackie Onyx Satellite (ridiculously bad phantom power supply, delivers something like 38V and cannot be used with the other input being Hi-Z since it whines into it, noise-susceptible base station). In connection with 2 mics tolerating the low voltage and just the satellite, it's actually a reasonably portable thing but in contrast to USB cards it needs its own power brick. Doubles nicely as a headphone amp with balanced line inputs. So basically usable for a few things but by far not everything that it's supposed to be good for. Mackie Onyx 400F (the Echo Fireworks DSP card appears to brick far too easily: I suspect power supply problems in connection with non-volatile configuration memory). Once bricked, you have 4 preamps with unfortunately unbalanced outputs (namely the inserts which are in the analog path). -- David Kastrup

Den 2018-08-02 18:25, skrev Joe Hartley: Thanks! This looks like a really nice card/mixer - but considering that the Midas has twice the inputs the price of the Midas seems like a really good one - if I should need more than 8 inputs (which we turned out to need during the last session). I will count my money and look for good deals I guess. That is if I do not get the M-audio to perform. Ketil

I have an M-Audio FastTrack Pro, and I have issues with recording also. It works fine for a while, but eventually it records with a lot of static noise. I tried several things, but found no solution. I have to turn it off and on again, and it starts working properly again. Martín. ________________________________ De: Linux-audio-user <linux-audio-user-bounces(a)lists.linuxaudio.org> en nombre de Joe Hartley <jh(a)brainiac.com> Enviado: jueves, 2 de agosto de 2018 17:11 Para: linux-audio-user(a)lists.linuxaudio.org Asunto: Re: [LAU] M-Audio Fast Track Pro: unreliable, distorted recording On Thu, 2 Aug 2018 19:06:31 +0200 Ketil Thorgersen <ketil.thorgersen(a)gmail.com> wrote: I have the MTK22, which has 16 XLR ins, and the last 2 channels have stereo line-ins. I think Soundcraft did a good job with offering this line at various size/price points. -- ====================================================================== Joe Hartley - UNIX/network Consultant - jh(a)brainiac.com Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa _______________________________________________ Linux-audio-user mailing list Linux-audio-user(a)lists.linuxaudio.org https://lists.linuxaudio.org/listinfo/linux-audio-user

Den 2018-08-02 20:32, skrev Felix Homann: Wow! Thanks! Too late now but I will try this tomorrow. Great feedback (even if I am now very tempted to buy the Midas!) All the best! Ketil

Am 02.08.2018 um 17:04 schrieb Ketil Thorgersen: Yes, you can switch between two modes, where it either acts as a two-channel audio interface (presumably with potentially less latency) or a 18-channel one. Yes, the effects work independently of the audio interface, think of this device as a digital mixer without a hardware control interface, wich also happens to be a 2or 18 channel audio interface. So far I had no complaints. With my my system (a 5 year old intel i5 laptop), I use a Jack frame size of 256 for the 18-channel mode. Admittedly, this isn't super low-latency and not ideal for multi-tracking and overdubbing, but for tracking a band it's adequate, I think. The thing is that you control this device totally via OSC (Open Sound Contro) and Behringer/MIDAs provides a GUI control interface (which talks OSC to the device via Ethernet or WiFi) for Windows, OS X, Linux (64-bit), iOS and Android. For the latter there are even third-party control apps, which provide a slightly better user experience. You can even send OSC messages incapsulated into MIDI sysex messages to the devices via the standard DIN-MIDI interface (i.e you could program a MIDI controller floor board to turn on/off channels or effects). But once you have programmed your routing, you can use these devices also as standalone (sub-)mixers, e.g. as a mixer for the the whole band in the rehearsal room, as a keyboard submixer, or a monitor mixer. BTW, the MIDAS MR18 is almost the same device as the Behringer XR-18, except that the latter has two inputs, which also can accepts instrument (guitar) level), and the former has better Neutrik XLR sockets with locking mechanism. Cheers, Chris

Den 2018-08-03 00:41, skrev Christopher Arndt: Thanks a lot! I am really tempted to buy this - will probably do it even. And to all of you who have been helpful. I did some more testing today. Managed to get it almost silent through silencing all effects (thanks for that tip) but there is still noise on some of the channels if I crank it up enough. And some very silent digital noise tend to appear after som playing around. I'll probably donate this to my school and go for the Midas instead. Thank you all so much for the help with this!!! Happy playing! Ketil

On Sat, 4 Aug 2018 01:49:07 +0200, Christopher Arndt wrote: Even 'powerful and complex' professional audio gear is designed to be self-explaining. I learned the hard way to stay away from less expensive gear, that provides professional audio quality and features, but a bad design to use it. Such gear ends up as dust catcher and for the money of two dust catchers, we get one device that is usable, while we are in an emotional creative process. I can't comment on the mentioned device, however, a 'be aware' warning, that a brief look into the manual isn't enough, doesn't sound promising.

On Sat, 2018-08-04 at 15:03 +0200, Felix Homann wrote: Sure, nowadays the truth is nonsense, alternative facts are better. You are aware that professional audio engineers often are working at different locations, with different gear and that they are often faced with a device, they never used before? That's no problem, if those devices are self-explaining. Yes, regarding some very special gear, a brief look into the user manual or a short explanation of somebody who worked with the device could be useful. However, I own at least two devices, with that bad designed user interfaces, that I don't or at best seldom use them, even while I know how to operate those devices. It's worth to chime in, even while I don't know this particular device, when you recommend YouTube videos. What's wrong with the user manual? Is it that complicated, that it requires to take lessons to use the device?

On Sat, 2018-08-04 at 14:18 +0000, Dale Powell wrote: Hi, you completely misunderstood my point. I tried to point out that a lot of very cheap devices, that provide professional garde audio quality, often suffer from a very bad designed user interface. I don't claim that the device mentioned here is such a device, I only tried to provide a hint, of what the OP should take care. Why is this such a problem? Who needs a manual or a video tutorial for a mixer? This device is a mixer, just the user interface is not made of real faders and knobs, the user interface is a touch screen. Hopefully you now understand my doubts. Regards, Ralf

On Sat, 2018-08-04 at 18:18 +0200, Felix Homann wrote: You talk pretty big for somebody providing programs for schools and children and at the same time cooperating with companies such as KOSMOS and Amazon, see http://showlabor.de/ . This is real a red flag and I'm not the first one mentioning it on this mailing list, but you ask for doing it again.

On Sat, 4 Aug 2018 13:35:23 -0400, Tim wrote: On-topic: It was not and still is not irrelevant, if a named brand selling professional grade mixing consoles, in a completely different price range, than that cheap device mentioned here, while the device reportedly provides excellent audio quality and it was recommended to watch video tutorials, since it's a 'powerful and complex' device, that exactly this probably could be a fly in the ointment of this device. It's a mixer. While using it via a touch screen, it still remains a mixer. I only try to warn, that a good audio quality device, for less money could have a pitfall. In my experiences the pitfall usually are durability and/or the user interface. If it's recommended to watch a video tutorial, how to use a mixer, I indeed would take a look, since there should be no need to watch a video or to even read a user manual, to use a mixer. If it should be needed, than something is fishy with the user interface. Off-topic: Yes, I will apologize as soon as other will apologize, too, who mentioned the "working with children and propaganda to order kits for the kids via Amazon" discrepancy a long time before I did. Actually it's related to this thread, since it says much about Felix' credibility. I clearly explained the reason for my hint and he started an offence and apart from this his offence contains absurd claims regarding professional audio gear. Too funny, since I worked for decades as professional audio and video engineer and at the moment I've got an employment agreement for 1 1/2 years in childcare, with just 5 month left. A part of my job in childcare, is exactly doing such work as he offers. I never was interested in this off-topic talk, my original reply was on-topic. I didn't start it! -- There's a photo from me on the official website of my workplace: https://wunderschuleoberhausen.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/hofansicht.jpg I'm the one under the yew tree in the yew tree green jacket.

Ralf Mardorf <ralf.mardorf(a)alice-dsl.net> writes: That's complete and utter garbage. The discussion did not at any point rely on arguments by authority, so Felix' "credibility" is completely unrelated to his argument. Your ad hominem attack rather severely harms your own credibility since it seems that you have run out of other means of persuasion. His offence, apparently, being that he disagrees with you. Ah, so now we are getting to "arguments by authority". You most certainly started the ad hominem attacks and the argument by authority bullshit. You didn't start the disagreement but this is a discussion group and your role in it is not that of a pope but of a contributor. I very much agree that you were totally out of line here. Unfortunately for Felix and the general appearance of the list, the resources for maintaining a mailing list like this really preclude adding a layer of moderation so it is a resource problem to stop people from occasionally seeing a list member go off the rails. If the problem becomes systematic and not otherwise possible to deal with, that might warrant action. -- David Kastrup

On Sat, Aug 4, 2018 at 3:52 PM, Felix Homann <linuxaudio(a)showlabor.de> wrote: you can all make this much easier: ×

On Sat, 4 Aug 2018 16:28:58 -0400, Paul Davis wrote: I don't use this address on this mailing list, I might have used it in the past. There could be reasons to change the email address, regarding the email provider and/or mailing list set-up, such as a DKIM issue. However, I'm clearly pro using email filters. Even if I use an email address that doesn't contain my name, the prefixed is always my real name. Better filter by my name. I'm not the only German with this name, but it's a seldom name and nobody with the same name seems to be present in any Linux related mailing list.

Tim &lt;termtech(a)rogers.com&gt; writes: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiuv5hzj5i4> Everybody attributes to silence what he wants to hear. Not taking a stand is not a virtue even though it may save trouble, at least temporarily. -- David Kastrup

jonetsu &lt;jonetsu(a)teksavvy.com&gt; writes: Shrug. Sometimes an off-topic discussion can make people relate more to others on a medium that is lacking physical presence so it's a judgment call of whether or not continuing it is a good or a bad thing. You make it easy to make that call. -- David Kastrup

jonetsu &lt;jonetsu(a)teksavvy.com&gt; writes: Shrug. The point was that silence tends to be interpreted as enticement, so speaking up when you consider something just wrong makes sense. "To Kill a Mockingbird" might have been a better example but I'll be dead before I'll be able to link to book or movie because it made its point well enough that copyright will keep it out of unpaywalled culture for another century if not longer. -- David Kastrup

Ralf Mardorf &lt;ralf.mardorf(a)alice-dsl.net&gt; writes: I had to look that up. Damn, do I feel old now. -- David Kastrup

On Sun, 05 Aug 2018 12:04:23 +0200 David Kastrup &lt;dak(a)gnu.org&gt; wrote: But it's the fifth text line right under the video. Is a fifth line too far away to be noticed at first glance ? How much of "looking it up" is a fifth line of text ? "Regie: Pepe Danquart, Deutschland 1992 "

On Sat, 4 Aug 2018 15:03:25 +0200, Felix Homann wrote: I guess we clarified this, so here's the résumé. We do not need to know everything, but still could be careful. If we can not or do not want to spend much money for gear, but expect high sound quality, we should consider that it is possible that - there could be reliability/durability issues - there could be maintenance issues How long does it e.g. take to open and close the case, just to replace a capacitor? - the user interface could be that bad, that using the device by a reasonable work-flow is more or less impossible (- worker conditions) [1] [1] I put it in parentheses, since worker conditions of those making expensive gear are not necessarily good, worker conditions of those making inexpensive gear are not necessarily bad. A Mexican or Korean guitar for less money could be from way better quality, than a guitar from a named brand produced in the USA, so if we pay much more money, we still could get a less good instrument. To get information regarding worker conditions, we often need a crystal ball. Unfortunately bad worker conditions sometimes are better than being jobless. On Sat, 2018-08-04 at 21:52 +0200, Felix Homann wrote: Ok, anyway, my apologies. So we could stop it?

Ralf Mardorf &lt;ralf.mardorf(a)alice-dsl.net&gt; schrieb am Sa., 4. Aug. 2018 um 22:45 Uhr: Ralf, I do not accept this so-called "apology". You did not withdraw from anything! You did not step back from your attacks. You didn't correct your views on my overall credibility. You're still suggesting my work, my opinion, my character itself is somehow flawed by the work I'm doing. You didn't even tell me what exactly you're apologozing for. So, in my eyes this "apology" is not even half-hearted. Just words without meaning. I get the impression that you just want to safe yourself from being kicked from your "playground", i.e. this mailing list. No, I just can't accept it!

Ralf Mardorf &lt;ralf.mardorf(a)alice-dsl.net&gt; writes: The best way to ignore mails regarding this topic would be not to press the "Send" key after writing them. -- David Kastrup

Hi Ketil, Ketil Thorgersen &lt;ketil.thorgersen(a)gmail.com&gt; schrieb am So., 5. Aug. 2018 um 23:24 Uhr: Don't worry, you haven't set off this crazy argument. You have set off a healthy discussion that did run pretty well until...well.. :-( You do not have any reason to feel sorry about anything here! Kind regards, Felix

Ralf Mardorf &lt;ralf.mardorf(a)alice-dsl.net&gt; schrieb am Sa., 4. Aug. 2018 um 18:30 Uhr: First, the only connection I have with Amazon is that I link to them for some of the products I have created, written and/or developed. Is this cooperation? Money I got from Amazon for this linking and/or sales: Zero! You are indeed the first one seeing it as a red flag that I'm cooperating with the Kosmos Verlag. In the discussion [1] [2] you're probably referring to, Fons had a different point and it was all settled and clarified back then. You have been involved in that discussion as well. You should know! So, you are trying to discredit me right now for cooperating with a publisher who publishes my work, my creations, my ideas, my writing. And you are the first one *ever* who has done so. And then you even claim I have asked for it? That's totally annoying! I take this one as a very serious personal attack and won't blame it on the heat again. Finally, I don't think that posts such as this one of yours should have a publishing channel in this mailing list. [1] http://linux-audio.4202.n7.nabble.com/Behringer-and-Linux-td95478.html

On August 9, 2018 11:10:11 AM HST, Guillaume Pellerin &lt;lists(a)parisson.com&gt; wrote: Thanks for the voice of reason. It was just the Internet doing internet things. ;) My first thought was a hardware issue with the original poster's specific unit. On my cheap little Behringer UCA-202, when I have it recording from the inputs (say an external hardware keyboard) while simultaneously sending sound through the outputs (say the computer-generated sounds I'm playing along with), the line in signal strength drops in half. Stop sending anything out the unit's outputs, signal back to normal. Or maybe something originating in a poor electrical ground somewhere in the wiring. If I connect my UCA-202 through a powered external hub, I get static. Disconnect the hub power supply, static is gone. I also have an old cheap Yamaha keyboard workstation. Simply turning it on introduces steady, low-level white noise. Sound and electricity can be a complicated mess. ;) -- David W. Jones gnome(a)hawaii.rr.com authenticity, honesty, community http://dancingtreefrog.com Sent from my Android device with F/LOSS K-9 Mail.

On 08/02/2018 05:29 AM, Ketil Thorgersen wrote: Hi list. Talk of intermittent distorted audio, clicks, and pops is really sending up a /huge/ red flag for me. This is just a shot in the dark but have you tried running with just one CPU core? Also, is the CPU clock throttling turned off, and are certain CPU features such as the Intel Hyper Threading turned off? Recall some months ago I had trouble with my PCI Delta1010 ice1712-based card. Same issues. Clicks, pops, and after a while, distortion. After tough debugging it turns out I must run ONE core only. I can dig up the thread but basically that's it. Coincidentally, a few weeks later another poster asked the very same question about another brand of ice1712 PCI card. I explained the solution, and he replied that it worked. It seems to me that if your device works at all sometimes, it should work all the time. In my mind this screams out timing errors. Certain pointers are drifting with time, and not stable. In my case this was because of more than one CPU core. I tried affinity settings but it didn't seem to get anywhere. Only running one CPU worked. I think there's a small gnome taskbar thing that can set the CPU frequencies and cores. Ralf helped with command lines to set the number of cores. I don't have those commands handy ATM. Tim.