M-Audio Delta 1010LT and Audacity

[nick.s]

M-Audio Tech Support answers that they do not test their drivers with freeware...
has anybody tested the 1010LT with Audacity? any useful feedback is appreciated
thanks
Nick

[alatham]

Yes, I've used mine extensively. It works in both Windows and GNU/Linux. Using both 1.2.6 and 1.3.4.

I have NOT tested it with the digital in/out. I have no equipment that will use those signals. I don't know if it's possible to record from the digital sources at the same time as the analog sources.

I have the following 7 options to record:
Multi - Channels 1 - 8 analog. I can select any number of number of these channels to record from, but it always starts with channel 1. For instance, I cannot record from channels 1+2 AND channels 5+6 without also recording from 3 and 4 as well. I can also record from all 8 channels at the same time. This is the only option that gives more than 2 channels at once.

Channels 1+2, 3+4, 5+6, 7+8 - 4 different sets of stereo pairs. Using these inputs, I only have the options to record as mono or stereo. But I can select each set of channels separately.

Mix (I can't remember the name exactly, but it's close) - I can record the stereo mixdown of all the output channels. Using this input, it's possible to record the speaker output directly. I'm not sure if it's possible to record more than 2 output channels, I've never had an occasion to do that and I never thought to test it until just now.

Digital - I have never been able to use these, I can't say anything about them.

I have fiddled with using different output channels, but most of the time I only use channels 1+2. One time though, I routed the audacity signal to a different set of outputs and plugged that through an external effect, then was able to record it using a pair of inputs.

Currently, I have 5 sources plugged into my Delta 1010LT. I have 2 mic pre-amps (channels 1 and 2), a POD guitar processor (3+4), a synth (5+6) and an e-drum kit (7+8).

I can easily record all of these at once (though I've never needed to, I'm a solo artist), and I can easily select only one of them to record at a time. There's a trick to recording 2 non-adjacent sources though. If I want to record the vocal microphone (channel 1) and the synth (5+6) at the same time, I set Audacity to use the Multi input and set the number of channels to 6. When I'm done recording, I have to delete the empty channels, but that takes 2 seconds.

It's a great card and it work perfectly in Audacity. I get low latency with it (though it could be lower if I could easily use ASIO drivers), no noticeable clock drift, very good sound quality, and an easy to use piece of driver software. It's very easy to set up hardware monitoring (even to more than 2 channels if you want).

I've also used the MIDI input and output, they both work fine (but remember that Audacity and soft-synths don't necessarily play well together). Thats said, if you have soft synth software that you want to use, it might be possible to route the output of the soft synth to one of the other output channels (say, 3+4), and then plug those outputs directly into a set of input channels (you'll need 2 RCA adapters). Then it should be possible to set Audacity to record from those inputs and use a soft-synth with a multi-tracking setup. But it depends on how nice your soft-synth software is. I've only just started playing around with soft-synths.

The only possible complaint I can think of is that channels 1 and 2 can act as mic pre-amps (with no phantom power) or as balanced Line inputs, but you have to physically move a jumper on the circuit board to change between the two choices. So you can't change those inputs without rebooting the computer. In order to make this less irritating, I recommend using an external mic pre-amp. I've also been told the pre-amps on that board are not great, but all my mics are Condensors so I couldn't use the mic pre-amps even if I wanted to.

What exactly are you trying to record? If you describe what kind of sources you want to use, I can tell you more about how to plug everything in. I suppose you could call me a Delta 1010LT enthusiast.

[nick.s]

Wow thanks alathan!

Currently we are using Audacity with a simple built in Notebook stereo sound card. We use two Aux Send channels “pre Fader” from our Behringer 2442 as “live mix”. The trouble with this setup is that you cannot change the level of any individual instrument and sometimes this means that the entire song needs to be recorded again.

Now the idea is (with a desktop PC and the Delta 1010LT) to route 8 mics (Drums, Bass, two Guitars) into the analogue inputs and use the analogue outputs of the card as inputs to the Desk. Like this we could still use the desk for monitor mix and have 8 individual tracks recorded which can be remixed later and more tracks (voice or keys etc.) can be added.

Since the card will cost around $200.- we just want to be sure that this will work…

Your advice is very much appreciated!
Nick

[alatham]

Now the idea is (with a desktop PC and the Delta 1010LT) to route 8 mics (Drums, Bass, two Guitars) into the analogue inputs and use the analogue outputs of the card as inputs to the Desk. Like this we could still use the desk for monitor mix and have 8 individual tracks recorded which can be remixed later and more tracks (voice or keys etc.) can be added.

Yes, this will work with two caveats.

Personally I think it would be easier to use the driver software to make your monitor signal. The way the driver software is set up, you can route any of the input pairs to any of the output pairs. You can also set channels 1+2 to be the "main mix". All the inputs and the computer sounds are routed to the main mix, but you can control each level separately in the software. Since you'll probably want output channels 1+2 as your main mix output, it might be easier to just set that up as a monitor mix as well by using the sliders in the driver software to set the monitoring level of each source. The drivers will mix these all down to 2 channels and put them out of channels 1+2. That way you just need a headphone amp/splitter and give everyone a set of headphones while recording.

Note that this is NOT Software monitoring, it's still Hardware monitoring. You're just using the driver software to tell the hardware what to do. It will add a small amount of latency to the monitoring signal (this is unavoidable), but the latency will be the same for each channel so it won't throw off your timing. The amount of latency is changeable in the driver software. I use 8ms without any trouble. You may have to bump it up a little bit higher if your computer doesn't run as smoothly as mine.

If you try to use the mixer to create the monitor mix, you'll have to constantly change the settings on the output channels back and forth between "main mix" and "input 1+2". That's why I think it will be easier to just use the driver software to create a monitor mix and leave it set up all the time.

Also, you'll have to use a roundabout method if you want to use the sliders on that mixer to make your mixes. Audacity does not currently support more than 2 output channels, but it can create multichannel wav files. If you really want to use the mixer, you can create an 8 channel wav file and figure out how to play it using a different piece of software. Then you can route those 8 channels through the mixer and record the 2 channel mixdown using Audacity. The upside is that you can use the sliders (which are more intuitive than software) and you'll be able to easily apply global effects (e.g. reverb) to all the tracks using the mixers effects send/return. The downside is that this will require some cable swapping and will put your music through one more step of digital -> analog -> digital conversion which will cause a (very small) loss of quality.

The alternative is to use Audacity to make all the mixes. This won't require cable swapping or rely on other pieces of software. But it will be more of a pain to apply effects like reverb to everything.

Even if you don't use the mixer for monitoring or mixing, it will still be very useful as a way to control recording levels and use hardware effects.

[nick.s]

thanks again alatham

would it be easier to use the channel inserts (6 channels for instruments) and sub outputs (2 channels with the already mixed drums) of the desk to route the output to audacity and, as you say, use the software mix (2 channels) for monitoring to record additional tracks. like this I could use the desk sliders for my mix in the room and the software sliders to control the signal to audacity. I have just found out the the insert channels can also be used as direct out just by using a jumper in the stereo jack...

Nick

[alatham]

Hi, sorry I never got back to you, I've been busy at work and I don't usually post on the weekends.

would it be easier to use the channel inserts (6 channels for instruments) and sub outputs (2 channels with the already mixed drums) of the desk to route the output to audacity and, as you say, use the software mix (2 channels) for monitoring to record additional tracks.

I don't understand this question. It sounds like you're describing exactly what I was describing when I told you how I would make the monitor signal.

[nick.s]

in the meantime I have purchased the card and it works well...
however, how comes I cannot control the input level in the Delta Software?
I can see the levels, I can control it with the gain level on the desk, but the sliders on the screen have no influence on the inputlevel to audacity
I have upgraded to the latest driver yesterday and I have the same problem...

thanks for hints
Nick

[comcon]

Make sure you don't use the latest driver... that has problems with Audacity.

Use driver 5.10.00.5057 (thanks to alatham for this advice)

The main delta driver page, shows gain for its internal mixer function.

If you go the the "Hardware Settings" tab, and look at the area named Variable Signal Settings, there's a button marked "Sliders" that will allow you to alter input levels.

[nick.s]

Thanks!

true and sad at the same time as M-Audio support aswers that the sliders will most probably mot be incorporated in the new drivers... ie the settings will be for all channels (+ 4 / Con / -10) I think the user interface of the latest driver is much more userfriendly...

anyway, thanks to all that helped me here! very much appreciated!!

Nick

[Whirl]

Hi all,

I am also using Audacity along with the 1010LT, but for research purposes. Thank you, alatham, for answering my question before I even asked regarding the ability (or in this case inability) to record a single channel without using Multi. I record 3+ hours of data at a time so you can see why having empty channels is a little troublesome. If anyone becomes aware of a driver update or workaround on M-Audio's end for specifying a select channel for mono recording or a way to route a hardware input to a specific input channel, please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
Rob