#203

Thanks for your reply, that was what I was suspecting, hence my initial questions on here about DC-coupled interfaces.

#204

As mentioned before, I highly doubt any audio interfaces with DC coupled inputs exist, because they’re worse for recording audio: DC offsets reduce headroom and force you to cleanup afterwards, and for many sources the low frequencies you lose due to the filtering are undesirable anyway. The capacitors also have the added benefit of protecting the circuitry from frying.

2 Likes
#205

What you might want is an ES-6 (if your existing interface has available ADAT) or an ES-8 (in which case it helps if you’re Mac-based, because you can run an aggregate device of an ES-8 and your current interface)

Edit: ES-6 apparently requires and ES-3 (or ES-8) in order to handle sample rate properly. (It’s an ADAT limitation.) Oh well, ES-3 + ES-6 is still cheaper than an ES-8. I’ve owned and used an ES-8—it’s slick. Nothing to configure—it just works. Should be same with ES-3+6.

1 Like
#206

I’m guessing this is historically correct but perhaps not with modern interfaces? I can confirm that the MOTU Ultralite AVB has DC coupled inputs (tested by controlling vst instruments with control voltage) and enough headroom to take a Eurorack level signal straight from an oscillator :slight_smile:

1 Like
#207

I have a MOTU Ultralite mk3 hybrid. Can anyone confirm that it is safe to run eurorack levels into the analog inputs (not the mic inputs)?

Thanks!

#208

I’ve been doing that with my mk4 since day one. I had to adjust the trim so it wouldn’t clip, but all good so far?

1 Like
#209

Are you using cue mix to adjust the trim?

#210

yeah. for me it’s on the page with the inputs, so I don’t have to get wild with the mix setttings

1 Like
#211

It’s possible, as older ADC converters had trouble handling DC, and that’s one reason for filtering it out on the input. But I’m skeptical, as MOTU’s tech specs don’t mention it, and DC offset is enough of a concern that a lot of gear with DC coupled input handle it in other ways.

But it’s easy enough to test definitively: just record a constant CV and see what the result is?

#212

So, i have been a reason user since v1 and logically (i thought) bought their balance interface. My new laptop is windows 7 and only has usb3 ports. Balance does not work with usb 3 ( i should’ve check before buying, but hey ho).

Can anyone recommend me an interface (xlr and guitar input required) that will work via usb3.0 ports on windows 7?

#213

Apparently the problem is not the devices but the poor drivers in Windows 7 that don’t handle some USB 2.0 audio devices well on USB 3 ports. Apparently it’s fixed in Windows 8, so maybe you can try upgrading?

#214

That sounds promising, as i have windows 8 install disc that came with the pc.

Thanks.

#215

Let us know how it goes. I haven’t actually tried this in practice but it would be nice to know if it works.

#216

Have you tried turning off usb3 in the bios? My presonus audiobox 1818vsl has similar issues, but dropping the usb ports on my lenovo x230 from usb3 to usb2 fixed them. That is assuming you don’t need usb3, I don’t own any devices that absolutely require it.

EDIT: I don’t believe this is an operating system issue (I’m on linux), some manufacturers did not implement the full spec of usb3, hence its lack of backwards-compatibility with certain devices

#217

So tried the windows 8 install, and the disc will not install. Next step is to try a usb 2 hub (advised by guy in music store) and see if that helps.

Failing that, eBay :frowning:

#218

I would highly recommend disabling USB3 mode in the bios. Today I received a hardware refresh from work, a Lenovo T440p laptop. I attempted to boot from the usb drive to install my operating system and the system would not recognize the drive until I disabled USB3 mode.

#219

Is that easy to do? Never did anything like that before, so a bit nervous.

#220

Easily to do and easy to reverse. Nothing permanent here. Sometimes when your system starts up, it gives you ‘startup options’ or ‘boot menu options’. Done with the f1/enter/f# keys. You can look this up in your laptop manual. Enter the BIOS menu and look for some sort of ‘settings’ tab where you have usb options. It should give you an option to disable USB3 which will simply downgrade it to USB2. Then exit and restart, saving changes. If this doesn’t work you can repeat the same steps before, only reenabling USB3 support. Let me know your laptop type and I can give you more specific instructions.

#221

Also, an external USB hub might add latency. A default 8ms latency is measured for low-speed USB devices. Does anyone know if that only applies to polling HID hardware, or USB hubs as well?

#222

Thanks. I’ll be seeing if this works tomorrow. Been laid low with food poisoning,
:mask: