How are you guys recording your axe fx?

sarge

sarge

Power User
I have been mainly using a stand alone tascam digital 8 track for recording. I have been a fan of the simplicity of the stand alone units. I then move the recorded tracks to the pc via usb interface and edit and such in reaper.

But I have been considering going to a straight PC based setup. Problem I have is devices i have used in the past, the latency sucked so I would have to play without hearing my guitar in the mix so that it would record in time.

Are there INEXPENSIVE PC based products that offer zero latency so that I can here my guitar in the mix and work well with the Axe FX, specifically so I can record both left and right channels?
 
Well, this will get slammed by the folks who it didn't\doesn't work for-. But the M-audio AudioPhile 2496 gets you there almost (you don't need zero ltency to play in time) You are talking miliseconds.
It's $90, PCI with great Win7x64 drivers. I have no issues recording everyday. I do also use a mixer, so I monitor my guitar that way. Sometimes I fool around with Guitar rig-direct to the sound card. Their is NO perceivable delay. Anyway, it's a good "you asked Inexpensive" card. I little 4 channel Mackie VLZ3 mixer will take you to zero with any interface, because you are monitoring with the mixer, not the card.
 
Thanks for the reply.

I would actually be happy with a stand alone unit that could be run through a PC interface. But I have not found one.

It seems to me that most people are using some usb interface recording there axe and not a stand alone unit
 
sarge said:
Thanks for the reply.

I would actually be happy with a stand alone unit that could be run through a PC interface. But I have not found one.

It seems to me that most people are using some usb interface recording there axe and not a stand alone unit
Click to expand...

The ap2496 is NOT a stand alone, it goes in your PC in about 3 minutes.-folks are using PCI (which is what the AP2496 is), PCIe, USB or firewire. You mentioned latency. You can get down to about 5-6MS with the RME USB and the less expensive M audio USB Fast Track Ultra (around $350). I mean there are many choices. Once again, you said "inexpensive".
I think you are selling yourself short. While I do not use Reaper, you can learn to record with it just as easy as your stand alone.
I mean one has knobs and the other has the mouse or keyboard. You can buy a cheap controller with knobs and sliders to use with Reaper also.
You have many options.
 
My current setup is a MacBook Pro 2.26 GHz Intel with 4 GB Ram. My DAW is Motu's Digital Performer 7.2. My interface at the moment is the firewire Motu 896HD. I use the c-control by Samson to control my monitoring system. Monitors are Yamaha HS80M's and a Tannoy PS110 sub woofer. I run my Axe-FX directly into two of the mic preamp channels via the stereo XLR outs on the back. It's a nice little bedroom set up, but I need to expand and get my own spot to rent out to record bands and such. But this gets the job done for now.

788b5c72.jpg
 
metalxguy said:
My current setup is a MacBook Pro 2.26 GHz Intel with 4 GB Ram. My DAW is Motu's Digital Performer 7.2. My interface at the moment is the firewire Motu 896HD. I use the c-control by Samson to control my monitoring system. Monitors are Yamaha HS80M's and a Tannoy PS110 sub woofer. I run my Axe-FX directly into two of the mic preamp channels via the stereo XLR outs on the back. It's a nice little bedroom set up, but I need to expand and get my own spot to rent out to record bands and such. But this gets the job done for now.

788b5c72.jpg
Click to expand...


Nice setup, but...................Did you read the OP's post or just the title?
 
I don't have my axefx yet, but I use a Presonus Firebox that works well for me for everything from mic'ing an amp to virtual instruments. You can probably pick them up for nothing now.

It has a mic preamp w/phantom power, midi, 4 in/out, spdif ,powered by the firewire cable and the asio driver's latency is low enough to play with virtual instruments. The monitoring is zero latency.
 
Stratman68 said:
metalxguy said:
My current setup is a MacBook Pro 2.26 GHz Intel with 4 GB Ram. My DAW is Motu's Digital Performer 7.2. My interface at the moment is the firewire Motu 896HD. I use the c-control by Samson to control my monitoring system. Monitors are Yamaha HS80M's and a Tannoy PS110 sub woofer. I run my Axe-FX directly into two of the mic preamp channels via the stereo XLR outs on the back. It's a nice little bedroom set up, but I need to expand and get my own spot to rent out to record bands and such. But this gets the job done for now.

788b5c72.jpg
Click to expand...


Nice setup, but...................Did you read the OP's post or just the title?
Click to expand...


Yeah I read it, but the also read the title which was how you're recording the axe-fx, so just posted the studio specks. Gives him and anyone all the details of how I run it ya know? Figured it wouldn't hurt.
 
metalxguy said:
Stratman68 said:
metalxguy said:
My current setup is a MacBook Pro 2.26 GHz Intel with 4 GB Ram. My DAW is Motu's Digital Performer 7.2. My interface at the moment is the firewire Motu 896HD. I use the c-control by Samson to control my monitoring system. Monitors are Yamaha HS80M's and a Tannoy PS110 sub woofer. I run my Axe-FX directly into two of the mic preamp channels via the stereo XLR outs on the back. It's a nice little bedroom set up, but I need to expand and get my own spot to rent out to record bands and such. But this gets the job done for now.

788b5c72.jpg
Click to expand...


Nice setup, but...................Did you read the OP's post or just the title?
Click to expand...


Yeah I read it, but the also read the title which was how you're recording the axe-fx, so just posted the studio specks. Gives him and anyone all the details of how I run it ya know? Figured it wouldn't hurt.
Click to expand...

True-As I said-It is a nice setup
 
Scott Peterson said:
This is inexpensive, has hardware zero latency monitoring and is easy peasy to work with - and I love it!
Click to expand...

Are you using the balanced inputs when recording? Do these work well compared with SP/DIF?
I like the SP/DIF on my m-audio delta. This unit looks nice tho esp with the built in reverb and USB connection.
 
Sportacus said:
Scott Peterson said:
This is inexpensive, has hardware zero latency monitoring and is easy peasy to work with - and I love it!
Click to expand...

Are you using the balanced inputs when recording? Do these work well compared with SP/DIF?
I like the SP/DIF on my m-audio delta. This unit looks nice tho esp with the built in reverb and USB connection.
Click to expand...

Balanced inputs. SP/DIF sucks, no matter what interface. Period. Sounds like crap no matter how you cut it. Do a search, even Cliff has said so.

The reverb on this isn't built-in; it's a VST plug-in distributed with the unit. Though, yes, it's very nice.
 
I just switched everything over to a Hackintosh, Logic and a MOTU Microbook. Sounds awesome. For PC though, I second the 2496 recommendation - very low latency. The MOTU Microbook is zero latency.

Also, for standalone (if you decide to stay that way), I have a Boss BR-600 that I used for the Axe direct line in and that works really well when I need it. You can find them on e-bay for under $200. Record on that and then connect via USB to send the file over to your PC.

-Mike
 
Scott Peterson said:
SP/DIF sucks, no matter what interface. Period. Sounds like crap no matter how you cut it.
Click to expand...

Well, there you go! Mine sounds pretty good and I've never had any issues with jitter etc, however I read Cliffs posts after reading yours and I'll give analogue a go and a/b it.

Always something new to learn on this forum.

Cheers :D
 
MSS said:
I just switched everything over to a Hackintosh, Logic and a MOTU Microbook. Sounds awesome. For PC though, I second the 2496 recommendation - very low latency. The MOTU Microbook is zero latency.

Also, for standalone (if you decide to stay that way), I have a Boss BR-600 that I used for the Axe direct line in and that works really well when I need it. You can find them on e-bay for under $200. Record on that and then connect via USB to send the file over to your PC.

-Mike
Click to expand...

How well does the Hackintosh work? I just happened to have the perfect hardware to run vanilla on the machine I just replaced and I built one. The first thought that came to mind was music, but I just assumed that it would be all jacked up :D. HMM pretty sure I still have that drive around here with it installed...
 
Thanks for the ideas.

I'm going to ask a dumb question.

When using the Lexicon I-ONIX U22, are you listening to yourself play through your DAW, or do you have the lexicon hooked up to monitors?
 
I love the Hackintosh. I'm an engineer so I like playing with this stuff. I wasn't interested in the Mac until recently - as a matter of fact I purposely ignored it even though I had an iPod etc. because I had an issue with Apple controlling the hardware etc. I'm a little late to the Hackintosh party but I do a lot with Linux at work so I figured I'd give Osx a look. Wow...what have I been missing? I get it now. Really cool stuff. There's no registry, no dll's and if you want to move an app. Guess what, most of them are in ONE jar like file! You just move the .app file and there you go. Also, there's no software bloat. My entire install with Logic and iLife is 46 gigs. 10 Gigs of that is music and Video.

I could never fit my working Windows 7 PC on a reasonably priced solid state drive. I'm running the Hack on a OCZ Vertex 128 gig SSD with 4 gigs of RAM (ram is important on a Mac) and a Dual Celeron 2.4Ghz Wolfdale overclocked CPU. It flies! I tested 60 tracks of playback on Logic while recording one track with no pops. The CPU and hard drive utilization barely budged. I got bored copying tracks in to test so I quit at 60.

I've moved all my video and music to the Hackintosh. I built it for about $350 too. I got a little crazy and bought iLife, Logic and a MOTU Microbook a few days later so I've got a bit of coin in it now but I really like it. Check out this Movie Trailer I did for the youth football team I coach. The video was shot by a parent so it's not the best quality but what the heck I put it together in about an hour with iMovie '11.

http://mytritownfootball.com

I'm still learning Logic but I have to say that it's more intuitive that Sonar. It just plain works. EZdrummer integrates perfectly too. All in all...I doubt I'll ever go back.



-Mike
 
MSS said:
I love the Hackintosh. I'm an engineer so I like playing with this stuff. I wasn't interested in the Mac until recently - as a matter of fact I purposely ignored it even though I had an iPod etc. because I had an issue with Apple controlling the hardware etc. I'm a little late to the Hackintosh party but I do a lot with Linux at work so I figured I'd give Osx a look. Wow...what have I been missing? I get it now. Really cool stuff. There's no registry, no dll's and if you want to move an app. Guess what, most of them are in ONE jar like file! You just move the .app file and there you go. Also, there's no software bloat. My entire install with Logic and iLife is 46 gigs. 10 Gigs of that is music and Video.

I could never fit my working Windows 7 PC on a reasonably priced solid state drive. I'm running the Hack on a OCZ Vertex 128 gig SSD with 4 gigs of RAM (ram is important on a Mac) and a Dual Celeron 2.4Ghz Wolfdale overclocked CPU. It flies! I tested 60 tracks of playback on Logic while recording one track with no pops. The CPU and hard drive utilization barely budged. I got bored copying tracks in to test so I quit at 60.

I've moved all my video and music to the Hackintosh. I built it for about $350 too. I got a little crazy and bought iLife, Logic and a MOTU Microbook a few days later so I've got a bit of coin in it now but I really like it. Check out this Movie Trailer I did for the youth football team I coach. The video was shot by a parent so it's not the best quality but what the heck I put it together in about an hour with iMovie '11.

http://mytritownfootball.com

I'm still learning Logic but I have to say that it's more intuitive that Sonar. It just plain works. EZdrummer integrates perfectly too. All in all...I doubt I'll ever go back.



-Mike
Click to expand...

I like Macs too for the interface and the reasons you mentioned. I'm not a Mac guy but I would love to have one of the notebooks.

I'm going to rebuild my DAW this weekend for my incoming AxeFX. It turns out there are Mac drivers for this Firebox I have, so I might have to give it a shot just for kicks :D
 
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