Audio Express - One person's experience

dcoscina · Post by **dcoscina** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:25 am

I just got the MicroBook instead of the Audio Express because I didn't need all the extra bells and whistles and find CueMIx to be very flexible as far as routing stuff. I guess MIDI had a problem with separating the signal from host with his computer sounds...I have some external sound generators like my Kurzweil and I can adjust levels between Inputs 1/2 with the host on my mixer but I guess I haven't tried to balance the Mac sound with DP or another program that also shares the host signal path.

Gotta say, Apogee's online mixing utility stinks compared to CueMix. Very little in the way of flexible routing. I'm very impressed with MOTU's little Microbook. Moreso than my previous ONE. I hung onto my Duet but seeing that I might be moving from an SP4 to a PC3 that has SPDIF out and the Microbook has SPDIF in, it's a little embaressing that my "superior" Apogee Duet doesn't have digital IOs included....

katshinka · Post by **katshinka** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:20 am

Hi,

I'd like to start off by stating that I am far from being a digital interface/audio engineering expert. Now that's out of the way, I'd like to share my own experience with the MOTU Audio Express.

I bought my interface a couple of days ago, made extatic on MOTU's name and reputation by my local salesman, along with a pair of Mackie MR5 MKII Monitors (those I like. a lot.). I feverishly installed the hardware and the drivers in my room and on my MacBook Pro. First of all, no control whatsoever over the output volume. Thanks to the Original Poster, I did a factory reset of the card and got the two working, only to notice that the output was way way way way way way WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too loud, even with my monitor's input level turned almost to zero.

Made aware of the (alleged, here's being consentual

) limitations presented by the OP, I tried to limit the volume on my DAW or on my media player (yes I tried both, no, not at the same time), but, seriously, how can you expect to make any music when your Ableton's Master Track is at -36dB and the output level on the MOTU shows -30 ? Same with mp3s, videos, etc. A wrong turn on the knobs and my whole building is ****g shaking, my ears are hurting and my brand new expensive monitors take a beating comparable to one given by Tyler Durden on a bad day.
Thank you MOTU. Thank you very very much.

Other than that switching the Phones Assign in the control software eliminated any semblance of control I have over BOTH the speakers and my headphones, and switching back does'nt not help. So every time that happens I have to factory reset the whole thing. A minor inconvenience, sure, but when you pitch ease of use, well people shouldn't have to go on an online forum to figure out what went wrong with your interface. Maybe that's just me.

Oh, one last thing, audio desk is a no go, authentification don't even work.

To make this post smell a little less like trolling, I just want to say that I'd like to read more from my fellow audio express users, see if my problem concerns only me, and my admittedly crappy skills.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 2:56 pm

katshinka wrote:...because right now I have a good mind to buy a plane ticket to Cambridge and shove that particular model of the Audio Express somewhere painful and having him walk down the streets that way.

I don't know what kind of joint you think I'm running here but I dont appreciate this kind of tone on this board. So back it down a notch and contact MOTU or return it, but lay off this sort of thing.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 2:59 pm

Also I will put others on notice that there's an all-to-frequent tendency toward sexual innuendo by some on this board. I deleted the "witty" quips in regards to "knob size" (har-dee-har-har) and expect that we can leave this sort of thing off the board. Thanks.

katshinka · Post by **katshinka** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 3:10 pm

Sorry, I got a little too carried away. Message edited.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 4:58 pm

katshinka wrote:Sorry, I got a little too carried away. Message edited.

Apology accepted. I just try to make it clear that this board has a bit higher standards in terms of conduct etc. I appreciate it.

Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 1:41 am

James Steele wrote:Apology accepted. I just try to make it clear that this board has a bit higher standards in terms of conduct etc. I appreciate it.

And that's exactly the reason this is one of the few places I can stand to visit day after day on these World-Wide-InnerTubes. Thanks, James.

FMiguelez · Post by **FMiguelez** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 9:11 am

Shooshie wrote:
James Steele wrote:Apology accepted. I just try to make it clear that this board has a bit higher standards in terms of conduct etc. I appreciate it.
And that's exactly the reason this is one of the few places I can stand to visit day after day on these World-Wide-InnerTubes. Thanks, James.

Agreed.
The high knowledge and conduct standards in this board make ALL the difference in the world.

The only other forums I visit as often as MOTUNation are a couple of great science forums I LOVE. The behavior standards over there are very high as well. And is one of the reasons I keep visiting them all the time (just like here)

monkey man · Post by **monkey man** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 12:00 pm

midilance · Post by **midilance** » Sun Apr 17, 2011 1:34 pm

monkey man · Post by **monkey man** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:14 am

I probably should have said this yesterday, but kudos to katshinka for the classy, instant, unqualified apology; I've always derived much pleasure both from delivering and witnessing these babies...

katshinka · Post by **katshinka** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 9:08 am

monkey man wrote: I've always derived much pleasure both from delivering and witnessing these babies...

Just like my Audio Express I sometimes lose control over my main outputs !

It was only fair !

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 9:37 am

katshinka wrote:
monkey man wrote: I've always derived much pleasure both from delivering and witnessing these babies...
Just like my Audio Express I sometimes lose control over my main outputs !

It was only fair !

I wouldn't be so quick to excuse yourself, kat. We all have our styles of communicating. What we must do here is conform to the standard(s) set by the board's owner - at least if we want to continue posting here. That is neither good nor bad. It is what it is and we either accept that or move on. In normal conversation, I tend to be very jovial, explicit, and often vulgar as a form of humor. That doesn't fly here and I try to adjust that when posting (that James has kept me this long is a testament to his patience).

But I will write something from time to time that he deems inappropriate and I don't argue with him. Again, it's his football and he can go home with it any time he wants. I'm glad he doesn't as there is a lot of great info to be had here - even a few friendships. Just consider it a "getting to know you" kind of moment...

katshinka · Post by **katshinka** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:30 am

MIDI Life Crisis wrote:
I wouldn't be so quick to excuse yourself, kat. We all have our styles of communicating.

Gotcha. I do tend to have a rather graphic IRL language, and it doesn't go well with a lot of people, a fact I understand and try to respect. Also I'm not quite used to communicating on forums, so things may go awkward at times !
I personnaly do not mind bad language, as long as there is interesting (overall) content being shared. In this case I was just venting my anger, and there was not much point to it besides venting.

Now you know !

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Mon Apr 18, 2011 10:34 am

The first thing I had to stop doing was posting nudes (or nearly nudes). Some folks have kids they let watch online work. I have no such impediments.

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