What if this new M-Audio supports PT M-Powered? 18 digital I/O at 96kHz

[Shaman]

I still cannot find any confirmation of PT MP support on either digi´s nor m-audios website

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by Shaman

I still cannot find any confirmation of PT MP support on either digi´s nor m-audios website

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_u...idge-main.html

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by Benmrx

WAIT!

Is there any info claiming that the Lightbridge will support the full 32 I/O to M-Powered?
Or just that it's "compatible", without any details on how much of the I/O can actually be used.

It will do 18 I/O max. This is a PT limitation whatever hardware you add...
End of story.

[jjdpro]

Oh well. I stil can cut a band with 18 i/o..

Although, nowhere on the M-Audio Pro fire's website does it mention 18 max i/o s in Pro Tools..

Can somebody find that statement. ?? It only states 32

Originally Posted by dlmorley

It will do 18 I/O max. This is a PT limitation whatever hardware you add...
End of story.

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by jjdpro

Oh well. I stil can cut a band with 18 i/o..

Although, nowhere on the M-Audio Pro fire's website does it mention 18 max i/o s in Pro Tools..

Can somebody find that statement. ?? It only states 32

They mention 32 tracks but physical outputs are not mentioned as such, BUT if you ask them, they say 18 i/o. If it DID do 24 i/o, I'd be VERY happy and maybe there is a "workaround" but I am certain the digidesign word is "18"

I have just ordered the profire and will get a new mac and m-powered. For most projects I do for other people (decent demos) 18 I/O is enough and gives them compatibility for working further elsewhere.
For me, I can use Logic.

[duende]

Been talking to the techs at M-audio. The word is M-powered software will support 16 Channels at 88.2 or 96kHz, 32 Channels at 44.1 or 48kHz when the new PT 7.3 version of M-powered comes out this week.

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by duende

Been talking to the techs at M-audio. The word is M-powered software will support 16 Channels at 88.2 or 96kHz, 32 Channels at 44.1 or 48kHz when the new PT 7.3 version of M-powered comes out this week.

I think being able to have 16 ch at 96khz with 16 outputs is excellent.
The physical outputs being limited to 18ch at all rates I believe.

[lozion]

So is it 18 I/O at 44.1 or 16 or 32...?
Am downloading 7.3 now and might just hop to my music store to pick-up the Lightbridge...

Meanwhile whats the I/O status??

[dlmorley]

Ok! I won't post again about this. Promise......

This is from Digi.

DigiCSAdministrator
Administrator


Reged: 10/12/99
Posts: 761

Re: 34 i/o PTMP interface!! What's next for LE?
07/18/06 12:30 PM
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Hi folks,

The M-Powered Pro Tools software has a limit of 18 i/o's and will continue to have this limitation with the new M-Audio ProFire Lightbridge product.

DigiCS

Post Extras Print Post Remind Me!

[lozion]

Yes, I've read that months ago and with all do respect, I'm looking for actual user input and not quotes fron the DUC thank you...

Originally Posted by dlmorley

Ok! I won't post again about this. Promise......

This is from Digi.

DigiCSAdministrator
Administrator


Reged: 10/12/99
Posts: 761

Re: 34 i/o PTMP interface!! What's next for LE?
07/18/06 12:30 PM
Edit post Edit Reply to this post Reply Reply to this post Quote

Hi folks,

The M-Powered Pro Tools software has a limit of 18 i/o's and will continue to have this limitation with the new M-Audio ProFire Lightbridge product.

DigiCS

Post Extras Print Post Remind Me!

[Duardo]

Yes, I've read that months ago and with all do respect, I'm looking for actual user input and not quotes fron the DUC thank you.

There are no users that have the new version of the software yet (at least none that aren't bound by NDA) but this is not just a quote from the DUC, it's from Digidesign themselves...why is that not good enough for you?

-Duardo

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by lozion

Yes, I've read that months ago and with all do respect, I'm looking for actual user input and not quotes fron the DUC thank you...

Ok!
I just thought that if Digidesign themselves say it is limited to 18 i/o it most probably is.
My silly. Sorry.

Keep asking and you'll probably find an answer that you prefer.

[lozion]

Originally Posted by Duardo

There are no users that have the new version of the software yet (at least none that aren't bound by NDA) but this is not just a quote from the DUC, it's from Digidesign themselves...why is that not good enough for you?

-Duardo

Sorry, but there are a few Lightbridge owners out there just waiting for v7.3.
I was just wondering if actual users could report on it. Its just that that statement was made last summer and things might have changed since then. Also, I'm an inch away of buying this box and would like to get answers from owners in regards to sync, stability, I/O, S/pdif+ Adat support, etc. in regards to PT7.3...

Cheers,

[dlmorley]

The basic fact is that they would lose SO much money if they did it, that I really can't think they will allow it. They want people to move on up at some point. For LOADS of people 32 digital i/o would be the clincher. LE or M-powered some serious convertors and a powerful computer. Why **** around with digi hardware?

I'm with you. I'd LOVE it to be true, but it is a limit that is there for sound financial reasons (as I see it)

[gm5k]

Originally Posted by dlmorley

The basic fact is that they would lose SO much money if they did it, that I really can't think they will allow it. They want people to move on up at some point. For LOADS of people 32 digital i/o would be the clincher. LE or M-powered some serious convertors and a powerful computer. Why **** around with digi hardware?

I'm with you. I'd LOVE it to be true, but it is a limit that is there for sound financial reasons (as I see it)

would it be the same latency lets say if you had a lynx aurora 8 (just for example) hooked up to a digi 002 as compared to a lynx 8 hooked up to the lightbridge? are there any differences at all latency wise? thanks

[lozion]

Just bought the Lightbridge and will test & report back with MP7.3...

[edwinhurwitz]

I have the lightbridge and use with Digital Performer. I've done 24 tracks with no problems with a Mac Book Pro and an external eSata drive. I have thought about getting PT MP, but given that DP crossgrade is about the same price and can run without a dongle (ie. approved hardware) attached, I went with that. This was I can also record and playback with Metric Halo, etc boxes. I then just bring it all into PT LE to mix and overdub. I just can't see forking over several hundreds of dollars to buy software that I have essentially already bought. They should give us PT LE owners a discount on this.

Edwin
Anyway, it works great. Only thing to watch out for is the typical M-Audio firewire power issues that are outlined at their site. It seems dumb that they haven't worked that out already. No other i/o boxes that I have have these issues. I am thinking that the newer Mac laptops are protected against problems here, as they have new circuitry to guard against shorts, etc, but I don't really want to take chances. All things considered, it's a great box (oh yeah, the headphone output is SEVERELY underpowered.). Thanks to Warren for getting it to me in a timely fashion!

[walter]

I bought the lightbridge for $360 last month. It works. There is one firewire port. I use it on my macbook pro with Cubase SE. Recomends 7200rpm HD w/ 16m buffer, Western Digital F/W HD, that has two firewire ports, problem solved. I think for 96kHz operation an external clock is a must. I use lightpipe for clocking, either the lightbridge, or Behringer ADA8000, both work.

[lozion]

Hi, I use M-Powered 7.3 since it came out with the Lightbridge.
My set-up is PT M-P7.3 on a Macbook Core duo 2Ghz with a 100G 7200 rpm internal drive. I use a Presonus Firestation as Dual preamp + 8 I/O Adat converter going lightpipe to the Profire Lightbridge (master clock-wordclock out). I also have a TC Electronic M1 thru Spdif.

-The driver (1.8.1) is universal for all M-Audio firewire devices and will go from 128 to 2048 HW buffer.
-The Lightbridge IS PT 7.3 compatible.
-The Lightbridge can be firewire bus powered.
-It allows for 18 simultaneous I/O at 44.1khz up to 96khz with PT7.3
-There is no internal mixer and thus no lo latency monitoring.
-You can choose your channel ordering as Spdif first or Adat first.
-You can have your Spdif outs mirroring the analog outs (the LB's DA's).

Now, here are a few limitations,
If you choose to have your ADAT channels first, the LB analog outs will correspond to the following pair of outputs after your ADAT outs. Thus if you have like me 8 I/O thru ADAT, the LB main outs will default to 9-10, which is fine but you have to configure your DAW I/O set-up accordingly or you can monitor through your ADAT device's outs 1-2 (or whichever)

If you use the Spdif I/O first, then the LB analog outs can be 1-2 if mirroring Spdif or if not using the mirroring option, they will placed last after spdif 1-2, ADAT 1-8, 9-16, etc. This means that if you monitor with the LB without Spdif mirroring, you have to configure your speaker outputs in OSX AudioMidi set-up to the corresponding pair of outs in order to use I-Tunes, Quicktime, etc., so 11-12 in my case (I use Adat first & no Spdif mirroring). As far as the DA's go, the LB outs are balanced and have a dedicated hardware level pot so thats a godsend after my Firewire 410 p.o.s...
The converters are stock M-Audio, clean albeit a bit brittle. The headphone outs are plenty loud imo...

In terms of stability, well, it took me many tries to get the LB to upgrade its firmware but after that wierd issue, I must say it was pretty solid for 3 days.
The lack of lo latency monitoring was a bit of a concern at first, but after doing vocal overdubs at buffer 128 with 20-25 plugs and about 20 tracks without a single hiccup this became a non-issue for me...
Plus, the new 7.3 features are great, screensets, new rtas engine allowing opening of sends without stopping, I/O changes on the fly, etc.
One strange thing I noticed is that while you edit, depending on the task, audio can be briefly interrupted, something we are not used to... Not sure if its a bug or due to the new RTAS engine...

Well, thats it if you have any questions or things you would like me to try, shoot away...

[jon2911]

Originally Posted by lozion

My set-up is PT M-P7.3 on a Macbook Core duo 2Ghz with a 100G 7200 rpm internal drive.

How's that working out for you? We were talking about it earlier on the ibook thread. Sorry to hijack, maybe we can talk about it over there

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by lozion

Now, here are a few limitations,
If you choose to have your ADAT channels first, the LB analog outs will correspond to the following pair of outputs after your ADAT outs. Thus if you have like me 8 I/O thru ADAT, the LB main outs will default to 9-10, which is fine if you configure your DAW I/O set-up accordingly but that way you cant use other apps like I-tunes or Finder, etc. You would then need to monitor through your ADAT device's outs 1-2.

Does this mean if you have the adats on the 3 last adat ports, you can have the LB analog out as the first pair?

[lozion]

Originally Posted by dlmorley

Does this mean if you have the adats on the 3 last adat ports, you can have the LB analog out as the first pair?

No, you see the LB analog outs are always last if not mirroring Spdif, so in your example that would be outputs 35-36 or 33-34 if mirroring spdif with ADAT first or 1-2 if Spdif first & mirroring Spdif.

The bummer is that if you want to monitor with the Lightbridge and have it assigned to outputs 1-2, you have to select spdif first AND mirroring, making use of an external effect with spdif... useless, unless you want to send your whole mix to a reverb.
The only way to use spdif as an effect send is to monitor thru your ADAT converters outs by selecting ADAT first & unselect the spdif mirroring option.
The LB's analog outs would then be placed last in line after ADAT & Spdif.
Hope this all makes sense...

[dlmorley]

I'm just setting mine up, so will probably see what you mean soon!!!
I was hoping I could have the adat ports via convertors straight to my desk for proper mixdown and use the LB outs to monitor a rough mix ITB going to a stereo pair on my desk...

[lozion]

Originally Posted by dlmorley

I'm just setting mine up, so will probably see what you mean soon!!!
I was hoping I could have the adat ports via convertors straight to my desk for proper mixdown and use the LB outs to monitor a rough mix ITB going to a stereo pair on my desk...

Right, should work. Let me know how your testing goes...

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by lozion

Right, should work. Let me know how your testing goes...

Ok!
So far, installation was fine. Hooked my Fostex D2424 up to it and got that synced up with MMC and WC no problems
Haven't got any further yet. Will try monitoring via profire outs and see what gives.
Nice box so far.
Oh and re latency, I have no idea yet as I am monitoring on my desk...

[lozion]

Originally Posted by jon2911

How's that working out for you? We were talking about it earlier on the ibook thread. Sorry to hijack, maybe we can talk about it over there

Great! Like I said , all disk I/O operations are faster but the difference is less drastic then going from 4200 to 7200rpm. With the added storage capacity, I now use all my audio internally on a separate partition with great results. Since my new Lightbridge interface as only one firewire port, the firewire bus is now dedicated to the interface. No need for cascading.

Cheers,

[jon2911]

Cool, sorry for the hijack. I'm trying to decide whether to go your way, or BTO the 160GB 5400 RPM drive like frugalpole did. He seems to be getting great results as well. The downer of changing it out seems to be that if you do Applecare warranty work, they want the original hard drive in there. Which is dumb IMO, but I've got to play by their rules now

[logiclust]