UR824 with other USB Devices (TI Snow)

Steinberg Hardware
1

Hello:

I am considering buying an UR824 after my MR816’s firewire card recently died.

My question is this: How do you think it will fare when used with other USB-hungry devices, such as integrated hardware/software synthesizers, like the TI Snow or others?

What are your experiences? I get the feeling that the UR wants to have the USB all to itself.

2

Hi There

I have a UR824 which I use alongside an M-Audio Keystation Pro 88 Keyboard controller which is USB powered (it 's a big keyboard but the USB bus seems to provide enough power)and a Line 6 Pod XT, plus a USB wireless mouse and keyboard (which they say you shouldn’t use but I’ve never had problems with it). It all works well, latency is set atm at 128 samples, I can get it down to 64 if I want but I don’t cos I don’t need it:-)I was previously using a Mackie Onyx 1640i which had an integrated firewire card in it and I have to say the USB is superior in just about every way. Hope this helps

Best Regards

Dave

3

Thanks for your feedback. Anyone else using audio interfaces or integrated hardware/software?

4

It’s funny. last night I upgraded my laptop from Windows 8 to 8.1 (beware - it wipes ALL your programmes) and as I was reloading software from my desktop, I was thinking how funny that my 2x UR824s have been plugged into my desktop via a cheap Tesco-bought usb hub that cost about £5, along with my Yamaha KX25 controller keyboard. I’ve had them like that for the last three weeks or so; I know it’s stupid but for mixing down audio tracks, which is all I’ve been doing, there has been absolutely no problem. I also can easily run with a buffer size of 64 samples. Through a £5 usb hub.

I’m sure this is lucky for a variety of reasons, but nonetheless probably gives some indication that the usb implementation and driver software for the UR824 is robust.

Steve.

5

plectrumboy,
Am I understanding you correctly that you are using two UR824 units on the same computer? If so, are they both conected via USB or is one connected using ADAT?

6

Yes, one UR824 designated as ‘master’ and one as ‘slave’, with adat connections between the two, and then the ‘master’ UR824 connected to the computer via usb.

Before doing this, the ‘slave’ unit has to be set up using the included dspmixFX software to route all its analogue inputs to its adat output, and then shut down (so it remembers this setting), and then connected via adat cable to the ‘master’ unit and you’re good to go.

I’ve said this before on this forum - I think it absolutely beggars belief that Steinberg/Yamaha provide such appalling instructions about how to use multiple units. A quick glance on this forum shows how many of us struggle to get them working - it must be costing them sales.

For what it’s worth, I think these are beautiful units with an exquisite sound.

Steve.