Dumb Soundcard Question

you don't need a soundcard if you have the m-audio device connected via usb. in your sequencer you select the m-audio as you input and output device  ;)

Your saying you don't have speakers connected to your computer. Have you looked on the back of the tower. Alot of newer machines have built-in sound cards, see if there are some 1/8" ins and outs, they maybe colored pink, blue, green.

Joe

What Joe said. Also if you're using a usb audio buddy it may not have any out's to speak of and even if you did, you would need something to amplify the sound whether it be a home stereo or outboard amplifier. The Duo, the Mobilepre and the Quattro have headphone outs as well as two line outs. Bottom line is: no speakers, no amp, no sound.

Let me be clear on something...I am getting sound. Either through my headphones or through my tini weeny pc speakers.

I am having a problem recording over something I have already recorded. Ideally, I can listen to the already recorded track while recording overdubs. Nope. I'm wondering if this has to do with the soundcard.

Anyways, I am getting sound so I am still confused why I need a soundcard.

Thanks. KY

Hueseph,

One other thing. The M-Audio preamp has outs on the back and a headphone jack on the front. I'm not currently using the outs on the back...and am not sure why I would:

* Guitar amp out goes into the M-Audio preamp in
* M-audio goes into laptop USB

So what would I use those outs on the M-Audio for?

Getting more and more confused.

Thanks. KY

The usb can be used purely for the power supply to the preamp. The other connections allow you to output to a mixer/amp/sound card/PA, whatever you want, they're at line level.

You have no need to have your main amp in the setup - the m-audio has an instrument input and you can also plug a mic in, to sing into or mic your amp's speaker(s).

OK laptop different story. If you have sound there has to be some sort of sound device installed. check your manual to see if there is a hidden panel that might contain a speaker out. If there are absolutely no speaker outs on your laptop (which would be really unusual.)you'll need to get a pc card sound port or another usb audio device(m-audio makes one of these also.) Unless of course you are satisfied with listening through headphones. As far as multitracking is concerned, it could be a matter of adjusting the settings in your software. Check the manual. Usually there is some amount of setup required in order to get the software working the way you want it to.  Check windows settings as well.

One last thing here. I just called Dell and they told me I have an integrated sound card on my mother board. Something like an AC97 Sigmatech something or other.

Sooooo, I have some kind of soundcard and the M-Audio preamp.

KY

Two questions I have is what M-Audio device do you have? From your description I am guessing a M-Audio MobilePre. If this is what you are using, then it has two output on the back that you can hook to speakers, but they will have to be powered speakers.  The other question I have is what software are you using for recording? I have a Aardvark LX6 and some applications will not talk to it (even though you can set it as the output device). So your problem could be in your application. Programs like Cakewalk, Sonar, or the like should work fine with the MobilePre. Windows sound recorder and other wave recorders may not allow you to overdub or record multiple tracks.

Side note to anyone with a AC97 chipset in their motherboard, the MIDI port of this chip is broken in strange ways. MIDI can be sent out of it just fine, but some MIDI input can't be recieved and causes the running application to crash.

Feel free to send me email and I will try and help (email address is on my web site).

Rich

Not knowing which M-audio preamp you have. (model number). Or whether its USB. have you tried connecting it to the line in on the sound card and adjusting the properties in the control panel.

Look at the back of your tower there will be three colored jacks one is a line in, one is a Mic in, the other is a speaker out. Use the line in.

Sorry I can't pull any towers out to look and tell you which colored one it is , I have a carver power amp apart replacing cap's and its in the way.

joe

Apefeet,

I have a M-Audio Duo preamp. My speakers are not powered speakers...stereo speakers.

Forrok,

I am connecting the Duo with usb.

kyoun1e,

  Ok, read the manual on M-Audio Duo and checked out Guitar Tracks (looks like a newer version of Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 that I use). So, you don't need to get a sound card since you already have one on the motherboard. For Guitar tracks, make sure you Duo is set to ASIO mode and you should be able to see the card in Guitar Tracks. Also if Guitar Tracks works like Pro Audio9, you will also need to set the output of the tracks, set this to AC97. The AC97 can only do up to 44.1k 16 bits so if you want to record and play back at higher speeds you will need to use the ouputs of your Duo. This is one reason why you would want to use Duo's outputs. The other reason is that the Duo's outputs will sound much better then the AC97 outputs. From the manual you can probably connect standard PC speakers to the headphone jack of the Duo (I would recommend ones with a AC power supply). The line outs (1/4") need to be connected to either your sterio, a mixer or monitor speakers.

If you are having problems overdubing, make sure you have the track you want to dub over armed for record, and under options you should find a control to select whether recording mixes current track or replaces current track. Also under ProAudio 9 under Global options there is a audio configuration panel where you test your sound card. There is an option there that enables simultaneous playback and recording. Not sure where this is with Guitar Tracks, just hunt around in options.

I FIGURED IT OUT!

I needed to do two things:

(1) Connect my M-Audio Duo directly to my receiver, and
(2) Set my default settings on my computer and GTP 2 to my Duo as the sound device

Everything is cool now. I can focus on rock.

Thank god.

Thanks all.

KY