OmniStudio Troubles

[ntnunk]

My primary recording interface is a M-Audio Delta 66 PCI card with a Omni I/O interface attached. The Omni is pretty nice, with 6 inputs and 6 outputs, 2 on-board mic preamps, 2 headphone jacks, effects sends, etc. One problem I noticed when I first got the unit (I bought it off eBay) was that the first two Aux return jacks are strange. By strange I mean they work, but the only way to get them to work in both channels (L/R) is by sliding the plug only partway in. They are supposed to be stereo TRS jacks but they don't work at all with the plug fully seated.

Tonight I think I've discovered another problem with it. I was trying to lay some guitar tracks down and wanted to set up a guitar monitor bus as described in this article. I could not get the thing to work correctly to save my life. No matter what I did I couldn't hear the guitar over my monitors. I could hear it in my headphones, which are supposed to be the same point electrically, but not over the monitors. Finally in desperation I tried a different input channel and it worked perfectly. So apparently there's some kind of problem with the way input channel 1 is routing audio.

So now I'm thinking it might just be easiest to get a regular Delta 66 breakout box and a small mixer to replace the Omni I/O module. The only problem is that I can't seem to find out how to acquire just the Delta 66 breakout box without having to purchase a whole new unit. Anybody got any ideas?

On a related note, if I do get a regular 6 in/6 out breakout box, what size mixer would be optimum? How would it be wired? Would you want to wire a mixer channel to each input and output? I'm a little confused as to the best way to utilize something like that. Mixers are an area where I have almost zero experience.

[MattKingUSA]

Here's my input, if you have 6 inputs and 6 outputs and the 6 inputs are stereo than that means that you can run 12 mono inputs. So, I would go with atleast a 12 channel mixer. Unless I understood your wrong.

[ntnunk]

Here's my input, if you have 6 inputs and 6 outputs and the 6 inputs are stereo than that means that you can run 12 mono inputs. So, I would go with atleast a 12 channel mixer. Unless I understood your wrong.

Nope, I think you understood perfectly. I've been doing a lot of reading on the subject and in fact I just bought a 16 channel Mackie off eBay about an hour ago.

Now if I can just acquire the delta breakout box. If I can't, I found a pinout for the Delta's D-sub connector so I suppose I'll just have to break out the soldering iron and make a connector cable.

Thanks for the input.

[MattKingUSA]

Mackie is a great brand to go with. It looks like you will have a hard time finding the box for your delta without having to repurchase the entire set. Ebay or craigslist.org will most likely be your best bet.

[ntnunk]

It looks like you will have a hard time finding the box for your delta without having to repurchase the entire set. Ebay or craigslist.org will most likely be your best bet.

eBay was indeed the ticket. I found a guy selling just the Delta series breakout box on eBay last week. Nobody but me even bid on the thing and I managed to snag it for $10. It arrived today and my new (to me) mixer will be here tomorrow.

Now I just need a bunch of patch cables...

[MattKingUSA]

Wow! You got really lucky there man. Good find.

[ntnunk]

Wow! You got really lucky there man. Good find.

It was lucky. The only problem is that when I set the new mixer up tonight and started hooking everything up I noticed something was wrong with the #1 output jack on the breakout box. I took it apart and discovered the plastic case of the jack is broken. The jack still works fine, the cable just doesn't lock in very well. I think a judicious application of superglue will fix the problem. If not I'll try and find a replacement jack and heat up the soldering iron.

I'm liking the new mixer. I need more cables before I can do too much, but so far, so good, and my studio looks much cooler now with a big ol' mixer sitting above my keyboard.

[Capoeira]

ntnunk, if you recieve a notification about my post, please answer. I'm interested in the omnistudio and how it works with linux

[steevc]

ntnunk, if you recieve a notification about my post, please answer. I'm interested in the omnistudio and how it works with linux

I'm wondering if there is some confusion here. The Omnistudio is a USB interface that I was not aware of. I assume it is no longer in production

http://www.zzounds.com/item--MDOOMNISTUUSB

but the original post was about the Delta-66 PCI card. Still going strong after 10 years or so

http://wiki.linuxmusicians.com/doku.php ... udio_delta

I have the latter, with the Omni I/O box. Seems like a great set-up to me.

[Capoeira]

the original post was about the Delta-66 PCI card. Still going strong after 10 years or so

http://wiki.linuxmusicians.com/doku.php ... udio_delta

I have the latter, with the Omni I/O box. Seems like a great set-up to me.

That's the one I'm talking about. The Omni boxes were sold (also) together with the delta-66 card as "Omni Studio". The usb version came later.

So I guess that, telling about compatibility, all that aplies for the 66 aplies for that combination, too.
How are the preams?
I can get it for ~$290 and I guess it would be a good abgrade from my M-Audio Duo.
Can somebody confirm that s/pdif of the 66 card work flawless in Linux?

[steevc]

I think the Omni box is basically an analogue mixer, so no software issues.

I've only used the preamps with guitars as I don't have any decent microphones, but I got a very clean signal. For now I have my Zoom H4 plugged into an aux input to use as my mic.

I don't have anything to plug into the s/pdif, but it appears in envy24, so I assume it is supported. I guess at some stage I could plug in some extra preamps that way. I'm not using the sends either, but I still consider the Omni worth having if you don't already have a mixer. My set-up is still very basic, but I have potential to upgrade using this interface. I anticipate it being adequate for my needs for a long time.

I wasn't familiar with the Duo. Looks like a good unit if you only need 2 channels, but I see it has some limitations due to USB 1.1 bandwidth. The Deltas can do duplex 24/96 with no problems.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct02/a ... maudio.asp

[Capoeira]

I think the Omni box is basically an analogue mixer

yea, this is it

I've only used the preamps with guitars as I don't have any decent microphones, but I got a very clean signal. For now I have my Zoom H4 plugged into an aux input to use as my mic.

at least on the paper they are better then thos of my Duo, providing 6 dB more gain 25dB more dynamic range and less distorsion, too

I don't have anything to plug into the s/pdif, but it appears in envy24, so I assume it is supported. I guess at some stage I could plug in some extra preamps that way. I'm not using the sends either, but I still consider the Omni worth having if you don't already have a mixer. My set-up is still very basic, but I have potential to upgrade using this interface. I anticipate it being adequate for my needs for a long time.

Yes, s/pdif in is a nice feauture for upgrading without buying all gear new. If I can use my M-Audio Duo with the omni over s/pdif I would have 6 simultan analogue channels with 4 of them with preamps (if I ever need that, I guess I will sell the Duo, if I buy the omni)

I wasn't familiar with the Duo. Looks like a good unit if you only need 2 channels, but I see it has some limitations due to USB 1.1 bandwidth. The Deltas can do duplex 24/96 with no problems.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct02/a ... maudio.asp

It's a nice unit, but I reached it's limitations. It being USB isn't realy a problem, but a limitation (yes, 24/96 is impossible for duplex, but afaik it doesn't make sense recording 24/96 anyways. bitrate is important). Things I don't like: No knob for the monitors, only one headphone out, no high imp. input. I wouldn't change it for a fasttrack but for a omni, I will - it has so much more feautures.

Thanks a lot