Ways to make current hardware + software work?

Optimize your system for ultimate performance.

Moderators: MattKingUSA, khz

Post Reply
suseesudo
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:51 pm

Ways to make current hardware + software work?

Post by suseesudo »

I'm running Linux Mint 19.0, on a old P.O.S hp pavillion (intel core duo, 2gb ram, needs a clean), running the linux version of reaper. I own a M-Audio Fast Track Pro (also ancient) which i gave up trying to make work with Ubuntu Xenial due to JACK/ASIO bridges not wanting to talk to each other. In your opinions, is it worth trying to find a workaround for Mint and the Fast Track or should I just invest in a class-compliant interface?
Been recording a while but using linux for a year tops, please feel free to correct any stupid assumptions i might have made. Apologies if there's an FAQ somewhere, haven't been able to find it.
Thanks all! :)
User avatar
Michael Willis
Established Member
Posts: 1451
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 3:27 pm
Location: Rocky Mountains, North America
Has thanked: 69 times
Been thanked: 163 times
Contact:

Re: Ways to make current hardware + software work?

Post by Michael Willis »

After reviewing a previous conversation here about the Fast Track Pro, I'm going to suggest that you might be better off getting a class compliant interface. That thread is littered with tears and broken dreams.

The good news is that from what I could see on reverb.com, you could probably sell it there for a large fraction of the price that you will spend on a different interface, so you won't be out a whole lot.
User avatar
bluebell
Established Member
Posts: 1909
Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2012 11:44 am
Location: Saarland, Germany
Has thanked: 111 times
Been thanked: 116 times

Re: Ways to make current hardware + software work?

Post by bluebell »

I had a FastTrack pro and got it working - but not reliably.

- After some hours of operation it began "cyloning", sounding like a vocoder at playback
- Sometimes it recorded noise only

Powercycling helped in most cases but it was a pain in the ass. I remember even Windows users that reported that cyloning effect.

Buying a Focusrite Scarlett and running it with 48000 Hz solved all technical problems.

I have to admit that I tested the FastTrack pro only with 44100 Hz. Don't know if it works better with 48000 Hz.

Linux – MOTU UltraLite AVB – Qtractor – http://suedwestlicht.saar.de/

oddy.o.lynx
Established Member
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 2:54 am
Has thanked: 22 times
Been thanked: 22 times

Re: Ways to make current hardware + software work?

Post by oddy.o.lynx »

To get your FTP working I would recommend reading this tutorial. The important part is PART III - SYSTEM CONFIGURATION.

http://joegiampaoli.blogspot.com/2011/0 ... linux.html

Once you do these steps and have rebooted, you may have to use QJACKCTL to get it recognised. Cadence seems to drop it if attempted to connect for the first time from there. It could be because I was trying it as hw:5. Either way, if using QJACKCTL or Cadence select it as hw:Pro rather than hw:5

hw:Pro:0 is input and hw:Pro:1 is output

I like to use a sample rate of 48 kHz with a buffer size of 256 samples and set the periods/buffer at 3. Latency is 5.3 ms. It can handle 128 as well with few xruns. 64 is tricky but if using stable software you just might sneak it through without xruns.

The good news it runs quite well at 24 bit. I also found that it is sensitive to electromagnetic interference so keep it clear of other electronics.

- FastTrack Pro MIDI 1 is the hardware connection.
- system:playback_1 and system:playback_2 are the headphones
- system:capture_1 and system:capture_2 are the inputs up front

The front panel is fully operational with this set-up.

This is the output from Cadence followed by exporting the MIDI hardware and starting the ALSA to MIDI bridge (a2jmidid)

- Starting jack server...
- JACK server starting in realtime mode with priority 10
- self-connect-mode is "Ignore all self connect requests"
- Acquired audio card Audio5
- creating alsa driver ... hw:Pro,1|hw:Pro,0|256|3|48000|0|0|nomon|swmeter|-|32bit
- Using ALSA driver USB-Audio running on card 5 - M-Audio FastTrack Pro at usb-0000:00:1a.0-1.2, full speed
- configuring for 48000Hz, period = 256 frames (5.3 ms), buffer = 3 periods
- ALSA: final selected sample format for capture: 24bit big-endian in 3bytes format
- ALSA: use 3 periods for capture
- ALSA: final selected sample format for playback: 24bit big-endian in 3bytes format
- ALSA: use 3 periods for playback
- graph reorder: new port 'system:capture_1'
- New client 'system' with PID 0
- graph reorder: new port 'system:capture_2'
- graph reorder: new port 'system:playback_1'
- graph reorder: new port 'system:playback_2'
- New client 'claudia' with PID 4367
- Saving settings to "/home/<user>/.config/jack/conf.xml" ...
- New client 'a2j' with PID 2311
- port 'a2j:Midi Through [14] (capture): Midi Through Port-0' created
- port 'a2j:Midi Through [14] (playback): Midi Through Port-0' created
- port 'a2j:Midi Through [14] (capture): Midi Through Port-1' created
- port 'a2j:Midi Through [14] (playback): Midi Through Port-1' created
- port 'a2j:Midi Through [14] (capture): Midi Through Port-2' created
- port 'a2j:Midi Through [14] (playback): Midi Through Port-2' created
- port 'a2j:Midi Through [14] (capture): Midi Through Port-3' created
- port 'a2j:Midi Through [14] (playback): Midi Through Port-3' created
- port 'a2j:FastTrack Pro [36] (capture): FastTrack Pro MIDI 1' created
- port 'a2j:FastTrack Pro [36] (playback): FastTrack Pro MIDI 1' created
oddy.o.lynx
Established Member
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2018 2:54 am
Has thanked: 22 times
Been thanked: 22 times

Re: Ways to make current hardware + software work?

Post by oddy.o.lynx »

If you are using Linux Mint 19 I think you will run into problems. I tried it and went back to 18.3

There is something messed up with the ALSA to JACK bridge.

Waveform9 was a disaster and energyXT using WINE-RT (32 bit) wouldn't even run when using WINEASIO.

WINE-staging did not resolve the issue. Went back to 18.3 and everything works again. Suffice it to say I am using Timeshift now.
Post Reply