[ddots-l] Re: Good news regarding inexpensive interfaces

From: "John Fioravanti" <fioresq1@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 2 Jan 2011 10:21:44 -0500

Will this work with XP?

----- Original Message -----From: "Darren" <darren@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

To: <ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2011 8:33 AM
Subject: [ddots-l] Re: Good news regarding inexpensive interfaces

Hi Bryan.
I've had one of these for a couple of years and the only problems I everhad
were of my own doing when I installed the wrong drivers for Windows 7.

Simple to use and sounds great.

Cheers
Darren

-----Original Message-----
From: ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ddots-l-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Bryan Smart
Sent: 02 January 2011 13:22
To: ddots-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ddots-l] Good news regarding inexpensive interfaces

--_000_D496F0BD62B5F4419AD933D43E94643605AA88DDMAILR019maillan_
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Among the gloom and doom of inaccessible interfaces, I've had a recentgood=
find for those on a budget.

Cakewalk UA-25EX
This is basically a Roland-built interface. Has been out for a while, butI=must have just missed it. I have an Edirol FA66, and it looks verysimilar=, if you've seen that one before. It is also quite similar in construction=
and appearance to the older Firebox, though with higher quality controls.
The most important things about it are that it uses a USB interface, so is=widely compatible, has stable drivers in both ASIO and WDM mode, is fairly=inexpensive (well under $200), and is 100% accessible. There are lots ofph=ysical controls, but, for everything else, the control panel software uses=standard Windows controls that should all read perfectly with any screenre=
ader (tested with Jaws, NVDA, and Narrator).
There are a few drawbacks. It is a simple 2 in, 2 out interface, but, forp=eople recording at home on a budget, that won't be a big deal. It canrecor=d at 96Khz, but there are some limitations. You can work withoutlimitation=s at 48Khz or 44Khz at up to 24-bit, though, which will be fine for mostpe=
ople.

Assuming that those aren't a deal breaker for you, this is what you get:


=B7 Solid all-metal construction
=B7 Two front-panel combo jacks (1/4" line level, =BC" High-Zinstr=
ument input, or XLR mic with phantom power).

=B7 Digital in/out (optical)
=B7 Hardware monitoring of the inputs, controlled with a simplefro=
nt-panel knob.
=B7 A simple limiter/compressor for the inputs, controlled with am=
ode slide switch and an amount knob.
=B7 A ground lift switch, to remove hum that might be picked upfro=
m your laptop's power supply
=B7 Operates in a simple driver mode (class compliant), or in anad=vanced mode (ASIO direct monitoring and other features, but requiresUA-25E=
X drivers)

=B7 Simple MIDI (in/out)
=B7 Physical controls for adjusting the gain of the individualinpu=ts, selecting mono/stereo mode for the two inputs, selecting betweenanalog=or digital inputs, adjusting the limiter/compressor mode and amount,adjus=ting the direct monitor gain, ground lift on/off, selecting the samplerate=
, selecting the driver mode, phantom power on/off, and others.
It has drivers for XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Mac, including 32 and 64-bit.=In Windows 7 64-bit, I got stable performance out of it with 4Ms latency.T=
hat isn't bad for a USB interface. Sound quality is really good.
The limiter/compressor is a nice feature, also. Particularly for noviceuse=rs, it is a really nice safety to keep you from accidentally clipping ifyo=u aren't an expert in setting good levels. In limiter mode, the inputsigna=l is smoothed out to prevent clipping, and the front-panel knob adjuststhe=threshold. There are two compression modes that, when on, cause thefront-=panel threshold knob to apply gain reduction and makeup gain at the sameti=me. A fairly fast attack and slow release are preset, so this is intendedt=o help smooth out input levels, rather than for squishing dynamic range.Us=ed lightly, I could imagine this being a big help to a vocalist forgetting=
a quicky track recorded. Of course, you can switch this off.
The whole thing, preamps included, is USB bus-powered, and the case isextr=emely rugged (you could toss it around, drop it, sit on it, and itwouldn't=break). Several places are selling it for around $170 right now. That's a=really good bargain, I think, given the construction quality, stability,fe=
atures, and out-of-the-box accessibility.
By the way, my recent accessibility testing of interface after interfaceha=s been brought to you by Dancing Dots. If you think that you might like to=get one of these, please consider supporting this sort of testing bygettin=g one from DD. You can send an enquiry toadmin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:admi=
n@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, or call 610-783-6692 during normal business hours.

Bryan


--_000_D496F0BD62B5F4419AD933D43E94643605AA88DDMAILR019maillan_
Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<html xmlns:v=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml"xmlns:o=3D"urn:schemas-micr=osoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word"=xmlns:m=3D"http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml";xmlns=3D"http:=
//www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=
=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1"><meta name=3DGeneratorcontent=3D"Micr=
osoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dbluevli=nk=3Dpurple><div class=3DWordSection1>Among the gloom=and doom of inaccessible interfaces, I’ve had a recent good find for=those on a budget.<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p>=Cakewalk UA-25EX<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNormal><o=:p> </o:p>This is basically a Roland-builtin=terface. Has been out for a while, but I must have just missed it. I havea=n Edirol FA66, and it looks very similar, if you’ve seen that onebef=ore. It is also quite similar in construction and appearance to the olderF=irebox, though with higher quality controls.<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNo=
rmal><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>The most important things
rmal>ab=
out it are that it uses a USB interface, so is widely compatible, hasstabl=e drivers in both ASIO and WDM mode, is fairly inexpensive (well under$200=), and is 100% accessible. There are lots of physical controls, but, forev=erything else, the control panel software uses standard Windows controlsth=at should all read perfectly with any screen reader (tested with Jaws,NVDA=, and Narrator).<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p><p=class=3DMsoNormal>There are a few drawbacks. It is a simple 2 in, 2 outin=terface, but, for people recording at home on a budget, that won’tbe=a big deal. It can record at 96Khz, but there are some limitations. Youca=n work without limitations at 48Khz or 44Khz at up to 24-bit, though,which=will be fine for most people.<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNormal><o:p>&nbs=p;</o:p>Assuming that those aren’t a dealbr=eaker for you, this is what you get:<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNormal><o:=
p>&nbsp;</o:p>style=3D'text-indent:-.25in;m=
so-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><spanstyle=3D'font-family:Sym=bol'>=B7        </=
span><![endif]>Solid all-metal construction<o:p></o:p>class=3DMsoLis=
tParagraph style=3D'text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if!supp=ortLists]><spanstyle=3D'mso-list:Ignore='>=B7    &=nbsp;    <![endif]>Two front-panelcomb=o jacks (1/4” line level, =BC” High-Z instrument input, or XLR=mic with phantom power).<o:p></o:p><![if !supportLists]><spansty=le=3D'font-family:Symbol'>=B7<spanstyle=3D='font:7.0pt "Times NewRoman"'>       &n=bsp; <![endif]>Digital in/out(optical)<o:p></o:p>=<![if !supportLists]>=B7 =       <![endif]>H=ardware monitoring of the inputs, controlled with a simple front-panelknob=.<o:p></o:p><![if !supportLists]><spanstyle=3D'font-family:Symbo=l'>=B7        </sp=
an><![endif]>A simple limiter/compressor for the inputs, controlled with
an>a =
mode slide switch and an amount knob.<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoListParag=raph style=3D'text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if!supportLis=ts]><spanstyle=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>=B7<=span style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times NewRoman"'>     &=nbsp;   <![endif]>A ground lift switch, tor=emove hum that might be picked up from your laptop’s powersupply<o:p=
</o:p><![if !supportLists]><spanstyle=3D'font-family:Symbol'><s=pan style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>=B7        <!=[endif]>Operates in a simple driver mode (class compliant), or in anadvanc=ed mode (ASIO direct monitoring and other features, but requires UA-25EXdr=ivers)<o:p></o:p><![if !supportLists]><spanstyle=3D'font-family:=Symbol'>=B7        </span=
<![endif]>Simple MIDI (in/out)<o:p></o:p><![if!supportLi=sts]><spanstyle=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>=B7=     =    <![endif]>Physical controls foradj=usting the gain of the individual inputs, selecting mono/stereo mode forth=e two inputs, selecting between analog or digital inputs, adjusting thelim=iter/compressor mode and amount, adjusting the direct monitor gain, ground=lift on/off, selecting the sample rate, selecting the driver mode, phantom=power on/off, and others.<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o=:p>It has drivers for XP, Vista, Windows 7, andMa=c, including 32 and 64-bit. In Windows 7 64-bit, I got stable performanceo=ut of it with 4Ms latency. That isn’t bad for a USB interface. Sound=quality is really good.<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p=
The limiter/compressor is a nice feature,
also. P=
articularly for novice users, it is a really nice safety to keep you froma=ccidentally clipping if you aren’t an expert in setting good levels.=In limiter mode, the input signal is smoothed out to prevent clipping, and=the front-panel knob adjusts the threshold. There are two compressionmodes=that, when on, cause the front-panel threshold knob to apply gainreductio=n and makeup gain at the same time. A fairly fast attack and slow releasea=re preset, so this is intended to help smooth out input levels, ratherthan=for squishing dynamic range. Used lightly, I could imagine this being abi=g help to a vocalist for getting a quicky track recorded. Of course, youca=n switch this off.<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p>=The whole thing, preamps included, is USBbus-powered,=and the case is extremely rugged (you could toss it around, drop it, sito=n it, and it wouldn’t break). Several places are selling it foraroun=d $170 right now. That’s a really good bargain, I think, given theco=nstruction quality, stability, features, and out-of-the-boxaccessibility.<=o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><pclass=3DMsoNorma=
l>By the way, my recent accessibility testing of interface after
l>interface =
has been brought to you by Dancing Dots. If you think that you might liket=o get one of these, please consider supporting this sort of testing bygett=ing one from DD. You can send an enquiry to <ahref=3D"mailto:admin@dancing=dots.com">admin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx</a>, or call 610-783-6692 during normalbus=iness hours.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><pcla=ss=3DMsoNormal>Bryan<o:p></o:p><pclass=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></=
p></div></body></html>=

--_000_D496F0BD62B5F4419AD933D43E94643605AA88DDMAILR019maillan_--
PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE!
To leave the list, click on the immediately following link:
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe
If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
and in the Subject line type
unsubscribe
For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the immediately
following link:
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq or send a message, to
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and in the Subject line type faq

PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE!
To leave the list, click on the immediately following link:
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe
If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
and in the Subject line type
unsubscribe
For other list commands such as vacation mode,
click on the immediately following link:
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq or
send a message, to
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
and in the Subject line type
faq


PLEASE READ THIS FOOTER AT LEAST ONCE!
To leave the list, click on the immediately following link:
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe
If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
and in the Subject line type
unsubscribe

For other list commands such as vacation mode,click on the immediately following link:

ddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq or

send a message, toddots-l-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

and in the Subject line type
faq

References:
- [ddots-l] Good news regarding inexpensive interfaces
  - From: Bryan Smart
- [ddots-l] Re: Good news regarding inexpensive interfaces
  - From: Darren

[ddots-l] Re: Good news regarding inexpensive interfaces

Other related posts: