Pinnacle Fast Track Ultra 8R
Contents
1. 20 Hz to 22 kHz 0 1 dB 48 kHz sample rate Sensitivity 1dBu max level at min input Phantom Power 48 Volts DC 16mA Instrument Input Pre amp Gain OdB to 40dB or greater Impedance 1M Ohm unbalanced SNR min gain 103 dB A weighted Dynamic Range min gain 103 dB A weighted THD N min gain 0 005 92 3 dB 1 dBFS 1 kHz Freq Response min gain 20 Hz to 22 kHz 0 3 dB 48 kHz sample rate Maximum Input 14dbv Power Requirements Power is derived from the included 9VDC 4000mA power supply Supported Sampling Rates 44 1 48 88 2 96 kHz 2o Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 23 14 Warranty Terms and Registration Warranty Terms M Audio warrants products to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and provided that the product is owned by the original registered user Visit www m audio com warranty for terms and limitations applying to your specific product Warranty Registration Immediately registering your new M Audio product entitles you to full warranty coverage and helps M Audio develop and manufacture the finest quality products available Register online at www m audio com register to receive FREE product updates and for the chance to win M Audio giveaways M AUDIO Fast Track Ultra 8R O2 x C Tested to comply with FCC standards FOR HOME OR STUDIO USE O 2008 Avid Techno2. send knobs Signals from tabs 5 6 or 7 8 cannot be sent to the internal DSP Effects Algorithm Presets This drop down menu lets you select from a range of reverb and delay algorithms The presets are e Room 1 e Room 3 e Hall 2 e Delay e Room 2 e Hall 1 e Plate e Echo The three controls beneath the algorithm display offer the following controls for fine tuning the effect e Duration e Feedback e Volume Feedback is only available for Delay and Echo effects Metering and Knob Control Options Peak Meter Hold The meters of Fast Track Ultra 8R feature a peak hold function designed to assist in finding the loudest transients of a signal This drop down menu TIP Peak levels can determines how long the peak indicator will remain before resetting Select be cleared at any time Off to disable the peak hold function Select 1 Second or 3 Seconds to by clicking the meters enable one or three seconds of peak holding respectively Select Infinite to in the DSP mixer indefinitely hold peak levels until the meters are cleared Knob Mouse Axis The knobs of the Fast Track Ultra 8R Control Panel can be adjusted by using up down left right or both up down and left right mouse movements Selecting Vertical allows you to turn a knob clockwise by clicking and dragging upward the knob can be turned counter clockwise by clicking and dragging downward Similarly selecting Horizontal allows you to t
3. 32 bit editions It is not supported under Windows 2000 Windows 98 98SE or Windows ME Please see the note below regarding System Updates before making any updates to your operating system Minimum System Requirements Windows XP with SP2 Windows Vista 32 bit editions e 1 6 GHz CPU e 1 6 GHz CPU CPU requirements may be higher for laptops CPU requirements may be higher for laptops e DirectX 9 0c e USB 2 0 port e USB 2 0 port 2 por e 512 MB RAM e 1 GB RAM Mac OS X Fast Track Ultra 8R is supported by Intel based and PowerPC based Macs running Mac OS X version 10 4 11 or 10 5 2 or later Minimum System Requirements PowerPC Intel e Mac OS X 10 4 11 10 5 2 e Mac OS X 10 4 11 10 5 2 e native USB 2 0 port e native USB 2 0 port e 512 MB RAM e 512 MB RAM e G4 1GHz CPU e Intel CPU G4 accelerator cards not supported M Audio suggests that you also check the minimum system requirements for your audio software as they may be greater than the above IMPORTANT NOTE Fast Track Ultra 8R has been designed as a USB 2 0 device USB 1 1 operation is not supported A Note About System Updates Please check the M Audio driver download page at http www m audio com drivers for the availability of an updated driver before you decide to install operating system updates Before new M Audio device drivers are released they are tested for use with the operating system versions that are available at that time When updates for an
4. 48 Power Switch C Pressing this button will power on Fast Track Ultra 8R illuminating the front panel Power LED 4 The unit must be connected to the external power supply Power LED Power This blue LED lights when the power switch 43 has been pressed and power is being received from the external power supply Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide Rear Panel B 49 20 D 17 D B p IV AUDIO Fast Track Ultra 8R gt A gt E A A a anna dli 7 N a oa Vandi TRN S PDIF a e 2 3 SA USB 2 0 Line Outputs _ ete tet 15 Power Input 9V DC 3 5A 4A Connect the included power supply to this jack NOTE Fast Track Ultra 8R is designed to work with 9V DC power supplies with a 3 5 4A rating If you need to purchase an additional power supply for your Fast Track Ultra 8R be sure to buy one with the correct rating and polarity Replacement power supplies are available at the M Audio webstore 16 USB Connector e lt gt USB 2 0 Connect a standard USB cable to this port connecting the other end to your host computer NOTE Fast Track Ultra 8R is a USB 2 0 device and must be connected to a USB 2 0 port on your computer USB 1 0 1 1 operation is not supported 17 Kensington Lock Port KK This connector is compatible with Kensington security cables to protect your device from theft 18 MIDI and S PDIF Connector MIDI S PDIF The accompanying breakout cable
5. a 20 dB pad on the Mic and Instrument input Pushing the knob in will disengage the pad Note that the level controls only affect the XLR mic and front panel instrument inputs but do not affect the line level inputs Phantom Power Switches Phantom Power Pressing these switches activates the phantom power circuitry for the corresponding group of four mic inputs 1 through 4 or 5 through 8 illuminating the Phantom Power LED 7 and sending 48V power to the four associated XLR inputs 0 for use with condenser microphones requiring external power Phantom Power LED These red LEDs light to indicate that the corresponding phantom power switch has been pressed applying 48V phantom power to the selected group of four mic inputs Headphone Output Levels A D These two knobs control the volume level for the two headphone outputs Headphone Outputs A D These two 1 4 stereo TRS jacks are independent of the main audio output level and are controlled by the headphone output knobs 8 The first headphone jack outputs the same audio signal as rear panel outputs 1 2 while the second headphone jack outputs the same audio signal as rear panel outputs 3 4 Main Output Level Output This knob controls the main output level output pair 1 2 MIDI Input LED MIDI In This green LED lights when MIDI data is present at the MIDI input 8 MIDI Output LED MIDI Out This green LED lights when MIDI data is present at the MIDI output
6. drop down menu will display the incoming sample rate but will not allow changes If the status in the Clock panel see the Clock section below is set to External but no valid digital signal is received at Fast Track Ultra 8R s S PDIF input the Signal Status will display this message Because the sync source is external the sample rate my not be adjusted While there is no valid external signal the sample rate will remain 44 1 kHz Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 14 Sync Source This drop down menu lets you select the clock source of Fast Track Ultra 8R To synchronize the interface to an external digital source i e the incoming S PDIF signal select the External setting To synchronize Fast Track Ultra 8R to its own internal clock select Internal Please see the box below for more information about the digital input and external clocking About External Clock Digital audio is based on samples For example a digital recording at a sample rate of 44 1 kHz contains 44 100 samples or digital snapshots per second Each digital audio device has its own internal clock or crystal to generate and control the exact rate and timing of these samples during every second In order for two or more digital audio devices to function together only one of their clocks can be in control the Master while any other devices must be synchronized to that device s clock the Slave Otherwise the resulting audio will soun
7. kHz Supported sample rates are 44 1 48 88 2 and 96 kHz Most applications allow you to change the sample rate from within your audio software You can also change the sample rate in the Control Panel It is recommended that you do not change the sample rate from the Control Panel while your DAW application is running as this can cause some applications to exhibit unexpected behavior In order to receive a digital signal via the S PDIF input you will need to change the Control Panel s Sync Source setting in the Settings tab to External after which Fast Track Ultra 8R will automatically detect an incoming digital signal and receive its sample rate from that incoming S PDIF source Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide Monitor Mixing Fast Track Ultra 8R features four separate 16x2 monitor mixers These four mixers are found in the Control Panel under the tabs labeled Monitor 1 2 Monitor 3 4 Monitor 5 6 and Monitor 7 8 and route their mixed outputs to hardware outputs 1 2 3 4 5 6 and 7 8 respectively Each of these mixers can be used to create a stereo near zero latency monitor mix consisting of any combination of hardware inputs or software outputs This is a very convenient feature to have while overdub recording since it allows you to easily set up customized monitor mixes for up to four different people For example you can create separate mixes for the vocalist guitarist bassist and drummer of a
8. lower latency but may not function well with slower systems causing clicks pops and dropouts in the audio playback The default buffer size is 256 samples If you are experiencing clicks and pops in your audio try increasing the buffer size ASIO Direct Monitoring Windows only Many Windows applications that support ASIO 2 0 also support ASIO direct monitoring ASIO Direct Monitoring allows your ASIO compatible software to remotely access and control some routing and monitoring functions of the Fast Track Ultra 8R Control Panel If you prefer to not use ASIO Direct Monitoring uncheck the box marked ASIO Direct Monitoring on this tab Please refer to your DAW application s user guide for more information on implementing ASIO direct monitoring High Performance Mode Windows only Clicking this box engages High Performance Mode which further reduces software monitoring latency and also reduces the load placed on your CPU Most computers support High Performance Mode however if you experience any unexpected results e g system instability unresponsiveness etc disable High Performance Mode By default this box is left unchecked Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 15 Effects Settings This box controls the algorithm and parameters of the internal effects unit Any channels routed to the internal DSP section will be effected by selections made on this page gt IMPORTANT Only the Monitor tabs for channels 1 2 and 3 4 have
9. operating system are released by Microsoft or Apple all M Audio device drivers have to be retested and possibly updated to ensure proper operation M Audio recommends refraining from installing operating system updates until a driver has been posted to the M Audio website for that specific operating system Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 5 Controls and Connectors Front Panel 10 11 12 13 14 0000 la Ee eee Instrument Inputs 1 and 2 Inst These front panel connectors provide instrument level inputs for channels 1 and 2 Each of these two inputs will accept a high impedance instrument level signal on an unbalanced 1 4 plug Set the Mic Line Instrument switch Q to the in position to activate the corresponding front panel input Mic Line Instrument Level Switches m Mic Line Inst These switches select the input source for channels 1 2 between the front panel Instrument inputs Q and the rear panel Mic Line inputs 0 LED Clip Meters Clip These red LEDs illuminate when an input signal reaches a sustained clipping level Reduce the channel s Input Gain level if the LED glows steadily red LED Level Meters These green LEDs illuminate when an input signal of 40 dBFS is present at the corresponding input Mic Instrument Gain Pad 1 8 Mic Inst Gain Pull 20dB These knobs adjust the input gain level for channels 1 through 8 Pulling the knob out will engage
10. using a method called overdub recording Overdub recording allows artists to record their music while listening to previously recorded parts of the song For example a vocalist may record his or her parts while listening to the previously recorded guitar bass and drum parts in his her headphones This method is popular because each recorded part is completely separate from the other parts and can be more easily edited and mixed into a polished song For example if the guitarist is not happy with the solo it is possible to edit problematic notes re record the entire solo or even splice together the best parts of multiple takes to create one seamless performance This kind of detailed editing is generally not possible with live recording situations in which all sounds are captured at once To record overdubs each artist must have a monitor or cue mix sent to his her headphones This mix contains the previously recorded tracks combined with the live signal that is being recorded For example the vocalist would need to hear the guitar bass and drum tracks along with his her own vocal performance as it is being recorded into the computer Fast Track Ultra 8R allows you to create up to four stereo monitor mixes using the first four tabs of the Control Panel Each tab controls a stereo mixer with 16 inputs eight hardware inputs plus eight outputs from your audio software The Software Output Signal Routing sect
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12. M AUDIO Fast Track Ulira 8R Rack mountable 8 x 8 USB 2 0 Interface with MX Core DSP Technology al User Guide Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 1 Introduction Thanks for choosing M Audio Fast Track Ultra 8R Fast Track Ultra 8R is a professional high quality audio and MIDI interface for your Windows or Macintosh laptop or desktop computer Using the convenience and dependability of a USB 2 0 connection Fast Track Ultra 8R provides your computer with an exceptionally flexible audio interface that will handle virtually any recording task with ease Fast Track Ultra 8R delivers high resolution 24 bit audio to and from your computer at sampling rates up to 96kHz Its on board DSP gives you a useful selection of reverb and delay effects and versatile monitoring options Fast Track Ultra 8R also gives you sixteen channels of MIDI in and out all in a sleek rugged compact single rack space design It connects to your computer with a single USB cable no tools needed no cards to install Fast Track Ultra 8R was created with the home or project studio user in mind With eight inputs eight outputs and eight high quality preamps featuring M Audio s award winning Octane technology Fast Track Ultra 8R gives you a great sounding easy to use interface for your digital audio software The eight combo XLR TRS inputs can accommodate microphone or line levels with phantom power switchable in groups of four and individual 20dB pads Chann
13. The Sample Rate drop down menu lets you select the current sample rate for the internal clock of Fast Track Ultra 8R Available sample rates are 44 1 48 88 2 and 96 kHz The default sample rate is 44 1 kHz Note that this drop down menu is disabled if Fast Track Ultra 8R is set to sync to external clock External Signal Status This box displays messages indicating the current synchronization status If the status in the Settings tab see the Clock section below is set to Internal the Signal Status will display this message Because the sync source is internal the sample rate may be adjusted and external digital signals will be ignored You will be able to adjust the sample rate using the Sample Rate drop down menu It is recommended that you do not change the sample rate from the Settings tab while your DAW application is running as this can cause some applications to exhibit unexpected behavior If the status in the Settings tab see the Clock section below is set to external and a valid digital signal is received at the S PDIF input the Signal Status panel will display this message Because the sync source Is external the sample rate may not be adjusted However since there is a valid external digital signal the sample rate will automatically match it The Sample Rate is determined by the external device and cannot be changed from the Fast Track Ultra 8R Control Panel Because of this the Sample Rate
14. Track Ultra 8R Saver Mouse e Sharing Universal Access M Audio Fast Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 11 The Control Panel features eight tabs across the top of the screen These tabs provide access to specific features of Fast Track Ultra 8R These tabs are described in detail below Monitor Tabs Monitor 1 2 Software Return Master Out 1 2 TL mi 0B T z nian 8 C o8 8 AERC EEC o8 8 TL i TL oh Effects Send fects Se Effects Return 3 2 Monitor 5 6 Software Return waster Out 1 2 z o8 8 TE KO O o8 8 C o8 8 oe A EIC EC on 8 oh 1 TL opz TL oE TL TL TL o mi H os T vpz The four Monitor tabs are similar in layout and in operation and allow you to create four separate monitor mixes from the eight hardware inputs and eight software returns from your audio application Each tab controls a separate pair of outputs Monitor 1 2 gt Hardware Outputs 1 2 and Headphone Out 1 Monitor 3 4 gt Hardware Outputs 3 4 and Headphone Out 2 Monitor 5 6 Hardware Outputs 5 6 Monitor 7 8 Hardware Outputs 7 8 and S PDIF output The Monitor tabs outputs correspond to Fast Track Ultra 8R s hardware outputs Monitor outputs 7 8 are duplicated at the analog Line Outputs 9 and the S PDIF digital output 8 Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 12 Input Channels The
15. about their performances This often results in better takes being captured during the session Note that effects added through the Fast Track Ultra 8R Control Panel will not be present in your recordings You will only hear the effects in real time while monitoring The actual recordings will be captured dry NOTE When using the Fast Track Ultra 8R Monitor Mixer to create monitor mixes be sure to mute your DAW application s active recording channels or if possible turn off the application s monitor mixing functionality altogether to prevent two separate cue mixes from being created this can cause undesirable effects such as phasing and slap back delays Conversely if you wish to use your application s own monitor mixing capabilities you will need to bypass the Fast Track Ultra 8R Monitor Mixer to prevent double monitoring from taking place This can be done by simply muting the input channels of the Monitor Mixer Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 20 11 MIDI Fast Track Ultra 8R provides 16 channels of MIDI I O over standard 5 pin DIN connectors found on the breakout cable These I O ports can be used to connect MIDI compatible devices to your computer such as controller keyboards drum machines or sound modules Alternatively these ports can be used to send and receive MIDI Time Code MTC and other synchronization formats for locking to a hardware or software sequencer MIDI is an extensive protoco
16. annels on the right side represent the monitor mixer s master outputs that are sent to the mixer s associated hardware output pair on the rear panel of Fast Track Ultra 8R Keep in mind that this mixer is for monitoring purposes only All signals received at the hardware inputs are also sent directly to the recording application without being altered The Monitor Mixer receives duplicates of these input signals to allow you to create a near zero latency monitor mix Changes made to the monitor mixer do not affect your recordings or your audio software since the Monitor Mixer s output is not actually being recorded For example if the singer would prefer to not hear guitars while recording the guitar channel of the singer s monitor mixer can simply be muted without affecting the recording application in any way Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 19 Use the pan knob to adjust the position of a sound between the left and right channels Note that double clicking a knob will center tt When creating monitor mixes via the Monitor 1 2 or Monitor 3 4 tabs you have the option of adding reverb or delay effects to any of the channels by using the Effects Send knobs located at the bottom of the tab Effects Send Effects Send OOOO OO OOO OIOIOIOIOIOIO Turning a channel s send knob clockwise will increase the amount of signal that is routed to the digital effects processor turning the send knob counter cloc
17. band and provide each member with an individual mix to suit their personal preference Furthermore since monitor mixing is handled by the powerful MX Core DSP within Fast Track Ultra 8R you do not have to worry about audio latency that may occur when monitoring through your audio recording application all hardware inputs and all signals output by your recording software can be mixed with virtually no latency and sent to the hardware outputs Software Output Signal Routing When selecting output channels 1 2 from your audio application the signal is not sent directly to the physical hardware outputs on the rear panel of Fast Track Ultra 8R The signal is first sent to the Monitor 1 2 section of the Control Panel By default the monitor mixer on this Control Panel tab then passes the unaltered signal on to hardware outputs 1 2 However this tab gives you additional control over signals sent to hardware outputs 1 2 You can use the faders pan knobs and other controls on the Monitor 1 2 tab to add and blend signals trom the physical inputs 1 8 and from the remaining six software return channels and create a stereo mix that is then routed to the rear panel hardware outputs 1 2 The same principle applies when selecting output channels 3 4 5 6 or 7 8 from your audio application These signals are sent to their respective Control Panel tabs Monitor 3 4 Monitor 5 6 and Monitor 7 8 mixed with other signals if desired and t
18. connecting to this multi pin jack provides MIDI input and output on 5 pin DIN connectors and S PDIF input and output on coaxial RCA connectors e When the Sync Source drop down menu is set to External in the Control Panel input channels 7 and 8 will receive their signal from the S PDIF input instead of analog inputs 7 8 e The S PDIF output signal is identical to the output of Line Outputs 7 8 e The S PDIF output will also support pass through of AC 3 or DTS encoded surround formats 19 Line Outputs These eight balanced unbalanced 1 4 TRS jacks provide eight analog outputs The level of output pair 1 2 is controlled by the front panel master volume knob 40 Signal present at outputs 7 and 8 is duplicated at the S PDIF outputs 20 Mic Line Inputs These eight combo jacks provide eight analog inputs and can accommodate microphone or About Insert Cables line level sources via XLR or 1 4 TRS or TS connectors The microphone XLR inputs route signals to the interface s An insert cable is wired in a way that lets you send preamplifiers while the line level 1 4 jacks bypass the and receive signals over a single cable This cable preamplifiers features a TRS tip ring sleeve connector on one The input source for channels 1 and 2 can be selected via See cine tue TET paige Goninacters em Uis the front panel Mic Line Instrument switches between Sioa Ide UCD Sikes Ganee to Obl Oy ine aski Mic Line inputs Q or
19. d distorted play at the wrong speed or have clicks and pops You can set Fast Track Ultra 8R to run as the Word Clock Master Internal when digitally connected to other digital audio devices Connect the S PDIF output of Fast Track Ultra 8R to the S PDIF input of another digital audio device and configure that device to synchronize to its S PDIF input making it the word clock Slave Alternatively you can set another device to act as the Word Clock Master and designate Fast Track Ultra 8R to run as the word clock slave Connect the S PDIF output of a 3rd party audio device to the S PDIF input of Fast Track Ultra 8R Select External as the clock source setting from within the Fast Track Ultra 8R Control Panel Fast Track Ultra 8R now runs in sync to the digital S PDIF signal generated by the other device Note that Fast Track Ultra 8R can only receive input signal from its S PDIF input when the clock setting has been set to External In this configuration Input channels 7 and 8 receive their signal from the S PDIF input instead of from Mic Line Inputs 7 8 Driver Settings ASIO WDM Buffer Size Windows only Latency is defined as the time it takes for your input signal to pass through your audio software and appear at the outputs This latency can result in a delay that is undesirable when overdubbing to existing tracks This drop down menu lets you select the size of the buffer in samples Smaller buffer sizes result in
20. do not provide Send controls gt IMPORTANT Note that changes made to the monitoring mix are completely independent trom and do not affect signals being recorded to your DAW Output Channels The right side of each Monitor tab provides level meters and faders for its corresponding stereo pair of outputs Each Monitor tab s output faders control the output level sent to that pair of hardware outputs The Monitor tabs correspond to each pair of hardware Line outputs 9 Monitor outputs 7 and 8 are duplicated at the analog Line Outputs 9 and the S PDIF digital output 48 Between the sixteen channel inputs and the two channel outputs is a Bypass button Activating this button will bypass the internal DSP effects allowing you to monitor the signal without effects NOTE Only Monitor outputs 1 2 and 3 4 can utilize the Fast Track Ultra 8R s internal DSP Therefore the Monitor mixer tabs for outputs 5 6 and 7 8 do not provide Bypass buttons Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 13 Settings Tab Sample Rate Settings Settings EFFECT PROGRAM SAMPLE RATE PEAK METER HOLD BUFFER SIZE Plate da kHz Three Seconds 2 AB CURATION FEEDBACK WOLUME SYNC SOURCE KNOB MOUSE AXIS ASIO DIRECT MONITORING 2 a N aaen neee HIGH PERFORMANCE MODE Because high performance mode is not in effect buffer size 64 is not available Because the syne source is internal the sample rate may be adjusted and external digital signals wall be ignored
21. ed systems e If you are using a USB hub try connecting Fast Track Ultra 8R directly to your computer For more troubleshooting tips visit the Knowledge Base at www m audio com Fast Track Ultra 8R 13 Specifications Line Outputs User Guide Frequency response 20 Hz to 22 kHz 0 1 dB 48 kHz sample rate SNR and Dynamic Range 104 dB A weighted THD N 0 002 1dBFS 1kHz Signal Level 10 dBu balanced 2 dBV unbalanced Impedance 300 Ohm balanced 150 Ohm unbalanced 150 Ohm unbalanced Crosstalk lt 100 dB 1 kHz Line Inputs Frequency response 20 Hz to 22 kHz 0 3 dB 48 kHz sample rate SNR and Dynamic Range 103 dB A weighted THD N 0 002 1dBFS 1kHz Signal Level 3 4 dBu balanced 1 2 dBV unbalanced Impedance 20K Ohm balanced 10K Ohm unbalanced Crosstalk lt 100 dB 1 kHz Headphone Outputs Frequency response 20 Hz to 22 kHz 0 7 dB 48 kHz sample rate SNR and Dynamic Range 96 dB A weighted THD N lt 0 065 at maximum volume Working Range 24 to 600 ohms Maximum Output Level Odbv into 320hms Crosstalk lt 65 dB 1 kHz Microphone Input Pre amp Gain OdB to 60dB or greater SNR min gain 103 dB A weighted Dynamic Range min gain 103 dB A weighted THD N min gain 0 003 1dBFS Freq Response min gain
22. els one and two also provide insert points and are switchable to accommodate instrument level input The rear panel also offers you MIDI input and output ports as well as dedicated S PDIF inputs and outputs on the included breakout cable The front panel is also set up for easy monitoring and features input signal and clipping indicators two discrete headphone outputs with independent level controls MIDI input and output LEDs and phantom power indicators making Fast Track Ultra 8R an ideal solution for beginning and advanced computer recording users alike Even if you re an experienced musician and digital recording enthusiast please take some time to read through this User Guide and familiarize yourself with the features and operation of Fast Track Ultra 8R You may also want to refer to your audio software s documentation to better understand how Fast Track Ultra 8R may be integrated with the program Your experience and enjoyment of your Fast Track Ultra 8R will be greatly enhanced by a good working knowledge of your audio software 2 What s in the Box Your Fast Track Ultra 8R package contains the following Fast Track Ultra 8R Breakout cable providing MIDI and S PDIF I O connectors Printed Quick Start Guide Fast Track Ultra 8R CD ROM including drivers and documentation Software Bundle CD ROM USB Cable 9VDC 4000mA power supply Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 3 Fast Track Ultra 8R Features Eigh
23. first eight channels on each of the Monitor pages correspond to the eight analog inputs Inputs 7 and 8 are switchable between the analog inputs and the S PDIF digital inputs via the Sync Source drop down menu in the Control Panel When the sync source is set to External input channels 7 and 8 receive their signal from the S PDIF input The next eight channels are returns from your DAW application software Any of these 16 channels can be sent to any of eight possible output busses by selecting the Monitor tab for the desired output pair and setting the levels for the input and software return channels respectively Each channel provides the following a Level meter monitors the channel s input level Pan control sets the position of the signal within the left and right output channel pair Solo button solos that channel s output signal in the output channels Mute button mutes that channel s output signal to the output channels m Link button links a pair of channels together When the Link button Is active changes made to one channel affect the adjacent linked channel as well u Level fader controls the level of that channel s signal sent to the output channels Send control controls the level of that channel s signal sent to the internal DSP effects NOTE Only Monitor outputs 1 2 and 3 4 and can utilize the Fast Track Ultra 8R s internal DSP Therefore the Monitor mixer tabs for outputs 5 6 and 7 8
24. hannels 1 through 8 via the rear panel Mic Line input connectors 0 On inputs 1 and 2 the Mic Line Instrument selector switches must be set to the Mic Line out position Recording Line Level Inputs Fast Track Ultra 8R can record audio from up to eight individual line inputs simultaneously connected to input channels 1 through 8 via the rear panel Mic Line input connectors 0 On inputs 1 and 2 the Mic Line Instrument selector switches must be set to the Mic Line out position Additionally the gain pots for the associated mic inputs should be turned down when using the line inputs to avoid unwanted amplification of idle noise Recording Instruments Fast Track Ultra 8R can record audio from up to two individual instrument level sources simultaneously connected to input channels 1 and 2 via the two front panel Instrument inputs Q The Mic Line Instrument selector switches must be set to the Instrument in position Recording Digital Input Fast Track Ultra 8R can record two channels of digital input signal on input channels 7 and 8 via the rear panel S PDIF input 48 Connect a digital S PDIF source to the rear panel S PDIF input Go to the Settings tab in the Fast Track Ultra 8R Control Panel and select External as the sync source to activate the S PDIF input and ensure proper digital clocking See the Sync Source section of this User Guide for more information on digital synchronization Adjusting the Outpu
25. hen routed to their respective physical output pairs 3 4 5 6 or 7 8 Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide Inputs Record unaltered to Monitor Mix Analog In Software Return Monitor Mixer 1 2 Analog In Monitor Mixer 7 8 Monitor Mixer 7 8 Out 1 2 Out 3 4 Out 5 6 Out 7 8 and headphone 1 and headphone 2 and S PDIF Fast Track Ultra 8R 9 The Software Control Panel The software Control Panel for Fast Track Ultra 8R is designed to provide a simple intuitive interface to control and monitor signals from your DAW and from Fast Track Ultra 8R s inputs and outputs To open the Control Panel User Guide 10 In Windows open the Fast Track Ultra 8R Control Panel by double clicking on the M Audio icon gt in the system tray or Double click on the red M Audio icon from Start gt Control Panel Classic View p a 4 44 PM gt E Windows XP Windows Vista In Mac OS X click the M Audio icon in the system preferences window ea System Preferences q Personal E l oks aLi Q l Appearance Dashboard amp Desktop amp Dock International Security Spotlight l Expos Screen Saver Hardware Ae Cal G amp Oy f Bluetooth CDs amp DVDs Displays Energy Keyboard amp Print amp Fax Sound Internet amp Network Mac Network Q l QuickTim System ra 2 G amp G O Accounts Date amp Time So Other M Audio Fast Track Ultra 8R
26. ion of this User Guide covers this topic in greater detail Each tab routes signals to a separate pair of outputs as shown in the following table Tab Name The output of this tab is routed to TIP Keep in mind that Monitor 1 2 Hardware Output 1 2 and Headphone Output 1 the first and second Monitor 3 4 Hardware Output 3 4 and Headphone Output 2 headphone outputs are Monitor 5 6 Hardware Output 5 6 hardwired to analog outputs 1 2 and 3 4 If Monitor 7 8 Hardware Output 7 8 and S PDIF Output you would like to route your monitor mixes Using the Monitor Mixer to the first or second To use the Fast Track Ultra 8R Monitor Mixer headphone outputs select the Monitor 1 Select the tab that corresponds to the hardware outputs to which you would 1 2 or Monitor 3 4 like to send your monitor mix For example if you wish to create a mix that tabs respectively routes to analog outputs 7 8 select the Monitor 7 8 tab 2 Adjust the level faders for the hardware input and software return channels to create a comfortable monitor mix for the listener e The eight channels on the left side of the mixer represent the live hardware inputs For example if you have connected a microphone and guitar to the first two inputs signals from these devices will appear on channels one and two of the mixer e The eight Software Return channels correspond to the outputs of your audio application e The last two ch
27. ip even at the minimum gain setting pull the Mic Input Gain knob to activate the 20 dB pad This will further attenuate reduce signal levels to prevent distortion at the input gt IMPORTANT When recording from a microphone and monitoring in the same room it is recommended that you turn off your speakers and monitor with headphones This will greatly reduce the possibility of creating loud feedback loops that may damage your equipment or hearing Using the Coaxial S PDIF Inputs Connect the S PDIF output of your external audio device to the S PDIF Input located on the rear panel breakout cable 8 The signal level you receive at the S PDIF In will be the signal level that you record Any adjustments to that signal level must be made at the source If you have an output level control on the device that you ve connected to the S PDIF inputs adjust that output level control to change the recording level Most recording software will allow you to add gain to a recorded track that was made at a level that is initially too low but be careful that the recording level is not reaching digital clipping signal going into the red while recording Note To use the S PDIF input you will need configure the sync source of Fast Track Ultra 8R to External Refer to the section below on the Control Panel and your software s documentation for more information Setting the Sample Rate The default sample rate for Fast Track Ultra 8R is 44 1
28. kwise will reduce the amount of signal sent to the processor To hear the effects make sure that the right facing arrow button is illuminated i e the effects are enabled and the effects return knobs are turned up as shown below Effects Return If you would like to change the effect type or to adjust its parameters click the Settings tab and make any desired adjustments to the Effect Program Duration Feedback and Volume parameters This section is covered in detail in the Settings Tab section of this manual EFFECT PROGRAM Plate DURATION FEEDBACK 8 WOLUME JMI If you are routing signals to Headphone Outputs 1 and 2 make sure the Headphone Level Knobs are set toa comfortable listening level Alternatively if you are routing monitor mixes to external headphone amplifiers make sure those amplifiers are configured properly Why use effects in a monitor mix Closely mic ed sources often sound very detailed dry and unnatural to performers who are monitoring on headphones This can make performers uncomfortable and may adversely impact the recording session Many performers particularly vocalists find it much easier to record overdubs when there is a small amount of reverb present on the recorded voice or instrument This is because the reverb smoothes out the sounds that the vocalist hears in the headphones and makes him her feel more comfortable and confident
29. l and covering it in detail is beyond the scope of this guide If you would like to learn more please refer to one of the many books and articles that have been written about this subject and are available online or through your local music retailer The diagram below demonstrates a scenario in which a controller keyboard and a sound module are connected to Fast Track Ultra 8R Fast Track Ultra 8R i O ee OOOO a MIDI Out Gad van RI 8888 MIDI Keyboard Sound Module 1 Make sure the breakout cable is connected to the back of Fast Track Ultra 8R 2 Connect the controller keyboard s MIDI output to the Fast Track Ultra 8R MIDI input 3 Connect the Fast Track Ultra 8R s MIDI output to the MIDI input of the sound module Once the hardware connections have been made you may need to configure your music software to make use of the Fast Track Ultra 8R MIDI input and output ports This configuration process varies from program to program Please see your audio application s user guide to learn how to do this Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 21 12 Troubleshooting Fast Track Ultra 8R has been designed to give you high performance and professional quality audio It has been tested under a wide range of systems and operating conditions However there are a virtually limitless number of operating scenarios any of which could affect your system s performance Though this section cannot cover all possible issues you
30. logy Inc All rights reserved Product features specifications system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice Avid M Audio Octane and Fast Track Ultra 8R are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology Inc All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners WARNING This product contains chemicals including lead known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm Wash hands after handling M Audio USA 5795 Martin Rd Irwindale CA 91706 M Audio Germany Kuhallmand 34 D 74613 Ohringen Germany Technical Support www m audio com tech tel pro products 626 683 9055 tel consumer products 626 633 9066 fax shipping 626 633 9032 Technical Support support m audio de 49 0 7941 9870030 49 0 7941 98 70070 sales m audio com 1 866 657 6434 626 683 9070 info m audio de 49 0 7941 98 7000 49 0 7941 98 70070 www m audio com M Audio U K Floor 6 Gresham House 53 Clarendon Road Watford WD17 1LA United Kingdom www m audio de M Audio Canada 1400 St Jean Baptiste Ave 150 Quebec City Quebec G2E 5B7 Canada Technical Support support maudio co uk 44 0 1753 658630 Technical Support techcanada m audio com 418 872 0444 418 872 0034 44 0 1923 204010 44 0 1923 204039 www maudio co uk Benelux infocanada m audio com 8
31. may encounter we would like to offer you some suggestions for dealing with common problems We recommend that you avoid connecting too many devices via USB The USB bus is a dependable protocol that is ideally suited for digital audio Nevertheless it is important to remember that audio and multimedia streaming place considerable demands on your processor and the USB bus If you are having trouble getting audio in or out of your Fast Track Ultra 8R please check the following m If you have no sound Check to see if Fast Track Ultra 8R drivers are properly installed e In Windows XP go to the Control Panel and double click the System icon under Performance and Maintenance if you are in Category view e Select the Hardware tab and click the Device Manager button e Click the plus sign next to Sound Video and Game Controllers and locate the Fast Track Ultra 8R listing If you see a question mark or exclamation point next to it or if you don t see it listed you may need to reinstall the driver software Make sure your audio software has been set up to use Fast Track Ultra 8R e Open your application s audio settings page and check to see if the correct ASIO WDM or Core Audio drivers have been selected f you re certain Fast Track Ultra 8R is correctly installed and configured for your audio software check your signal path Make sure your inputs are routed correctly by verifying that your application is receiving audi
32. o signal Make sure your outputs are routed correctly so that your signal is sent to your headphones amp and or monitors e Check your audio connections and cables to make sure everything is plugged in correctly e Check the LED Level Meters to see if input signal is present e Check the Control Panel to verify that the output volume levels are turned up and that signal is present at the input meters e Check to see that the power adapter is connected to an outlet and to Fast Track Ultra 8R the power button is enabled and that the USB cable is connected to the unit and the host computer e Check the input selector switch to verify that you ve chosen the proper input m f you re trying to record a digital input to Fast Track Ultra 8R and have no sound or are experiencing clicks and pops in your recordings e Make sure the input source on the Settings tab of the Control Panel is set to External See the section titled About External Clock for more information about digital synchronization e Make sure your input levels are not too hot as this can cause distortion and clipping e Check the input level meters in your audio application e Try using a larger buffer size higher latency setting in the Control Panel Windows only Larger buffer sizes Can increase input latency time but this is not an issue if you re mixing for example Increasing the buffer size can be helpful particularly in the case of older or lower power
33. og Output 3 Monitor 3 4 Master Analog Output 4 Effects Bypass Headphones 2 Headphones 2 Volume Analog Output 5 Monitor 5 6 Master Analog Output 6 Analog Output 7 Monitor 7 8 Master 2 5 a q a u z E E Analog Output amp S PDIF Output Left DSP Effects Sends DSP Effects Siae S PDIF Output Right This tab displays a graphic of the Fast Track Ultra 8R signal flow 16 Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide About Tab Fast rack Ultra 8R High speed 8 x 8 USB 2 0 Interface with 8 Preamps and MX Core DSP Fast Track Mra os o o o e Status device present Support Windows XP SP2 get the manual Support contact tech support Pro i o of ey Update get latest driver updates register your product Driver 5 10 0 5095 FAQ ree Firmware 1 0 0 FaQ frequently asked questions M Audio visit m audio com This page contains information on your hardware and current driver software versions This information may be helpful should you ever have the occasion to call for technical support Clicking the buttons in the lower right will take you to useful pages on the M Audio website If your computer does not see a valid connection to Fast Track Ultra 8R or if the unit is powered off you will see a message noting that on this page 17 Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 18 10 About Overdub Recording and Monitor Mixing Much of the popular music that you hear today is created
34. t Level Connect the rear panel line outputs 49 to a mixing console amplifier or powered monitors Output pair 1 2 can be directly controlled by the front panel main output level knob Other outputs are controlled via your DAW application or the Fast Track Ultra 8R Control Panel Headphone Monitoring Use the Monitor 1 2 and Monitor 3 4 Control Panel tabs to create separate monitor mixes for the two front panel headphone outputs See the section titled Monitor Tabs for more information about creating monitor mixes Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 8 Using Fast Track Ultra 8R Setting Your Recording Levels Using the Mic Line or Instrument Inputs Connect your microphone instrument or line level source to the Mic Line Instrument inputs 0 Make sure the associated channel s Mic Line Instrument switch is set to the correct position for your chosen inputs and that the input gain is turned fully counter clockwise to the lowest level If you are using a condenser microphone be certain to activate the Phantom Power switch for the corresponding group of input channels after connecting the microphone to the XLR input If you are using the Microphone or Instrument inputs slowly raise the input level until the Input Signal LED shows input with a fairly steady green signal while audibly testing your input levels i e strumming the guitar or speaking into the mic If your microphone signal causes an input to cl
35. t balanced unbalanced Mic Line Inputs on combo XLR TRS jacks Two front panel 1 4 Instrument level inputs e Eight high quality microphone preamps featuring M Audio s award winning Octane technology Individual mic pre input level controls with 20dB pads Dual front panel Signal and Clip LED indicators Eight balanced unbalanced line outputs on TRS jacks Two 1 4 inserts on TRS jacks Phantom Power switches with front panel indicator LEDs Stereo S PDIF digital I O on coaxial jacks Two stereo headphone jacks with individual level controls MIDI Input and Output with front panel MIDI I O indicators Output Level control for main output pair 1 2 Powerful onboard DSP providing four near zero latency 16x2 monitor mixers Built in reverb and delay effects Supports sample rates up to 96kHz with full 24 bit resolution Integrated rear panel Kensington security lock port Driver support for WDM MME ASIO2 Windows XP Windows Vista 32 bit editions and CoreAudio Mac OS X 10 4 11 10 5 2 or later gt IMPORTANT NOTE Fast Track Ultra 8R is a USB 2 0 device USB 1 1 operation is not supported gt IMPORTANT NOTE Fast Track Ultra 8R must be powered via the included power supply It will not operate on USB bus power Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide 4 Minimum System Requirements Windows Fast Track Ultra 8R is supported under Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later or Windows Vista
36. the front panel Instrument inputs Q jacks of Fast Track Ultra 8R The TS connectors are a M usually labeled tip send and sleeve return Selecting External from the Sync Source drop down menu in the control panel will activate the S PDIF input as the signal source for input channels 7 and 8 Mic Line inputs 7 and 8 will be disabled in this configuration Attach the tip connector to your external device s input and the sleeve connector to the device s output This allows signals to be sent to the external device and returned to the A D converter on 21 Inserts Insert jacks allow you to add analog outboard Fast Track Ultra 8R effects compressors limiters etc into the signal path of the first two channels of your Fast Track Ultra 8R Outboard effects are inserted between the preamp and the A D converter These 1 4 TRS jacks are only active when a a special insert cable is connected to these jacks see the box entitled About Insert Cables to learn more about these cables If no insert cable is connected these jacks do not affect the signal path Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide G Installing Fast Track Ultra 8R For instructions on installing Fast Track Ultra 8R please refer to the accompanying Quick Start Guide 7 Hardware Connections Recording Microphones Fast Track Ultra 8R can record audio from up to eight individual microphones simultaneously connected to input c
37. urn a knob clockwise by clicking and dragging to the right Selecting Both allows you to adjust a knob setting by clicking and dragging on either axis e g up down or left right Saving and Recalling Settings The Save Settings and Load Settings options under the File menu allow you to save and load all of the parameters of the Control Panel This is useful if you d like to save various configurations i e a multi tracking setup a surround mixing setup etc so that you do not have to manually reconfigure your system each time you work on a different type of project The Load Recent Settings sub menu lists up to five of the most recent Control Panel configurations that you have loaded The Clear Menu option clears the list of recently loaded files this option does not affect the actual configuration files it simply removes the recent file names from the sub menu The Revert to Factory Settings option allows you to reset all of the Fast Track Ultra 8R Control Panel parameters to their factory default settings Fast Track Ultra 8R User Guide Meters Tab Meters Analog In Analog Out This tab features 16 meters that display levels of your eight hardware inputs and eight hardware outputs This is useful in setting up levels for live tracking or mixdown Flow Tab Main Output Volume Analog Output 1 Monitor 1 2 Master Analog Output 2 Effects Bypass Headphones 1 Headphones 1 Volume Anal
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