ITGITC

ProfD, Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen USB Recording Interface is supposed to have a lower noise floor than my old Steinberg, according to YouTube videos I've seen. Nice! For my purposes, an interface like this is all I need at this time. It's got MIDI I/O and balanced audio. I'm not a pro... can't write it off as an expense. So, I'm not the guy who is going to buy an Apogee Symphony I/O Mk II 8x8 at $6,000. When I was participating on JamKazam, latency was a huge issue. And not just for me; for everyone. Of course, this was dependent on many factors, including distance from each other. But this is where good/fast drivers made a difference. Those using ASIO4ALL had latency delays that caused them to be muted by other participants. When JamKazam worked, it could be a lot of fun. However, between the technical problems and all the other issues, it got tiresome. When I built my computer earlier this year, I had hoped that any and all latency problems would be a thing of the past. I was moving several generations up in processor speed and design. I downloaded the latest driver from Steinberg, Version 2.1.1. My latency went through the roof. The connection became unusable. I couldn't determine if this was related to my new hardware, Windows 11, or something else. To learn that the problem could be a driver issue and Steinberg says to roll back the driver while they're writing a new one is a relief. However, I just learned about this and updated the driver last night. I haven't tested it yet. I hope all is well in your 10-20. Don't get caught up in the fray on the hill. Those folks are cray-cray. Tom

Hi ProfD! Thanks for your comments. Although this thread isn't an audio interface shootout by any means, let me tell you why I chose this brand many years ago. Previously I owned a PreSonus interface. Unfortunately, as you mentioned above, PreSonus "accidently tied the dog to the car" and decided to stop updating drivers for it. I had to toss it in the trash. I asked the good folks here on KC for their advice on getting a new interface at the time. Many here recommended Steinberg based on their good experiences. With regards to "Who is Steinberg?", here's the lowdown... From Wikipedia: Steinberg created several industry standard music technologies including the Virtual Studio Technology (VST) format for plug-ins and the ASIO (Audio Stream Input/Output) protocol. Steinberg has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha since 2005. In 1989 Steinberg released Cubase DAW. In 2012, Steinberg launched its first iOS sequencer, Cubasis. Pretty impressive, huh? Because Steinberg introduced several industry-standard software protocols, including ASIO (a low-latency communication protocol between software and sound cards) and VST (a protocol allowing third-party audio plugins and virtual instruments), they have proven themselves as a primary player and decision-maker in the industry. The drivers they have written and released for Mac OS and Windows are well-maintained and work across their wide-ranging line of hardware interfaces. The fact that they don't rely on high-latency 3rd party drivers, such as ASIO4ALL, as does Behringer in some of their hardware, speaks volumes. Moreso, the fact that that they support their drivers and provide concise explanation in detail when problems have occurred, and how to rectify them, is a rarity. Follow the link to their website and read what they have to say. My point is this: the Steinberg UR22 interface is an inexpensive unit. It does not claim to compete with devices costing thousands of dollars more. However, it is built well (all metal) and includes the features (MIDI I/O) and balanced audio I/O that I was looking for. I do not use it for critical recording via a microphone; only with my keyboards. Therefore, for me, it's the right tool for the job - at the right price. Other interfaces may have a quieter noise floor when using the mic preamp. I've never been bothered by this. But as you pointed out, ProfD, the drivers are critical. And this is the crux of my post. Steinberg has chosen to admit that some users are having problems with their latest Windows driver, Version 2.1.1. They have posted a work-around with details of what's happening, while they write a new version of the driver. That they made the effort o explain this to their users goes a long, long way with me. Again, this is the company that helped start it all. They created VST and ASIO technologies. I have total confidence they will correct this driver soon. And I also have confidence that their support of my old UR22 interface will continue much longer than product support by some other manufacturers. Of course, if I decide to buy something new, instead of stopping at a mid-range interface such as Focusrite, I think I'll ring up our friend Linwood Bell to see what he has to recommend. I'm pretty sure he knows the score (pun inserted for groans). BTW, the last time we talked you had bought a new laptop. What DAW and interface are you using these days? My best to you, ProfD! Tom

Hello KC friends. It's been awhile. I hope this post finds you well. I came across information pertaining to a bug in a current Steinberg driver for Windows that caused dropouts in my audio. I've recently built a new machine using Windows 11, an intel core i7-12700K CPU & Z690 chipset. My interface is the Steinberg UR22. TL;DR... The latest Windows driver, Version 2.1.1, causes dropouts in the audio. The solution is to rollback to Version 2.0.4. If you own Steinberg hardware on a Windows machine and have the time to read the details, klonk the link below: https://o.steinberg.net/en/support/downloads_hardware/yamaha_steinberg_usb_driver.html My best to you all. Tom Is There Gas in the Car?

https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/steely-dan-aja/?mbid=social_facebook&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_brand=p4k&utm_social-type=owned “We overdubbed a lot of the overdubs over,” - Walter “You can get studio musicians to sound exactly like a rock and roll band,” Fagen said. It’s obvious what he meant. They’d pulled one over on us, again. ITGITC?

Can't help but think of Dr. John's material when I think of Nawlins. Right Place, Wrong Time Such A Night Going Back to New Orleans

I use a pair of QSC K-10 for stage. That said, over one hundred years ago I bought a pair of KRK KRoK (passive) monitors for my home studio. Ugly, yes. But I liked the sound of them. Still do. I used a Mackie 1402 mixer and a Hafler XL-280 amp (145W @ 8 0hms per side). Fine. But the amp started to get a bit noisy, so I decided to try my stage amp - a QSC PLX1804. So the bad is that it's got a fan. Not the best for a quiet environment. But the overwhelming goodness of the change is that it has a gazillion watts of clean power (600W @ 8 ohms per side). I NEVER run out of headroom! So what? ...you might ask. Well, after replacing the old Hafler amp with the QSC I was reminded that when trying to produce the sound of an acoustic grand piano, you need dynamics (I have Kurzweils and a Nord and Ravenscroft 275). And the reason is not so much so that you can play it loudly all the time, but that you've got - at your fingertips - the power needed for truly clean and crisp attack and a powerful low end. Upon first listening, I have to admit - I was surprised... and impressed. Although dynamics don't make a big statement when playing prerecorded music, having unlimited headroom when playing piano samples is like night and day when compared with an amplifier of lesser output. What does this have to do with the OP's question? The takeaway is that you really want full range and flat response - good-sounding monitors to start with - speakers that sound great with most any music you play through them, especially complex acoustic piano sounds. Plus, you need lots of clean power if you want to produce anything close to realistic dynamics. It's the dynamics that offer up the emotion in music. And it's the emotion that makes it all matter. Tim really wasn't too far off the mark when he said this: "I don't think you can really call it "home keyboard amplification" if you haven't hand-built electrostatic panels similar to Magnepan 3.6 full-range quasi-ribbons, but then you're going to need high current, Class A tube mono blocks to drive them or you're really not doing "home keyboard amplification" in any meaningful sense of the word. And you can use the QSC K8.2s as stands for the 6 foot tall, 3 foot wide panels." Oh, and PS... use balanced cables whenever it's appropriate. Tom

Did someone mention sheep?

Remember the log drum sound? I sent the woofer of an Advent speaker flying clear across the room with that sound.

Thanks for posting that video, Governor Silver. I'm kinda a Steely Dan fan. Tom

Kewl.

I am so sorry. Sue was very special to many of us here on The Keyboard Corner. She will be missed. Tom

I wonder if you could rent something like this: Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 1000 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083KBKJ8Q/ref=emc_b_5_i

I consider Guitar Center to be the lowest of the low when ranking music stores. I also know of their financial troubles and believe that this propagates bad morale which results in poor service to the customer. In selling old gear, you have alternatives. In the current environment within the United States, hostility has risen seemingly exponentially. I find that it's best to turn around and walk away in many instances; this being one of them. Guitar Center, and their employees, are not worth your consideration. With this post, you have made your point to those who matter. Let it go. Life is short. Find happiness in other places. However, keep this experience in your memory. I will. Tom

Jamkazam https://jamkazam.com/ You need a quick interface - wired to your computer. No WiFi, as jitter and latency need to be kept to a minimum. I use a Steinberg UR22, and it works well. You'll want headphones, but a video setup is usually not something that anyone cares about. You'll need a microphone to chat with other musos who might be taking a break to head to the kitchen to get everybody another beer. This is important. I jam with folks in Europe with no problem (unless they're drummers, then the latency can make it sloppy). Often I get really good results with folks up and down the east coast (I'm in Raleigh, NC) and Canada. The parties start on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings and go into the night, as folks on the West Coast are a little slow to catch up. It's so much fun to hear the accents from folks in England, Ireland, Germany and New Jersey. There are LOTS of guitarists, but not so many keyboard players. And if a keyboard player is already participating in a session, he/she can play piano. I'll play organ. Not a problem! I pay $10/month for unlimited time. It pays for itself when I get to jam with folks who are really, really good (and there are quite a few musos who know their stuff). I've learned a lot - and I've been playing music for a million years. I'm learning tunes I NEVER would have played otherwise. Charts are often submitted via the chat function. OTOH, sometimes folks launch into songs and you have to figure out the song, the key, and where you can fit in. It can be a challenge, but it's always a learning experience - even for an old fart like me. All kidding aside, it's a helluva lot of fun! Thanks for asking! Tom

Opportunity cost. For me, at 65, it comes down to this. Also, at minimal pay, or no pay, I can't justify the time or the gas money to make it pleasurable. For kicks, I'm on JamKazam. It's not perfect, but it can be a lot of fun. And I don't have to schlep equipment. Yes. I"m kinda turning into an old fart. I don't care. Is There Gas in the Car? PS - Hi everybody. Yes, I've missed ya... well, some of ya.

Text sent. You all stay safe. Tom

Just FYI... LearJeff is alive and well, living in North Carolina with his lovely wife. That is all. Tom

OK. So my photo was there last night. I don't have a camera/mic on my PC in the studio. I may try to do better next time. Or not.

Good grief... I'll bring my milk.

Thank you for this report, Ken. My best to you all for the holidays! Stay safe. Tom

I sent you a "Happy Birthday" text, but you were probably too busy partying to see it. Anyway, after this Covid stuff has gone away, I want to get up to DC again and go out to dinner (again) and drink waaay too many beers (again) and... spend too many hours to count at Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center playing every damn keyboard they've got on display... Again. I am guessing that you have no reason to get back down this way so we can go to Durham (again) and have lunch (again) and consume waaay too many beers... (again). And I guess any scheduling of another MAKCFH in Richmond won't happen anytime soon. Those were so much fun. More fun than the law allows for a few of us. (Don't mess with me, I've got PICTURES!) https://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/1813885 And I've also got audio from one or two of 'em... BluesKeys drove us there one time in his Miata. No, he shouldn't have. Not on the way up. Not on the way back. Bless his heart. (RIP BluesKeys.) Nevertheless, I'm not doing well at all. I've about lost my mind. Those who last saw me on their computer screen the other night can attest. And you know the sorriest thing about that? I was drinking milk. MILK! My cat got in the line of sight making a go for it. She's black. So, I guess you could say I blacked-out... Drinking MILK. (Ba-Doom-Pah!) Anyway, it was best that I made a quick exit. But that's beside the point and God help me, I'm a THREAT to go off-topic, as our fellow forumites know all too well. So, before I trail off, I want to say that you're my friend, ProfD. And I hope you got lucky on your birthday - even though I'm not sure what that really means anymore. I'm looking forward to when I can slide out from under this rock. If my timing's right, that'll be sometime in late October and you can buy ME a birthday beer! Stay safe! Tom

My bad. Things just weren't working for me last night. Good to see everyone though. Stay safe. Tom

I had a MacBook Air. Then I bought a 13" MacBook Pro. Both had hardware failures: screen lamination problems, motherboard failures, power supply failures, and speaker failures. I paid way too much money for the experience. I've learned my lesson. Never again will I buy a Mac. I still use an iPhone, but it's the least expensive SE model, and I'll use it until it gets too old to update. I replaced the battery on a couple of older iPhones via iFixit.com and use them for music playback through a Bluetooth speaker. Oh, and I have a couple of iPads. But no Mac. Not for me. I don't care how fast their new M1 processors are. They're no good if their hardware is prone to failure. I'm writing this on a Dell XPS 13 that I purchased new in January for $800. I replaced the 256GB SSD with a 1TB Adata XPG SX8200 Pro. It's a lovely alternative to the 13" MacBook Pro. You all stay safe and play music this holiday season! Tom

After reading all of your responses last night and having time to sleep on it, I wanted to post. Thanksgiving means a lot. But it's also quite a bit of work - particularly for the cook, who may also be the host, who could very well be the caregiver, and chances are has housekeeping and laundry duties to add to this list. In the "Been there, Done that" category, I'm sure we've all done one, most, or all of the above at some points in our life. My daughter and her husband, who have two small children, were planning to host this year. A couple of days ago she came to visit with her boys. Knowing that she harbors high anxiety, I spoke with her about this topic... and I told her that, although the risks seem minimal to contracting this virus from us or from her husband's parents who would be in attendance, it was her call. If for any reason she felt uncomfortable about the situation, let's don't do it. We can get together once the vaccine has been distributed and everyone feels better about our chances of not catching and not spreading this virus. Early this morning she called. She told her mother that her youngest son was up late last night. He finally went back to sleep, but she didn't. What's going on? Well, just as I predicted, she was worried about Thanksgiving. So, we have decided that - to help our daughter, who already has a lot on her shoulders, let's make the decision here and now that we will not get together for Thanksgiving. What's my point? My point is this: YOU may miss Thanksgiving. And that's a disappointment. However, this is an opportunity to give a wonderful gift - by thinking of the one who is hosting (and cooking and cleaning), and letting them off the hook, you are relieving them of any anxiety... and this is anxiety that you may not know about because they don't want to be the person who cancels Thanksgiving. So I feel good. I do. I had the power to lower the anxiety levels of my daughter in one quick & easy move. Sure, I'll miss Thanksgiving. But helping her to forgo having to make this decision has freed her to enjoy the day instead of dread it. Of course, I would never tell you how to have Thanksgiving. That's up to you and your unique situation. But for me, freeing my daughter of this obligation, and the accompanying stress and anxiety, is a really good feeling. Thanks for letting me share this. My best to you all for the upcoming holiday season! Tom