OT: PC users and MOTU Ultralite

[gummy]

I am using my new Ultralite as the only sound card in my system(which includes Live 8 suite).
I love having all my connections in one place etc but I don't think I have figured out the best way to run outputs for my PC sound(like cd playback, itunes, mp3, youtube etc). To me, playback of these sounds from my computer through the Ultralite lacks dynamics fullness and low end. This is an obvious difference to my old onboard sound.(I realize the Ultralite is designed for a flat reproduction but even vocals are hard to hear on songs)
Are you guys using two soundcards, one for computer sounds and one for recording? Do you use the main outs of Ultralite for monitoring/headphones or do you use an analog out so you can apply EQ to it? Do you have a different way of routing your sound with the Ultralite that you can suggest?

I have posted to MOTUNATION board but it is not very active. Thanks for any advice or insight.

[3dot...]

...are you serious ?!

[gummy]

Yes, I'm serious. I am suspecting though that it is a connection/routing/settings problem. I hope so, I have heard so many good things about these Ultralites.

[dazzer]

I'm on a Mac and my Ultralite Mk I, sounds great. Main outs go to my amp, my headphones plug into the (duh) headphone out on the front of the unit, no need for external eq or 2 soundcards. Can't really help you with routing as all I've ever had to do is plug'n'play.

[DrXparaMental]

...are you serious ?!

I think is going to be a tuffy.

More system information please. What kind of monitors are you using?

[gummy]

Thanks for the reply dazzer. I have the newer MK3. When I mentioned applying eq to an analog, I meant within the Ultralitebox with it's own effects, not externally. I use the main outs too but no effects etc can be added to that input within the Ultralite(that I know of). I also use headphones in the headphone jack, but on the MK3 we can assign any output channel to the headphone jack as well.

I'm encouraged by getting response already.

[Moody]

I would say your source material is lacking dynamics, not the sound card.

[hacktheplanet]

I'm 50/50 on this one.

On one side, it's entirely possible that your onboard sounds "better" to you because that's what you are used to hearing. It's also possible that the onboard includes some eq or compression in the software or hardware before it hits your speakers to improve the sound quality. It's like when everyone tells me that their 7509HDs sound better than my HD280 Pros.

On the other side, I've plugged my Ultralite into a handful of computers over the years, and could easily tell you which sound card is which in a blind listening on my headphones. I've also played live shows with and without my Ultralite, and can also definitely say that the sound quality running into a club system is unequivocally better through the Ultralite.

Maybe record the output of your Ultralite and then the output of your onboard and post it for comparison?

[Incy]

I <3 my Ultralite... on the rare occassion it works...

Drivers have only successfully installed once after 8 hours of trying. Took the MOTU on a trip, never reconnected right... even after reinstalling the OS and trying everything under the sun. Calling MOTU...

[otnooishphoo]

more proof

ableton makes you deaf

[segwist]

Outside of the potential that this is some subtle personal preference issue, which is difficult to discuss, we can safely rule out the product itself being some major influence on audio quality. The Ultralite is fine. The likely culprit in situations like this is usually some form of mismatch with sample rate settings, or else the proir interface having some inbuilt EQ's or other settings that the user has left on.

If you really want some help on this, try this:

• Use an external device to record output from Old Interface
  Use the same device to record the same output via Motu
  Take a screenshot of the Motu Audio Console and Motu Cue Mix settings
  Try to describe better, and with objective terminology, how the music sounds "different".

As for me, i use an Ultralite for Ableton sessions, and a Novation X-Station for all other system audio. Basically, the X-Station is the default audio interface, and i have the Ultralite enabled for Ableton. I do this so i only need to turn the Motu on for production sessions, and also so i can load Soundforge and do concurrent editing with the Novation, while Ableton runs the Motu. Obviously any modern soundcard can do this by itself, but it also lets me have music playing out the X-Station into my console mixer, and Ableton via the Motu to its own outs etc. Ease and convenience since i already have both interfaces. I use both interfaces live, as you can see here.

[3dot...]

Yes, I'm serious. I am suspecting though that it is a connection/routing/settings problem. I hope so, I have heard so many good things about these Ultralites.

your joking ...right ?

[gummy]

All,
Thank you for taking the time to consider my situation. It turns out that I did decide to go back and compare the old onboard sound with the new sound. Guess what... The motherboard was the problem. The old sound is distorted and sounds like crap. It was coincedental to my installing the Ultralite. Everyone was right. The Ultralite sounded bad, the input audio was bad, the Ultralite was working as it was supposed to etc. THanks again for the thoughts, you helped me figure out what was wrong.