antonioctd

Ok, I've been brain storming about this and I'll log here my toughs. Please be warned that I'm a guitar player and I sometimes I can't even program my dish washer to turn on at a specific time :P I've been thinking about the recording session with the drummer that I posted before. When we realized the recordings were not playing back on the M20d we took the card out to check on the laptop. Then we reinserted the card on the M20d and plugged the cable to the main out assuming that it was the problem because it was the only thing we've done differently (not connecting the main outs). But that and the fact that last recording fail occurred when I turned on the M20d with the SD already inserted, leads me to think that the problem is related to the time when the SD in inserted and the M20d software failing to index or recognize something about the memory on the card. If this is completely stupid please ignore. I'm trying to help providing data because I would like this to be solved ASAP....

Yes I checked: SD/rehearsal/"name of the song"/recording (recording 2 , etc...)/1_Kick.wav I've created separate folders for each song because we did at least 2 takes of each and I wanted to have that organised for easy importing to the daw. Also, there's is other folder that was already on the card from another day: SD/SFM Gig/recording/13_Line (L) It was just a stereo out of the live board (from the sound company) of that gig. One of those situations were we were no responsible for the sound and I used the M20d just as a recorder. That one worked well.

I never include the main out in the recordings.. Don't see the point. But the physical main outs were connected. I bet that the "saving the scene" thing is not the problem. Because I have done some recording sessions were the sole propose was to import to the daw. I didn't even use the m20d to make live sound on those occasions. It was just a mutitrack recorder. I never saved setup or scene for that sessions and I was always able to import the files the the DAW with no problems. The only thing I might have done different was to leave the SD card in the M20d on the way to the rehearsal. Then I've turned the console on and did every thing (setup, recording) and just took the SD out at the end when packing up (with the m20d off). As far as I can recall, in previous sessions I took the memory card in my laptop case and inserted it on the m20d after setup, just before recording... I know this sounds very stupid. But it's the only thing I can think that I might done different.

Ok I'm furious now! Yesterday had a an important rehearsal that was supposed to be recorded for reference. I've miced everything and created a recording session/folder on the M20d for each song. We did 2 passes of each song. So we have recording 1 & 2 for each. Today I've stetted every thing up for a quick mix and send mp3 by email to every one so they can review/practice some details. What I've fund on the SD card: Empty wave files!!!!! Line6: what the f*** is this????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????

If it helps anything, what I've noticed is that I get "blank tracks" if I don't have nothing connected to the main outs. One time I was recording a drummer. Just took the M20d and some click/guide tracks on my phone. Miced all the drums and connected the phones out of my phone to the line-ins. Sent an aux out to a small mixer to make monitoring to the drummer and record all input channels on an SD card in the M20d. The plan was to import the drum tracks to a DAW and then add the other instruments. I was getting "blank tracks" in the recording until I plugged a cable to one of the main out! Yes, just a cable with no speaker in the other end! LOL I seams like if the m20d sees nothing connected to the main out it does no record audio and creates empty wave files... No big deal. I just carry a female XLR plug, with no cable, with me any time I want to use the console to just as a recorder. And I do this a lot of times because in the gigs were there is a sound company I ask for the direct outs or some aux sends and plug them to the M20d just to record the show :D

I can say that since I have the M20d my bands are getting more work! It happens a lot more in shows people coming to us in the end asking for our contact and booking information! There is no better review than that ;)

I had the same problem with an USB Pen (32gb usb3.0). But I suspect the problem is the pen... It got really hot and stopped recording. But it did the same transferring files really fast on the PC... So it must be the pen! Never had a problem with the class 10 SD Card! So I'm sticking to that. In fact, when I had the problem with the pen I've posted it here in the forum (or the old forum...) and someone from line6 replied that it's advised to use the SD card because by the specifications (class 10) is possible to guaranty the transfer rates. Since I've did that (stick to the SD) never had a problem. And it makes sense... A class10 card is way more expensive than a usb3.0 pen. There must be a reason. Never tried with a hard drive... Just sharing my experience with an USB device.

I've been working around the latency. Using Sonar X2 I've set up a nudge setting that puts the clips in their intended place by just pressing one key! Easy and fast ;) I recording an important demo now. The quality of this demo will determine the quantity of summer shows one of my bands will have! I did a stupid thing and ended up with no audio interface (explained in my original post). So I'm stuck with dealing with M20ds latency. Is going easier than expected I have to say! I'll post the results when I'm done :) In attachment is a pic of my setup for guitars. The Cab is in another room screaming really loud at an EV N/D478 microphone :ph34r: :lol: Also, Line6 is being very friendly with me! And I know they are trying to fix the latency problem. If they do fix it, this thing will be a dream box!! B)

or videos... I can use most of the M20d's features very well. But I admit the Dynamic EQ is still a bit of a mystery...

Yah!! Please note that I'm not complaining :P I also get very good results... I'm just used to push the pre-amps on "normal" mixers a bit more than the auto-trim does on the M20d. And I can just adjust the trim manually on the M20d anyway :D I was just wondering why LIne6 decided to program the auto trim that way, completely out of curiosity. Nothing else.

yah, I do that. Still think the auto-trim function plays to much on the safe side and don't take advantage of the available dynamic range...

Just drag and drop. Just like and Android device or a windows PC...

On this topic: Why when the gain is set automatically with auto trim the recorded level is so low? It's not a real problem. When I export to the daw I just normalize the tracks. But it seams the the auto trim it's not taking advantage of all dynamic range available... Is this right? Is it meant to be? Or is just a safe guard against clipping? Thanks

I actually like that boost... I use a m9 in the loop just for delays, verbs and modulations. All my gain stuff is analog (pedals and amp channels). The boost is a lot more noticeable with over-driven sounds than with clean sounds. This is strange because being in the loop should mean that any gain on the preamp should be treated equally by the m9. Anyway, I don't like to use modulation with over-driven tones. I just does not sound good to my ears. Unless I'm going for a drastic efect for just a bar or two for just that song... In that case the boost does a very good job making sure it will be heard! ;) On clean tones I actually think the volume compensation is almost spot on. I have no complains! That said, I do have a real MXR Script phase 90 on the board, before the pre-amp, for the van halen type moments :ph34r:

Ok. So my title is wrong. But, how hard can it be to make a decent asio driver?? Is there any technical issue I'm not seeing? Because, if you fix this issue the m20d would be a true all in one solution. It's a bit frustrating, you have the hardware and every thing. Looks like the only thing missing for perfection is a driver. Can't you just write one??

I was talking about the usb port that`s labeled "pc". Not the one for storage devices. I don't know what a "compliant Asio driver" is. I just know Asio4all as been working great for me...

Thanks! I knew some one form line6 would talk to me. You guys are very nice! I wont lie, I'm a bit astonished by the fact that you released the product like that... I mean why in the world would you include the usb streaming feature if it does not work? Don't tell me that it does because it's so slow that it's useless... If I were in your place, making the decision, I would not include this feature. But you even included a dedicated usb port! :rolleyes: I think anybody would assume that it would work at least reasonably. Any way, I've been tweaking all day long. I can now import the files to the daw and use the m20d just to listen while I mix. Avery action I take in the mix I only ear it a second or so later. It's annoying but at least every thing else is running smooth, before messing with a lot of driver settings the whole pc was running slow and I had audio artifacts. If you say you guys are working on it I believe it and I know you'll manage do do it! So I'll just wait... Just one thing that is bugging me now: How come it is so difficult to do a good asio driver for this thing?? And.... why doesn't it work with my trusted pal asio4all?? And YES. The mixer meets my expectations in any other way. B) PS - I'm sorry but "streaming out to the computer" is the definition of audio interface... I'm I wrong?

It's useless because the latency is so big and the driver is so crappy that it's impossible to use it to even mix the project in the daw!! Even if you import the files do the daw and use the usb on the m20d just to listen while you mix, there's a huge delay between pressing play and the audio starting! It's difficult to visually spot problem areas on the recording because the play head in the daw is not in sync with the play back. And the whole thing just drags a lot! I feel like I'm mixing in a 90's PC! I even tried to use the m20d just as regular audio card for domestic proposes, just for fum of course. Can you believe that videos on youtube are impossible to watch because the audio will be almost 2s late!! The more I think about it the more a come to the conclusion of "deceiving advertising". I mean, they include usb audio streaming as a feature and they provide the driver for it. Than it is so crappy you can't even watch a movie with it!! LOL

Man! They could just mention that clearly! I can't understand how hard would it be to just make a dam reasonably good asio driver... The way I see it, if it is a useless feature as it stands, so why include it? Never crossed my mind the line6 would release a product with such a lose end. I really just assumed it would work... I guess I can't be blamed for assuming that :huh: Any way, I'm really mad at Line6 right now!! :angry:

It was advertised by line6 that it would work as an audio interface. It does not work because the crappy asio driver and the incredibly high latency makes this impossible. The latency issue is in fact a very serious one! It makes the audio interface function advertised by line6 completely useless! I understand that there are limitations in technology and maybe is not that easy to create a decent asio driver for the m20d. But that should be said in the advertising or, better yet, the usb multitrack streaming of audio should not have been included as a feature! Line6 advertised every thing as it would be an all in one solution. I bought the M20d mainly for live sound but then I thought, if this thing is an audio interface I'll just get a laptop and I'll have a complete studio on the go! I had an old AMD 1800 PC with windows XP (LOL) and an Edirol firewire interface that worked like a dream. Just figured that it was time to upgrade. So, I sold the edirol interface and a guitar I had lain around and got a new laptop. Now, I'm screwed! I've sold things that worked and I didn't know that the M20d would not work. It just does not work as advertised! I'm in no condition to buy another interface now... I strongly believe that this is deceiving advertising and I'm seriously thinking I could sue Line6!!!

The latency issue is in fact a very serious one! It makes the audio interface function advertised by line6 completely useless! I understand that there are limitations in technology and maybe is not that easy to create a decent asio driver for the m20d. But that should be said in the advertising or, better yet, the usb multitrack streaming of audio should not have been included as a feature! Line6 advertised every thing as it would be an all in one solution. I bought the M20d mainly for live sound but then I thought, if this thing is an audio interface I'll just get a laptop and I'll have a complete studio on the go! I had an old AMD 1800 PC with windows XP (LOL) and an Edirol firewire interface that worked like a dream. Just figured that it was time to upgrade. So, I sold the edirol interface and a guitar I had lain around and got a new laptop. Now, I'm screwed! I've sold things that worked and I didn't know that the M20d would not work. It just does not work as advertised! I'm in no condition to buy another interface now... I strongly believe that this is deceiving advertising and I'm seriously thinking I could sue Line6!!!