Recording Interface For More Inputs On M20d?

[litesnsirens]

I was wondering about a way to try to possibly get more use out of the USB inputs. My idea may be possible, maybe not.  The idea is to try using a USB recording interface with the M20d.  I'm sure it's not possible at this time, although I haven't tried.  The problem I see as it stands is that the M20d would have to "see" the USB interface, so as is necessary when using such a device with a computer, drivers would likely be necessary.

 

So I'm throwing it out there, that if Line 6 were to include some drivers for some popular USB recording interfaces, it would be possible for M20d owners to expand the number of inputs without having to create an M40d or the like.  I don't know if doing so would be as complex or more so than making it possible to link 2 M20d's via USB.  I'm just throwing the idea out there.  If you only needed a few more inputs this would be a less expensive option than buying a second M20d.

 

The problem I see, that may be standing in the way, is that as it stands it is impossible to use the M20d as a recording interface because the best possible latency it can provide is a full 1/2 second.  If adding a USB interface or a second M20d would suffer the same latency, the I guess the latency issue would have to be rectified first.   Which would be awesome in it's own right, Imagine being able to use the M20d as a recording interface. It blows my mind that a device this amazing can't do it already, but who knows.

 

Anyway, just some thoughts.

[dboomer]

Great idea ... but you need to petition the interface manufacturer of your choice to develop the driver program since only they know the proprietary nature of the code for their product.

[antonioctd]

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!!!

[pgraca]

I had the same issue and solved it with a FocusRite 2i2 interface to have a live way to record my sessions to my computer will all the effects :)

[wildavid]

The best that Ive been able to do is to use the 4 Monitor sends as 4 individual 'lines' out to another device (the other device being the audio interface - in my case the Pod X3 Pro so I only actually need 2 lines). I also use this in conjunction with the 32GB SD card in the M20d anyway. I can only bring the recorded tracks over to the computer 1, 2 or 4 tracks at a time depending upon the audio device. So, whilst I have a solution (of sorts) its all just a bandaid around the fundamental latency issue which is not present for the other Line 6 devices I own. This is frustrating - I really wish this would get solved or explained to me why it can't (i.e. the processor in the M20d just doesn't cut it like it should for recording purposes)

[LDBecker]

pgraca -

 

How did you do this? Do you use the MD20 and its effects for the session, then out to the FocusRite 2i2 and then to the PC? How do you connect the MD20 to the FocusRite?  Do you use the monitor sends? USB?

 

antonioctd -

 

In the recording I've done I've used a Presonus 16.4.2 (mine, now sold for the MD20) and 24.4.2 (church's). I haven't tried recording much on the MD20 because of what I've read on the forum - just on the SD card to be brought into a DAW later- and it was fine - latency didn't really enter into that scenario. Is latency an issue for people who are trying to make edits to previously recorded tracks by layering other things on top of the previous tracks?

 

Thanks,

 

Larry

[dboomer]

 

 

 Is latency an issue for people who are trying to make edits to previously recorded tracks by layering other things on top of the previous tracks?

 

 

 

Correct.  The M20d was never intended to be used as a recording interface.  It should be, as you noted, used to capture live performances and then transfer those tracks to a DAW for further processing. 

 

From a practical standpoint, the latency of the mixer will likely not be reduced.  Some pretty large buffers are required to ensure the live audio performance of the mixer.  Think about all the processing that is going on in the mixer compared to what is going on with your typical recording interface.  Even some of those to can provide mixing and a few effects don't come anywhere close to the audio processing that is running inside the M20d.