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Old 01-17-2008, 07:02 AM   #21
axeman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuukka View Post
Hi Alan!

I have had the same problems with my US-1641. I have three operating systems on my laptop: Vista Home premium, XP (for audio), Vista Home premium(for audio). The funny thing is that it works fine with the normal Vista, which I use for designing.

The only differences between these OS' are USB control drivers and settings. I haven't done anything to improve the audio performance on the normal Vista. So I guess the problem is related to the settings and drivers.

You could try to install Windows again and get the latest updates and drivers. Just making sure that you haven't attached any USB mass storage device? This could also be the problem..

Btw, what are the key benefits of using REAPER? I tried Cubase LE4, but it did not convince me.

Best regards,

Tuukka

www.myspace.com/tuukkaheikkinen
Hi Tuukka,

Thanks very much for sharing your experience/insights. Who would have thought that Vista could actually improve performance for an application like this? Given what you've found, I'm also surprised that TASCAM, as well as other USB 2.0 audio vendors, haven't gotten to the bottom of these details and provided appropriate guidance. (As I posted a while back, TASCAM tech support only led me to http://www.musicxp.net/ as a reference for tuning XP. Beyond that, they said my US-1641 might be defective. That's it.)

If the USB drivers turn out to be the only root cause of the problems, I'm wondering if there is any way to identify XP-compatible replacement(s) that can simply be replaced--without the need for doing a complete reinstall of Windows. Also, I want to be able to record to a USB 2.0 drive, although I hook that up to a USB port on the back of the PC, which I'm led to believe is not on the same USB hub as the front ports (where I plug in the US-1641). Otherwise, I'd have to stick with recording to the system drive, which is generally understood to be a bad thing.

The benefits of REAPER? Where should I begin? First of all, I suppose I should state that my only previous Steinberg (DAW) experience was with Cubasis VST 4, as that's what came bundled with my old E-mu 0404 PCI card. Tried using it a few times, but the interface just seemed extremely non-intuitive. Additionally, there were some very simple functions I needed to perform and it just wasn't capable of supporting them in any reasonable manner. As a result, I eventually decided that the Cubase line probably wasn't a good fit for me. (Additionally, Cubase LE does not support some of the basic features I'd envision using on a fairly regular basis.)

OK, on to some of the reasons I chose REAPER:

- The ability to fully test/use the program while still in my 30-day evaluation period.

- Once I understood a few basic techniques (most of which I figured out on the fly with little difficulty), it was really easy to do 95% of what I wanted to do. While I tried reading through the manual once (in advance), it was extremely gratifying to go through my first real recording session without ever having to even crack the manual.

- On the rare occasion when I get stuck, or even just need some advice, the wonderful people here are almost always able to help. Additionally, the most important feature request I had (although also requested by others in the past) was implemented during my trial period. Also, as an aside, the "Web 2.0" support methodology is very much in sync with what I do for a living. (My music career consistently operates at a loss, so it is strictly an artistic endeavor.)

- REAPER is incredibly efficient. I'm still trying to wrap my head around how a 3.1 MB installer can support such a robust, intuitive recording platform. The fact that you can run it off a USB memory stick is also extremely helpful. (Would rather not install the application on my work laptop, but was able to sanity check some recent recordings while on a business trip that way. Very convenient!)

- Support for both VST and DX plugins, plus a host of great effects (including the JS effects) that come bundled with the program.

- The ease of importing and (especially) exporting audio for use with other DAW platforms. (Work with older versions of Pro Tools LE in both of my bands.)

- REAPER also features a lot of flexibility--and, at the same time, it is fairly easy to understand how everything works. Unlimited tracks (based on PC performance limitations) is also very appealing.

OK, I think I've hit all the major points. (By the way, are you stating that REAPER did not convince you--or were you referring to Cubase LE?) I hope this helps.

Cheers,


Alan
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