Soundcard : M-Audio Fast Track Pro
Anyone using this card ? How is the sound quality? I’ve heard that the output isn’t really loud…is it true? Any drivers uses on mac? How is the latency? And mast question : what are the dimensions (wasn’t able to find the information anywhere)
thanks in advance !
i’m using it about an year and it never let me down!the sound qality is wery good,yes the outputs are a little low but when you gain up the club mixer there is no problem,the earphones out is loud enough,i hawe it setted at the almost minimum buffer(256) and the latency is on 5,5ms(Win Xp) and no poping or clicking.Dimensions:19x4,5x14cm 0,2 kg
Fast Track Pro
Using it for the last 3 months.
I’ve set it on 128 samples → 2.5ms in Traktor and runs smoothly on a (bit tweaked)windows xp @ laptop hp compaq nx7300 (Celeron M 1.8GHz/1GB DDR2)
Ground loops: I guess the card isn’t made to isolate USB power from audio out(if that is even possible to engeneer in this price range). If you encounter some humming, try to connect the ext. power adapter(wall wart). That probably won’t stop the audio-hum until you cut the GND and +5V on the usb cable.
It is “vulnerable” to the noise(some say via GND) that is comming BACK FROM the amp if the amp or power line that is amp connected-to tends to be problematic/noisy.
Problem is beeing discussed in this forum thread.
Good soundcard but not for the people that want the hardware which “just works”.
I really liked my FTP when i had one.
I used it for djDecks running 2 decks of TC vinyl into it - one through the analog in, and one through the digital input (throught an analog to digital s/pdif convertor).
Latency was really good through the asio4all drivers.
i also used it with guitar rig, and had good results.
over all i thought it was a good card for the price. I recently got rid of it when i got my Audio 8 dj / Scratch bundle - didn’t need more than one soundcard in the family.
this type of convertor exists ? you can convert digital straight to rca ? where can i find such a thing ??
i have never had any problems with mine on a macbookpro 2.4 w/ 2 gigs. I actually one side out to the kaoss pad to use the beat looper and grain effects for drums and the output is only slightly lower than my other interfaces. That is a quik fix with the trim knob on the kaoss pad. I have never had any problems with drivers. I did however upgrade to the firewire 410 because of the software mixer and being able to send differant channels to the kaoss pad as a send/return. Any other interfaces you are considering?
I’m also considering getting an echo audiofire 2, because it’s firewire, much smaller, better build, and 50 € cheaper…But i’m a little concerned about the mini-jack headphone output…And the m audio fast track pro also has mic and instrument inputs that could be usefull someday.
So I haven’t made up my mind yet…
From what I’ve been reading about, Behringer F-Control FCA202 looks like an affordable alternative…(Firewire, around $80US, 2in 2out…)
Anyone used one before?
it’s a thread about the m audio fast track pro, so if you want to talk about an another soundcard, jsut create a new thread 
Sorry…
I’ll start a new thread like you mentioned…
thanx
Hay guys, I have the Fast Track Pro and so far it’s been working great, with one exception. In the world of DJing I am still extremely wet behind the ears, I’ve had the Love and Enthusiasm for this music for years and my head is just bursting with ideas and I’ve been dying to get them out and make it all real, so a few weeks ago I got a vci100 and traktor3.3 and the FTP, and I’ve been slowly teaching myself how to reconfigure traktor to work the way I want it to. I’m well on my way to getting the knack of oldschool beatmatching and I’m doing quite well with all the midi command rewriting and whatnot, but I just can’t figure out how to hear the cue in my headphones.
I’m entirely positive that it’s something ridiculously basic but I can’t put my finger on it. Could somebody please give me a step by step on how to headphone cue with traktor and the FTP?
It would be much appreciated
it´s simple:look at the picture and set the outputs to the four channels of your FTP(M-audio USB ASIO).
Then plug your headphones to FTP,push the button(to hear the 3/4 channels) next to the headphones level,and you should hear the cued deck(push the cue button in traktor,etc…).
that´s all 
Thanks man, but I just figured it out 2 days ago For some reason my monitor output is 1/2, and the master out is 3/4.
It’s all working now tho
I Believe to have found the solution to the “vulnerability”.
The RCA connectors on the soundcard are (true) too sensitive.
Happened to me that the soundcard freezes while performing on a live DJ gig(5-10 times in one night).
I’m not TOTALLY sure about this solution but in few days I will have this confirmed.
[QUOTE]SOLUTION is to avoid usage of RCA outputs in clubs/caffes and connect to TRS balanced 1/2 output. (I feel sorry for the people that need all four outputs.)
I also haven’t tried connecting to the SPDIF out, maybe that too works as it should (stable).
If you don’t have balanced inputs on your equipment (as many don’t) feel free to convert blanced to unbalanced…I do it.[/QUOTE]
Here is a good document on connectors and balanced conversion.
Please double check everything before you do this. I am not and will not be liable for any damage that you induce on your equipment. My FAST TRACK PRO soundcard works connected like this as I’m writing this article.
the converter i have does the opposite.
this box converts analog signal to digital signal.
Radio Shack Digital Series Toslink / PCM / S-Video Analog - Digital A/V Signal Converter
model 15-1242
currently you can only find them on ebay…
there are also digital to analog convertors out there as well, these are more common than the analog to digital ones…
has someone tried the line input of the card used as a live input in traktor ?
I did try line input, it works. Even better, you can use two mono inputs and mix it right into the main output therefore the card can be used as a mini mixer.
The solution that i have posted before does not work. IDK if I got a faulty soundcard or the hardware that it is connected to is really bad but I can’t get it to work a full hour while out of my home setup. I’m sad, shocked and appalled. Can someone help me please. In two weeks I have a nice gig (that can have an impact on my DJ career) but I can’t do it with this hardware. My dj-self-esteem is lost…help pls.
HERE BE THE REAL SOLUTION (or so I hope, it works for me)
With a help of my friends I probably have found the solution to the “sound stops” problem. USB power from the computer is limited to the 500mA which, is not always 500mA but LESS(and this soundcard needs power). That made me go to the store and buy an universal DC power supply 1.5-12V 1000mA (aka wall wart). The wall wart (among many other things haven’t helped) because it’s output was not filtered and regulated(to the 9V).
The link above is a cheap (and a bit dirty) solution to the problem of voltage regulation. Any electronics engeneer will probably build a better one, and I hope to hear what components should be changed.
PLEASE DO NOT THROW YOUR Fast Track Pro away(as I was intending to) but try to build someting like this or get a wall wart with regulated output(yes, they are sold as regulated and unregulated). To put it simple, buy an expensive one. Hope I helped.
EDIT&UPDATE: This fix helped partially, the #$%@ still manages to lock-up but not so often as it used to. I’m still searching for a solution to this problem…
At first I wanted to get a fast track pro, which is 200 € in Europe. But I finally went for a Presonus Firebox for 260 €.
Here is the stuff you get for you 60 €
I think it’s a no brainer !
Mine was 100eur…I guess I did well.
