I have verified Allocator (+ Lite) with 2 new cards.

Both the E-MU 1820 and 1820M work perfectly with allocator.
I am using CONSOLE and placing Allocator in the VST signal path.

To use CONSOLE with PatchMix (E-MU's soundcard driver), you MUST FIRST setup the number of ASIO inputs and outputs within Patchmix. The reason for this is because Patchmix actually realises (ie: Makes viewable by other windows applications) these virtual inputs/outputs. If you setup CONSOLE before creating the in/outs, CONSOLE will see an ASIO device without any I/O.

Therefore, here are the steps for using an E-MU product:

1/ Patchmix:
INPUT]
If its not already there, create a STRIP for WAVE 1/2.
Under INSERTS ,place a Peak Meter at the top of the STRIP - optional, but useful.
Beneath the Peak Meter, place a SEND(OUTPUT to ASIO) to ASIO1/2 (This will send the WAVE/WDM/Windows audio to the first pair of 'inputs' in CONSOLE)

OUTPUT]
If its not already there, create a STRIP for ASIO-OUT1/2. (Hint: Its called a HOST SOURCE in PatchMix).
Repeat as necessary... up to ASIO-OUT7/8
Under each ASIO STRIP, place a Peak Meter INSERT at the top - optional, but useful. (Shows if audio is being sent to the hardware outputs.)
For each ASIO STRIP, also place a SEND(Output to Physical Out) to each hardware output as necessary. (IE: ASIO1/2 - > Send to DOCK-OUT-1/2, ASIO3/4 - > Send to DOCK-OUT-3/4, etc)

2/ CONSOLE:
Create your CONSOLE session as normal.
Chose the EMU ASIO device.
Drag the E-MU WAVE-IN & WAVE-OUT devices onto the work space.
Windows WDM/WAVE audio will appear at 1/2 of the EMU Wave-In.
Draw up your audio flowchart as necessary.
Audio will be presented on the E-MU hardware outputs 1/2...7/8 as per the routing coming into E-MU WAVE-OUT 1/2...7/8


I found that PatchMix and CONSOLE do not like to work after a hibernate/resume. If you need to get sound to work again after this, you MUST turn CONSOLE off then on again via the power button in CONSOLE. I am using a different solution, where I use a hibernate trigger program to kill CONSOLE upon hibernate and then reload the session when windows resumes. Works perfect.

Enjoy.
][CE

ice,

are you using XP or Vista32? Which version of the drivers?

Any reason to believe it will be different without console?

Thanks

Eric

Hi.

Using XP.
V2.0 Beta Drivers (11 sept 07).
No reason to believe it wouldnt work straight with Alloc/lite. Just ensure you create the strips in Patchmix first, before setting up Alloc routing.

thanks! what program are you using to initiate hybernation? I've been having problems with my display after hybernation (Vista 32, AMD RS690G) which I believe started the same time I installed the E-Mu card.

I have the power button set to Hibernate - not shutdown.
You can use 'Hibernate Trigger' from http://www.rpi.edu/~desimn/suspendtrigger/
to trigger events on hibernate and others on resume.

I decided to put together a mini ITX system dedicated to Allocator/crossover duty. I will post details as I build it- I still have not received the motherboard and the case.
But, I already received the sound card- Asus Xonar D2. I picked it based on the fact that it has native ASIO drivers and its published audio specs are outstanding. Also, the converters are identical for all channels and are Burr-Brown PCM1796 as found in some high end DVD-A and SACD players.
So I installed it in my desktop, made some custom cables (the card comes with mini 1/8" to RCA cables- but my amp takes Phoenix connectors) and started playing with it. The drivers that came on the disk with the card are very bad. I could not get the card to play smoothly. It even caused a few BSD's (blue screens of death) when re-starting Allocator.
After a few hours struggle I was ready to send it back, but I thought of looking for newer drivers first.
I found newest Beta drivers on Asus website and downloaded and installed them. Not any better performance. In one last effort I uninstalled the Asus software all together and ran the beta drivers installation one more time. This did the trick and the card started to behave almost normally.
The good news is that it has internal routing, but when used that way it becomes a 2in x 6out card as far as Allocator is concerned- you can't use the main L+R outputs as the direct sound shows up there. When fed SPDIF or analog input it is a 2in x 8out card- perfect for Allocator. The ASIO buffers go to 16384 samples- twice the optimal size for Phase Arbitrator. I had a problem getting the analog input to sound right- it sounds transposed down an octave- there is some strange half-sample rate effect on it- possibly due to the beta driver, but maybe I'm overlooking something. I will have to look deeper into it. (I disabled all DSP, so it's not that.)

The best news is that the sound quality is truly outstanding. There is absolutely no hiss or hum, and the sound is pristine. It's scary what $170.00 buys you. I think that this card can give some very expensive pro interfaces a run for their money. I listened to a variety of my reference recordings and was super impressed. My Alesis AI-3 and Presonus Firebox are clearly inferior.
The analog input is supposed to be very high quality as well, but I can't vouch for it yet. Stay tuned for more info on this card as I spend more time with it and have more info to share.

Jan has discovered with Asus Xonar D2 a very interesting sound card with ASIO abilities in the low budget class. Same excellent results are delivered by a broad invested review: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/multimedia/display/asus-xonar_9.html

Ruediger

The Echo Audiofire 8 works very well with Allocator. I have been using a pair of them, one for each channel, for about 4 months now.

Nice work Digi! A question to Echo Audiofire 8: Does it support internal rerouting or do you use Console?

BTW of which material does the rack shelves consist?

Ruediger

Thanks Ruediger,

I use Console to route all of the signals. The Audiofire control panel only allows level adjustment, stable ASIO drivers without the bells and whistles is what I prefer. The Echo Audiofire is much better than the Focusrite Saffire I was using before. The Saffire had some stability issues, the Audiofire has been the best of the three cards that I have tested, the third being a Presonus FP10. It is rock solid, HIGHLY recommended.

The rack shelves are made from 1.5" (38.1mm) of MDF and veneer scraps from my friend Bob's wood shop. The top and bottom had a cherry veneer and the edges are lacewood.




Rob

Interesting, Rob, that you get Allocator started with a firewire system. In previous postings Jan reported about difficulties with firewire systems.

How many samples as buffer size do you use? Your OS is supposable Win XP?

In your screenshot I see an imported frequency response. With which measurement tool do you work?

Furthermore I see you are using for time delay adjustments "Voxengo Sound Delay". Why don´t you work with the time delay function of Allocator? Setting range?


Ruediger

Ruediger,

Yes I do use WinXP. I wasn't aware that firewire cards had difficulties. I have tried three firewire cards with Allocator, two worked well and the third was so-so but eventually I still got it to be fairly stable. My buffers are set to 256 samples which equals 2.9msec.

I use a few tools to develop loudspeakers: LinearX LMS4 and LEAP5, ARTA 1.4.2, I also have Sound Easy, but I prefer ARTA and LMS (LMS lacks distortion tests otherwise it would be the only tool I use). My measurements were imported to Allocator from LMS. I use Voxengo Delay because I like the interface, it's much easier to use than Allocator. Allocator works just fine but I like the virtual controls of Voxengo Delay, it's free too.

Cheers,

Rob

I wanted to chime in here. My Firebox, which is a firewire device works fine with Allocator. M-Audio 410 also works fine. I believe RME has one that was iffy.
Also please note that Digi is using Allocator Light, that's how he gets smooth operation with small buffers and low latency. Full Allocator needs longer buffers to work correctly.

Speaking of firewire cards does anyone have experience with the M-Audio Profire 610? It's similar to the FireWire 410 so I expect it would work well. But buying one would be a rather expensive failure if it turned out not to.

I'm also interested in the Profire 610 and the FireWire 410. It appeared from older posts that the FireWire410 required some loopback with an external wire because M-Audio's patchbay software didn't support internal routing. Is this still the case? Is this the case with the 610 as well, or can it do internal routing?