Upgrading sounds

[DanR]

Hi
I use Cubase Elements 8 and the included Sonic SE soundset. Works fine but have been looking into upgrading the VST instruments.
Obvious choice would be Halion Sonic 3 for a good all round collection of sounds/instruments.
The trial didn’t install properly though as it defaulted to my Dropbox folder which was full.
I uninstalled it and deleted the activation code to redo but can’t seem to get another one
from Steinberg.
Have sent a support ticked but no reply yet.
Just wondering if anybody’s using Halion Sonic 3 and if it’s a worthwhile upgrade from Sonic SE.
Any help appreciated.

[virtualaudio]

I've been using HaLion 6 / HaLion Sonic 3 for a while, and both have a much wider range of sounds than SE. It's not the 'end all' of VSTi's, but it covers a lot of ground; and it plays well with Cubendo.
I also have East West products, Arturia and Synthology's Ivory II; each have their strengths. It depends on what sounds you need and how much realism you want. Ivory II excels at lifelike piano (the resonance modelling is superb); East West is also strong, if a bit resource hungry (especially with RAM). Good symphonic, eastern, voice & percussion sets. Arturia still holds strong in the modelled Analog Synth department, and their new Pigments 2 is a monster.
More recently I added Kontakt and Reaktor; I'm not as fond of Kontakt (as a Sampler platform), but more soundset developers make Kontakt instruments than any other Sampler format (including some very good free ones) and it is good with computer resources, so it was a nice addition. Reaktor an excellent (if confusing) modular modelling system with unique possibilities and a very good sound.
The most disappointing Sampler I've used was IK Multimedia's Sampletank (2 & 3). Mediocre sounds and annoying quirks. Not a fan.

[DanR]

That’s great, thanks.
I just missed out on a half price sale on Halion 6/Sonic 3 but really wanted to trial first.
Not too fussed about sampling or extra features of H6 so I think Halion Sonic 3 would do well.
Apart from Native Instruments Komplete there seems to be very little else about in terms of workstation/rompler VSTi packages.
I have a Nord Stage 2 for authentic piano if needed although I’d need an interface with midi I/O if recording it using midi.

[ef37a]

That’s great, thanks.
I just missed out on a half price sale on Halion 6/Sonic 3 but really wanted to trial first.
Not too fussed about sampling or extra features of H6 so I think Halion Sonic 3 would do well.
Apart from Native Instruments Komplete there seems to be very little else about in terms of workstation/rompler VSTi packages.
I have a Nord Stage 2 for authentic piano if needed although I’d need an interface with midi I/O if recording it using midi.

If you are thinking of a new MIDI'ed interface Dan, those MOTUs in the current mag' look awesome!

Dave.

[DanR]

If you are thinking of a new MIDI'ed interface Dan, those MOTUs in the current mag' look awesome!

Dave.

Thanks, yes they do look good.
Like the on/off switch. My Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 1st gen needs to be unplugged/replugged
on startup each time.
The data connection aswell as power has to be disconnected for Windows to recognize it again but not sure if the MOTU switch disconnects both.
Would be a bit annoying if I got one and still had to unplug it.

[Drew Stephenson]

The only thing they're missing (from my perspective) would be a digital in/out. But if that's not a requirement they look like very nice options for the price.

[ef37a]

The only thing they're missing (from my perspective) would be a digital in/out. But if that's not a requirement they look like very nice options for the price.

Almost my first thought as well Drew but then they do give you an awful lot anyway.

I would love to see a bigger model at some point, still two mics but more line ins and outs and ADAT configurable to S/PDIF? MIDI still of course! (and maybe an eye on MIDI 2.0?)

Re the 'pluggerating' problem? I had this yonks ago with a Behringer BCA2000 but my KA6 is as a rock with any PC I use. If I had to guess I would say there was a problem with the PC? Not that I am nearly clever enough to say what!

Dave.

[DanR]

Re the 'pluggerating' problem? I had this yonks ago with a Behringer BCA2000 but my KA6 is as a rock with any PC I use. If I had to guess I would say there was a problem with the PC? Not that I am nearly clever enough to say what!

Dave.

Good to know about the KA6 . I have another post on the power thing with the 2i2. A BIOS update may fix it but in no hurry to do that.
Have bought a very short (5”) USB extension cable to save wear on the USB sockets.

[Pete Kaine]

A lot of boards supply power to the USB's these days when the system is off in order to charge devices. Board dependent It's not always every port, have you checked them all?

Check your manual too, sometimes they have the ability to disable the feature in BIOS.

[DanR]

A lot of boards supply power to the USB's these days when the system is off in order to charge devices.

Would that be after shutdown? Didn’t think that any PC would charge from the USB ports
after system shutdown.
My 2i2 starts up fine if I put the laptop into sleep mode and wake it.
After shutdown it has to be disconnected/reconnected.

Just back on topic, I’m patiently waiting for a reply from Steinberg. Gutted I just missed out on the Halion offer. If I had managed to install the trial ok then I would have very likely
made a purchase.

[Agharta]

Ports that provide power when the system is off sometimes have a different colour.
Otherwise check the manual.

[mick.n]

A lot of boards supply power to the USB's these days when the system is off in order to charge devices. Board dependent It's not always every port, have you checked them all?

Check your manual too, sometimes they have the ability to disable the feature in BIOS.

My BIOS has the option to turn off/on power to USB's for device charging purposes.

[DanR]

If you are thinking of a new MIDI'ed interface Dan, those MOTUs in the current mag' look awesome!

Dave.

Just read the SOS review. Looks great all round.
Would be nice if the USB-C socket was recessed so that the plug is
held in place. It looks a little vulnerable as it is.
Also no DC power supply option hence was also looking at the Roland Rubix 22
which has everything.
Tempted anyway by the M2.

[ef37a]

If you are thinking of a new MIDI'ed interface Dan, those MOTUs in the current mag' look awesome!

Dave.

Just read the SOS review. Looks great all round.
Would be nice if the USB-C socket was recessed so that the plug is
held in place. It looks a little vulnerable as it is.
Also no DC power supply option hence was also looking at the Roland Rubix 22
which has everything.
Tempted anyway by the M2.

Yes, the lack of a power input, especially for the bigger one caused me pause but you can get 'power injecting' USB cables so phone operation should be possible.
Mind you, USB 3.0 gives you 4.5W to play with and so even with S/PDIF the M4 would not pull all the bus power possible. My KA6 takes just under the full 500mA from USB 2.0.

And...Oooo! Go for the biggy!

Dave.

[DanR]

Mind you, USB 3.0 gives you 4.5W to play with

I thought they were USB 2.0 but with the C connection, like the Focusrite Scarlett 3rd gen.

[ef37a]

Mind you, USB 3.0 gives you 4.5W to play with

I thought they were USB 2.0 but with the C connection, like the Focusrite Scarlett 3rd gen.

Yes Dan I am sure you are right I just mean that modern laptops have more USB 3.0 ports than 2.0 as a rule and that bus powered AIs are not sailing so close to the power limit wind.

My Lenovo T510 for example has two 3.0 ports and just one 2.0 and I have also fitted a 2 port USB 3.0 Express card and that is from a new machine!

Dave.

[DanR]

Yes Dan I am sure you are right I just mean that modern laptops have more USB 3.0 ports than 2.0 as a rule and that bus powered AIs are not sailing so close to the power limit wind.

My Lenovo T510 for example has two 3.0 ports and just one 2.0

Dave.

Ok thanks. My i5 Acer is the other way round - two USB 2.0 ports and one USB 3.0 so things are gradually changing.

[DanR]

Regarding the MOTU M2, I’m wondering if this would be an improvement in stability over my Scarlett 2i2 gen one.
The Focusrite works well although I do get an occasional stutter/spike on playback in Cubase. Buffer size is 256 which gives very good useable low latency for playing virtual instruments.
I’m running twelve instances of Halion Sonic SE, a couple of effects and the performance meter is quite low.

[DanR]

The Focusrite works well although I do get an occasional stutter/spike on playback in Cubase.

Having switched to the installed ASIO4ALL driver, the audio stutter has disappeared.
Something then to do with the Focusrite Scarlett driver.
It’s a gen one model and there are reports of problems with Windows 10 compatibility, even with the latest drivers.
Most of my use is with virtual instruments and these record and playback fine, monitoring
from the laptop headphone jack.
I only need an audio interface to record occasional audio from hardware synths and maybe
trigger their sounds via midi.

[ef37a]

The Focusrite works well although I do get an occasional stutter/spike on playback in Cubase.

Having switched to the installed ASIO4ALL driver, the audio stutter has disappeared.
Something then to do with the Focusrite Scarlett driver.
It’s a gen one model and there are reports of problems with Windows 10 compatibility, even with the latest drivers.
Most of my use is with virtual instruments and these record and playback fine, monitoring
from the laptop headphone jack.
I only need an audio interface to record occasional audio from hardware synths and maybe
trigger their sounds via midi.

A few days ago I installed a Scarlet 8i6 Mk1 on this W10 Lenovo T510. It installed ok but then gave a few problems with Samplitude Prox Silver locking up. That never happens with the KA6 on 10 or W7.

Dave.

[Drew Stephenson]

I'm running an 8i6 mk1 on a W10 machine and had a bit of a glitch the other week. But the problem turned out to be the driver installer hadn't run properly and I was actually still on an older driver. Doing a wipe and clean install of the new drivers sorted it.
So worth checking that you're actually, definitely, certainly using the latest drivers and latest version of MixControl.

[ef37a]

I'm running an 8i6 mk1 on a W10 machine and had a bit of a glitch the other week. But the problem turned out to be the driver installer hadn't run properly and I was actually still on an older driver. Doing a wipe and clean install of the new drivers sorted it.
So worth checking that you're actually, definitely, certainly using the latest drivers and latest version of MixControl.

Woulddo Drew but having had my first real read of the 8i6 manual I see it has a 'loop back' setting whereby I can record computer sounds. I have decided therefore to use it in my 'studio' setup which is rigged mainly for duping cassettes, to and from and runs a W7 setup which will have the R45 removed.
This was setup with the KA6 and the PC has a 2496 in it but neither AI can do loop back.

Feeling a it more energy these days. Major surgery takes a ***t load out of you past 3 score and ten!

Dave.

[DanR]

So worth checking that you're actually, definitely, certainly using the latest drivers and latest version of MixControl.

Thanks for the reply. Have reinstalled the driver a couple of times but will check.
I did try MixControl but it wouldn’t open. Says ‘no hardware connected’ even though the interface is working.
I don’t think it’s included or used with the 2i2 and no mention of it in the instruction manual.

Update: Have installed the 2nd gen Scarlett driver instead and it seems to be running glitch free now

[Drew Stephenson]

Update: Have installed the 2nd gen Scarlett driver instead and it seems to be running glitch free now

Good stuff

[DanR]

Well, after using the Scarlett 2nd gen drivers for a while, my projects do still have the occasional audio stutter during playback. Maybe track freezing would help.
The ASIO4ALL seems to work a little better.

I only really need a seperate audio interface to record hardware synths. Most stuff is VST instruments.
Would like though to update/upgrade my Scarlett 2i2 1st gen but it needs to be something
with really steady audio performance.
I know RME is one of the best for this but beyond my budget.