Kristal

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:17 pm

I have a firepod that I rushed out and bought (wish I would have waited) but I am not using because of Cubase. Cubase is a little more complicated that I had hoped and was a little dissappointed when I could use Audacity with the firepod. I understand why I cant use Audacity, but will the program Kristal work with the firepod? I have not used that either, but it seems a little less complicated than Cubase LE. Also, with this firepod...can it act as a PA system? Like could I use it for live music?

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:07 pm

Kristal will work but, don't give up on Cubase LE! It's not that complicated. Really! Print out the PDF manual on the disk or from within Cubase and read it. Start with the "Getting Started" manual and work your way from there. Everything is step by step and there are plenty of diagrams. Once you get the hang of Cubase, you'll wonder how you ever got along with Audacity. Audacity is fine for stereo editing but even that can be done in Cubase with much more control and Real Time effects!

If you find Cubase confusing, Kristal will be no less confusing. If you have to go thru a learning curve, You might as well do it with Cubase.

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 4:25 pm

Ok, I am gonna try to give it another shot. I skimmed the manual before, but I didn't really understand most of it. I think I might try to find a manual with diagrams Smile

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:50 pm

Just put the CD into your drive and open it up in Explorer or Finder depending on Windows or OSX. If you browse the folders you should be able to find a PDF(acrobat) file complete with diagrams. If not you can download the PDF from Steinberg.

To give you a head start, the first thing you should do is ensure that you are using the correct ASIO or Core Audio driver. Go to Devices menu at the top of the screen/VST multitrack and ensure that either Firepod(or Presonus) ASIO or Firepod Core Audio is the selected driver.

Next go to Devices Menu/VST inputs and enable inputs 1 through 8.

Each track needs to be record enabled for you to record. Start from there and come back if you run into more obstacles.

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:05 pm

Ok so I did that and was able to record from a mic and was pretty excited at how easy it was. So from there I tried getting sound to come out of my speaker as I was recording. here is was I did: I plugged in my 2 speakers into preamp output 1 and 2 and the volume drops very low. I cannot get it higher no matter what I do.

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:08 pm

You are using powered monitors right? What monitors are you using?

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:43 pm

By monitor you mean speaker right? lol I don't know if there powered but I don't think they are lol.

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 8:36 pm

Quote:

I plugged in my 2 speakers into preamp output 1 and 2

You should be coming out of the FP's Main CR (Control Room) output.

Quote:

By monitor you mean speaker right? lol I don't know if there powered but I don't think they are lol.

Monitor = speaker, yes.

Powered Monitors have built in amps, and edison cables coming out of them that plug into the wall. Do yours have these?
If not, you need an Amplifier.

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:08 pm

Quote:

here is was I did: I plugged in my 2 speakers into preamp output 1 and 2 and the volume drops very low. I cannot get it higher no matter what I do.

I think you should be using the "main cr output" instead of the "preamp output".... that might be part of the problem. Then you can control the volume from the "main level" knob on the front.

Also, make sure you that if you are listening to playback, you have the "mixer" knob turn all the way to the "playback" side (far right). This "mixer" knob adjusts what you hear through the monitors (or headphones) from just the Firepod inputs (not processed through your computer in any way) if you turn it to far left ('"input" side).... to an all processed sound (what it sounds like from your computer, after whatever processing you do) if you turn it all the way to the right (the "playback" side). Point being.... if you are listening just to playback and you have the knob turned anywhere besides all the way right, it will be at a lower volume.

What kind of speakers (monitors) do you have? If they are self-powered (active monitors) you can run them straight out of the Firepod... if they are NOT self-powered (passive monitors), you will have to run the signal through an amplifier first and then to your speakers.

Quote:

Also, with this firepod...can it act as a PA system? Like could I use it for live music?

Yes and No.... You can use the Firepod as a line mixer (with the "mixer" knob turned all the way to the left or "inputs" side) but it will not power speakers. You would have to go from the Firepod -> Amplifier -> Speakers (as most PA speakers I have encountered need external power).

Small PA systems usually just include the mixer and amplifier in one box.... so it provides power. But you could get a rackmount amplifier and mount it in a small, portable, case rack with the Firepod and POW!!... you have a workable PA system (with the ability to use all kind of effects and software instruments if you have a nice laptop and the right software).

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 11:00 pm

I'm not really much of an expert but I own a pair of old Bose acoustimass powered pa speakers, so there are speakers you can buy which have the amps built inside, which I think you could plug directly from that. But maybe I'm wrong

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 11:03 am

Ok thanks for all the useful information. I don't think th monitors are powered because there is one cable and that is what I'm plugging into the firepod. also, I have a yamaha emx 860st..that's not considered an amp is it? could you point me in the way of a good amp or should I just buy new speakers. Does the firestudio have a built in amp? Thanks again for all the very helpful info.

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 2:50 pm

That's a Pa mixer/amp isn't it? I wouldn't use that. I'm assuming that you're using PA monitors as your speakers as well? They will probably hiss a lot and likely will be way too loud to be of any use, unless you intend to be deaf in the next year or so.

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 5:54 pm

Yeah I just found the model number. The moniters I have are 2 Yamaha S12E, from what the website says its a club series speaker :/

Also, this looks pretty interesting. Should I do something like this?

http://www.arnoldarts.de/drupal/?q=image/tid/54

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:34 pm

Do what ever you see fit. First things first though. You need sound. Go buy a pair of monitors that fits your budget. Make sure they're powered.

Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 8:43 pm

And with that statement, another can of worms was opened...

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