What's up Chris...welcome to the RO land...change o pace from the Tascam forums eh?
Anyhue...US428 issues eh? I can helpyou with those...I'm sure you know that I have a 428 as well...use it for controller surface only these days as I like using my Echo card for audio..
If you are having drop outs then something aint right..of course...
let's see what we can do to solve those..
Synths eh? I have a JP8000 as my main synth and use VSTi's or reason for sounds and so forth..
love em.. I'm not much of a synth person as hardware, well, is able to be duplicated via software these days since it's all algorythms anyways of VCO's,since waves, etc etc etc...
Personally, I think synths are over rated these days.
I havent tried the Creamware stuff so I can't comment on it..don't know anyone using em either!
anyways...just thought I'd say welcome and try and answer "some" of your questions and input my opinion(because I like to!)
Opus :D

Hey thanks for the welcome!
Do I get a basket of fruit or anything? HAHA
I know what you mean about the synths... They are kind of expensive for the really cool new ones at least... I've got a k2500s, but because of ergonomics in the studio I use an ms2000 as my controller into the us-428. Plus a couple of secondaries - roland sh32, jv-1010, jupiter4,eg-101, emu proteus 2000. I'm addicted! But I just went to guitar center and got absynth yesterday and it seems totally cool except for the audio probs I'm having with the us428.
The salesman gave me the old " whats it gonna take " so I got the absynth for 200. I see it's posted onsale at musiciansfriend at 239! I guess that was a pretty good deal, although I've never heard of negotiable priced software! I may have to shop there more often.
I'm in the process of tuning my machine right now to see if I can get rid of the rice krispies. If that doesn't work I'm gonna try eliminating usb devices like the optical mouse... Then I give up...
I guess I may just co with the pulsarII card. The decription reads... An open DSP platform for synthesis, sampling, processing, mixing, and routing.

The Pulsar II system takes the DSP processing away from your computer and assigns it to six of the fastest floating-point DSPs available, the Analog Devices SHARC. The hardware also provides two unbalanced analog I/Os, sixteen channels ADAT (EIAJ connector), two S/PDIF channels (RCA unbalanced), and MIDI in/out/thru - all at 24-bit resolution. The software package includes a 24/48 channel digital mixer, ten synthesizers, STS-3000 sampling software, and more than sixty DSP effects.

Features:

24-bit resolution
Two unbalanced analog I/Os
Sixteen channels of ADAT
Two S/PDIF channels
MIDI in/out/thru
24/38 digital software mixer
Ten soft synths
STS-3000 sampling software
More than sixty DSP effects

Now I don't know about you but my mouth just started watering!
I just hate buying something like that without knowing all I can. It seems to me that it's almost a unique product... As far as the features. Do you know of any cards that do all of this?
And if you have any tips on the us-428 to get me by for a while :confused: That would be great!
Thanks!

Hey also, I just noticed in absynth for instance that I get the dropout pops when using the mod wheel. This is'nt the only time it occurs, but pops come in a steady stream once the mod wheel is turned once or twice. Is this a latency issue? Or do you have any ideas?
Thanks again! Chris

Opus, I also posted this in the tascam forum. Just thought I'd ask you as well...
When manually installing the us-428 why are the new 3.09 xp drivers (came in the zip file) not recognized as xp? It gives me the box that says the drivers are not tested and approved for xp...
I've used the installer but for some reason there is always an unsupported device listed and when I remove it and reboot it always recognizes the us-428 and wants to install the drivers... That's when the drivers are disputed by xp.
Am I missing some trick to getting the 428 installed correctly? I'm having all kinds of problems with popping and dropouts so any help would be greatly appreciated.
FYI the us428 and wdm drivers are listed and work, but I can't get rid of the unssuported device.
Thanks Alot! Chris

Nevermind, the unsupported device. Duh... I realized it was unrelated. The us428 is installed fine. Daniel keller says the stuttering is an xp issue and there is a fix available from microsoft. Do you use xp or know of such a file? Thanks!

Chris
My machine when I tested it with XP ran flawless...
Read my tweak guide and at the bottom of it you'll see I put some notes regarding this...
http://www.opusaudioprojects.net/WinXp.htm

You need to get the update from the Windows update site...
Opus

OK, I finally found the file! Thank God! I can finally play pop free music on my puter! YEEHAW!
Wow... I can actually use software now!
Thanks for your help!!!!