UltraLite mk3 volume?

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Level 1

15 points

UltraLite mk3 volume?

When using the mk3 does the master volume control on the MacBook have any effect on the output of the mk3? or is the volume for the mk3 controlled completely separately?

mbpro17, Mac OS X (10.6.2), 4G ram

Posted on Jul 17, 2010 7:22 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 17, 2010 7:52 AM in response to drumthumb

The MacBook volume control won't affect the mk3 volume. The mk3 volume is independent.

The only way the two would kinda cross paths is if you somehow routed the output of the mk3 back into the MacBook and were using the internal speakers as your sound source, but that's only because the MB volume controls the internal speakers.

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Answer 2

drumthumb Author

Level 1

15 points

Jul 18, 2010 6:06 AM in response to JasTheMusicman

Excellent! Thanks for the info. Another $550 I can spend on my rig!

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Answer 3

Jul 18, 2010 8:09 AM in response to drumthumb

ha-ha, yeah...but that is one sweet interface you're gonna have 🙂

In addition to the features and functions, including the onboard compression, eq, and reverb, etc. I really like that you have both FW and USB 2.0 and 64 bit drivers, smart choice!

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Answer 4

Jul 20, 2010 3:08 PM in response to JasTheMusicman

I must chime in to add that the UltraLite mk3 (I am using the older FireWire only, non-hybrid only version) has been the best of all worlds for my MainStage setup. The I/O flexibility is great, the latency is minimal, and the hardware DSP (reverb, eq, limiting, compression) has been really useful in offloading CPU tasks from my MacBook.

An added bonus is all of the metering stuff you can use to analyze your signals, which is sort of a hidden benefit of the box.

I've tried an RME Fireface, an Apogee, and the MOTU, and the MOTU has been ideal for live performance.

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Answer 5

drumthumb Author

Level 1

15 points

Jul 20, 2010 6:09 PM in response to dingdangdawg

thanks for the extra info - could you explain what you mean by "other metering" ? What signals can you monitor? And is it all on the display of the UltraLite? Or is there a MOTU software thing which allows metering?
Thanks!

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Answer 6

Jul 20, 2010 9:09 PM in response to drumthumb

You can monitor about anything going into or out of the box. But you're correct, it is software based.

The CueMix software provided with the UltraLite provides excellent metering of all sorts, including Spectrogram and FFT analysis. Look around on the MOTU site for info on the CueMix software to get an idea of what is available. I use it to analyze the quality of my signals coming in, and then to set up eq to get the mix I want.

You can even use the software with the UltraLite as an oscilloscope to capture and analyze signals! There is a video online floating around on how to do this, I think I found it on YouTube.

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Answer 7

drumthumb Author

Level 1

15 points

Jul 21, 2010 3:58 PM in response to dingdangdawg

just one more reason to get the UltraLite ASAP: I arrived a little late to the theatre today and I hooked up everything to my MBP - except the power. 1/2-way through the 2nd act the giant warning chord rang out through my amp AND the house sound system announcing to all that my laptop was running low on power. D'oh!!!

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Answer 8

Jul 21, 2010 9:34 PM in response to drumthumb

But even with the UltraLite, do keep in mind that if you are powering the interface via the Firewire or USB bus without the laptop plugged in, you are draining FAST. If the laptop is plugged in, no problem. Or, you can power the UltraLite via its external power supply.

I forgot to bring my MacBook power cord to a gig once and was sweating bullets. Now I keep an extra power supply in my bag just in case.

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