Using Logic Pro 7 with Digidesign hardware... Request for Commets

I've been using my 002R with Logic 7.2.3 with no problems. I also have an RME ADI-8 hooked up via the ADAT interface. No problems there either.

The key is to get the latest Digidesign Core Audio driver, v 7.3.

I had a lot of problems with Digi's CA 6.9, although 7.0 seemed to work fine.

One thing of note is that I can't run the buffers consistently lower than 256. Sometimes I can use 128, but usually I start to get crackling. That seems to be the case using it with PTLE as well, so I don't know if it's really that much different. I've become quite used to working with 256. The main problem would be vocal monitoring and I do that externally via a mixer, so buffer latency has never been a big deal to me.



Dual 2.5Ghz 2004; 2.5GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I've used Logic 7.2 with Firepod and MBox. Both work great.
Cheers
Darrell, Ottawa

I've wanted to use both MBox and Firepod together at the same time with Logic -

not sure how to set it up in audio window - there are spdif on both I/Os

also looking for help in getting a cue mix set up - any kinds of hardware out there? I've been using my old Behringer Mixer - for playback - but - it's noisy
there Is only one phones input on the Firepod & 2 on the Mbox

I run my Logic Pro 7.2.1 thru a Digi 002R just fine and dandy.

I set the buffer latency low (128) when recording,then high wehn mixing(1024) to help the system cope with more audio streams and plugins.

Cheers

just to throw a different opinion into the mix..

the digi 002 with logic has had a very patchy history. it's good to hear that people are having it all work trouble-free now. but you should know that digidesign are infamous for poorly written core audio drivers, and it's always been the case that when you use digi hardware you have to be triple careful about software updates and OS updates.. when you have it working well, don't touch anything!

there is another way to get tools onto your system at low cost. you can pick up a cheap m-audio box and use protools m-powered. then, for logic, you can keep a separate, better interface.

This is a legend that refuses to die

the digi 002 with logic has had a very patchy
history. it's good to hear that people are having it
all work trouble-free now. but you should know that
digidesign are infamous for poorly written core audio
drivers, and it's always been the case that when you
use digi hardware you have to be triple careful about
software updates and OS updates.. when you have it
working well, don't touch anything!

I've used this set up now for a couple of years without any major complaints and before it a 001 system with Logic back into V4 - the digi audio drivers are as a rule reliable however unfortunate that they do not make the harware class-compliant for device aggrigation but thats nit picking.

This legend of digidesign not supporting third party softwares by purposefully disabliing their drivers is rubbish.

just in support of tbird here - and i admit i am no expert - but i have heard so many reports from experienced users who have had problems getting digidesign equipment to behave with logic that i am inclined to think there is an issue. that said, i haven't heard of any problems for a while so maybe its sorted.

I can't seem to get communication from the Firepod to the MBox from the spidif ports on both interfaces. I realize that Pro Tools will only "see" the Mbox - but should it receive send / receive "data" via the spidif ports? When I use Logic, shouldn't Logic and the G5 (OSX) see ports on ALL interfaces.

Can't I communicate between the two hardwares and at least their respective programs?

Ah,yes the legend continues:

the digi 002 with logic has had a very patchy
history. it's good to hear that people are having it
all work trouble-free now. but you should know that
digidesign are infamous for poorly written core audio
drivers, and it's always been the case that when you
use digi hardware you have to be triple careful about
software updates and OS updates.. when you have it
working well, don't touch anything!

Hmmm...maybe I am one of the lucky few that have not had problems...

there is another way to get tools onto your system at
low cost. you can pick up a cheap m-audio box and
use protools m-powered. then, for logic, you can
keep a separate, better interface.

HAHAHA... you want people to go from what you call an unreliable interface to one that in my personal experience is TERRIBLE!!!
Last year at the beginning of 2006,I inherited a post-production studio that had 3 of these "M-powered" M-Audio FW410 boxes...We lost about 120 hours of downtime trying to get them to work...even the techs at M-Audio refused to admit their stuff did not work.They replaced 2 of the boxes with new ones,and the problems were EXACTLY the same afterwards.
So I replaced them ALL with 2 Digi002R's and one M-box 2 USB and we have now lost 0,yes 0 downtime...to me that speaks volumes about reliability.

So,let's give a big hand to Digi for actually making their stuff WORK.With 3rd party software like Logic Pro as well...

Cheers

I can't seem to get communication from the Firepod to
the MBox from the spidif ports on both interfaces. I
realize that Pro Tools will only "see" the Mbox - but
should it receive send / receive "data" via the
spidif ports? When I use Logic, shouldn't Logic and
the G5 (OSX) see ports on ALL interfaces.

Can't I communicate between the two hardwares and at
least their respective programs?

Hi,
If you read the specifications for SPDIF,you will realize that SPDIF only supports data streams while you are sending to it,in other words if you are playing back the sequencer,you get signal,otherwise you get nothing,including no synch.Very few hardware manufacturers actually send clocking info all the time through SPDIF,since it is not needed in order to meet the specs.
If you have the MBox and the Firepod on the same computer,you might end up with a digital loopback problem,if you are not careful.Please double-check both boxes' manuals to see how they expect to send/receive SPDIF signal.And if they send digital clock through the SPDIF or not,as well.

When you use Logic Pro,it will only "see" one interface protocol at one time.If you want to have both the MBox and the Firepod together you have to combine them into an Aggregate Audio Device.Check your Apple manual for that.

When you use Logic Pro,it will only "see" one
interface protocol at one time.If you want to have
both the MBox and the Firepod together you have to
combine them into an Aggregate Audio Device.Check
your Apple manual for that.

You can't include Digidesign hardware in an aggregate device - unfortunately.

You will probably be able to use only the s/pdif input from the Firepod as a stereo input. You would need an ADAT optical input to use more than one stereo pair.

You would have to route one of the analog inputs from the Firepod to the s/pdif output. From there the Mbox SHOULD see the signal.



Dual 2.5Ghz 2004; 2.5GB RAM Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I have the DIGI 002(rack), and it works flawless with Logic Pro.

Try using it constantly, and as a multi track recording session, i am sure acocrding to Digi drivers it should not work,--->It was written not to <----, this is called politics., both Digi and other 3rd party sequencing applications are no more then competitors.

This legend of digidesign not supporting third party softwares by purposefully disabliing their drivers is rubbish.

that's not what I was saying at all. but I absolutely stand by my experience with digi core audio and the stability of using digi hardware with logic. it's good to hear that there are people having good experiences with it lately, but that doesn't mean that it's responsible to pretend that they haven't had a history of problems when someone is looking seriously at making a purchase. I've never said that it plain doesn't work, I have always agreed that when it's all set up and working correctly, digi gear is respectable gear, with the distinct advantage of getting protools in the bargain. but I've been around enough studios and have enough experience with digi gear to know that it's more than just a myth that there is a history of poor drivers with digi gear when used with core audio.

I don't think it's all that productive to automatically go on the defensive when potential issues are raised about gear that you may happen to own.

HAHAHA... you want people to go from what you call an unreliable interface to one that in my personal experience is TERRIBLE!!!

umm. no. that's not what I was suggesting. the idea of getting an m-audio device was a suggestion as another way to get a foot in the door to run protools, using m-powered. the idea is to only use that interface for protools, seeing as digidesign themselves rate them to work with protools, and to forget about using it as well for logic. this way you can choose whatever interface you like as your main rig to work with logic, without limiting your choice just because you want to kill to birds with one stone.

I know a few film composers that do exactly this. they have high-end RME and apogee setups for logic, and a little m-powered protools set up which they use just so they can run protools for when they need to do edits or prepare stems for a protools session elsewhere. IMO it's a valid suggestion, but I'm glad you found it hilarious.

anyway, sorry for ruffling your feathers there. again, I've never said that you can't use logic productively with digi gear, and it's great when it works, just like anything. but this doesn't make it untrue that there have been a string of problems with digi core audio, whether you've been fortunate enough to miss out on them or not. I use logic regularly with an HD3 system, and over several years of OS updates, core audio manager updates and logic updates, I've had numerous problems at the times I've wanted to just use the digi 192 as a core audio interface. same goes for the digi 002. I've had to troubleshoot the writing setup for a couple of composer friends a number of times, when they've had their audio all turn to crackles and buzz just because they launched itunes in the background while running logic, among many other things. of course it's in every manufacturer's interest to sort out these glitches as best as possible, and if digi have gotten on top of it now, then good for them. but I've been around the block for years with digi, and I know I'm not the only person that has developed a cautious attitude to using their gear outside of the protools arena. it's a real shame when it doesn't work as well as it should, because pretty much at all times it remains rock-solid with protools.