AVID FAST TRACK SOLO AND FAST TRACK DUO USB AUDIO INTERFACES FAST TRACK DUO
FAST TRACK DUO FRONT AND BACK PANELS
FAST TRACK SOLO FAST TRACK SOLO FRONT AND BACK PANELS
AVID’s range of audio interfaces and softwar e has never been mor e comprehensive than what is curr ently available. This range begins with the Fast Track interfaces which aim to give users exactly what they require to fast track their production and meet their specif c demands. FAST TRACK SOLO This is about as bar e bones as you can get for a professional audio interface. The Fast T rack Solo is designed to keep it simple and allow a solo artist to r ecord their own music, one track at a time. With an XLR and a TRS input, you can record with microphones, line level instruments and guitars. A simple unbalanced RCA ster eo
output, along with a headphone output keeps it all together. You don’t need much mor e in a compact interface, just a little bit of cr eativity. I rarely record more than a single channel at any given time in my home studio, as is the case with many others. So, the Fast Track Solo doesn’t try to impress with unnecessary inputs and outputs. FAST TRACK DUO The Fast Track duo has been designed to carry a little more of a workload when it comes to digital conversion and physical interfacing. W ith two combination inputs, you can now r ecord a pair of microphones should you wish. For line inputs, you can connect additional instruments into two
further inputs on the rear of the device, in a nice touch that allows you to switch between the front and rear connections. This means you can have up to four devices connected for recording, you just need to select the two that you are going to use for any given take. Also, the Duo benef ts from TRS outputs for higher quality connection to you studio monitors, r educing unwanted noise in your monitoring. Both interfaces come bundled with Pr o Tools Express so you can get set up and get recording straight away. It took me no time at all to have both interfaces set up and r eady to use on my computer . There were no headaches with stubborn drivers or complicated install
procedures. AVID have focused on the ease of use with both of these interfaces and they have followed that right thr ough with the installation of the included software.
all the models in the MBox range is the way it helps with your navigation of the softwar e monitoring. You don’t just get a headphone output and a volume knob to adjust the level. No, the main volume is contr olled by a lar ger knob that makes small adjustments easy . There is also a Dim featur e to dr op the volume to a f xed level allowing you to hear how your mix sounds at lower levels with an A/B comparison to your standard listening level. Y ou also get a Mono switch to allow you to positively hear how your stereo imaging is or isn’ t working within your mix. Put this hardware together with AVID’s Pro Tools Express software and you have an extremely versatile and solidly engineered audio recording setup. The software offers you 16 track audio recording that is essentially a r educed version of Pr o Tools 10. You still get plenty of audio production and cr eation tools to ensur e
you are able to put together a r eally impressive recording. I know most of you will want to upgrade straight away to Pr o tools 11 software, but I would recommend giving Pro Tools Express a go f rst. You might just be pleasantly surprised and soon r ealise that this softwar e offers you everything that you need already.
BY ROB GEE
RRP: $209 (SOLO), $359 (DUO)
DISTRIBUTOR: AVID AUSTRALIA PHONE: 1300 734 454 WEBSITE: www.avid.com
AVID MBOX WITH PRO TOOLS EXPRESS
Those of you who know me will know that it is no secr et that I still hang onto my original Digidesign MBox for use with one of my older Pro Tools systems. Let’s face it, when the MBox f rst came out, it r eally revolutionised the way many of us r ecord and interact with Pr o Tools software. These days the new A VID MBox is somewhat further advanced fr om the original design, which is why I also use one on another system at home. INTO THE NOW Without reminiscing too much about the old grey and blue box that so many of us used or still do use, the curr ent MBox, now in its thir d generation has not only r emained a similar compact device, but has also been impr oved in ways other than just looks. Firstly , gone is the plastic casing, the new MBox is housed PG. 46 / MIXDOWN NO. 240 / APRIL 2014
in a tough metal chassis that isn’ t overly lar ge considering all that is squeezed into it. Y ou still get two high quality micr ophone preamps on combination XLR/TRS connections, but AVID has also included two guitar inputs on the front panel that can be engaged at the pr ess of a button. So, although this still operates as a two input interface like the original, you get more physical connections to plug everything into with. The S/ PDIF connections are still there too, for those of you who still make good use of digital outboard and require connectivity. The one major addition that was very much lacking fr om the original is MIDI in and out on the r ear of the unit, making this an all-in-one interface that really requires no further help from other devices. CLEVER INTERACTION What I do like about the fr ont panel of this and
BY ROB GEE
RRP: $599 DISTRIBUTOR: AVID AUSTRALIA PHONE: 1300 734 454 WEBSITE: www.avid.com