Q. Can digital audio cables cause ground loops?

By Various

In SOS December 2008, you explained how USB and Firewire cables could complete ground loops and result in audio problems. Is the same true of digital audio cables?

Philip Bramley

 
M-Audio's Audiophile 192 is an example of a soundcard with well‑designed S/PDIF sockets. Their metalwork is insulated from the PCI backplate, and the small black component immediately above them on the circuit board is the pulse transformer for the output, which prevents ground loops.

SOS columnist Martin Walker replies: In theory, most digital connection formats incorporate safeguards to prevent ground loops. Unfortunately, in practice such problems do occasionally occur, either due to incorrectly wired cables or to shortcuts taken by the manufacturer of the gear in question. The tiny ground‑loop signals are rarely sufficient to result in corruption of the digital data itself, since that either gets through or it doesn't. However, if a digital audio connection completes a ground loop, it may indeed result in characteristic hums, digital whistles and whines appearing in your analogue audio signals. Here's a quick run‑down of possible problems you might experience, plus some ways to avoid them. Let's look at the easiest options first.

ADAT and S/PDIF optical both use fibre‑optic cables, giving true galvanic isolation, just like a transformer, so they can never result in ground loops. MIDI inputs also incorporate opto‑isolators, so plugging in a MIDI cable should never result in a ground loop. A few MIDI In ports (mostly on budget PC joystick/MIDI adaptors) may omit this circuitry, to save a few pennies, but the most common cause of MIDI ground loops is using an incorrectly wired cable. Avoid five‑pin DIN hi‑fi cables and use proper MIDI cables, which use only pins four and five for data transfer, and connect the cable screen to pin two only at each end of the cable, but not to the metal shell of the plugs themselves. If a multimeter shows zero resistance between the metal shell of the plugs at each end of a MIDI cable, discard it.

AES/EBU normally uses balanced connections with transformer isolation (signal 'pulse' transformers are used, which are the tiny black boxes you can often see on soundcards near their digital I/O sockets). It's very rare to run into AES/EBU ground‑loop problems, since these sockets generally appear on professional gear where no corners are cut.

The most problematic digital connections tend to be S/PDIF coaxial (phono) ones, which, although unbalanced, should, in theory, have transformer‑coupled outputs just like AES/EBU ones, so that when you connect them to an S/PDIF input no ground loop is created. Unfortunately, this is an area where corners get cut on budget audio interfaces, and if your S/PDIF phono sockets are bolted direct to the metalwork, no transformer has been used.

It's not wise to attempt removing the screen connection at one end of an S/PDIF cable, since this can cause signal degradation and data errors. If you suspect a coaxial S/PDIF connection is causing your problem, switch to Toslink optical, if both pieces of gear offer this option. M‑Audio's CO2 (around $60) is also a handy gadget to have, as it converts between coaxial and optical S/PDIF, and also features transformer‑isolated phono sockets so you can use it in‑line to cure ground loops.

Finally, it pays to be extremely systematic when tracking down digital ground loops, as I found recently. My studio developed annoyingly intermittent digital noises that disappeared as soon as I disconnected an S/PDIF lead between my audio interface and D/A converter. However, this connection wasn't, in fact, to blame. I had two half‑rack‑width devices bolted into a rackmount tray, and had scrupulously made sure neither of them touched the metalwork of the tray or each other. Unfortunately, the bolt heads used to secure them to the tray had eventually worked their way through the paintwork on the top panel of the rackmount device beneath, which then completed the circle of this particular ground loop. On this occasion, some nylon bolts cured the problem!

Published February 2009

Korg Kross -- Split Functionality

Q. Which mixer should I choose for drum recordings?

By Various

I'm looking for something to record my latest project with. I currently own an Apple iMac running OS X Tiger, and the main program I use for recording is Apple's own Soundtrack. I'm thinking of upgrading at some point to Logic Pro 8, but for the moment I'm with Soundtrack. I have eight Audio Technica mics for the drum kit and I'm really looking to record through a mixer into Soundtrack (Logic in the future). However, I still want to be in control of individual mic levels after I've recorded within Soundtrack or Logic, even having those individual mics on different tracks.

I'm wondering if you could help me in choosing some kind of mixer with eight XLR inputs that will let me control individual tracks within the drum mix afterwards?

 
Mackie's 1642 VLZ3 mixer, with eight good-quality mic preamps, looks like a good bet if multitrack drum recording is part of your studio workload.

George Barnett

SOS Reviews Editor Matt Houghton replies: Dilemmas like this are rather difficult to advise upon without knowing anything about your budget, but I'll try...

Let's start with the cheapest and simplest option. If you plan to do all the mixing and processing 'in the box', you don't really need a mixer at all: you just need an audio interface and sufficient mic preamps. Something like the recently announced Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 would give you all of this in a single unit, and although I've not used it myself I hear good reports, and it looks to be very decent value. Alternatively, you could choose an interface with eight line inputs and use external mic preamps — or, of course, a mixer. There are so many interfaces you could use with this, at so many different prices, that I can't really list them here, but most recent 24-bit interfaces should be up to the job.

If you want to use an analogue mixer to feed the line inputs of your interface, I'd suggest something like the Mackie 1642 VLZ3, taking a feed from its direct out sockets. It will probably have more functions than you need, but I doubt you'll find eight preamps of this quality in anything cheaper — the VLZ3 series preamps are neutral sounding and offer plenty of headroom. Mixers, of course, can be useful if you want to add some processing while recording — meaning that if you like to tweak EQ and compress to get the right sound before recording, so that you only need to do smaller tweaks in the computer, a mixer would still be a good option. Personally, unless you're used to working in that way, I'd opt to do that in the computer, but mixers can also double up as monitor control systems, without running the risk of latency in your computer, which is useful if you're doing a lot of recording. Alternatively, choosing a mixer with Firewire or USB2 connectivity would mean there's no need for a separate audio interface. Something like the Alesis Multimix Firewire 16 would do the job, offering you all the preamps and I/O that you need to record your eight tracks simultaneously. Whichever option you choose, you just need to select the appropriate audio interface driver in your DAW and assign the physical input channels of your interface to separate software input channels in your DAW. In this way you can record several tracks simultaneously, so that you can do whatever you want with them in your DAW software.

Speaking of your DAW, I must admit that I'm not that familiar with Soundtrack Pro. I believe it offers sufficient input tracks and I know that you can do plenty of processing in there, but I suspect it will lack some of the useful features commonly found in music-oriented DAWs such as Logic, Cubase and Pro Tools. You could certainly do worse than purchasing Logic, as it comes with a great bundle of plug-ins as standard and the current price is very competitive. If that's too pricey, there's always Logic Express, from which you can upgrade to Logic Pro when you can afford it.


Published December 2008

The New Korg Kronos: Video Manual Part 5 - Audio Recording & Sampling

Q. How can I simulate a 12-string guitar sound in the studio?

By Various

I have someone coming into my studio to do some recording and I'm looking for a way to achieve a 12‑string guitar sound for him from a six‑string acoustic. I've looked for freeware plug‑ins but haven't had much luck.

Stephen Scott

Via email

 
Generating the distinctive sound of a 12‑string guitar when you only have a six‑string might seem straightforward with the array of technology we have access to these days, but it's probably best done by rather more mechanical and low‑tech means.

SOS Editor In Chief Paul White replies: There's no ideal way to do this, as even the best octave doublers double all the string pitches, whereas on a 12‑string guitar, the top two strings are tuned in unison. Should you wish to experiment with octave doublers, be aware that the vast majority of them are based on current pitch‑shift technology, which tends to sound a little warbly and thin on all but the most expensive processors. The reason for this is that pitch shifters work by breaking the sound into very short segments, then shortening them or looping them depending on whether the pitch shift is to be up or down. Where the pitch is to be increased by an octave, each audio segment is sped up to twice its normal speed, which makes it half its original length, so then it has to be used twice to fill the original time. This works OK on smooth sounds, but can give a doubling effect on the attack of notes. You can also hear an unnatural shimmering effect where the segments are rejoined.

More sophisticated pitch‑shifters try to minimise the damage to note attacks, but the most effective of these tend to be in software plug‑ins or designed to work on single‑note guitar lines. For all that, I've never managed to create a pitch‑doubling effect for guitar that sounds much like a 12‑string (other than with a Line 6 Variax or Roland VG system, where the strings are processed separately), and you'll often get a more realistic sound by just using the pitch‑shifter to add a slightly detuned version (detuned by somewhere between five and 10 cents) to the original. This produces a natural chorus‑like effect but doesn't replicate the effect of the octave strings — it sounds more like a 12‑string guitar where all the pairs are tuned to unison.

I think your best bet is to double the guitar part, with one pass played straight and one with an acoustic guitar restrung for Nashville tuning, where the bottom three strings (or four, if you prefer) are strung with thinner strings and tuned an octave above normal. If this isn't possible, try doubling the part with the second pass played using a capo, so that the chords sound in a higher position.

Published January 2009

The New Korg Kronos: Video Manual Part 4 - Sequencer and Effects

Q. Which small mixers have high impedance inputs?

By Various

I recently read Mike Senior's review of the Alesis Multimix 16, and he listed as one of the cons the lack of a high‑impedance instrument input. I agree with him, but have been searching for ages for a small mixer with this kind of input and can't find one anywhere. Is there one? The mixer isn't actually for me, but for a musician friend who still records to eight‑track cassette via an old PA and various pedals and outboard. He plays bass pedals and has an ancient drum machines, plus he sings and plays guitar and banjo. The outboard and the PA mixer are noisy, and as I transfer his tapes and mix them I spend far too much time on noise reduction and not enough on mixing and production. He is not technically savvy, and getting him to use several of the eight‑track inputs is not a option, so I am looking for a mixer he can plug his instruments into and get a clean relatively noise‑free signal from, to feed the eight‑track.

SOS Forum post

 
Not as many small mixers as you would imagine come with high-impedance instrument inputs. Soundcraft's Compact 10 is one of them.

SOS contributor Mike Senior replies: High‑impedance inputs aren't tremendously common on traditional small‑format mixers, and it was only really because the Alesis Multimix 16 also offered USB audio interfacing for recording purposes that I felt that this omission was a significant missed opportunity. Unlike mixers, a lot of audio interfaces do have instrument inputs built in, and these products inevitably compete to a certain extent with the Multimix for the punter's pound. However, if you root around a bit you can still find a few products that might fit the bill.

For example, Mackie's latest 402 and 802 VLZ3 mini‑mixers both have two line inputs that are switchable for high‑impedance operation, and also have the company's renowned XDR2 mic preamps, so those would probably be well worth looking at. I can see their relative operational simplicity being a big part of the appeal here too. The same company's newly announced U420 four‑channel mixer/interface also has a high‑impedance input, but I don't think you really need that unit's Firewire interfacing, so it wouldn't represent good value for you in this case.

Another option might be the Soundcraft Compact 4 or Compact 10, with one and two high‑impedance inputs respectively, and these should also be pretty easy to drive. Edirol's M16DX and M10DX digital mixers also have high‑impedance inputs, but I'd probably steer clear of those in this situation, simply because the potential benefits of their built‑in digital processing will almost certainly be lost on someone dealing primarily with analogue gear and not particularly technically minded. Other than those models, there doesn't appear to be much else out there with an instrument input built in, but I think we're going to see that changing, to be honest, as the line between 'mixer' and 'audio interface' becomes ever more blurred.

Published February 2009

The New Korg Kronos: Video Manual Part 3 - KARMA and Drum Tracks

Q. Can I use multiple controllers with my software?

By Various

I'm a Propellerhead Reason user and I plan to Rewire the software to Steinberg's Cubase DAW. My plan leads me to ask two questions about using MIDI keyboard controllers and control surfaces.

First of all, is it possible to use two, three or four MIDI keyboards simultaneously in Cubase and/or in Reason without using Reason's Combinator device? A lot of the time I will want to use both my hands on two different keyboards, or route three or four keyboards to trigger different sound modules so that I don't have to use the mouse to change patches, especially during a live performance.

 
A transformer-isolating DI box such as the ART Cleanbox II can be a cost-effective solution to ground-loop hum.

 Secondly, I'd like to buy a fader-equipped control surface, to control the mixers in Reason and Cubase. I'm impressed with the price of Behringer's BCF2000, but then I found out that its motorised faders are not 'touch-sensitive'. How important is this feature for a control surface? Considering that I'm on a tight budget right now, do you think I should wait — say, a year — until I can afford something like Mackie Control Universal Pro?

Kamaul

SOS contributor Derek Johnson replies: The answer to your first question is yes, but you will need to have a MIDI interface that can handle three or four keyboards, with a MIDI In and Out port for each instrument if you plan to use the sounds generated by those instruments. In addition, more MIDI interfacing will be required for the sound modules you mention. Be aware that two or more keyboards playing simultaneously can potentially generate a lot of MIDI data, and some simple, USB 1.1-based interfaces may struggle.

In Cubase, you'll have to set up the MIDI Input for each track — new tracks default to 'All MIDI Inputs,' which is not what you're after. Obviously, you'll need to assign a track to a particular MIDI Out and MIDI channel. Note that it is possible to record on multiple MIDI channels generated by an external device (a multiple-zone controller keyboard, for example) but the data will be recorded on one track. It's simple to extract individual MIDI channels to their own separate tracks using the 'Dissolve Part' function, however.

If you're Rewiring Reason to Cubase, there's nothing else to worry about. The Rewire link routes audio to Cubase, provides bi-directional MIDI communication and full synchronisation, and (of particular interest here) allows Reason to be treated as a sound module by Cubase. From the Cubase track list, any device in Reason's rack will be available as a target to any of your controllers.

Should you want to work with Reason alone, Reason's Hardware Interface device (below) provides access to four MIDI buses — your controller keyboards are assigned to these — which can then be routed to devices in the Reason rack. The limit here is 64 devices (16 MIDI channels for each external control bus input).

Now to your second query: touch–sensitive motorised faders are a very useful tool, and it's fantastic that the option is available in the price range offered by Mackie's MCU. With touch-sensitive faders, the host software immediately goes into record mode (for fader automation) as soon as you touch a fader — even if automation is currently being played back. Recording stops when you let go of the fader, and any pre-existing automation data continues as originally recorded. Changing existing automation data without touch sensitivity is a little less spontaneous.

However, let's put this into context: motorised faders are a good thing in any shape, and Behringer's BCF2000 offers the facility at an exceedingly favourable price point (well under £150 in the UK if you know where to shop). Not many years ago, motors on your faders wouldn't have been an option at anything approaching this price. Though coming down generally in favour of touch-sensitive faders, Hugh Robjohns made a some useful points against them (or at least against leaving the touch sensitivity on all the time) in a 'Sound Advice' response back in the November 2004 issue of SOS.

If I was on a tight budget, I'd probably go for what I could afford now and enjoy a year of having hardware control over my virtual studio. Anything that takes the focus away from the mouse is going to enhance the fun and creativity in anyone's studio. Besides, you could wait forever for each new jump in technology to become affordable, or to fall within reach of your saving ability. However, no-one would blame you for wanting the MCU and being prepared to wait for it. In fact, your patience is admirable!

Published December 2008

The New Korg Kronos: Video Manual Part 2 - Programs, Combinations and Set List

Q. Which small mixers have high impedance inputs?

By Various

I recently read Mike Senior's review of the Alesis Multimix 16, and he listed as one of the cons the lack of a high‑impedance instrument input. I agree with him, but have been searching for ages for a small mixer with this kind of input and can't find one anywhere. Is there one? The mixer isn't actually for me, but for a musician friend who still records to eight‑track cassette via an old PA and various pedals and outboard. He plays bass pedals and has an ancient drum machines, plus he sings and plays guitar and banjo. The outboard and the PA mixer are noisy, and as I transfer his tapes and mix them I spend far too much time on noise reduction and not enough on mixing and production. He is not technically savvy, and getting him to use several of the eight‑track inputs is not a option, so I am looking for a mixer he can plug his instruments into and get a clean relatively noise‑free signal from, to feed the eight‑track.

SOS Forum post

 
Not as many small mixers as you would imagine come with high-impedance instrument inputs. Soundcraft's Compact 10 is one of them.

SOS contributor Mike Senior replies: High‑impedance inputs aren't tremendously common on traditional small‑format mixers, and it was only really because the Alesis Multimix 16 also offered USB audio interfacing for recording purposes that I felt that this omission was a significant missed opportunity. Unlike mixers, a lot of audio interfaces do have instrument inputs built in, and these products inevitably compete to a certain extent with the Multimix for the punter's pound. However, if you root around a bit you can still find a few products that might fit the bill.

For example, Mackie's latest 402 and 802 VLZ3 mini‑mixers both have two line inputs that are switchable for high‑impedance operation, and also have the company's renowned XDR2 mic preamps, so those would probably be well worth looking at. I can see their relative operational simplicity being a big part of the appeal here too. The same company's newly announced U420 four‑channel mixer/interface also has a high‑impedance input, but I don't think you really need that unit's Firewire interfacing, so it wouldn't represent good value for you in this case.

Another option might be the Soundcraft Compact 4 or Compact 10, with one and two high‑impedance inputs respectively, and these should also be pretty easy to drive. Edirol's M16DX and M10DX digital mixers also have high‑impedance inputs, but I'd probably steer clear of those in this situation, simply because the potential benefits of their built‑in digital processing will almost certainly be lost on someone dealing primarily with analogue gear and not particularly technically minded. Other than those models, there doesn't appear to be much else out there with an instrument input built in, but I think we're going to see that changing, to be honest, as the line between 'mixer' and 'audio interface' becomes ever more blurred.


Published February 2009

The New Korg Kronos: Video Manual Part 1- Intro and Navigation

Q. Can digital audio cables cause ground loops?

By Various

In SOS December 2008, you explained how USB and Firewire cables could complete ground loops and result in audio problems. Is the same true of digital audio cables?

Philip Bramley

 
M-Audio's Audiophile 192 is an example of a soundcard with well‑designed S/PDIF sockets. Their metalwork is insulated from the PCI backplate, and the small black component immediately above them on the circuit board is the pulse transformer for the output, which prevents ground loops.


SOS columnist Martin Walker replies: In theory, most digital connection formats incorporate safeguards to prevent ground loops. Unfortunately, in practice such problems do occasionally occur, either due to incorrectly wired cables or to shortcuts taken by the manufacturer of the gear in question. The tiny ground‑loop signals are rarely sufficient to result in corruption of the digital data itself, since that either gets through or it doesn't. However, if a digital audio connection completes a ground loop, it may indeed result in characteristic hums, digital whistles and whines appearing in your analogue audio signals. Here's a quick run‑down of possible problems you might experience, plus some ways to avoid them. Let's look at the easiest options first.

ADAT and S/PDIF optical both use fibre‑optic cables, giving true galvanic isolation, just like a transformer, so they can never result in ground loops. MIDI inputs also incorporate opto‑isolators, so plugging in a MIDI cable should never result in a ground loop. A few MIDI In ports (mostly on budget PC joystick/MIDI adaptors) may omit this circuitry, to save a few pennies, but the most common cause of MIDI ground loops is using an incorrectly wired cable. Avoid five‑pin DIN hi‑fi cables and use proper MIDI cables, which use only pins four and five for data transfer, and connect the cable screen to pin two only at each end of the cable, but not to the metal shell of the plugs themselves. If a multimeter shows zero resistance between the metal shell of the plugs at each end of a MIDI cable, discard it.

AES/EBU normally uses balanced connections with transformer isolation (signal 'pulse' transformers are used, which are the tiny black boxes you can often see on soundcards near their digital I/O sockets). It's very rare to run into AES/EBU ground‑loop problems, since these sockets generally appear on professional gear where no corners are cut.

The most problematic digital connections tend to be S/PDIF coaxial (phono) ones, which, although unbalanced, should, in theory, have transformer‑coupled outputs just like AES/EBU ones, so that when you connect them to an S/PDIF input no ground loop is created. Unfortunately, this is an area where corners get cut on budget audio interfaces, and if your S/PDIF phono sockets are bolted direct to the metalwork, no transformer has been used.

It's not wise to attempt removing the screen connection at one end of an S/PDIF cable, since this can cause signal degradation and data errors. If you suspect a coaxial S/PDIF connection is causing your problem, switch to Toslink optical, if both pieces of gear offer this option. M‑Audio's CO2 (around $60) is also a handy gadget to have, as it converts between coaxial and optical S/PDIF, and also features transformer‑isolated phono sockets so you can use it in‑line to cure ground loops.

Finally, it pays to be extremely systematic when tracking down digital ground loops, as I found recently. My studio developed annoyingly intermittent digital noises that disappeared as soon as I disconnected an S/PDIF lead between my audio interface and D/A converter. However, this connection wasn't, in fact, to blame. I had two half‑rack‑width devices bolted into a rackmount tray, and had scrupulously made sure neither of them touched the metalwork of the tray or each other. Unfortunately, the bolt heads used to secure them to the tray had eventually worked their way through the paintwork on the top panel of the rackmount device beneath, which then completed the circle of this particular ground loop. On this occasion, some nylon bolts cured the problem!

Published February 2009

The New Korg Kronos: Video Manual Part 6 - Global, Disk, Management

Q. Can digital audio cables cause ground loops?

By Various

In SOS December 2008, you explained how USB and Firewire cables could complete ground loops and result in audio problems. Is the same true of digital audio cables?

Philip Bramley

 
M-Audio's Audiophile 192 is an example of a soundcard with well‑designed S/PDIF sockets. Their metalwork is insulated from the PCI backplate, and the small black component immediately above them on the circuit board is the pulse transformer for the output, which prevents ground loops.

SOS columnist Martin Walker replies: In theory, most digital connection formats incorporate safeguards to prevent ground loops. Unfortunately, in practice such problems do occasionally occur, either due to incorrectly wired cables or to shortcuts taken by the manufacturer of the gear in question. The tiny ground‑loop signals are rarely sufficient to result in corruption of the digital data itself, since that either gets through or it doesn't. However, if a digital audio connection completes a ground loop, it may indeed result in characteristic hums, digital whistles and whines appearing in your analogue audio signals. Here's a quick run‑down of possible problems you might experience, plus some ways to avoid them. Let's look at the easiest options first.

ADAT and S/PDIF optical both use fibre‑optic cables, giving true galvanic isolation, just like a transformer, so they can never result in ground loops. MIDI inputs also incorporate opto‑isolators, so plugging in a MIDI cable should never result in a ground loop. A few MIDI In ports (mostly on budget PC joystick/MIDI adaptors) may omit this circuitry, to save a few pennies, but the most common cause of MIDI ground loops is using an incorrectly wired cable. Avoid five‑pin DIN hi‑fi cables and use proper MIDI cables, which use only pins four and five for data transfer, and connect the cable screen to pin two only at each end of the cable, but not to the metal shell of the plugs themselves. If a multimeter shows zero resistance between the metal shell of the plugs at each end of a MIDI cable, discard it.

AES/EBU normally uses balanced connections with transformer isolation (signal 'pulse' transformers are used, which are the tiny black boxes you can often see on soundcards near their digital I/O sockets). It's very rare to run into AES/EBU ground‑loop problems, since these sockets generally appear on professional gear where no corners are cut.

The most problematic digital connections tend to be S/PDIF coaxial (phono) ones, which, although unbalanced, should, in theory, have transformer‑coupled outputs just like AES/EBU ones, so that when you connect them to an S/PDIF input no ground loop is created. Unfortunately, this is an area where corners get cut on budget audio interfaces, and if your S/PDIF phono sockets are bolted direct to the metalwork, no transformer has been used.

It's not wise to attempt removing the screen connection at one end of an S/PDIF cable, since this can cause signal degradation and data errors. If you suspect a coaxial S/PDIF connection is causing your problem, switch to Toslink optical, if both pieces of gear offer this option. M‑Audio's CO2 (around $60) is also a handy gadget to have, as it converts between coaxial and optical S/PDIF, and also features transformer‑isolated phono sockets so you can use it in‑line to cure ground loops.

Finally, it pays to be extremely systematic when tracking down digital ground loops, as I found recently. My studio developed annoyingly intermittent digital noises that disappeared as soon as I disconnected an S/PDIF lead between my audio interface and D/A converter. However, this connection wasn't, in fact, to blame. I had two half‑rack‑width devices bolted into a rackmount tray, and had scrupulously made sure neither of them touched the metalwork of the tray or each other. Unfortunately, the bolt heads used to secure them to the tray had eventually worked their way through the paintwork on the top panel of the rackmount device beneath, which then completed the circle of this particular ground loop. On this occasion, some nylon bolts cured the problem!

Published February 2009

Jordan Rudess Invites You To The 2015 Korg Pre-NAMM Show

Q. Should I hire a U47 valve or a U47 FET mic?

I've been looking for a vocal mic for a particularly 'old-time' sounding project — something to give some classy warmth. I've decided I may as well go ahead and rent the real deal — a vintage Neumann U47. However, I'm also thinking I should try to get the most out of it and pop it in front of the kick drum for the drum tracking stage, or indeed use it for anything else that I can manage to squeeze out of it! But which model is best? I've heard that the U47 FET is the standard front-of-kick mic, but does it also deliver a good vocal? Alternatively, should I be looking to hire a valve U47?

SOS Forum Post

 
The U47 FET (left) may be the industry standard for miking a kick drum, and a well-respected vocal mic, but with possibly 30 years of high-SPL recording behind it, a hired model's performance could be compromised, especially for vocals. The U47 valve model (right) is one of the best vocal mics out there, but its SPL-handling capacity may be lacking for kick recording. The moral of the story is that one U47 probably won't do both jobs!  

SOS contributor Mike Senior replies: While the U47 FET has been cited as a vocal mic by top-name producers such as Steve Churchyard, Bob Clearmountain and Alan Parsons, its fame is easily eclipsed by the U47 valve model, which can lay a good claim to being the king of vocal mics — having appeared on hundreds of classic records by The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Jim Morrison and many more besides. So if you're after a vocal mic, I would personally choose the valve over the FET for that reason.

But there's another reason I'd steer clear of the U47 FET, too. Although it's not the most celebrated vocal mic, you're right in saying that it's far and away the first-call professional choice for kick drum close-miking. This means that any rental U47 may have spent more than 30 years sitting inside kick drums. Despite this mic's prodigious ability to cope with extremely high levels (as long as you switch in the pad), any condenser mic is still a piece of delicate precision engineering, so regular exposure to that kind of punishment has got to take its toll. I've come into contact with a handful of U47 FETs, including a number of rental models, and not only do most of them look like they've been through the wars, I've also had bad luck with them going intermittent on me mid-session for no apparent reason. (The Electrovoice RE20 is another kick-drum favourite that I find tends to suffer the same fate after that kind of sustained abuse.) More of a concern for vocal work, though, is that the extreme pressure levels may have stretched the mic's diaphragm, thereby compromising its performance when recording anything more delicate than a kick drum — our technical editor Hugh Robjohns is not the only engineer who keeps specific dedicated mics for kick-drum use for this reason.

The problem with the U47 valve, though, is that judging by the specifications given for it on the Rycote Microphone Data web site (www.microphone-data.com), it simply won't handle the kind of level a kick drum puts out without distorting to hell. To put things in perspective, I recently tried a KM84 on the batter side of a kick drum (not even inside), and it was noticeably struggling. On paper, that mic can take a maximum SPL of 130dB with its pad switched in, whereas the U47 is rated at 120dB maximum SPL, and has no pad switch. Even if you were happy to put up with the distortion you'd get out of a U47 valve on kick drum, I reckon you'd still be unwise to try it, simply because of the vintage status of the mic. It's possible your model could have been in service for more than 50 years, and I would personally treat any high-end audio equipment of that age with the softest of kid gloves.

Published July 2008

Cory Henry Invites You To The 2015 Korg Pre-NAMM Show

Q. Which comes first: Audio Interface or Mixer?

This is a basic gear connection question. Should I connect instruments and mics to mixer inputs and connect mixer outputs to audio interface inputs, or alternatively connect instruments and mics to audio interface inputs, connect audio interface outputs to mixer inputs, and connect mixer outputs back to audio interface inputs? I think both work, but is one 'better' than the other, and if it is, why?

 
SOS Forum post
 
 
The best way to connect up your mixer and audio interface may depend on factors such as relative quality of mic preamps. If your interface is mid-priced and upwards, such as this Presonus Firestudio, you'll probably find its mic preamps are better than those on the average mixer, so you'll be better off plugging your mics directly into the interface preamps rather than the mixer preamps.  

SOS contributor Martin Walker replies: Both approaches do work, but which one you choose largely depends on the quality and features of both your audio interface and mixer and what other gear you have, as well as on how you prefer to work.

For recording mic signals, audio interfaces in the medium to higher price brackets (and by this I mean several hundred pounds upwards) often feature mic and instrument preamps that sound better than the ones you find on typical small mixing desks. So plugging your microphones directly into the interface mic inputs may well result in a higher-quality recording. Another attractive alternative for many musicians is to buy a few high-quality rackmount mic preamps for the particular sound they offer, and plug these direct into audio interface line-level inputs rather than patching them through a mixing desk.

Electric instruments with passive circuitry are best plugged into a high-impedance input to avoid high-frequency loss. You can either use one on a guitar amp and mic up the amp, use a suitable DI (Direct Injection) box to raise the input impedance and then plug its output into a mixer or interface mic input, or use a specialist guitar preamp, such as a Line 6 Pod or Behringer V-Amp, that you plug into any line-level input on a mixing desk or interface. While mixing desks very rarely have suitable high-impedance instrument inputs, many audio interfaces do provide dedicated 'instrument' inputs with a high impedance, often making them the cheapest and most convenient option for guitars.

Another big divide occurs in the effects department. Some musicians find it easier to get the best recordings by sending their signals through a mixing desk EQ and then adding analogue effects such as compression and reverb, which can be easily patched into the desk using its dedicated insert and send sockets. Alternatively, if your signals are sent direct to the audio interface, computer-based plug-in effects can be used, but these will normally only be heard after a slight delay (latency) of at least several milliseconds, which can sometimes be disconcerting (particularly for vocalists monitoring their performance). Many audio interfaces do provide 'zero latency' features to help monitor your sounds in real time during the recording phase, and a few audio interfaces (notably from Emu, Focusrite and TC Electronic) also feature built-in DSP effects that can help you during the recording process, even though the signal is still often recorded 'dry' into the computer so you can apply different effects afterwards.

Ultimately, your input choice depends on whether you like the 'sound' of your mixing desk and prefer the immediacy of having all its controls laid out in front of you for immediate tweaking during a recording. If you do, then that's the routing to adopt.

When it comes to output routing, there are, again, considerations to weigh up. Patching the outputs of your audio interface through the mixer lets you mix its sounds with other sources, and also gives you instant hands-on control over their relative levels, EQ and effects while mixing. Analogue mixers may also add that certain something to 'glue' the overall sound together, and you can then patch the output back into the audio interface inputs to record the final stereo mix. However, it's generally acknowledged that you need a high-quality (read expensive) analogue mixing desk to add 'fairy dust': cheaper models rarely cut the mustard in this department, so don't automatically expect an audible improvement simply from passing your recordings through an analogue mixer.

The opposite argument is that connecting the output of the audio interface directly to your monitoring system, with no recourse to an analogue mixing desk, results in a simpler signal path that can sound cleaner and more transparent, although you may lose some control over it, especially if the interface doesn't offer an analogue output level control to let you easily adjust the volume of the speakers (this is why so many musicians who abandon their analogue mixing desks require a monitor controller).
Your routing choices tend to determined by what gear you have available, which approach worked best for you in the past, and the audio quality of your gear. You could always try recording and mixing the same song using several approaches and see which proves most manageable, which you enjoy most, and which achieves the best overall sound quality.

Published October 2008

Korg 2015 Launch Event

Avoid Dongle Disasters

By Martin Walker

When you buy music software, you're not paying for a physical object, but a licence that resides on a small plastic key. How can you protect your investment, and what happens if something goes wrong?

 
Probably the most widely used dongle in the audio world, Pace's iLok can house over 100 separate licences from a variety of developers. 

With software piracy so rife in today's world, many developers feel they have no choice but to protect their products with a hardware device. This usually takes the form of a dongle or 'Smart Key', which plugs into a computer port and controls access to one or more software applications. Like most copy-protection measures, dongles can make life more difficult for legitimate users, and haven't eliminated the availability of 'cracks', but they certainly have advantages over alternative systems. Unlike challenge–and–response protection, for instance, dongles allow you to install software on multiple machines, or upgrade to a new computer fairly easily. Dongles also survive intact through most computer hardware problems and failures, are immune to problems caused by by software updates, can be hot swapped between different rigs, and you can take them with you when travelling, so you can use your favourite plug-ins when working on location projects. They also allow you to demo protected commercial software for a specific time period or number of uses.

However, the single most important fact about dongles, and one which many musicians overlook, is that the product licences they contain represent the entire value of those products. Even if you've registered dongle–protected software on the developer's web site, if your dongle gets lost or stolen you'll often have to buy that software again. With that in mind, let's explore dongle management, transfer of licences, security and insurance, so that your investment is as safe as possible.

Syncrosoft's dongles are very familiar to Steinberg customers, among others, but the newer, shorter version (shown here on the left) may prove more responsive in some applications than the pre-2004 version (on the right).

Which Dongle Have I Got?

The iLok USB smart key from California–based Pace Anti-Piracy (www.paceap.com) is probably the most widely used by audio software developers, among them Antares, Audioease, Bomb Factory, Celemony, Digidesign, DUY, EastWest, GRM Tools, Izotope, McDSP, MOTU, Muse Research, PSP Audioware, Serato, Sonnox Oxford, TC Electronic, Waves and Way Out Ware.

One reason for its popularity is that the iLok was the first dongle to support multiple licences on the same device (it can hold "over 100" cross-platform authorisations from multiple vendors). Many of the companies mentioned above use iLok as their exclusive protection method, although a few, such as PSP Audioware and Way Out Ware, provide challenge/response protection tied to a particular computer as an alternative, with iLok as an option for those who find dongles a more convenient and portable solution.

Second in the popularity stakes are Syncrosoft, whose USB dongle will be well known to Steinberg customers who run products such as Cubase, Nuendo, Halion or Wavelab, as well as to owners of software from Arturia, Eliosound, Korg, Tascam, Virsyn and VSL, among others.

Several other USB dongle formats exist (see box), but the vast majority of audio software developers seem to use either iLok or Syncrosoft dongles, so we'll concentrate on those two here. Both work on both Mac and PC and support Windows 32-bit (2000, XP 32, Vista 32), and Windows 64-bit (XP 64, Vista 64). While iLok should run on Mac OS 10.3.9 or later (excluding 10.4.4), Syncrosoft requires OS X 10.3, 10.4, or 10.5; discontinued versions are still available for OS 10.2 and Windows 98, ME and NT.

Downloading Licences

 
Licence management on iLok dongles is always done while logged into the www.iLok.com web site, where you can download licences and transfer them from one iLok to another.

There are many common operational features to Syncrosoft and iLok dongles, but also some important operational differences that I'll discuss presently. Common to both is that each dongle contains its own unique ID number and stores one or more licences, each of which allows you to run a particular software application. When you buy most protected software, you need to register it on-line with the developer, and the corresponding licence will then be downloaded into your dongle so you can use that software. Some software ships with a pre-licensed dongle, and a few products even include a small SIM smart card holding the appropriate iLok licence that you insert into your iLok when requested by the software. Even if you have one of these, though, it's still important to register your purchase, since this places you in a stronger position if the dongle ever gets lost or stolen.

Because all licence management (downloads, transfers, and so on) happens on-line on a secure web site, the licence server logging these transactions tracks the relevant contents of each dongle. This means that the manufacturers can, in principle, replace a defective dongle by looking up the licences associated with that particular ID number, then issuing new activation codes/authorisations, so you can restore your licences to a new, empty dongle.

 
Syncrosoft's License Control Center utility displays the licences contained in all connected Syncrosoft dongles, and enables you to transfer them from one to another.

This centralised on-line logging can also help if you have several compatible dongles, transfer a licence from one to another, and something goes wrong during the process. However, you don't necessarily need an Internet connection on your music computer to authorise a dongle: you can install the dongle drivers and associated utility software on any Internet-connected computer, perform your dongle-management tasks, and then move the dongle to your music computer.

With Syncrosoft dongles, a unique Activation Code for your software is supplied by the individual software developer, either on a printed card with the product, or by email. Once on-line, you then enter this code into Syncrosoft's License Control Center utility, which communicates with Syncrosoft's secure database and downloads the new product licence into your dongle. The Control Center utility also lets you view the licences stored on all your Syncrosoft dongles at any time, without requiring an Internet connection.

Make sure you download and install the most recent Mac or Windows Syncrosoft drivers from www.syncrosoft.com/Download-78-11.html to ensure you have widest compatibility across a range of protected products from different developers. Personally, I've always found Syncrosoft dongles easy and problem-free, partly because the dongle drivers and associated utilities generally get installed alongside the protected application.

With an iLok licence, downloads are slightly more complex: there's a central Internet server at www.ilok.com that handles all the transactions, so you will need to have an account there. Occasionally a software developer using iLok protection will offer to create an account for you if you haven't already got one, but otherwise you can create one yourself fairly easily. Once you have a new iLok.com account you'll need to download the latest iLok drivers and install them on every computer that needs to access iLok-protected software. On the computer that you intend to use to handle the Internet-based licence management, you'll also need to install the iLok Client Software from www.ilok.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/iLokManager.woa/13/wa/DownloadApps.

With the Client Software installed, you can log in to your iLok account and have your unique iLok ID interrogated and registered in the database. This only has to be done once. Once your iLok is registered, you can contact individual software developers to request an iLok licence for the software you've purchased. The process varies from developer to developer: some, like Waves, provide automated Authoriser utilities that you run while on-line to register your request, while others simply ask you to type in required information on a web page. Within a short time (typically just a few minutes, but occasionally a day or more) the authorisation will be sent by the developer to iLok.com, and then you'll be able to log in and download the license to your iLok. Although delays can occasionally happen, I've yet to wait more than a few minutes for any of my licences to arrive.

Licence Transfers

Although you can't transfer software licences from a Syncrosoft dongle to an iLok, it is possible under some circumstances to move licences between dongles of the same variety. It's easy to end up in situations where you own more than one product that comes with its own dongle, and it may be convenient to move all the licences these contain into a single dongle. That way, fewer computer ports are required, and if you ever work away from home you'll only need to take that one dongle with you. However, this has implications if a Syncrosoft dongle ever becomes faulty, as we shall see shortly.

Transferring licences between several of your own dongles is normally free and easy to do (although a few developers, such as Waves, do not support transfers between iLok dongles at all), but you will have to do it while on-line to get the appropriate authorisation and update the on-line database, and you should never remove any dongle from your computer while performing transfers, until you get confirmation that the operation has completed.

Syncrosoft's License Control Center utility provides several step-by-step Wizards for License Download, License Transfer and License Removal, and I've never had any problems using these. To transfer you simply select the licence in question, then the desired destination, and finally click on the Transfer License button. If you have one of the longer Syncrosoft dongles manufactured before 2004 (see photograph at start of this article), transferring your licences to one of the newer shorter models can also improve responsiveness of some applications.

With iLoks, you need to log into your iLok.com account on-line and choose the Transfer Licenses option. You will then need to 'synchronise' your iLoks to make sure the data held on iLok.com matches what is on your iLoks, then choose the source iLok and the licences you wish to move, and then select the destination iLok using the simple step-by-step instructions.

Transferring Licences To Other People

If you want to sell your dongle-protected software to another user, you should ideally contact the relevant developer to check their policy. Some prohibit it outright, others ask for a nominal 'service fee' to amend the user details in their database, and some are happy to facilitate transfers free of charge.

If the licences for the software in question are the only ones on a particular dongle, it's probably easier to include this dongle as part of the sale, since it will ensure that the software runs correctly. However, the new owner may not be able to get technical support or future updates unless you also officially transfer ownership (assuming this is permitted). For instance, you could sell your copy of Cubase and its Syncrosoft dongle, and the buyer could run it immediately and even download and install free updates, but he or she might run into problems trying to upgrade to a newer version later on. If the licences are among many on your dongle it could be easier to transfer them to a different dongle and include that in the sale, but this still doesn't confirm that you'd be able to officially transfer ownership.

Subject to individual developer policy, iLok owners can transfer licences between accounts for a nominal $25 per licence. However, this may not guarantee full support. For instance, although you can transfer the iLok licences for Digidesign plug-ins in this way between different owners, Digidesign won't transfer plug-in registration to another owner, so the new owner won't quality for updates or support. Waves insist that you're covered by their WUP (Waves Upgrade Plan) before they will transfer ownership, and after you've faxed a signed statement to them that you've transferred all licences, materials, and iLok key to the new owner that new owner will need to pay a $150 'transfer of licence fee' in order to get continued support.
Overall, if you want continuing technical support and the ability to get future upgrades you should check thoroughly before buying any second-user protected software.

Keeping Dongles Safe

 
For the ultimate in dongle security, remove the backplate from a USB port-to-header adaptor, as shown here, plug the header end into a spare USB port pair on your motherboard, then firmly attach the cable/dongle assembly somewhere inside your PC with cable ties.

Although electronic components do occasionally fail, dongle breakages are most likely to occur because of physical damage. The most common cause of damage is when the dongle is plugged into a rear-panel computer port and then gets squashed against a wall, and this can easily be prevented by buying a short extender cable so that the dongle hangs down out of harm's way. This is such a common issue for iLok owners in particular (because the iLok is longer than most other dongles) that iLok themselves sell a 20cm Dongle Buddy cable extender for $5.95 (www.ilok.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/iLokManager.woa/wa/namedPage?page=ProductBrowser).

If your computer's a tower system sitting on the floor and you plug your dongle into a front-panel port you risk accidentally treading on it or snapping it off when vacuuming, and for this scenario a USB 360 Degree Adaptor may help (for example www.lindy.co.uk/usb-360-degree-adapter/70339.html), by rotating the dongle so it sticks up instead of out.

Personally, I avoid all possibility of accidental damage by mounting my dongles inside the computer case. I described how to do this using a modified USB port-to-header adaptor in PC Notes June 2006 (www.soundonsound.com/sos/jun06/articles/pcnotes_0606.htm), and if your dongles are always plugged into one computer then this is also a great way to prevent them being accidentally misplaced or being stolen by an opportunist.

Educational and commercial establishments sometimes suffer from casual theft of dongles because they look similar to USB memory sticks (ironically, they can end up being thrown away when the thief realises their mistake, despite being far more valuable than memory sticks!). For this reason, iLoks and Syncrosoft dongles have holes through which security cables can be threaded and attached, either to a laptop's Kensington Security slot, or a heavy object such as a desk. Even better is to mount all dongles inside a sturdy metal box bolted to a heavy object, then attach them to the computers via USB extension leads.

Dealing With Damaged Dongles

If your dongle fails or gets damaged, all software protected by the dongle will immediately refuse to run. The standard procedure for anyone with a broken or defective iLok is to follow the RMA (Return Merchandise Authority) process, as detailed in the Help section of the www.ilok.com web site, and here you're on far safer ground than with Syncrosoft, since the procedure is exactly the same whatever combination of licences from however many developers are stored on a particular dongle. You'll probably get a free replacement iLok if yours proves to be faulty, as well as a replacement set of licences to download to it, but you'll have to send your faulty iLok to them in California at your own expense, and be unable to run the licenced products in the meantime.

Even a few days of down time can result in lost business, so Pace offer a ZDT (Zero Down Time) package for $30 per year for each supported iLok. ZDT customers get temporary licences lasting several weeks for their software that are deposited into their iLok account and can then be downloaded into a spare dongle if the worst happens. Then you can carry on using your software while you send back the faulty iLok to have it validated, whereupon you'll get new full licences to download to the temporary replacement. If your original dongle was stolen or lost (see below), you can use this time to claim on your insurance, so you can replace the software or persuade the vendors to provide you with full replacement licences.

Unfortunately, a few major iLok-using developers (including Audioease, DUY Research, Grey Matter Response and Waves) do not support ZDT, so if your iLok contains their licences there's no way to avoid down time. In these cases Pace have to examine your returned iLok and inform the developers in question, who in turn will issue a new authorisation so that you can authorise a new iLok. One Sound On Sound reader was recently unfortunate enough to have two iLoks fail during a six-week period, and although they were both covered by ZDT, many of the licences covered Waves plug-ins, so despite prompt action by Pace, he was still unable to use these for some five days at a time.

If you have a faulty Syncrosoft dongle, you should contact the local distributor of the developer whose licences are stored on the device, and in most cases send back the faulty dongle to them so that they can confirm the licences stored within it before replacements are issued locally (this is yet another reason to register your software beforehand). For instance, Steinberg say that once their distributors receive your dongle, if it's found to be defective or broken they can usually ship another within 24 hours.

Some Syncrosoft developers are more helpful than others in the interim, and may issue temporary licences to you. However, the waters get very murky if you've transferred licences from several different developers into a single dongle, and you'll have to make special arrangements with each developer to return the broken dongle to you if it has other licences on it, so you can send it on to the next one in the list. Most musicians who have thought through the implications tend to maintain a different dongle for each software developer!

Loss & Theft

The biggest bone of contention in the case of any dongle is what happens if it goes missing or is stolen. Again, the situation varies from developer to developer. After a theft, iLok owners with ZDT cover will have temporary licences to tide them over for those products that are supported under the scheme, and some Syncrosoft vendors may also issue temporary licences. However, it's up to the individual developer to decide what happens about replacement licences. A few may provide you with full replacement licences that you can download to a new blank dongle on receipt of a police Incident Number or similar confirmation, while others may charge you a flat fee to issue new licences, or may offer a discount on replacement ones.

Digidesign say that they will "consider replacement of licences for Digidesign or Digidesign-distributed software on a case–by–case basis", but they strongly recommend that you obtain insurance on all software plug-ins. Other developers may well operate a similar policy in reality, even if they don't specifically say that they do. Some, however, including both Steinberg and Waves, remain adamant that you must purchase their software again after claiming on your insurance. Unfortunately, while most standard household insurance companies will cover the cost of buying a new dongle, very few will cover the value of the licences it contains. To get this cover you'll need a specialist policy with a company that specialises in musical gear insurance, such as those advertising in Sound On Sound, and you should insure a dongle containing one or more licences for the full cost of replacing that software. Just don't wait until the worst happens, or you could be seriously out of pocket!

Other Dongle Formats

The Wibu Key dongle is used by Yellow Tools (shown here) and Algorithmix, and is very similar in both size and shape to the latest Syncrosoft device, apart from its bulbous end.Wibu Systems (www.wibu.com) have been around since 1993; I had an early brush with a Wibu Key dongle on Native Instruments' Reaktor version 3 back in 2001, and both Algorithmix and Yellow Tools now use it to protect their software ranges (although Algorithmix also offer Syncrosoft as a dongle option, and even iLok for their Pro Tools Mac products!). Wibu's more sophisticated Code Meter dongle is now used by Magix to protect their Samplitude and Sequoia audio software, but few other audio developers are on board as yet.

Aladdin's HASP system (www.aladdin.com) was used by Waves, before they switched to iLok, and by IK Multimedia for their T-Racks audio mastering software, before they switched to dongle-free challenge/response protection back in 2001, but is not currently favoured by many audio developers. Yet another format is available from SafeNet (www.safenet-inc.com), whose Sentinel USB dongles are notably used by Avid for their XPress and Media Composer film and video editing applications. Apple have recently dropped the XSkey dongle from their Logic Pro 8 package.

Do I Need To Buy A Dongle?

Many of us already have two or three dongles plugged into our computers, and would rather not have any more. There's nothing more annoying than having to buy a dongle before you can use the software you've just paid for. Dongles tend to be bundled with expensive host applications, but not with plug-ins and soft synths (to make their pricing more competitive), so before you buy a dongle-protected product you should always check which dongle it uses and whether or not one is included in the package.

Some software makes the distinction very clear (the box may, for instance, display a blue 'iLok required' or red 'iLok included' sticker), but plenty of musicians have been caught out and had to place a separate order for a blank dongle. If you do need to buy a blank dongle, iLoks can be purchased for about £30, while Syncrosoft dongles typically cost £17 both from a variety of outlets.

Dongle Troubleshooting

I've yet to experience any operational problems with either my Syncrosoft or my iLok dongles during several years' use. However, other musicians have reported crashes, intermittent faults, or other malfunctions where the protection software/hardware seems to be the probable cause. The most common fault is a dongle that's either not recognised at all, or intermittently. If you suspect a dongle to be faulty, first try plugging it into different USB ports, then check that any LED on the dongle is illuminated. Sometimes, unplugging and replugging the device will reveal an intermittent plug connection rather than a broken dongle.

If possible, avoid plugging dongles into an Apple keyboard port, since some users have reported problems with their computer failing to recognise them. Similarly, if you have to plug any dongle into a USB hub, try to use an active one (with its own power supply) if possible. I've used both iLok and Syncrosoft dongles in un-powered USB hubs with no problems, but dongles can be picky about particular makes of USB hub. If your dongle lights up but you get an 'Unknown Device' error, try temporarily plugging the dongle directly into its own USB port, since this nearly always works reliably.

There are known issues with iLok synchronising and licence transfers if you connect to www.ilok.com from behind some proxy servers or firewalls, so if you experience an 'unexpected authorisation error 411' your only option is to find another machine that's connected to the Internet in a different way.

Dongle-protected software will only run on the machine that has the dongle, so if you're running several computers in a network to combine their processing power (using a utility like FX Teleport from www.fx-max.com) they will each need a separate licensed dongle. However, you could, of course, dedicate specific machines to specific plug-ins, so avoiding the need for duplicate licences.

Sometimes, power-saving features can result in dongles being switched off by the operating system. PC owners, for instance, should open Device Manager from the Control Panel, double–click on each entry labelled USB Root Hub in the Universal Serial Bus Controllers section, then click on the Power tab to see which ones currently have dongles connected. For any that do, click on the Power Management tab and un–tick the box labelled 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power'.

More general iLok fault-finding tips can be found at Pace's extensive FAQ page at www.ilok.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/iLokManager.woa/wa/namedPage?page=FAQPage, and for further dongle-based information, visit the web site of the developer whose product it protects. For instance, Steinberg provide a comprehensive FAQ area at http://knowledgebase.steinberg.net/96_1.html, as do Digidesign at www.digidesign.com/ilok.

Published July 2008