MPC Live With User Interface. RME UCX?

I have a an MPC Live on its way to me as we speak.

I am looking to use it completely Stand Alone for the time being.

I want to record Vocals, Live instruments etc into the Live, but due to it having no XLR inputs/Phantom Power/Mic Pre amps - I'm going to need an Interface of some sort.

I am a Noob when it comes to this side of things...So any help would be appreciated.

My friend has an "RME Fireface UCX" which I am able to use. As I understand it, its is a relatively high end Interface? Would this enable me to connect a condenser Mic to the Live?

Some of the functionality of the UCX seems to be accessible via software and in turn I am worried that it will be useless? I am hoping this is not the case, as It would save me a hell of a lot of money!

Does anyone have any experience with the UCX? Any suggestions? Ideas? Alternatives? for achieving my goal?

I am surprised that there is so little on YouTube regarding using the Live with a MIC.


Thanks

Get you a portable rcorder like the Tascam DR-40. It runs on batteries and has a 1/8 inch phone output.
You will then need a 1/8 inch phone to dual 1/4 cable. Plug the 1/8 inch phone into the recorder and the dual 1/4 phone jacks into input of the MPC live. Make sure the input selector is on line. You can use the built in condenser microphones on the recorder or you can plug any mic into the bottom of the unit via 1/4 inch phone jacks or XLR. The recorder even has phantom power. That is how I do it.

Thanks for that guys.

I will check these methods out.

How are you finding recording Live instruments/sound into the Live? What is the sound quality like etc?

Surely some people are trying to record vocals and instruments into this thing?

I have an RME Fireface UCX and to actually answer your question, yes the UCX can be used in what is called stand-alone mode. And in stand-alone mode the UCX functions can be accessed from its front hardware interface via the selectable knob without being connected to a computer running the Total Mix software that it comes with. I have never used the UCX exclusively as a microphone preamp because it also carries the master signal for all of the gear in my studio and software on my computer. But if you can figure out how to route the signal from the microphone preamp to a specific 1/4 inch output on the UCX that you would then attach a 1/4 inch cable to and connect to a 1/4 inch input on your MPC Live everything should work out fine. I have however connected my Summit Audio 2BA - 221 preamp to my MPC Live to test for recording vocals and after some perplexing issues with having the signal be weaker on one side than the other I was able to record a good signal directly into the MPC Live onto an audio track. The signal was weak on one side because I was using a stereo 1/4 inch cable with two rings beneath the tip of the plug instead of a mono cable with only one ring. Make sure to use a mono cable with one ring to avoid hours of frustration and bewilderment trying to figure out why your signal sounds so weak. I hope that helped. Sim sim sala bim...

Lava Live wrote: But if you can figure out how to route the signal from the microphone preamp to a specific 1/4 inch output on the UCX that you would then attach a 1/4 inch cable to and connect to a 1/4 inch input on your MPC Live everything should work out fine.

Thanks for the taking the time Bro. Really Helpful.

Also, the reason I would be using the UCX is for its Pre-amp. So Mic into UCX into MPC Live. That should be fine right?

dmacto wrote:Also, the reason I would be using the UCX is for its Pre-amp. So Mic into UCX into MPC Live. That should be fine right?

Exactly!

If you're not interested in the computer interface part, then there's all sorts of Mic-Preamps you can get. I have an old ART Tube MP that gets signal in to my Live when I want it to. And once you have one of those, you can use it forever in what whatever other environment you put together. That's why mine was still around when I went looking for it.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TubeMPSTV3

so, if i'm correct, i can just put the RME UC's usb into my MPC X's usb and i'm ready to go with 8 extra inputs?

If you get a dynamic mic you can record vocals into the live without any additional interface. The levels with be a bit low, but you can normalize the audio and honestly it won't sound bad.

However, if you want to use a condensor mic, then yes, you'll need to get phantom power to it somehow.

Edit: to be clear, I've done this plenty of times with my AKG D880 and it hasn't been a problem. If you've got a dynamic mic kicking around it won't hurt to try and see how the results seem to you before you invest into more hardware.

dmacto wrote:I have a an MPC Live on its way to me as we speak.

I am looking to use it completely Stand Alone for the time being.

I want to record Vocals, Live instruments etc into the Live, but due to it having no XLR inputs/Phantom Power/Mic Pre amps - I'm going to need an Interface of some sort.

I am a Noob when it comes to this side of things...So any help would be appreciated.

My friend has an "RME Fireface UCX" which I am able to use. As I understand it, its is a relatively high end Interface? Would this enable me to connect a condenser Mic to the Live?

There seem to be some misconceptions.

The main purpose of an audio interface is to convert analog audio signals to digital to be recorded into a computer. Thus, if you want to record into the Live in standalone mode, the UCX, or any other (Computer) Audio Interface, is pretty much useless. Actually, the Live itself is an Audio Interface -- if hooked up to a computer.

What you really need is a microphone preamp. You can get that by either using a simple standalone mic preamp, a "channel strip" (single mic preamp with compressor and eq) or a (small) mixing desk. The most cost effective solution would probably be a small portable mixing desk, which would allow you to even hook up 2 or more microphones (e.g. for piano, choir, drum recordings, guitar cab recording with more than one mic).

However, since you are are inexperienced and ask how to do all that, the question arises why you want to go through all the trouble to use a condenser microphone? A good condenser costs probably more than the Live and it should be hooked up to a proper microphone preamp, which costs at least half of the price of the Live.

Instead you could use a good (or even excellent) dynamic microphone (e.g. Electro-Voice RE20, Neumann BCM 705, Shure SM 7B, though that has rather low output level) which you can connect directly to your Live without the need of other devices. I'd rather look for a solution in that direction.


PS: The Studio Electronics DM1 Dynamite could be helfpful for mics with low output.

PPS: There may be even large diaphragm condensor and tube microphones around that come with their own preamp such as the AKG P820. Might be worth some googling as well.

oli@bass wrote:The main purpose of an audio interface is to convert analog audio signals to digital to be recorded into a computer. Thus, if you want to record into the Live in standalone mode, the UCX, or any other (Computer) Audio Interface, is pretty much useless. Actually, the Live itself is an Audio Interface -- if hooked up to a computer.

Absolutely, but wouldn't it be fantastic to be able to use (class-compliant) audio interfaces via USB with the Live/X to increase I/O? I think it would anyway.