List of Working/Non Working Class Compliant USB Interfaces

Just got done testing my Zoom H4n Pro with my MPC Live mk2. Bummed out by the results so i thought i'd share....

The H4n pro can connect to the MPC via usb interface mode. The mpc powers and recognizes the H4n pro via usb cable and it will technically work. At first i thought it was going to be the perfect pairing because the H4n pro has stereo built in mics, a stereo 3.5mm mic input, and 2 combo XLR/1/4' inputs... each of which can be used as the 2 inputs in usb mode in the mpc. So it seemed like it would be the ultimate, versatile mini interface for ultimate mobile music making....The problem are 2 issues, one minor and one major.

Minor issue: The H4n does not allow separate input gain for the 2 inputs, for some weird reason, in usb mode. Meaning whatever 2 things you have plugged in share the same gain level. And its up to the devices themselves to be able to lower their gain to be able to be in the same range.

Major issue: Latency
Input latency is minimal. The time between strumming a guitar and the mpc recognizing the audio is low, and acceptable. However,

Output latency is very high. The time between the mpc outputting a sound and it going thru the H4n's headphone jack is very high. Unacceptably high in my tests. Even built in samples, drums etc with no fx are heard a very noticeable delay after being triggered on the mpc.

This makes live recording, jamming etc impossible to do thru the H4n as a headphone out. And as far as i can tell, there are no settings that would lower output latency or allow me to use the H4n as input but the mpc as output.

Just got done testing out my zoom H1n with the mpc live mk2. The H1n can be recognized in both "ios" mode and "windows/mac" mode for and some reason In IOS mode it does NOT draw bus power and uses up your batteries.
In Windows/Mac mode it seems to work the exact same but it DOES draw bus power so it does not drain your batteries. It seems to work just fine and should auto recognize the mpc's sample rate; so i'd just use this mode.

Just be sure to remember that in order to turn direct monitoring on/off there is a hidden menu. Hold the "stop" button, then press the left most button, the "audio" button, to enable/disable direct monitoring.

there is no noticeable latency in my experience. Seems like this little thing could make an interesting tiny interface for the mpc. I'm going to try using a Y splitter to get 2 channels out of this. I want to use 2 lavalier mics, one for an instrument, one for vocals.
I'll update with my results.

Baqca Sanke wrote:Just got done testing out my zoom H1n with the mpc live mk2. The H1n can be recognized in both "ios" mode and "windows/mac" mode for and some reason In IOS mode it does NOT draw bus power and uses up your batteries.
In Windows/Mac mode it seems to work the exact same but it DOES draw bus power so it does not drain your batteries. It seems to work just fine and should auto recognize the mpc's sample rate; so i'd just use this mode.

Just be sure to remember that in order to turn direct monitoring on/off there is a hidden menu. Hold the "stop" button, then press the left most button, the "audio" button, to enable/disable direct monitoring.

there is no noticeable latency in my experience. Seems like this little thing could make an interesting tiny interface for the mpc. I'm going to try using a Y splitter to get 2 channels out of this. I want to use 2 lavalier mics, one for an instrument, one for vocals.
I'll update with my results.

Thanks for info & I hope your Y splitter test works out well.

B-Wise wrote:Thanks for info & I hope your Y splitter test works out well.

Happy to report L & R inputs can be used separately, assigned to different tracks in mpc, with different fx.... etc.

Just be mindful that they will share the same input gain. It's a single knob that controls the stereo input so whatever 2 things you plug in will share the same input gain level. You can always use the mpc to boost or attenuate one of the sources. And you have to use 2 sources that are the same type, i.e. 2 mics, 2 line inputs, etc you can't do 1 line level input and 1 mic level input.

Just got done testing my Rode Wireless Go 2 with mpc live mk2. The RODE says it can be used as a windows, mac, IOS USB audio interface, It's supposed to just plug in and be able to be a 2 channel wireless interface which would be AWESOME for my MPC live mk2.

But alas, it does not work.

It only operates in 48khz mode and the mpc is 44.1khz. As far as i can tell, reading through the manual and internet searching, there is no way to change the sample rate to 44.1khz. Which is a major bummer. It would be killer to have 2 wireless mics that can be used straight into the mpc.

Baqca Sanke wrote:

B-Wise wrote:Thanks for info & I hope your Y splitter test works out well.

Happy to report L & R inputs can be used separately, assigned to different tracks in mpc, with different fx.... etc.

Just be mindful that they will share the same input gain. It's a single knob that controls the stereo input so whatever 2 things you plug in will share the same input gain level. You can always use the mpc to boost or attenuate one of the sources. And you have to use 2 sources that are the same type, i.e. 2 mics, 2 line inputs, etc you can't do 1 line level input and 1 mic level input.

Thanks for the test results, this is good to know.

Baqca Sanke wrote:Just got done testing my Rode Wireless Go 2 with mpc live mk2

Doesn't it have an analog TRS output as well?

HouseWithoutMouse wrote:

Baqca Sanke wrote:Just got done testing my Rode Wireless Go 2 with mpc live mk2

Doesn't it have an analog TRS output as well?

The Rx module has a stereo 3.5mm MIC out. meant to go into a stereo TRS mic input of a camera. It is not a line level output. It may still work into the "phono" input of the MPC live mk2 with the appropriate 3.5mm trs to RCA cable. I will test that tomorrow ( i know i have one of those cables laying around). I don't think the signal will be high enough to go into the stereo line input of the mpc though. But i will also test that.

HouseWithoutMouse wrote:

Baqca Sanke wrote:Just got done testing my Rode Wireless Go 2 with mpc live mk2

Doesn't it have an analog TRS output as well?

I have just finished testing the Rode Wireless Go 2, Not technically in usb mode but since you asked about the TRS output. As i mentioned, the TRS output is a mic level output meant to go into a camera's mic input.

Using a 3.5mm TRS to RCA cord i plugged the RX module of the Rode Wireless Go 2 into the RCA inputs on the back of the MPC live mk2 and flipped the switch to "phono".

i'm happy to report this works beautifully. The phono preamps on the MPC live mk2 sound great, and i could route each of the 2 wireless mics to separate tracks. This is a very feasible option.

Next i used a 3.5mm TRS to dual 1/4' TS to plug the RX module into the line inputs of the MPC live mk2. I flipped the switch to "line". I did this to simulate what someone with the MPC One could expect if they wanted to try this and didn't have the phono inputs.

I'm sorry to report this did not really work. The source is just too low. Even with the record level gain knob on the back of the mpc cranked to 100%, and the RX module set to 100%, the audio was very low. Just barely at the usable range. If you were to be singing directly into it or if it was clipped to a drum it could work. And you can always compensate in the mpc to boost the gain.

But i should also mention that it sounded very bad. Even when i got the levels in an acceptable range the quality was very poor. Almost like it had a very limited spl or dynamic range. I would avoid using this if you're going to plug it into a line level input.

Baqca Sanke wrote:I have just finished testing the Rode Wireless Go 2, Not technically in usb mode but since you asked about the TRS output. As i mentioned, the TRS output is a mic level output meant to go into a camera's mic input.

Using a 3.5mm TRS to RCA cord i plugged the RX module of the Rode Wireless Go 2 into the RCA inputs on the back of the MPC live mk2 and flipped the switch to "phono".

i'm happy to report this works beautifully. The phono preamps on the MPC live mk2 sound great, and i could route each of the 2 wireless mics to separate tracks. This is a very feasible option.

Next i used a 3.5mm TRS to dual 1/4' TS to plug the RX module into the line inputs of the MPC live mk2. I flipped the switch to "line". I did this to simulate what someone with the MPC One could expect if they wanted to try this and didn't have the phono inputs.

I'm sorry to report this did not really work. The source is just too low. Even with the record level gain knob on the back of the mpc cranked to 100%, and the RX module set to 100%, the audio was very low. Just barely at the usable range. If you were to be singing directly into it or if it was clipped to a drum it could work. And you can always compensate in the mpc to boost the gain.

But i should also mention that it sounded very bad. Even when i got the levels in an acceptable range the quality was very poor. Almost like it had a very limited spl or dynamic range. I would avoid using this if you're going to plug it into a line level input.

Thanks for efforts bro! We need more of this on this site.

Baqca Sanke wrote:... i'm happy to report this works beautifully. The phono preamps on the MPC live mk2 sound great, and i could route each of the 2 wireless mics to separate tracks. This is a very feasible option.

I have serious doubts about a phono preamp sounding great on any non-RIAA processed signal.
They cut vinyl with a heavily tilted EQ and the RIAA input stage compensates this on playback.
Hence any signal gets the inverse frequency response of a vinyl master track
You can compensate that in the DAW, but out of the box the signal is plain wrong... (you may like it, though)

Telefunky wrote:

Baqca Sanke wrote:... i'm happy to report this works beautifully. The phono preamps on the MPC live mk2 sound great, and i could route each of the 2 wireless mics to separate tracks. This is a very feasible option.

I have serious doubts about a phono preamp sounding great on any non-RIAA processed signal.
They cut vinyl with a heavily tilted EQ and the RIAA input stage compensates this on playback.
Hence any signal gets the inverse frequency response of a vinyl master track
You can compensate that in the DAW, but out of the box the signal is plain wrong... (you may like it, though)

While you're def correct that the RIAA equalization is applying a curve to the EQ, that's not the bar i was trying to jump over The term "sounds great" is open to interpretation. I was talking about volume, overall clarity, usability, pops, hiss etc. I am not a mixing nor mastering expert, i don't spend hours EQ'ing tracks to be spotify ready. I play music to have fun, be creative, and express myself. For that purpose, the RODE wireless go 2 will work just peachy with the phono preamps. Technically i could get a more true sound if i plugged it into a real mic preamp instead. I appreciate the comment though as it lead me down a deep RIAA rabbit hole and inspired me to dig out my GF's old record player and sample some old records for some more tests I'm going to look into making an MPC EQ preset that compensates for the RIAA process. Seems like an easy workaround to build an EQ curve once and just save it as a preset to pull up whenever i want to use the RODE

B-Wise wrote:

Thanks for efforts bro! We need more of this on this site.

of course! I'm not super knowledgeable but i love learning the technical aspects of gear.

@Baqca Sanke
I love doing sonic test too, so I support when others are conducting their own. I be in the lab feeling like a scientist. I'm ask Roland if they could send over 1 of those white lab coats they had in that ACB explanation video

Anyone using the Tascam Model 16 (or even 24) or Presonus StudioLive ar16c?
Do you have issues?
I use the MPC One in standalone mode plus a couple of external synths and I need a bigger mixer (still got an old 12 channel analog mixer).

Thanks in advance!

NuX Mighty Plug Pro sadly does not seem to work with my MPC One.
Sample rate 44100 not supported by interface error. Restarting with interface connected made no difference.