Ableton 5 and Noah

psyjurr · Post by **psyjurr** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 3:02 am

Hello All,

im thinking of buying a Hoah ex.
Because of the minimax and others.
Have had a pulsar soundcard, but didnt like the routing stuff.
So only want to use the noah as a synth midi box.

But how does he works with ableton live 5?
So without the clicks and plops.

please let me know.

Thnx allready

Shroomz~> · Post by **Shroomz~>** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 8:47 am

Hi there,

The Noah Ex is a wonderfull machine, but as it only has a stereo analogue out, the best way of using it is to use it's Adat output & sync it via Wordclock.

As you don't like the Scope routing & wish to use it with Abelton in a different manner from most users, i'd suggest pairing it with a digital card which has Wordclock & Adat built in. With something like the Steinberg VSL-2020 or an RME card, you would find these features (although i haven't tested it with these)

However, as you mention audio distortions, i presume you'd like to use it via USB. This method has proven to have some bugs for some people & as you'll see from another nearby thread, people have actually had to have hardware bugs rectified by Creamware to solve their audio problems when using it in this manner.

Personally, i'd suggest using it's Wordclock & Adat capabilities, as they are working very well indeed for us.

It's an incredible machine & one which Creamware deserve a lot more respect for.

Liquid Len · Post by **Liquid Len** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 12:42 pm

Personally, i'd suggest using it's Wordclock & Adat capabilities, as they are working very well indeed for us.

My problem with that particular setup is the fact that the Noah only syncs at 44.1, and I record at 48. Right now, I'm going SPDIF digital from the Noah into a behringer 3216 mixer, which has an asynchronous SPDIF input. It just takes whatever SPDIF you give it without using a wordclock. (And is fed from the mixer to the Pulsar II card using the ADAT inputs). I don't hear any particular distortion but I've wondered if this approach can lower sound quality, is there a better approach (besides recording everything at 44.1)?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Liquid Len on 2005-11-18 12:43 ]</font>

Shroomz~> · Post by **Shroomz~>** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:00 pm

I know what you're saying, but i don't have a problem with recording separate tracks over 8 channel Adat at 44.1 khz. It's the fact that you can get those 8 channels out separately which wins for me. In honesty, you won't notice the difference in the mix. Try it. Record the way you are doing at 48 khz on one stereo track, then try setting up the Noah's Adat direct to Scope at 44.1 & try recording 8 tracks. (some stereo maybe) Do this in a track situation where you have a mix of other instruments with the Noah. Do that for both recordings, then compare them. Tell me then if you notice a difference in the sound quality of the Noah at 44.1 vs 48. Honestly try it.

psyjurr · Post by **psyjurr** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 4:12 am

Ok, Thnx

But how does it works in Ableton 5?
I think its a great machine....but have to know the connection in to Live 5.

ps, dont have adat. I have a Edirol fa-101, so only a óptical' input and output.
And 8 analog ins / outs.

Let me know! Cheers

R.D. Olivaw · Post by **R.D. Olivaw** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 9:04 am

Psyjurr, if you wanna know how to set up a hardware synth with Live 5, you'd better ask the Ableton Forum, don't you?

On 2005-11-18 13:00, Shroomz wrote:
Tell me then if you notice a difference in the sound quality of the Noah at 44.1 vs 48.

I don't understand this point. Noah is only 44.1, so recording it at higher sample rates via analog will of course give just the same result...

Liquid Len · Post by **Liquid Len** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 10:16 pm

On 2005-11-19 09:04, R.D. Olivaw wrote:
Psyjurr, if you wanna know how to set up a hardware synth with Live 5, you'd better ask the Ableton Forum, don't you?

On 2005-11-18 13:00, Shroomz wrote:
Tell me then if you notice a difference in the sound quality of the Noah at 44.1 vs 48.
I don't understand this point. Noah is only 44.1, so recording it at higher sample rates via analog will of course give just the same result...

My original point was just to comment/whine on the inability to sync the noah to anything but 44.1K. Combined with the inability of some of my other gear to sync to anything but 48K, it prevents me from integrating it as fully as I'd like. Yes, resampling a digital stream from 44.1 to 48 won't make the sound any better. It's _conceivable_ it could actually degrade it.

ScofieldKid · Post by **ScofieldKid** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:45 pm

If it were me, I would just come in on a spare set of inputs. I understand the desire to stay in the digital domain if you can, but I have to think if your A/D is good, that this may not be much of an issue.

I am curious though, what do you have that is locking you into 48KHz. I hate working at 48.

Shroomz~> · Post by **Shroomz~>** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:29 pm

That's a fair point. The Noah's internal mixing & FX are good enough that you could get away with not multitracking & just mixing down the Noah's channels internaly. That way you could go for just a stereo record path.

There's no doubt that multitracking it is more flexible though & if you want to do that as well as possible, i'd say WC & Adat is the way to get the most of the machine.

Liquid Len · Post by **Liquid Len** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 8:47 pm

What locks me into a 48k? A korg trinity, which I lean on pretty heavily for reliable rompler during song construction. Also I've been recording at 48k for years so I have lots of little ideas that are in 48k. When I started recording everything new at 48k i had the vague idea it would be more compatible with other equipment, i.e. ADATs run at 48k.

Sorry psyjurr for taking this thread off topic. The Noah can manage a SPDIF optical output, if that's what you're asking. I don't get any clicks or pops.

psyjurr · Post by **psyjurr** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:55 am

Well, it going great off topic indeed
LOL

I have a better question: does it work just like the Pulsar with the scope environment?
or as a vst plugin ?

Hope you'll get me questions : )

Liquid Len · Post by **Liquid Len** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:32 pm

On 2005-11-22 09:55, psyjurr wrote:
Well, it going great off topic indeed
LOL

I have a better question: does it work just like the Pulsar with the scope environment?
or as a vst plugin ?

Hope you'll get me questions : )

It does not work as either. You can run the Creamware keyboard plugins, and mix them together with a (fixed) mixer, with up to 2 insert effects total. It's geared more towards live use.

alfonso · Post by **alfonso** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 11:55 pm

On 2005-11-22 20:32, Liquid Len wrote:
On 2005-11-22 09:55, psyjurr wrote:
Well, it going great off topic indeed
LOL

I have a better question: does it work just like the Pulsar with the scope environment?
or as a vst plugin ?

Hope you'll get me questions : )
It does not work as either. You can run the Creamware keyboard plugins, and mix them together with a (fixed) mixer, with up to 2 insert effects total. It's geared more towards live use.

Plus a chorus, a delay and a reverb as aux loop fx for all the mixer channels and two audio inputs in the same mixer.