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Colleagues - I am new to this forum and this is my first posting. The purpose of my message is to ask for some advice on basic setups for the Creamware PowerPulsar in the following setup, so that I can overcome an initial steep learning curve, understand the (to me) daunting Creamware nomenclatures, and gain confidence in its use with Cubase and other instruments. Your help would be appreciated. I have downloaded from this forum some initial basic CubasePulsar projects, provided by SandRob, Atomic and others, and these should help.

I am sitting next to a nice, compact setup comprising the following instruments:
Carillon AC-1 Audio Computer
Aardvark Q10 Sound Card and Preamp/Interface
Creamware PowerPulsar with the Basic I/O cable
MOTU MidiTimepiece A/V
Novation Supernova II Keyboard (also used as master keyboard)
Wavestation SR
Oberheim Xpander
Nord Modular Rack
SC Prophet 5 v3.3
Doepfer Drehbank
Cubase SX with various VST instruments
Wavelab 4
SoundDiver
etc

All fitting in a nice, compact QuickLok setup.

The newest addition is the PowerPulsar, just installed.

I am using the MOTU interface to connect all MIDI cables, including those of the PowerPulsar. Up to this point in time, the Aardvark Q10 has been used for analog Ins, microphone and guitar preamp, and monitoring via headphones when I don't want to bother my family. I purchased the PowerPulsar primarily for DSP power, additional synths and effects, and modular routing abilities. It is installed, setup and seems to be running OK. However, I haven't gotten any sounds out of it yet because I am trying to figure out the roles of routing, XTC, etc, etc. The Creamware instruments load in Cubase, but I am still trying to figure out how to get MIDI to them and sound out of them (Aardvark ASIO drivers are my current Cubase Audio Out drivers). Yes, I am reading the manual!

My question, and challenge, is overcoming what is for me a daunting learning curve for the PowerPulsar and figuring out the best way to integrate it into my system, use it with Cubase, and hopefully find a way to use it with the Aardvark so that I can continue to monitor via headphones when necessary and use the mic/guitar preamps.

So, where to start? Does anyone have any advice on first steps when sitting down with a brand new system (other than read the manual, which I am trying to memorize right now)? Are there some basic projects out there that could provide an example of integrating external synths, midi interface, Cubase, Wavelab, Pulsar and another soundcard?

Also, has anyone attempted to integrate a Creamware card with another card like the Aardvark? Can this be accomplished by routings in a project, or do I have to bypass everything and route sound using cables between the Creamware and Aardvark I/Os?

I am willing, and have, put in a lot of elbow grease on this, so it's not like I am sitting back and waiting for someone else to configure my system. However, if anyone has some good working examples of projects comprising these equipment combinations, or stepwise tips on how best to integrate Pulsar into an established system, that would be most appreciated. The sooner I get this up and running, the sooner I can provide the forum with some neat patches!

Thanks in advance for your patience and for any help/advice you can provide a new user.

CirclingKailas2002

Also, has anyone attempted to integrate a Creamware card with another card like the Aardvark? Can this be accomplished by routings in a project, or do I have to bypass everything and route sound using cables between the Creamware and Aardvark I/Os?

okay, I'm not the greatest person to start advising you on such a complex setup. And I don't use SX. But with regards the above there should be no need to hardwire anything. There is probably a way of doing direct transfer (with WAVE IN on Pulsar) but you should also be able to route it through Cubase (as you would normally) and then route the asio out drivers to the pulsar. On my version of Cubase (admittedly not yours), there is a separate file in the folder called ASIO Multimedia Setup. If SFP is running, the asio drivers should appear, and you can set them to active. Then there should be an option in the main Cubase program to route out to them. If they are not there, there is a problem with the SFP software (probably)

I know this might not help, but maybe it is a long-hand way of saying - fingers crossed ! (it is something to check for though)

[edit] BEAUTIFUL setup when you get it working. Jeeesssuuzzzz
_________________

one loves ones desires and not that which is desired.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: mr swim on 2002-11-12 11:51 ]</font>

hi,
simply have to agree with Mr. Swim regarding your setup.
Unfortunately the most obvious thing as routing the signals via ASIO in Cubase doesn't work.
Only one asio driver can be active at any time
But such a setup simply deserves dedicated efforts. So some details how you prefer to operate it might help finding a solution.

cheers, Tom

ps. did you really do what your nick implies ?

MrSwim, Astroman and all others with tips/support.

First, thanks for the complements on the setup. I'm selling my Prophet, which should make it even more compact! A lot of this I acquired through careful scouting, but the Carillon was a splurge which so far has paid off in terms of my sanity.

Tonight I plan to try your suggestions, plus the basic project routings I got from this forum. Astroman, you ask my preferred use of this setup. Well, I use the Supernova as my primary keyboard, triggering the other units, VSTs and hopefully Creamwares via MIDI, by wave of the MOTU interface. Sounds from the external instruments (pre-Creamware) entered the digital domain via the analog inputs of the Aardvark, including microphone and guitar. Monitoring via Aardvark headphones or monitors. Everything goes into Cubase for mixing, conversion to audio, then on to Wavelab. If you need more detail, please let me know.

WIth the PowerPulsar, my hope was to premix instruments in the DSP domain, add effects, download into Wavelab or Cubase. Also, have the option of passing my external synths through PowerPulsar for DSP effects and mixing. In addition, to use the Creamware instruments and effects in Cubase, I guess in XTC mode, when needed. Everything ends up in Cubase, and then Wavelab, or directly to Wavelab.

I was hoping to have a non-cable solution to sending audio back from PowerPulsar to Aardvark for direct headphone monitoring. If this can't be done, I can try doing this via the S/PDIF output of the Creamware and the S/PDIF input of the Aardvark, or alternatively the audio outs/ins. This is the only time I will want to do this, otherwise I will use Creamware audio out to go to studio monitors. In terms of running guitar/mics through Creamware, I think this can be achieved by using the audio outs of the Aardvark and running to the audio ins of the PowerPulsar. The Aardvark is there for guitar/mics/extra AD inserts for instruments like the Xpander (6 audio outs), and for the headphones. Otherwise, I want to use the PowerPulsar as my primary card.

Astroman, I hope this helps you perhaps provide me with some tips or basic setup pointers.

Finally, regarding Mt Kailas. No, I have not circled Kailas, I had the chance in 2000 but couldn't quite put together the vacation time. But this is a life goal and I have friends who have done so - amazing scenery but even more amazing cultural practices - imagine prostrating yourself around a mountain. I have circled Dhaulagiri, so perhaps I should change my nickname!

Thanks for any and all advice!

CirclingKailas, I hope you succeded, at least to some degree ?

As a first step your setup should work if you submix all DSP stuff and send Pulsar's master out via spdif to the Aardvark to record the submix as 1 stereotrack and monitoring it.
You'd record only the midi data for the pulsar synths including controllers in Cubase.
I dunno if XTC mode is coupled to Pulsar Asio (then it wouldn't work), but otherwise it should allow a separate recording of whatever's in the slot.

That's far from being optimal but at least it would allow you to start and get more familiar with the new board.
The PowerPulsar as the main recording card would certainly be more versatile as it has a lot more separate channels to offer, but I can't see a way to integrate the Aardvard without additional hardware.
I'm pretty shure you'll get the hang on the PowerPulsar quite fast (15 Sharcs are something amazing) and decide then how to optimize.
I've watched fascinating TV features about Tibet and it's natives and Mt. Kailas looks really impressive even on the small screen.
Seems we have something in common with mountains: my goal for life is (when I ever come to California) to climb the 'Astroman' on Washington Column - a bit scary but challenging.

cheers, Tom

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2002-11-13 18:07 ]</font>

Tom/Astroman and all -

My latest adventures. I am starting to get the hang of the routing page. Anyway, I started with the simplest possible route from PowerPulsar to the Aardvark via a Creamware Synth, and that was Creamware Midi Source - Vector Player - Soundcard Destination, the latter allowed me to pick the Q10. And.....it worked!! I was so happy! But, now I've noticed another little glitch. It works just fine, but when I change the synth preset, the connection is lost, I have to exit the project and start a new one. So, I don't understand why changing presets would do this. For the Vector I can listen to 2-3 presets before the disconnect, but for UKnow007 the first preset switchover stops the connection. A am not even trying Cubase until I figure this out.

There may be a hardware workaround that I will try also. And that is to use either the S/PDIF or analog I/Os of each card to route sound back to the Aardvark. All this to keep my family happy - I guess I could always buy a headphone amp, and then a focusrite or presonus preamp for my analog instruments - but I've already shelled out enough so I want to get this to work.

Any suggestions on the preset issue?

Washington Column - we are talking serious climbing! These days Astroman is climbed in about 3-4 hours or less!

Thanks for your help

Hi there,

I've been in a roughly similar situation, having a Yamaha DSP Factory soundcard with a Luna II. For a while I connected the Luna via SPDIF to the Yamaha. In the end though, I found that too restrictive and a waste of the power of the Yamaha, so I sold it and bought a Pulsar II to add to my Luna II.

However, in your situation there are some alternatives, I think. Given that the Aardvark also has zero latency monitoring and multiple analog outs, you could consider buying the Luna 2496 box, or if necessary another similar AD/DA with ADAT. This will probably cost you around €400-450 and would satisfy most of your needs. If you did this (and I know this is going to sound a bit convoluted!), you could route your external instruments that need pre-amping through the Q10 and back out again into the AD/DA box connected to the Powerpulsar's ADAT inputs. If this all sounds a bit unpleasant, you could go for an AD/DA with pre-amps and ADAT.

As far as internal routing between soundcards goes, I'd give it a miss, as the latencies are ridiculous and the relevant modules in Pulsar don't really function very well (i.e. Sound Card Dest/Source). One final point is that (sorry if you already know this) you're not going to be able to use the rather nice mixers that come with SFP if you use XTC mode.

Hope this helps,
Will