M-Audio Fast Track Ultra 
USB Audio Interface for Windows/Mac - 24-bit/96kHz
High-quality audio - to go!
The Fast Track Ultra 8 x 8 audio/MIDI interface offers high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity, MX Core DSP mixer, and four preamps with award-winning Octane technology. Featuring both analog and digital I/O, it allows recording on all eight channels simultaneously with 24-bit/96kHz fidelity with low-latency. The on-board MX Core DSP mixer processes eight hardware inputs and eight software returns to the eight hardware outputs, delivering flexible routing and monitoring with delay and reverb. Record the way you want with the Fast Track Ultra. M-Audio Fast Track Ultra Features:- 24-bit/96kHz professional audio on all I/O simultaneously
- High-speed USB 2.0 interface
- MX Core DSP technology
- Digital effects processing with assignable parameters
- Flexible channel routing options
- Expands DSP mixing interface to 16 x 8
- 4 preamps with award-winning M-Audio Octane technology
- 4 XLR microphone inputs including 2 XLR/TRS combo jacks for mic or instrument level inputs
- 20dB pad on each preamp
- Signal/peak LED indicator lights
- Phantom power
- 6 balanced line inputs
- 6 balanced analog outputs
- 2 analog inserts
- S/PDIF digital I/O
- Built-in 1 x 1 MIDI interface
- 2 independent headphone outputs with individual volume controls
- Full ASIO 2.0, WDM, MME, and Core Audio support
- Compatible with most major audio production software
- USB bus power enables analog channels 1 and 2, S/PDIF I/O, and headphone output 1
- Included power supply required for full 8 x 8 operation
M-Audio Fast Track Ultra - the latest generation of the hugely successful Fast Track Series!
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Sweetwater Advice
Carson McClain
This interface is a great mobile or studio solution. It works with Logic, Pro Tools M-Powered, Ableton Live, Cubase, you name it. This is the perfect solution for the guy who is using multiple applications in the studio, or out in the real world. Did I mention that it is Windows Vista Home Premium, Business and Ultimate compatible? And of course it's solid as a rock on Mac OS X. M-Audio is the leader of versatile recording solutions and the Fast Track Ultra is a testament to their mission to help musicians.
Get one. Now! Right this minute.
by Jeff Morris from Wyoming
February 5, 2009
Music Background: Guitarist, Horrible singer, Hobbyist
I'm going to tell you what to do. Finish reading my review here and then order one of these Fast Track Ultras. Then forget about the expensive mics and preamps. I personally guarantee you that your $2 ... read more [+]50 Rodes and your $100 SM57s will delight you. I'm not talking about opinion here. The difference between this and ANY USB 1.0 implementation will be obvious to you. Why? Well, I've a guess.
USB 2.0 (and ASIO 2.0) allows preamps to operate at full speed, which lowers noise to the point where its almost gone. Halfway decent mics will make you very very happy and you'll forget all about $3000 Neumann-lust. Good mic pres in USB 1.0 devices are never allowed to operate at anywhere near optimum. In fact, I'd wager that the better the mic and/or preamp trying to fit into that tiny USB 1.0 pipe, the worse it sounds. Now, the mic pres in the Fast Track Ultra are very good. VERY good. But if you bought an expensive mic pre and are using it with a USB 1.0 or even a firewire setup, give that baby some room to breath (with this Fast Track Ultra) and you'll get the full value of your investment. You WILL notice an improvement. A big one. You'll walk around for weeks with a big grin.
One other thing. You have to turn off (disable) your wireless card and you should also turn off wired network cards and modems and anything else you don't need while you're recording. Mainly the comm stuff. Comm cards use a lot of blocking calls and those will cause nasty clicks in your recording. These were present in a USB 1.0 setup, but only very very very rarely. It was like shooting a rifle into a swarm of mosquitoes. You didn't hit one very often. With USB 2.0 and ASIO 2.0, the mosquitoes are MUCH more dense along the nanosecond time-line. Almost touching each other. You can't record a 20 second track without a loud click or pop. The same thing that allows your mics and preamps to operate at optimum, makes it imperative you shut off your comm gear. It's worth it. I don't know why, but even most room noise (or at least what I always assumed was room, highway or other ambient noise) goes away. You can turn your software noise gates completely off, as the gating inherent in the circuitry of your mic and preamp gets to work like it should.
Okay. Now. Order one of these. I mean it. Do it right now. close [-]
interface at a BARGAIN!
by anynomous from out of space hehe
January 28, 2009
Music Background: hip hop, dance music
Let us be clear. This could be one of the best interfaces EVER made. At this price, it does not get any better than this. USB 2.0 is FASTER than firewire. However, Firewire is good for recording multi ... read more [+]ple inputs ALL AT THE SAME TIME. For this audio interface, it does the job very well. It works fast and quickly and the audio quality is grea. Trust me. You won't go wrong! close [-]
More than I expected
by Don Kuchta from McPherson
January 6, 2009
Music Background: Gigging Musician
After playing in a cover band for "ump-teen" years and even recording a few songs in real studios, I decided to build myself a home studio. After reading the reviews of a dozen different recording int ... read more [+]erfaces, I decided to to with the Fast Track Ultra. It only took me 45 minutes to get it up and running. I played around with all the different features and the Ableton Live LE software for a couple of days. On my 3rd day, I just into recording songs. By the end of the day, I had two complete songs recorded including drum tracks I created using the samples/loops that came with the software. So far I am impressed with the Fast Track Ultra (M-Audio has a good reputation). Whether you are a seasoned recording engineer or beginner, the Fast Track Ulta is a good choice. I ordered the Digidesign M-Powered v8 DAW Software today! close [-]
See Also: USB Interfaces
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