I am going for it!

[MisterE]

It's a waiting game for windows, there is a promised Windoze Asio driver... I wouldn't hold your breath on it tho'

GitHub - microsoft/low-latency-audio: ASIO driver development for Windows

ASIO driver development for Windows. Contribute to microsoft/low-latency-audio development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

Regards to all.

You're really underestimating Pete Brown, the stated Microsoft manager for this project. With him on the case, a daunting project like this won't necessarily be built in a day, but he won't rest until it's right—kinda like how after some growing pains the new Windows MIDI 2 provisions aren't hanging anyone up anymore and just work. He's also tight with Steinberg. Sadly, neither Presonus nor Fender has shown the least inclination to work tightly with Microsoft or the MIDI Association. That's what I personally wouldn't hold my breath over.

 

[lokeyfly]

It's a waiting game for windows, there is a promised Windoze Asio driver... I wouldn't hold your breath on it tho'

I'm possibly missing something here, but the Harrison Flex-10 is ASIO compliant. What is this in relation to?

 

[Skijumptoes]

I'm possibly missing something here, but the Harrison Flex-10 is ASIO compliant. What is this in relation to?

There's an Operating System level ASIO driver being worked on by Microsoft for Windows, so in theory you wouldn't need manufacturer drivers or ASIO4ALL. I think people are hoping it also includes the ability to route audio and offer aggregate devices as you can do on Mac OS.

Pete from MS is quite active on various forums on the subject, I see him posting a lot on Steinberg board for example.

 

[sintil8]

You're really underestimating Pete Brown, the stated Microsoft manager for this project. With him on the case, a daunting project like this won't necessarily be built in a day, but he won't rest until it's right—kinda like how after some growing pains the new Windows MIDI 2 provisions aren't hanging anyone up anymore and just work. He's also tight with Steinberg. Sadly, neither Presonus nor Fender has shown the least inclination to work tightly with Microsoft or the MIDI Association. That's what I personally wouldn't hold my breath over.

I never mentioned Pete Brown so that's a bit off. My take, the MS machine is bit of a juggernaut, so he has my blessing and the midi 2 comment is a given.

Regards

 

[sintil8]

I'm possibly missing something here, but the Harrison Flex-10 is ASIO compliant. What is this in relation to?

Hiya Lokeyfly,

It's a windows Asio sound driver and or the chance to have what Apple call an aggregated device, which would allow the OP to have his channels work as he wants at the system (Windows) level, least I assume that's what he wants from reading the thread.

Kindest regards

 

[MisterE]

I never mentioned Pete Brown so that's a bit off. My take, the MS machine is bit of a juggernaut, so he has my blessing and the midi 2 comment is a given.

Regards

Didn't say you did, but his name is right at the top of the image you posted. So it's not just some vague faceless team at an international conglomerate in charge of working on the Windows Asio driver, it's a gifted, dedicated human who's great at interfacing with other industry players and a musician himself driving the bus. And he's been exponentially more forthcoming (at Gearspace, to name one place to easily research him) about what Microsoft is up to to improve life for electronic musicians than anyone at Fender or Presonus.

 

[sintil8]

Didn't say you did, but his name is right at the top of the image you posted. So it's not just some vague faceless team at an international conglomerate in charge of working on the Windows Asio driver, it's a gifted, dedicated human who's great at interfacing with other industry players and a musician himself driving the bus. And he's been exponentially more forthcoming (at Gearspace, to name one place to easily research him) about what Microsoft is up to to improve life for electronic musicians than anyone at Fender or Presonus.

Hey MisterE,

That article also had a greyed out statement noting no release date was set, it has been updated since I posted and now reads...

"There is no public release of the driver, yet. This section will be updated with the Windows Insider Build information once the driver preview ships in Windows.

Which was what I was referring to by "don't hold your breath".
You describe my opinion of Pete Brown as lacking and underestimated his tenacity, rather than asking why I might think it will not happen soon?
Please do not make assumptions about my comments, it is misleading and making the discussion about individual people, something I try to avoid!

I will cut a path out of here and you can carry on regardless.

Kindest regards.

 

[MisterE]

Hey MisterE,

That article also had a greyed out statement noting no release date was set, it has been updated since I posted and now reads...

"There is no public release of the driver, yet. This section will be updated with the Windows Insider Build information once the driver preview ships in Windows.

Which was what I was referring to by "don't hold your breath".
You describe my opinion of Pete Brown as lacking and underestimated his tenacity, rather than asking why I might think it will not happen soon?
Please do not make assumptions about my comments, it is misleading and making the discussion about individual people, something I try to avoid!

I will cut a path out of here and you can carry on regardless.

Kindest regards.

Perhaps there's more than one possible interpretation of "don't hold your breath?" That phrase often suggests "it's never going to happen." Perhaps you'd allow for that? Regardless, this is hardly something I'm personally invested in, I'm not here to argue against the fact that big changes take time. Peace out.

 

[lokeyfly]

Hiya Lokeyfly,

It's a windows Asio sound driver and or the chance to have what Apple call an aggregated device, which would allow the OP to have his channels work as he wants at the system (Windows) level, least I assume that's what he wants from reading the thread.

Kindest regards

I see, as an additional audio interface I/O source, already ASIO compliant. Yes, likely a near distant workaround.
The flex 10 manual describes: (among its other features)

● Dual Switchable Line Outputs
● Dual Headphone Outs

Unfortunately, "switchable" not being a part of the dual headphone outs. This would require four out, or two discreet stereo outs.

Given that, I'd suggest k2347 either look for a four out/dual "switchable" stereo out unit, or evaluate where loopback or what they're specifically trying to achieve can happen with this unit. The four out architecture, is not a part of this Flex 10 device, so it seems.

Waiting for some Windows ASIO compliant MIDI2 fix for such a protocol (while coming down the pike at SOME point), doesn't sound like the best answer. Then again, just like beauty, that decision is in the eyes of the beholder.
Nuff time spent on this for me.

There's an Operating System level ASIO driver being worked on by Microsoft for Windows, so in theory you wouldn't need manufacturer drivers or ASIO4ALL. I think people are hoping it also includes the ability to route audio and offer aggregate devices as you can do on Mac OS.

TY for clarifying. ; )

 

[ianaeillo]

Got my hands on one this weekend and was thoroughly disappointed. For your sake I hope it was our user error. We had several occurrances where Pipeline would throw multiple different offset values on the same instance of the plugin. You'd tap auto and it would correctly set the latency. Step away from the computer and upon playback, values would have changed. Threw up my hands after a few hours and doubt I'll mess with it again. Good luck.

 

[wst3]

FWIW headphone amps in most interfaces are more of a problem than I thought. I only realized that after buying a separate, dedicated headphone amp and realizing how much it made the sound of various headphones "open up."

It turns out that designing a really good headphone amplifier is not trivial (kinda seems like it ought to be eh?)

Years ago I worked for a company that was designing an AVB based personal monitoring system. One of my tasks was to design a headphone amplifier that would "make a drummers ears bleed". Now they were just kidding, but the headphones had to be able to cut through noise the drummer was already making.

Fortunately, for me, I had also designed the power supply, which made designing the headphone amplifier a tiny bit easier.

Unfortunately, for me, it had to be able to drive any headphone design. Among other factors, that means handling impedances from around 8 ohms to as high as 600 ohms, maybe higher? And we did not want to hamper low end response, so it had to be direct-coupled. And it could not burn up if you shorted the output by mistake. It was a fun challenge!

I probably spent more time on the headphone amplifier than any other aspect of the design. In the end it turned out well. I wouldn't put it up against a high end, stand-alone device, but it didn't stink.

Disclosure - as much as I am proud of what we built, I still use a (now discontinued sadly) Rane HC-6 headphone amplifier, by far the best sounding, most reliable headphone amplifier for under $1k.

 

[MisterE]

It turns out that designing a really good headphone amplifier is not trivial (kinda seems like it ought to be eh?)

Years ago I worked for a company that was designing an AVB based personal monitoring system. One of my tasks was to design a headphone amplifier that would "make a drummers ears bleed". Now they were just kidding, but the headphones had to be able to cut through noise the drummer was already making.

Fortunately, for me, I had also designed the power supply, which made designing the headphone amplifier a tiny bit easier.

Unfortunately, for me, it had to be able to drive any headphone design. Among other factors, that means handling impedances from around 8 ohms to as high as 600 ohms, maybe higher? And we did not want to hamper low end response, so it had to be direct-coupled. And it could not burn up if you shorted the output by mistake. It was a fun challenge!

I probably spent more time on the headphone amplifier than any other aspect of the design. In the end it turned out well. I wouldn't put it up against a high end, stand-alone device, but it didn't stink.

Disclosure - as much as I am proud of what we built, I still use a (now discontinued sadly) Rane HC-6 headphone amplifier, by far the best sounding, most reliable headphone amplifier for under $1k.

What if anything would you say compares to it in a smaller form factor?

 

[SwitchBack]

Buy hp amp and earbuds/phones as a compatible set, easy as that.

A personal hp amp for 8-600 Ohms is a crazy requirement. High impedance needs high voltage for power where low impedance needs high current for power, especially when taking into account that there are phones with a pretty low sensitivity out there that need some serious energy to drive them properly. So a jack of all trades amp will have to be half a power plant to fit that bill, and probably will blow up the first couple of phones you try it out on.

So go for a compatible set that delivers exactly what's needed: It's smaller, lighter, and (for battery power packs) runs longer on a load.

 

[ianaeillo]

It turns out that designing a really good headphone amplifier is not trivial (kinda seems like it ought to be eh?)

Years ago I worked for a company that was designing an AVB based personal monitoring system. One of my tasks was to design a headphone amplifier that would "make a drummers ears bleed". Now they were just kidding, but the headphones had to be able to cut through noise the drummer was already making.

Fortunately, for me, I had also designed the power supply, which made designing the headphone amplifier a tiny bit easier.

Unfortunately, for me, it had to be able to drive any headphone design. Among other factors, that means handling impedances from around 8 ohms to as high as 600 ohms, maybe higher? And we did not want to hamper low end response, so it had to be direct-coupled. And it could not burn up if you shorted the output by mistake. It was a fun challenge!

I probably spent more time on the headphone amplifier than any other aspect of the design. In the end it turned out well. I wouldn't put it up against a high end, stand-alone device, but it didn't stink.

Disclosure - as much as I am proud of what we built, I still use a (now discontinued sadly) Rane HC-6 headphone amplifier, by far the best sounding, most reliable headphone amplifier for under $1k.

Excellent read. Really puts the work that goes into making something I generally take for granted into perspective.

And I'm glad to see someone who knows what they're talking about support my feelings about the HC-6! It's so good! I love that thing.