24-bit USB Audio/MIDI Interface Quick Start Owner's Manual BOX CONTENTS · IO|2 USB AUDIO/MIDI INTERFACE · USB CABLE · QUICK START OWNER'S MANUAL · IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Manual de inicio rápido para el usuario CONTENIDO DE LA CAJA · INTERFAZ DE AUDIO/MIDI USB IO|2 · CABLE USB · MANUAL DE INICIO RÁPIDO DEL USUARIO · INSTRUCCIONES IMPORTANTES DE SEGURIDAD Manuel d'utilisation du propriétaire CONTENUE DE LA BOÎTE · IO|2 AVEC INTERFACE USB AUDIO/MIDI · CÂBLE USB · GUIDE D'UTILISATION SIMPLIFIÉ · CONSIGNES DE SÉCURITÉ Kurzbedienungsanleitung INHALT DER VERPACKUNG · IO|2 USB AUDIO/MIDI INTERFACE · USB KABEL · KURZBEDIENUNGSANLEITUNG · WICHTIGE SICHERHEITSHINWEISE Manuale rapido di utilizzo CONTENUTO DELLA CONFEZIONE · INTERFACCIA AUDIO/MIDI IO|2 USB · CAVO USB · MANUALE RAPIDO DI UTILIZZO · IMPORTANTI ISTRUZIONI DI SICUREZZA This page intentionally left blank. IO|2 Quick Start User's Guide (English) 1 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of the Alesis IO|2 audio/MIDI interface! We're proud of this interface and we've taken a great deal of care in making the IO|2 the best sounding, most rugged and easy to use audio interface on the market. We've made this quick start guide as short as possible, but please read it carefully. It will guide you through the installation process as well as teach you how to get the most out of your IO|2 interface. We hope the IO|2 will serve you well for many years. Sincerely, The People of Alesis 2 Key Features Your IO|2 features the following: · · · · · · · · · · · · 24-bit recording and playback Balanced XLR and ¼" inputs with adjustable gain Switchable phantom power TRS inserts High quality mic preamps Comprehensive 4-segment input metering Low latency ASIO/WDM/Core Audio drivers Zero-Latency monitoring MIDI and S/PDIF inputs and outputs Headphone out with separate volume knob Bus powered for operation without power supply Ultra-rugged and lightweight case that's built to last Computer Requirements Minimum PC Requirements: · · · · Pentium III 450 MHz Processor 128 MB RAM Available USB 1.1 Port Windows XP (with Service Pack 2 installed) Memory Requirements The IO|2 requires a minimum of 128MB of RAM to operate, but most audio applications need more than 128MB of RAM to run smoothly. If your computer only has 128 MB of memory and is sluggish while running audio applications, try adding memory to improve performance. Recommended PC Requirements: · · · · · Pentium 4 or Athlon Processor 512 MB RAM 7,200 RPM Hard Disk Drive Available USB 1.1 Port Windows XP (with Service Pack 2 installed) Minimum Macintosh Requirements: · · · Any Apple computer with native USB support Mac OS X "Jaguar" version 10.2 or later 128 MB RAM Recommended Macintosh Requirements: · · · · G4 733-MHz Processor or faster 7,200 RPM Hard Disk Drive Mac OS X "Jaguar" version 10.2 or later 512 MB RAM 3 Product Registration Please go to http://www.alesis.com and register your new IO|2. Registering helps us to keep you up-to-date on any last minute product issues and driver updates. If you would like, we can also send you information on other products that might interest you. By registering with us, you let us know what products you use (or dream about) and this helps us bring you better products in the future. 4 Top Panel Connections 1. Mic Input - Connect a microphone to this input. 2. Guitar/Line Input- Connect a guitar or line-level instrument to the IO|2 using this connector. Make sure the "Mic/Line Guitar" switch (see item #4 below) is set correctly. 3. Input Gain Knob - Set the gain level of each channel with this knob. Audio Inputs Do not use the Mic and Guitar/Line inputs at the same time on one channel. This may overload the channel and cause distortion. 4. Mic/Line or Guitar input select ­ Lets you select the type of instrument you'll be using with the Guitar/Line input (see #2 above). Select "Guitar" for guitars and basses and "Line" for all line-level sources (synths, DATs, etc.) 5. Insert - The insert jack allows you to insert a compressor, EQ, or any other signal processor in between IO|2's preamplifier and the A/D converter. 6. +48v Phantom Power Switch - Phantom power switch allows you to power condenser microphones requiring 48V phantom power. This switch activates phantom power on both channels. 7. Headphone Output Jack - Plug your headphones into this jack. 8. Headphone Level Knob - Set your headphone level using this knob. 9. Mono/Stereo Monitoring Switch - Allows you to switch your headphones to mono. This is useful for zero-latency monitoring situations where you may not want your inputs panned hard left and hard right in your headphones. 10. Monitor Mix Knob - Blend in any amount of zero-latency signal from your mic/line inputs with the output of your computer. 11. Digital/Analog Input Switch - Select the IO|2's input source using this switch. For normal operation, leave this switch set to "analog." If this switch is set to "digital," the S/PDIF input will become active and the Lo-Z, Hi-Z, and Insert inputs on the IO|2 will be ignored. 12. Main Level Knob - Set the level of the main outputs of the IO|2. 5 Back Panel Connections 1. MIDI Out Connector - Use a five-pin MIDI cable to connect the MIDI out of the IO|2 to the MIDI input of an external MIDI device. 2. MIDI In Connector - Use a five-pin MIDI cable to connect the output of an external MIDI device to the MIDI IN of the IO|2. 3. Stereo Main Output - Use balanced (TRS) or unbalanced (TS) ¼" cables to connect the IO|2 to a mixer or powered studio monitors. 4. S/PDIF Out - Use a 110-ohm coaxial cable to connect the S/PDIF output of your IO|2 to the digital input of another device. 5. S/PDIF In - Connect the digital output of another device to your IO|2's S/PDIF input using a 110-ohm coaxial cable. 6. USB Connector - Use a standard USB cable to hook up your IO|2 to the USB 1.1 (or higher) connection on your computer. Plug the IO|2 directly into your computer, and avoid using a USB hub. Hubs can interfere with the IO|2's audio and MIDI timing signals. 6 Status Lights Setting Gain Levels 1. +48V ­ Lights up when phantom power is engaged. 2. MIDI Out ­ Flashes whenever MIDI data is sent out of the IO|2. 3. MIDI In ­ Flashes whenever MIDI data is received from an external MIDI controller. 4. USB ­ Lights up when a USB connection has been established with your computer. 5. Stereo 4-segment input meters ­ Allow you to monitor incoming levels. See the sidebar on the right for tips on how to set levels. The 4-segment input meters are there to help you know how loud your inputs are. When you are adjusting the gain knobs for each channel, try to set your levels as loud as possible without reaching "0 dB." If your input reaches 0 dB, you are overloading or "clipping" the IO|2 and this results in severe distortion. Ideally, your levels should peak between -6 and -3 dB on the meters. 7 Hookup Diagrams The following setup will work well for most guitarist/singers: 1. Guitars ­ Plug guitars into the Guitar/Line input and make sure the "Mic/Line Guitar" switch is set to "Guitar" to ensure best recording quality. 2. Microphones ­ Plug microphones into the XLR input of the IO|2. Make sure that the "Mic/Line Guitar" switch is set to "Mic/Line." If you are using a condenser microphone that requires phantom power (most condensers do), turn on phantom power using the +48V switch. 3. Headphones ­ Plug your headphones into this jack. The IO|2's headphone output can be very loud, so turn the gain up slowly until you reach a level that is comfortable for you. If you are experiencing distracting "latency delays" of your guitar or voice, turn the Monitor Mix knob towards "direct" until you find a good balance between the zero-latency mic inputs and the output of your computer. 4. Main Outputs ­ The IO|2 supports both balanced "TRS" and unbalanced "TS" ¼" cables. If your speakers (or mixer) support balanced cables, use them as they give you better performance and lower noise. 5. USB Cable ­ Plug in your USB cable directly into your computer and avoid using a USB hub. Hubs can interfere with audio and MIDI timing signals and cause problems for the IO|2. 6. Insert ­ The IO|2 allows you to easily insert an additional processor such as a reverb or compressor in your recording path. Simply use a TRS to dual-TS "insert cable" to connect the additional device to the IO|2's insert jack. 8 The following setup will work well for most keyboard players: 1. Keyboards ­ Connect the outputs of your keyboard into the "Guitar/Line" inputs of the IO|2. If your keyboard only has one output, go ahead and connect to whichever channel of the IO|2 you prefer. When connecting keyboards, be sure to set the "Mic/Line Guitar" switch to "Mic/Line." 2. MIDI ­ If you plan to use a MIDI sequencing program on your computer to control your keyboard, go ahead and connect the MIDI OUT of your keyboard to the MIDI IN of the IO|2 and the MIDI OUT of the IO|2 to the MIDI IN of your keyboard. 3. Headphones ­ Plug your headphones into this jack. The IO|2's headphone output can be very loud, so turn the gain up slowly until you reach a level that is comfortable for you. If you are experiencing distracting "latency delays" of your guitar or voice, turn the Monitor Mix knob towards "direct" until you find a good balance between the zero-latency mic inputs and the output of your computer. 4. Main Outputs ­ The IO|2 supports both balanced "TRS" and unbalanced "TS" ¼" cables. If your speakers (or mixer) support balanced cables, use them as they give you better performance and lower noise. 5. USB Cable ­ Plug in your USB cable directly into your computer and avoid using a USB hub. Hubs can interfere with audio and MIDI timing signals and cause problems for the IO|2. 9 Plug-and-Play Connection to a Computer Both Windows XP and Mac OS X see the IO|2 as a plug-and play device. No installation is necessary on Mac OS 10.2--Just connect the USB cable and you're ready to go. Driver installation is not required on Windows XP since the IO|2 supports the default audio drivers, but we highly recommend installing the Alesis audio drivers. Our drivers will yield significantly lower latency and better performance. The IO|2 is not compatible with earlier versions of Windows or Mac OS. Check http://www.Alesis.com for driver updates and last minute issues regarding the IO|2 To install the IO|2 on Windows XP, simply insert the supplied Alesis CD-ROM and wait for the following menu to pop up: SysEx Transfers When performing large SysEx transfers over Windows, you may need to increase the buffer size on your Windows software. Otherwise, Windows may process the transfer incorrectly. Selecting a buffer size equal to or larger than the SysEx file virtually assures that the transfer will occur without errors. Click "Install Alesis Audio Driver," to proceed with the driver installation. During the installation process, Windows XP will prompt you with the following warning: Press "Continue Anyway," to finish the installation. Restart the machine as the software recommends. Once your computer is restarted, your IO|2 is ready to record. 10 Troubleshooting: Symptom USB light does not turn on. Cause The IO|2 is not receiving power or USB connection is not being made to your computer Solution Make sure you are connecting your IO|2 directly to your computer's USB connector and not into a USB hub. If this does not solve the problem, double check your driver installation and verify that the IO|2's drivers have been installed properly. If the problem persists, the cable may be faulty. Try using another USB cable. Make sure the input switch is set to "analog" if you are recording using the XLR and 1/4" inputs on the top of the IO|2. Only set this switch to "digital" if you want to use the S/PDIF connectors. If you plan to use S/PDIF connections to transfer audio digitally, make sure the input switch is set to "digital." Otherwise, leave this switch set to "analog" for normal operation. Double check that the mic/line switch is set correctly for each channel. If you're using condenser microphones that require phantom power, turn on the +48v phantom power switch. Finally, make sure the gain knob is turned up. It is very important to use 110-ohm coaxial cables for all S/PDIF connections. Most plain RCA cables are NOT 110-ohm and cause clocking problems between two digital devices. This causes loud clicks, pops, and sustained white noise. Input meters are not responding The digital/analog input switch may be set incorrectly S/PDIF I/O is not working The digital/analog input switch may be set incorrectly Your phantom power or mic/line switches may not be set correctly The input switch is set to "Analog" but my incoming signal is still not present (or it is very soft). My S/PDIF inputs and outputs just put out clicks, pops, or white noise Your coaxial cables are not ...