AVID FastTrack C600 User Guide
®
Fast Track C600™ User Guide
Legal Notices
This guide is copyrighted ©2011 by Avid Technology, Inc., with
all rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this guide may not be
duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of
Avid.
Avid, the Avid logo, Fast Track, M-Audio and Pro Tools are
either trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology,
Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of
their respective owners.
Product features, specifications, system requirements, and
availability are subject to change without notice.
Guide Part Number 9329-65123-00 REV A 06/11
Documentation Feedback
At Avid, we are always looking for ways to improve our
documentation. If you have comments, corrections, or
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contents
Chapter 1. Welcome to Fast Track C600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Fast Track C600 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
System Requirements and Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Conventions Used in This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
About www.avid.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chapter 2. Fast Track C600 Hardware Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Fast Track C600 Top Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Fast Track C600 Back Panel Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Fast Track C600 Front Panel Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chapter 3. Fast Track C600 Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Installing Fast Track C600 Drivers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Chapter 4. Hardware Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connecting Headphones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connecting a Sound System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Connecting Audio Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting a Microphone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Connecting Instruments to the Fast Track C600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
MIDI Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Chapter 5. The Driver Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Additional Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Monitor Mixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Using the Monitor Mixer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Contents iii
Chapter 6. The Multi Button and Transport Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Multi and Transport Control Button Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
About Multi Button Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Configuring the Multi Button (Building a Macro). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Configuring the Transport Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Chapter 7. Recording with Fast Track C600 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Recording Audio Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Recording Instrument Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Appendix A. Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Check Your Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Check the Fast Track C600 Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Music Software Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Before Updating Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Before You Call Avid Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Appendix B. Compliance Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Environmental Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
EMC (Electromagnetic Compliance) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Safety Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Appendix C. Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Fast Track C600 User Guideiv
chapter 1
Welcome to Fast Track C600
Thank you for purchasing the Fast Track® C600
audio interface.
Fast Track C600 is a 6-input, 8-output audio interface that connects to your computer through
USB 2.0. The interface features high-quality analog and digital connectivity, MIDI ports, sophisticated monitoring and control functionality, and pristine audio quality at sample rates up
to 24-bit/96 kHz.
Fast Track C600 Features
Fast Track C600 provides the following:
• Four channels of analog audio input with
high-quality microphone preamps and switchable 48V phantom power
• Analog input jacks include four back panel
XLR/TRS combo-jacks and two front panel
1/4-inch TS jacks
•XLR/Line or Instrument input selector for
input channels 1 and 2.
• Switchable Pad to prevent loud signals
from overloading the analog inputs
• Two channels of S/PDIF digital input and output
• S/PDIF inputs and outputs are completely
independent from the analog inputs and
outputs. However, the S/PDIF outputs can
be set to mirror any of the analog output
pairs, if desired
• Up to a total of six channels of input, using
analog and digital inputs simultaneously
• Up to a total of eight channels of output, using analog and digital outputs simultaneously
•Two 1/4-inch (TRS) stereo headphone output
with adjustable level controls
To use all of the inputs and outputs of the
interface, Fast Track C600 must be powered using the 5V power adapter included
with the product. While it is possible to
power the interface through the USB cable
without the power supply, please note that
due to inherent power limitations of the
USB bus, analog inputs 3-4, analog outputs
5-6, and headphone output 2 will not be
available.
• Independent gain controls and level meters
for each analog input channel
• One MIDI In and one MIDI Out port, providing 16 MIDI input channels and 16 MIDI output channels
• Six balanced 1/4-inch TRS analog line-level
outputs
• Three Output Selector buttons for quick and
easy switching between multiple pairs of
speakers
• 24-bit A/D and D/A converters, supporting
sample rates up to 96 kHz
Chapter 1: Welcome to Fast Track C600 1
• Low Latency Monitoring (LLM) with adjustable balance between input and playback
• On-board reverb and delay effects (useful for
monitoring while recording vocals or instruments)
• Assignable Transport buttons for controlling
playback, recording, and other functions
• Multi-function, assignable Soft button
• USB 2.0 operation
Fast Track C600 may not function properly
if connected to a USB hub. Please connect
directly to your computer's USB port whenever possible.
System Requirements and Compatibility
Conventions Used in This Guide
The following symbols are used to highlight
important information:
User Tips are helpful hints for getting the
most from your system.
Important Notices include information that
could affect your data or the performance of
your system.
Cross References point to related sections in
this guide.
About www.avid.com
A DVD drive is required to install the drivers and
software provided with this product.
For complete system requirements and a list of
qualified operating systems and recording applications, visit:
www.avid.com/m-audio
Fast Track C600 User Guide2
The Avid® website (www.avid.com) is your best
online source for information to help you get
the most out of your Fast Track C600. The following are just a few of the services and features
available.
Product Registration Register your purchase
online at www.avid.com/support.
Support and Downloads Contact Avid Customer
Success (technical support); download software
updates and the latest online manuals; browse
the Compatibility documents for system requirements; search the online Knowledge Base.
Products and Developers Learn about Avid
products; download demo software or learn
about our Development Partners and their plugins, applications, and hardware.
News and Events Get the latest news from Avid.
chapter 2
Fast Track C600
48V
Level
Meters
Vol um e
Knob
Multi Button
Transport
Buttons
Gain
Power LED Output
Selectors
Headphone
Vol um e
Pad
Buttons
Selectors
Input
Fast Track C600 Hardware Overview
Fast Track C600 Top Panel Features
Figure 1 identifies the controls, indicators on the Fast Track C600 top panel.
Figure 1. Fast Track C600 top panel
The Fast Track C600 top panel provides the following:
Front/Rear Input Selectors
The Input Selector button for Inputs 1 and 2 select either the front panel Instrument Inputs
(TS) or rear panel Mic/Line Inputs (XLR/TRS
combo) for each channel.
When these buttons are set to the “In” position,
the corresponding front panel Instrument Input
is active. When they are set to the “Out” position, the corresponding rear panel Mic/Line Input will be active.
Chapter 2: Fast Track C600 Hardware Overview 3
Pad Button
About Phantom Power
All analog input channels offer a Pad button. If
your input signal is too high or “hot” even with
the Gain knob at a low setting, press that channel’s Pad button to reduce the input signal by
approximately 20dB.
Gain Controls
These knobs adjust the input gain levels of their
corresponding Input channels. Turn a knob
clockwise to increase the gain, and counterclockwise to decrease it.
Signal/Clip LED Meters
The 8-segment LED meters illuminate to help
you set correct gain levels when recording instruments or vocals. These meters receive signals
from the Fast Track C600's analog-to-digital
converter and are very precise. If the red LED (at
the top) illuminates, it means that your signal
has overloaded (or “clipped”) the converter and
that your recording may contain audible distortion. If the red LED does illuminate, decrease the
input level using the channel's Gain Knob to
prevent any additional clipping.
Dynamic microphones (such as a Shure SM57)
do not require phantom power to operate, but
are not harmed by it. Most condenser micro-
phones (such as M-Audio Solaris™) do require
phantom power to operate.
Although phantom power can be used
safely with most microphones, it is possible
to damage some ribbon microphones with
it. Always turn off phantom power and wait
at least ten seconds before connecting or disconnecting a ribbon microphone.
When Fast Track C600 is powered using
the supplied 5V power adapter, all input
channels are active and the interface can
provide as much phantom power as required to your microphones.
If the interface is using USB bus power, analog inputs 3/4 are disabled and Fast Track
C600 can provide up to 4mA of current on
channels 1 and 2, or up to 8mA if only one
channel is used. This is more than sufficient for most modern microphones, as well
as many vintage microphones.
48V Switch and LED
Phantom power is activated by the switches labeled 48V on the top panel of Fast Track C600.
The switch on the left controls channels 1-2,
whereas the right controls channels 3-4. When a
48V button is pressed, the LED directly below it
illuminates and phantom power is supplied to
the corresponding XLR inputs.
Fast Track C600 User Guide4
If you are not sure about the phantom power requirements for your microphone, consult your
microphone’s documentation or contact the
manufacturer.
Power LED
The blue Power LED indicates that Fast Track
C600 is receiving power from either the USB
connection or included external power supply.
Output Selector Buttons
These buttons switch the pairs of back panel
Outputs (A, B, and C) on and off independently.
This is a useful feature if, for example, you wish
to check a mix between multiple sets of speakers
to ensure good “translation” of that mix on
large and small speakers. Alternatively, a subwoofer can be connected to one of the output
pairs and switched “ in” or “out ,” in order to verify how a mix sounds with or without the subwoofer.
Pressing one of these buttons switches its associated output pair on or off. The green LED to the
right of each button illuminates whenever the
corresponding pair of outputs is active.
Volume Knob
The Volume knob adjusts the output level of the
analog line outputs on the back panel. It can be
configured to control outputs 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, or
any combination of these output pairs in the
Control Panel.
Refer to “Master Volume Knob” on page 21
to learn how to do this.
cuts used for functions such as Start/Stop Record, Toggle Marker Locations, and Save, as well
as any custom keyboard shortcuts you may have
set up.
Refer to the documentation provided with
your recording application for further information about the available keyboard shortcuts.
Headphone Volume
These knobs adjust the output level of the headphone outputs. Headphone output 1 always
mirrors line outputs 1-2 and headphone output
2 mirrors line outputs 3-4.
Headphone output 2 is only active when
Fast Track C600 is receiving power from the
external power supply. It is not available
when the unit is bus-powered.
Transport Buttons
Each of these buttons can be programmed to
emulate and execute a different computer key
command or key combination in your software,
as described in Chapter 6, “The Multi Button
and Transport Buttons.” Depending on your
software, these can include keyboard shortcuts
used for functions such as Start/Stop Record,
Toggle Marker Locations, and Save, as well as
custom keyboard shortcuts you may have set
up.
Multi Button
The Multi button can be programmed to emulate and execute up to eight different computer
key commands or key combinations in your
software, as described in Chapter 6, “The Multi
Button and Transport Buttons.” Depending on
your software, these can include keyboard short-
Refer to the documentation provided with
your recording application for further information about the available keyboard shortcuts.
Chapter 2: Fast Track C600 Hardware Over view 5
Fast Track C600 Back Panel Features
USB
MIDI
S/PDIF
Line Outputs
Input 1-4 (Mic or Line)
Out
In
4 3 2 1
5 3 1
5VDC,2A
Out In
6 4 2
MIDI I/O
Digital I/O
S/PDIF
Mic/Line
Inputs
Kensington
Lock Connector
USB Port
Power
Supply Input
Line
Outputs
Figure 2 identifies each port on the back panel of the Fast Track C600.
Figure 2. Fast Track C600 back panel
The Fast Track C600 back panel provides the following:
Power Supply Input
This socket is used for connecting the included
5 Volt DC (2 Amp) external power supply.
When the powers supply is connected, the top
panel Power LED will illuminate indicating that
the interface is receiving power.
When your Fast Track C600 is receiving power
from the external power supply, all of its inputs
and outputs will be available.
While it is possible to power the interface
through the USB cable without the power
supply, please note that due to inherent
power limitations of the USB bus, analog
inputs 3-4, analog outputs 5-6, and headphone output 2 will not be available. These
inputs and outputs are only available when
the external power supply is used.
When using the external power supply, you
still need to use the USB connection to get
audio and MIDI signals to pass between the
interface and your computer.
USB Port
Th is p ort i s us ed to c onnec t Fast Tr ack C6 00 to a
USB 2.0 port on your computer using the USB
cable included with your interface. This connection allows audio and MIDI signals to pass between the interface and your computer.
Fast Track C600 can be “bus powered” through
the USB cable when external “wall” power is not
available. This is useful in remote locations
when a laptop’s battery may be the only available source of power. However, please note that
analog inputs 3-4, line outputs 5-6, and headphone output 2 are not available when the interface is being bus powered. This limitation is
present because the USB specification does not
provide enough current to power all of the highquality Fast Track C600 components.
Fast Track C600 User Guide6
MIDI I/O
Mic/Line Inputs
The MIDI In and MIDI Out ports are standard 5pin MIDI connectors, each providing 16 channels of MIDI input or output.
S/PDIF Digital I/O
S/PDIF is a connection protocol that lets you
digitally connect Fast Track C600 to external devices that also have S/PDIF ports (such as CD
players, DAT recorders, or external AD/DA converters).
S/PDIF sends and receives signals over unbalanced phono (RCA) cables at up to 24-bit, 96kHz
resolution when used with Fast Track C600.
Please be sure to use 75-ohm coaxial cable
for S/PDIF transfers and keep the cable
length to a maximum of 10 meters.
The S/PDIF input and output channels are available in addition to the analog input and output
channels. This lets you use Fast Track C600 as a
6-in/8-out audio interface.
Line Outputs
Each analog input channel provides combination XLR/TRS on the back panel. These balanced/unbalanced analog audio inputs support
the following input levels:
• Mic (microphone) for XLR inputs
• Line (TRS) for line level signals on TRS or TS
inputs
Inputs 3 and 4 are only active when Fast
Track C600 is receiving power from the external power supply.
On the top panel, the input signal is adjusted by
the Gain control for each channel.
For channels 1 and 2, the input source (back
panel Mic/Line, or front panel Instrument) is
chosen using the corresponding Front/Rear Input button for each channel.
Kensington®Lock Connector
This connector is compatible with standard laptop-style Kensington® security cables for theft
prevention.
These pairs of outputs (A, B, and C) support balanced (TRS), or unbalanced (TS), 1/4-inch con-
nections. These outputs can be connected to a
mixing board or directly to a monitoring system, such as powered monitors, a stereo power
amp, or another stereo destination.
Output pair 5-6 is only active when
Fast Track C600 is receiving power from
the external power supply.
Chapter 2: Fast Track C600 Hardware Over view 7
Fast Track C600 Front Panel Features
Headphone Output
Instrument Inputs
Figure 3 identifies each port on the front panel of the Fast Track C600.
Figure 3. Fast Track C600 front panel
The Fast Track C600 front panel provides the
following:
Instrument Inputs
These 1/4-inch inputs are for connecting an
electric guitar, bass, or other instrument-level
signal. The levels for these inputs are controlled
by the corresponding Input Gain knobs on the
top panel.
Headphone Outputs
Connect up to two pairs of headphones to these
outputs. Headphone 1 mirrors line outputs 1
and 2, while Headphone 2 mirrors line outputs 3
and 4. The levels for these outputs are controlled
by the Headphone Volume knobs on the top
panel.
Headphone output 2 is only active when
Fast Track C600 is receiving power from the
external power supply.
Fast Track C600 User Guide8
chapter 3
Fast Track C600 Installation
This chapter covers the Fast Track C600 installation for Mac and Windows.
Installing Fast Track C600 Drivers
Mac OS X
To install the Fast Track C600 driver:
1 Make sure Fast Track C600 is not connected to
your computer.
If you have connected the interface to your
computer, please disconnect it before proceeding to step 2.
2 Download the latest Fast Track C600 driver
from www.m-audio.com/drivers. If you do not
have internet access, locate the installer found
on the Fast Track C600 disc, and proceed to the
next step.
3 Double-click on the installer icon and follow
the on-screen instructions.
Fast Track C600 may not function properly
if connected to a USB hub. Please connect
directly to your computer's USB port whenever possible.
A Note for Mac OS 10.6.7 Users
The Keyboard Setup Assistant will appear first
time you connect Fast Track C600 to you computer. Please close the window, and do not click
“Continue.” This will not affect the performance of the interface.
Mac OS 10.6.7 - Keyboard Setup Assistant
When the installation is complete, restart your
computer and connect your Fast Track C600 to
an available USB port on your computer.
Chapter 3: Fast Track C600 Installation 9
Windows
To install the Fast Track C600 driver:
1 Make sure Fast Track C600 is not connected to
your computer.
If you have connected the interface to your
computer, please disconnect it before proceeding to step 2.
2 Download the latest Fast Track C600 driver
from www.m-audio.com/drivers. If you do not
have Internet access, locate the installer found
on the Fast Track C600 Drivers and Documentation disc that ships with the product, and proceed to the next step.
3 Double-click on the installer icon and follow
the on-screen instructions.
When the installation is complete, restart your
computer and connect your Fast Track C600 to
an available USB port on your computer.
Fast Track C600 may not function properly
if connected to a USB hub. Please connect
directly to your computer's USB port whenever possible.
You may be notified that the driver being installed has not passed Windows Logo Testing, or asked whether the program you wish
to run is a trusted application. Click “Install” to continue the installation.
4 Once the installation is complete and your
computer has been restarted, connect your
Fast Track C600 to an available USB port on
your computer.
Fast Track C600 User Guide10
chapter 4
Headphone Volumes
Headphone jacks
S/PDIF
Line Outputs
Input 1
Out
In
4 3
5 3 1
6 4 2
Outputs B
Outputs A
Outputs C
Hardware Connections
To hear audio recorded from Fast Track C600,
you will need to connect headphones or an external sound system (such as powered monitors
or a home stereo) to Fast Track C600. Sound
from Fast Track C600 cannot be played through
your computer’s speakers or your computer’s
sound output.
Please refer to your audio application's documentation to learn how to route signals to
and from Fast Track C600
Connecting a Sound System
The Line Outputs on your Fast Track C600 are
grouped in pairs that correspond to the toppanel Output Selector buttons A, B, and C.
These connections support 1/4-inch balanced
TRS (Tip, Ring, Sleeve), or unbalanced TS (Tip,
Sleeve) connectors. These outputs can be connected to any amplification system: powered
speakers, a home stereo system, or an audio
mixer.
Connecting Headphones
On the front panel of the Fast Track C600 are
two 1/4-inch jacks for connecting headphones.
The volume level of the headphone signals are
controlled by Headphone Volume knobs on the
top panel.
Headphone jacks on Fast Track C600 front panel
Home stereo systems often use RCA connectors. You can use adaptors or a cable to convert from the Line Output connectors on
Fast Track C600 to the RCA connectors on
your home stereo.
Fast Track C600 Stereo outputs A, B, and C (back panel)
Chapter 4: Hardware Connections 11
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