A £10 interface out for a spin: Hekate Station

Svetlovska

I do not advise you visit Hekate Station.

Do so at your own risk here: http://hekatestation.net/

Moving on…

…Sometimes you just want to get audio from a gadget into AUM the simplest, cheapest, most portable way.

This piece, created entirely using my Korg Volca Modular direct into AUM, no other instruments used, sequencing from the Volca onboard, headphone monitoring via the dongle, courtesy of the IPad Pro, is the simplest, cheapest, most portable way to do just that. A veritable bargain. I can see me using this a lot with my various discrete noise making boxes, and the Stylophone gizmos when they show up too. Very cool.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SABRENT-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSC/dp/B071HJ98Q6

FPC

I have no idea what the Hekate Station is but that's an eerie synth noodle, I like.

That interface though! So cheap. Latency ok? I think I'm gonna buy one even though I've got a 'proper' one.

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

What’s the difference between the $7.99, $8.99, and $9.99 versions, I am left wondering. There are many similar low-priced interfaces from other brands. I’d try one with a stereo input but didn’t see one.

jo92346

you're definitely a master in this genre.

Svetlovska

@jo92346 : Doh! I’m blushing now! Thank you
@FPC @Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr : I’ ve actually got, er, at least six different audio interfaces in different packages (the Expert Sleepers ES8 in a mini case for modular, the Tascam multitrack deck, etc) , but the truth is, my commonest noise making practice is noodling on the sofa with just the iPad. I do love discrete little noisemaking gadgets, though, and have a fair collection of those, but I don’t always want to hook up all the big girls toys just to catch a bit of knob twiddling. This tiny little dongle hits that spot perfectly.

Latency? Well, I’m not a musician, so my standards are probably low, but all I can say is that with the headphones plugged into the dongle, I noticed no lag between hitting a key on the Volca and hearing the response in the phones. Your threshold may differ, your mileage may vary, but for a tenner you can’t really go that wrong.

As to the price difference - there are no tech differences as far as I am aware. Like a lot of those Chinese aggregator sites, Temu, Alibaba etc, or even eBay, it seems the same product is often available from multiple sources at slightly different prices. I just went with a middling option on the basis that delivery was quick, postage free. It showed up two days after order. As far as I can tell, it is a stereo input, and obviously a stereo output, just on TRRS mini jacks for both, so you could probably use one of those stereo Y cables. As I’m only feeding it individual mono sources into an AUM channel I don’t care. But…

I like it. Can you tell?

bygjohn

Blimey. I’m staying away from that link…

And it sounds great, I may invest in that gizmo for portable purposes.

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

I got the Joyo Momix Cab interface for $10 from aliexpress. Same idea, but it takes a guitar cable as input.

wim

The description on Amazon says the input jack is mono.

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

@wim said:
The description on Amazon says the input jack is mono.

If there were one with a stereo input in this price range I’d take a chance.

michael_m

Hekatestation seems like a site to avoid. I can imagine being caught up in that forever…

Track is really atmospheric and creepy. You certainly have a knack for evoking the darker side of things (and I mean that in a good way).

filo01

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:
I got the Joyo Momix Cab interface for $10 from aliexpress. Same idea, but it takes a guitar cable as input.

How does it work after a few months? Any drawbacks for you?

cyberheater

It sounds so good

lasselu

Great track!

Svetlovska

@filo01 : still solid. Probably my most used interface now, just because it is always there ready to shove into the iPad Pro.

@cyberheater @lasselu : thanks, both

filo01

@Svetlovska said:
@filo01 : still solid. Probably my most used interface now, just because it is always there ready to shove into the iPad Pro.

I tried the Momix Cab at a local store and it has one major problem - you can't turn off direct monitoring. Nice little device, but this makes it totally useless for me.

Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr

@filo01 said:

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:
I got the Joyo Momix Cab interface for $10 from aliexpress. Same idea, but it takes a guitar cable as input.

How does it work after a few months? Any drawbacks for you?

I haven't been recording in that time period, so don't know. I hope to get back in the mix soon though.

filo01

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:

@filo01 said:

@Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr said:
I got the Joyo Momix Cab interface for $10 from aliexpress. Same idea, but it takes a guitar cable as input.

How does it work after a few months? Any drawbacks for you?

I haven't been recording in that time period, so don't know. I hope to get back in the mix soon though.

Never mind, in the meantime I discovered that MomixCab doesn't have a switch to turn off direct monitoring. I ended up using the Zoom AMS-22 instead.

sevenape

@Svetlovska said:
@jo92346 : Doh! I’m blushing now! Thank you
@FPC @Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr : I’ ve actually got, er, at least six different audio interfaces in different packages (the Expert Sleepers ES8 in a mini case for modular, the Tascam multitrack deck, etc) , but the truth is, my commonest noise making practice is noodling on the sofa with just the iPad. I do love discrete little noisemaking gadgets, though, and have a fair collection of those, but I don’t always want to hook up all the big girls toys just to catch a bit of knob twiddling. This tiny little dongle hits that spot perfectly.

Latency? Well, I’m not a musician, so my standards are probably low, but all I can say is that with the headphones plugged into the dongle, I noticed no lag between hitting a key on the Volca and hearing the response in the phones. Your threshold may differ, your mileage may vary, but for a tenner you can’t really go that wrong.

As to the price difference - there are no tech differences as far as I am aware. Like a lot of those Chinese aggregator sites, Temu, Alibaba etc, or even eBay, it seems the same product is often available from multiple sources at slightly different prices. I just went with a middling option on the basis that delivery was quick, postage free. It showed up two days after order. As far as I can tell, it is a stereo input, and obviously a stereo output, just on TRRS mini jacks for both, so you could probably use one of those stereo Y cables. As I’m only feeding it individual mono sources into an AUM channel I don’t care. But…

I like it. Can you tell?

Really nice and thanks for the tip! I'm gonna get me one of these, I think!!

enkaytee

@Svetlovska said:
@jo92346 : Doh! I’m blushing now! Thank you
@FPC @Wrlds2ndBstGeoshredr : I’ ve actually got, er, at least six different audio interfaces in different packages (the Expert Sleepers ES8 in a mini case for modular, the Tascam multitrack deck, etc) , but the truth is, my commonest noise making practice is noodling on the sofa with just the iPad. I do love discrete little noisemaking gadgets, though, and have a fair collection of those, but I don’t always want to hook up all the big girls toys just to catch a bit of knob twiddling. This tiny little dongle hits that spot perfectly.

Latency? Well, I’m not a musician, so my standards are probably low, but all I can say is that with the headphones plugged into the dongle, I noticed no lag between hitting a key on the Volca and hearing the response in the phones. Your threshold may differ, your mileage may vary, but for a tenner you can’t really go that wrong.

As to the price difference - there are no tech differences as far as I am aware. Like a lot of those Chinese aggregator sites, Temu, Alibaba etc, or even eBay, it seems the same product is often available from multiple sources at slightly different prices. I just went with a middling option on the basis that delivery was quick, postage free. It showed up two days after order. As far as I can tell, it is a stereo input, and obviously a stereo output, just on TRRS mini jacks for both, so you could probably use one of those stereo Y cables. As I’m only feeding it individual mono sources into an AUM channel I don’t care. But…

I like it. Can you tell?

Just got mine and it seems to be mono input only - at least, that's what AUM is reporting...So a stereo Y cable only sends a combined mono signal to one AUM channel and only then if you have a 3.5mm stereo - mono adapter on the connection to the dongle. Not a deal breaker for me, but just thought I'd let people know...

GeoTony

Missed this when it came out,.. I’m sure you could take a musical saw and bend it (see what I did there) to fit into your own unique sound world 👍

Svetlovska

Ha! Thank you! A musical saw would indeed be interesting…

https://www.thomann.co.uk/gewa_musical_saw.htm?glp=1&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADuDMCUUXzyh4M-aJUJC8BLx5emOf&gclid=CjwKCAjw2dG1BhB4EiwA998cqP8x2_STmeaRq1KCsmKXpVNei5N-fiv8W7Hg-aZ27iue0GyuFPBRyBoCAOwQAvD_BwE

Not sure I’m ready to drop almost two hundred simoleons for the privilege, mind. Especially since that’s almost two Stylophone Theremins, one of which I would have bought by now if their website hadn’t collapsed under the demand tonight…

id_23

I got the wee gizmo, small plastic one… 8 bucks… pretty good, it’s usb A cousin in aluminium is even nicer - £6 ! ! ( using lighting or usb C cck) , plays well with my microgranny/gecho/Bastls….really handy for getting external hardware in on the move.
Got some hefty earth hum when using a powered hub, but works perfect without power…
Thanks for heads up,
Though as warned I got stuck at hekate lol
💀
EDIT:
Got the hum sorted…

Works with powered hub, just have to plug all in right order…

ejacul337

@Svetlovska said:
I do not advise you visit Hekate Station.

Do so at your own risk here: http://hekatestation.net/

Moving on…

…Sometimes you just want to get audio from a gadget into AUM the simplest, cheapest, most portable way.

This piece, created entirely using my Korg Volca Modular direct into AUM, no other instruments used, sequencing from the Volca onboard, headphone monitoring via the dongle, courtesy of the IPad Pro, is the simplest, cheapest, most portable way to do just that. A veritable bargain. I can see me using this a lot with my various discrete noise making boxes, and the Stylophone gizmos when they show up too. Very cool.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SABRENT-External-Adapter-Windows-AU-MMSC/dp/B071HJ98Q6

Never thought I would see hekatestation mentioned here:

Site nav for the bold: http://hekatestation.net/pop/pop.html
(Esoteric content)

Regarding those interface adaptors, okay for gaming headsets, albeit marginally. can do better with widi adaptor