AES input points inside the Axe?

S

stereotactic

Experienced
Hello all, I didn't get any advice from the last post on this subject, so I'm going to ask more specific questions and hope somebody can help.

I have my Bricasti M7 hooked up to the Axe via AES in and out. I am getting digital signal to the M7 from the selected Output 1 in the I/O menu, no problem. But the AES out from the M7 back into the Axe, where does it go? I found an old post where somebody said that the AES in can either go to the input or the output of the grid, but I can find no mention of how to specify whether the AES input goes to the Axe input or output mixer. I would expect to hear the reverb and was going to then adjust the wet dry balance in the M7. I'm pretty sure I have the M7 set correctly, as I moved it straight from my other rack which had all digital connections. Clock in the M7 is reading 48, so it is synced to the Axe clock. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
 
The AES in the Axe FX II is an output only source. IF you need to get sound back in you need to use input 2 and an FX loop block.

The FX Loop block will enable Input 2 (FX Return) to bring back the sound of the M7 into the Grid.
 
AES input goes to AxeFx input, AES output comes from the output. The USB can be assigned.
If you do what you said with AES in's and out's, it will result in feedback, I presume.
 
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AES/SPDIF input (when selected) is sent into grid from "input" block. The M7 will need to be the clock source then.

This also disables analog input 1, and global pitch/envelope detection won't work correctly. Guitar/etc. would have to use input 2. That leaves Output 2 for the final signal, although with the correct routing (FX Loop, feedback send/return) the roles of Outputs 1 & 2 can be swapped.
 
Thanks for all the info everybody.

So basically the AES interface as a loop is only for use at the very front of the signal chain, which is very limiting for any outboard gear other than DAWs. The manual is very unclear about the AES architecture. I really don't understand why I can specify the AES input point from the grid of either Output 1 or 2, but no choice about where to bring the signal back.

Using a nice piece of digital outboard gear like the M7 in the effects loop makes no sense from a latency and noise standpoint. As I have said before, it sure would be great if the AES in/out was actually configurable as a loop block in the signal chain, even if it were limited to only certain parts of the grid. We're 3/4 there if all we need to do is alow even just 2 AES input point options, one at the front/input and output mixer. Wouldn't that be relatively easy to do as a firmware update? It would save a full conversion step and eliminate the need for an analog mixer and 4 more cables down stream to mix the 2 stereo pairs of outputs 1 and 2. I can't be the only person who would use such an option, especially as the Axe verb blocks are not true/through stereo, hence my need for integrating the M7 verb, and verbs are big consumers of CPU...
 
Sounds like a pain in the ass to try and use AES to create 'an effects loop' for your reverb. Use the M7's analogue inputs? or put the M7 at the end of the signal chain using the AES out from the axe and then from the M7 onwards to...... whatever you monitor with?
 
stereotactic said:
So basically the AES interface as a loop is only for use at the very front of the signal chain
Click to expand...

Not really; Axe-FX blocks can process the sound before and after it. This is all assuming you're okay with the requirement of Input 2 becoming the instrument input.

stereotactic said:
Wait, are you saying I can set the FX Block input to something other than analog? I don't see how.
Click to expand...

The only way to use the AES or SPDIF input is to switch "main input source" to SPDIF/AES at the I/O: Audio page.
 
Bigtim said:
Sounds like a pain in the *** to try and use AES to create 'an effects loop' for your reverb. Use the M7's analogue inputs? or put the M7 at the end of the signal chain using the AES out from the axe and then from the M7 onwards to...... whatever you monitor with?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the M7 is either all digital in and out or all analog, no mix. So it would seem the only option is analog out of the Axe output 1at the end the signal chain.
 
Bakerman said:
Not really; Axe-FX blocks can process the sound before and after it. This is all assuming you're okay with the requirement of Input 2 becoming the instrument input.


The only way to use the AES or SPDIF input is to switch "main input source" to SPDIF/AES at the I/O: Audio page.
Click to expand...

I don't think that's a problem if it has the same auto impedance capabilities as the front jack.

But I'm not sure I understand how the FX blocks can process/interface with an AES input?

I did, and it synced with the M7 fine, but the AES output of the M7/AES Axe input did not seem to be present anywhere inside the signal chain...
 
Rear inputs are fixed at 1Mohm. The SPDIF/AES signal will enter the grid at the left edge, from the "input" block.

These are basic examples of the two options for making an actual AES loop. In both the signal would go through the blocks in this order: Chorus, M7, Delay.

Swi7503.png
 
Further info, tried setting the main input source to AES and I got the no clock message. The Bricasti clocking is all automatic, with no possibility to specify a clock output in the AES. But I'm not really clear why if I'm using an AES input, the Axe requires a master clock. Shouldn't it still be able to to be the master clock? The M7 has no problem syncing to it at 48, why not the other way around?
 
stereotactic said:
Shouldn't it still be able to to be the master clock? The M7 has no problem syncing to it at 48, why not the other way around?
Click to expand...

Currently that's not the way it works. It sounds like the M7 has the same problem. One of them needs to be the master & neither is able to in that scenario.
 
Thanks for the patch diagram diagram and info Bakerman. So aside from the possibility of a firmware update that would need to include different input insertion points for the AES in, we would also need a way for the Axe to act as a master clock. Or is it the Bricasti that would need to be updated?
 
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