Connecting Apollo x8p and AxeFX3

HOLYxVIER

HOLYxVIER

Member
Hi Guys,
Maybe that's gonna be a "noob alert" but I'm wondering so I'm asking rather than trying to guess.

I got a really good deal on an Apollo x8p and I was wondering how to connect it with my axe 3 ?
My questions are :

1 - How can I connect it "Which kind of cable setup"
2 - How should I set it up to be able to record into Logic my FX Sound as well as the DI in order to be able to Re-Amp it
3 - For the Reamp Part is it possible to make it in a way that couple of click will let me Reamp my stuff rather than have to plug stuff again and again ? I know how to Reamp using only AXE as an interface but since I got a new one how can I do it ?

Thanks

PS : I'm using the Interface to record drums hence I'm using the 8xP for the Mic Pre :)

Thanks guys,
 
Well in your case, you would be well served to utilize the SPDIF IO back and forth from the interface to and from the fractal. Unfortunately I don’t think there’s spdif on the X8P (the X8 has it). There’s an adapter that lets you go to AES or light pipe, I forget which but that should work. This is how you’d record the amp sound and would serve your return to reamp. As far as a clean sound, you can go out of out 3 or 4 TRS and mirror input 1 to out 3 or 4 (someone chime in how to do this I don’t exactly remember). This would be your direct recording. Your only problem is you couldnt record drums thru your mic pres and direct guitar TRS at the same time. You’d have to select in console which you want to record, mic or line for that channel.
 
I just looked at the back of your interface and this just got worse. You don’t have Independant line in Jacks, it’s DB25 so that’s out. I suppose you can go high Z into the front. Someone chime in if that’s a horrible idea but I think he’s out of options otherwise.
 
Damned, OK thanks for the feedback :)

I might got that only for drums it seems so, but my problem now is I'll not be able to hear my AXE sound if they are both USBish Connected as 2 separated interfaces since the monitors are on the on the Apollo.. are art arf.. If anyone got another idea :)
 
Since you are on Mac I recommend you try to create an Aggregate Device of you III and Apollo (in Audio Midi utility on Mac) and/or utilize the USB capabilities of the III for reamping. (see manual) .
If you are really brave, you can try to experiment with the excellent 3rd party app Loopback ( www.rogueamoeba.com/loopback ) which gives you many different routing options using all in/outs on your interfaces and apps.....
 
@bradlake that software looks pretty cool. Never heard of it until now. My personal experience with the Axe and Apollo as an aggregate device was not great. I ended up often needing to re-configure it as it seemed to lose track of the Axe device. Not a huge deal honestly but I eventually just started using the Axe as my input device and the Apollo as my output device when wanting to direct record the guitar. I'm curious how well loopback will handle it though. If I get around to testing it I'll let you all know.
 
Thanks guys for your feedback,
I guess i’ll have to find my way around and try to make it right for my workflow.
 
If someone is interested, i’ve managed to make it,
Basically using my axe as IN and the Apollo as Out,
I can record my guitar sound as well as the DI,
Didn’t checked the Reamp side of it,
But it’s gonna be a no brainer since i can simply turn of the apollo while reamping « if needed in terms of sound routing » so my case is close,
Feel free to ask if i can help :)
Thanks again guys for all the inputs.
 
HOLYxVIER said:
If someone is interested, i’ve managed to make it,
Basically using my axe as IN and the Apollo as Out,
I can record my guitar sound as well as the DI,
Didn’t checked the Reamp side of it,
But it’s gonna be a no brainer since i can simply turn of the apollo while reamping « if needed in terms of sound routing » so my case is close,
Feel free to ask if i can help :)
Thanks again guys for all the inputs.
Click to expand...
Hey man, thank you for the offer. I am just setting up my axefxIII with my Apollo x8p and found this post. If it isn't too much trouble, can you let me know how you set yours up?
Thanks for your time!
 
I’ve been looking at an Apollo x8p at some point, and I think I would get a DB-25 snake to run the Axe into the x8p’s Line Ins. For direct monitoring I might run a mixer to my monitors to be able to switch between sources easily.
 
Hi Guys, Sorry I've been out for couple of days,
So it's quite simple and basic but it's doing what required,

I've created a preset on the AXE side

IN 1 TO OUT 1 where I'm making my sound, and In 1 to OUT 2 where I'm just sending the DI Signal using a different signal Path,

On the Cable Side :
AXE LINE 1 OUT into Input 1 of The X8P
AXE LINE 2 OUT into Input 2 of the X8P


I can basically record my guitar signal as well as the DI, The setup is quite easy, and I'm sure expert will going nuts about it, but I can make it work that way so...

For the Reamp Part I'm still making it using the regular method but I'm trying to make it work using another equipment in order to keep everything plugged, I'll update you if I can make it work the way I want :)

I hope that help
 
From what I've read on a UAD forum, you can use SPDIF with the 8XP. The Optical/ADAT inputs will configure to SPDIF. Get a Coax/Optical converter. The inexpensive ones designed for HDTV Home Theatre setups have worked reliably for me for years with an Apollo Twin. I now have an (older) Apollo 8, which also has SPDIF coax, which I use for the AxeFX3, but I have routed SPDIF devices to its optical, so it isn't just ADAT/SMUX. I prefer using SPDIF for DAW related uses with the Axe, Its the Axe digital signal direct to the Monitoring and DAW. Plus, I like having the Axe's Output 1 going directly to FRFR monitors, so I don't have to turn on the computer or the Apollo to just play guitar, and I don't have to make any changes to the configuration if the Axe and I get to play out. The gig bag has a duplicate set of IEC power, guitar cables, XLRs, so its easy to set up and break down. Just unplug the cables from the Axe end, put the lids on the case, grab the bag, the guitar, and go. Studio cabling (including USB and SPDIF) stays half hooked up in the "Studio". Works for me anyway.

Regarding reamping:
Method 1 is to send a copy of the Axe Input signal Line Out to a Line In on the Apollo and stay entirely within the Apollo's I/O (SPDIF is recording the Axe Amps & Effects).
Method 2: The consistency of having a direct digital copy of the input (DI) from the Axe is countered by the inconvenience of having to make an aggregate device to use both the Axe as a USB interface, and the Apollo (thunderbolt) at the same time. But it does work.
Method 3: Doing all the reamping with the Axe as a USB interface is reliably effective as well.
Method 4: Using an external DI (Guitar to DI box: to Axe and Apollo): as fine as they may sound on their own from a linear and neutral input like the Apollo's DI, or with the harmonic enhancement of an ISA1, or a Radial, or whatever, it won't sound quite the same or have the amp input loading accuracy of the Axe FX3, so you may find it quite the effort or even impossible to reamp an externally derived DI to exactly match the Axe's original amped track, because the DIs are not identical. Just something to keep in mind. You can certainly get great tones either way, but if you need an accurate match to the original, you need a recording of the Axe's DI. Oh, and save a preset of what was tracked, and name it accordingly.
 
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Hi Guys, this might help, idk what’s going on or why no it’s working, BUT,
I’ve create an aggregation of the X8p and the Axe,
Main is x8p secondary axe USB.

Basically once in the daw i’ve to use i put 33/38 “if i’m not wrong i’m not with my computer atm”
But you just need to use as if it was only the axe connected as 1/5 for signal and DI so after all the I/O of your interface..

I’ve plugged out 1 of the Axe into IN1 of the x8p just for monitoring but i can record without latency as if recorded straight for the AXE using USB..

Hope that can help.
😊
 
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