FM3 AND audio interface at same time?

LiquidGuitar

LiquidGuitar

Inspired
Folks, I'm being dumb here. Can I connect the FM3 over USB as an audio input in my DAW, but still monitor audio output with my Apogee Element thunderbolt interface?

I tried selecting these inputs / outputs in my audio preferences (Mac), but it didn't seem to work. Maybe I forgot to select 48 kHz in my DAW?

Thanks in advance for any help you may have!
 
LiquidGuitar said:
Folks, I'm being dumb here. Can I connect the FM3 over USB as an audio input in my DAW, but still monitor audio output with my Apogee Element thunderbolt interface?

I tried selecting these inputs / outputs in my audio preferences (Mac), but it didn't seem to work. Maybe I forgot to select 48 kHz in my DAW?

Thanks in advance for any help you may have!
Click to expand...
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202000

if you haven’t done this before (create an aggregate device), this is the solution,
 
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bradlake said:
I may be spoiled by the zero-latency monitoring provided by Apollo units, but I have found aggregates, while not perfect for sure, are usable in most Mac DAWs..and can be greatly supplemented by judicious use of apps like Loopback by www.rogueamoeba.com .
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Big fan of Loopback myself. It comes down to maximizing what I'm working with. If I can monitor direct, I'm going to do that.
 
Update: didn't need to create an aggregate device. In Studio One I just selected the FM3 as an input and the Apogee Element as output.

Unfortunately, the latency is probably too much for some of the faster stuff I'm working on. I got about 6--7ms round trip latency (32 samples), and, with the small latency of the FM3, it was noticeable and a bit distracting.

Bummer because I wanted to avoid two unnecessary stages of DA and AD conversion, but I'll probably just use an analog out from the FM3 into the Apogee.

Thanks again for all the help!
 
LiquidGuitar said:
Update: didn't need to create an aggregate device. In Studio One I just selected the FM3 as an input and the Apogee Element as output.

Unfortunately, the latency is probably too much for some of the faster stuff I'm working on. I got about 6--7ms round trip latency (32 samples), and, with the small latency of the FM3, it was noticeable and a bit distracting.

Bummer because I wanted to avoid two unnecessary stages of DA and AD conversion, but I'll probably just use an analog out from the FM3 into the Apogee.

Thanks again for all the help!
Click to expand...
Sorry for asking a bit off topic; I’m on windows and have fm3 as well as a presonus mixer. I’m using asio4all in order to use two interfaces in studio one. But is there a way around that as you in Mac it then seems can use both interfaces simultaneously?
 
LiquidGuitar said:
Update: didn't need to create an aggregate device. In Studio One I just selected the FM3 as an input and the Apogee Element as output.

Unfortunately, the latency is probably too much for some of the faster stuff I'm working on. I got about 6--7ms round trip latency (32 samples), and, with the small latency of the FM3, it was noticeable and a bit distracting.

Bummer because I wanted to avoid two unnecessary stages of DA and AD conversion, but I'll probably just use an analog out from the FM3 into the Apogee.

Thanks again for all the help!
Click to expand...
Latency is almost always irrelevant when using an AxeFX/FM3 with a computer. If you monitor direct, you won't be listening to the audio passing through the computer when playing, and you won't hear the latency. In other words, the audio you monitor should go from the FM3 to your monitors (optionally via the Element). Use analog outs or spdif for that monitor output while still using usb for the output to be recorded.
 
GlennO said:
Latency is almost always irrelevant when using an AxeFX/FM3 with a computer. If you monitor direct, you won't be listening to the audio passing through the computer when playing, and you won't hear the latency. In other words, the audio you monitor should go from the FM3 to your monitors (optionally via the Element). Use analog outs or spdif for that monitor output while still using usb for the output to be recorded.
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Thanks, interesting. Hrm. I don't think I can do direct monitoring with the Apogee if I'm using the FM3 via USB input.

If I use an analog out from the FM3, then I agree, no latency with direct monitoring via the Apogee Element.
 
LiquidGuitar said:
Thanks, interesting. Hrm. I don't think I can do direct monitoring with the Apogee if I'm using the FM3 via USB input.

If I use an analog out from the FM3, then I agree, no latency with direct monitoring via the Apogee Element.
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Do not monitor through your computer. Instead, direct monitor from your FM3 to your speakers. At the same time, use usb to record the audio from your FM3 into your computer. If you're hearing latency, you're not monitoring correctly :).
 
GlennO said:
Do not monitor through your computer. Instead, direct monitor from your FM3 to your speakers. At the same time, use usb to record the audio from your FM3 into your computer. If you're hearing latency, you're not monitoring correctly :).
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I'm recording in my DAW and need to hear playback, so this won't work. I appreciate the help. :)
 
LiquidGuitar said:
I'm recording in my DAW and need to hear playback, so this won't work. I appreciate the help. :)
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Someone familiar with your Apogee gear can explain this better than I. When I record through my Antelope Orion, the audio I hear in cans isn't passing through the computer. The audio loops back to my headphones while traveling on to be recorded in the DAW. Sounds like @GlennO is familiar with the process for the Apogee.
 
Ok, thanks GlennO and Rockstar, I think I'm getting it! (I'm a bit slow on the uptake here! :tonguewink:)

Record the FM3's USB input, but use an analog out from the FM3 for monitoring purposes.

I'll give this a shot!
 
LiquidGuitar said:
Ok, thanks GlennO and Rockstar, I think I'm getting it! (I'm a bit slow on the uptake here! :tonguewink:)

Record the FM3's USB input, but use an analog out from the FM3 for monitoring purposes.

I'll give this a shot!
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Um, looking back at the thread, DAWs generally want to deal with one interface at a time. Do you have a compelling use case for running the FM3 and the Apogee at the same time other than wondering if it's possible?

As you've last described it, the DAW would be using the FM3 as the interface and the audio would be getting to the monitors through whatever pass-through the Apogee supports. I'd typically only be using the FM3 USB connection for re-amping purposes, not really in parallel to another audio interface in real time. I'll be curious to hear what you've worked out after messing with it awhile.
 
rockstarjazzcat said:
Um, looking back at the thread, DAWs generally want to deal with one interface at a time. Do you have a compelling use case for running the FM3 and the Apogee at the same time other than wondering if it's possible?
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Some DAWs permit different input and output devices, some don't. If you happen to be using one that doesn't, just use an aggregate.

The most common use case for this is the desire to listen to computer audio without turning on the AxeFX/FM3. Although I usually recommend just using the headphone out of your computer in that situation, and use a small inexpensive mixer to share your speakers between your headphone out and the AxeFX/FM3. The DAC's on most computers are quite good these days. In other words, in the simple case where the only thing you're recording is an AxeFX/FM3, there's not much reason to have an outboard audio interface at all.
 
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