Help with Reamping in Pro Tools 11 VIA SPDIF

boltrecords

boltrecords

Fractal Fanatic
I was having issues using both the audio interface and my axe fx ii as an aggregate with pro tools 11. So decided to upgrade my interface so that i can run the axe fx spdif instead of using mono jacks. Im having a tough time getting this set up correctly and I'm not exactly sure of how it works.

I have the axe plugged to my new scarlett 6i6 via spdif Ins and Outs. scarlett to the iMac through USB. I set the scarlett clock to internal.

1. Does my guitar now plug to the input of the scarlett when recording guitars or still to the Axe FX?

2. Do i have the axe fx set to analog input when recording my track and then switch to spdif when i want to reamp? (like i would have done with usb)

3. When i set the axe to spdif, the screen says "no input clock" is this correct?

4. How is the dry signal being sent to the track now? from the axe still or from me plugging to the scarlett?

5. How am i setting the inputs and outputs of the wet track, dry track and reamp track now?

Sorry for all the questions but I've been working on this for the last few hours and am stuck. I new how to work everything with USB but spdif is new to me. Ive never used these jacks before for any device.

Thanks
 
Can someone fractal please provide info on this if at all possible? Are there any issues with using spdif for reamping. Im not getting signal from the interface out to the axe fx input. and the axe constantly show "No input clock"
 
I use S/PDIF as input for tone matching with PT 10 on Windows with no problems.

I keep the Fractal patched with USB, Output 1 XLR L/R and S/PDIF in and out; all at the same time.

Audio interface is an old Digi 003 Factory with an Apogee Big Ben master clock.
 
boltrecords said:
I was having issues using both the audio interface and my axe fx ii as an aggregate with pro tools 11. So decided to upgrade my interface so that i can run the axe fx spdif instead of using mono jacks. Im having a tough time getting this set up correctly and I'm not exactly sure of how it works.

I have the axe plugged to my new scarlett 6i6 via spdif Ins and Outs. scarlett to the iMac through USB. I set the scarlett clock to internal.
Click to expand...
Let's try and tackle these one at a time.

boltrecords said:
1. Does my guitar now plug to the input of the scarlett when recording guitars or still to the Axe FX?
Click to expand...
Plug your guitar into the front panel on the AXE FX.

boltrecords said:
2. Do i have the axe fx set to analog input when recording my track and then switch to spdif when i want to reamp? (like i would have done with usb)
Click to expand...
The input of the AXE FX is receiving your guitar signal, which is analog. It needs to be set to analog, front panel Input 1. The AXE FX will be outputting digitally as well as analog so you don't need to make any special settings.

boltrecords said:
3. When i set the axe to spdif, the screen says "no input clock" is this correct?
Click to expand...
Unless you have a common clock source that is routed to both your Pro Tools rig and the Axe FX unit, you will need to choose one as the source. I usually have Pro Tools use the AXE FX2's sync which it will derive from the SPDIF connection. In Pro Tools you open the "SESSION SETUP" window. Your session needs to be created as a 24 bit 48kHz session. In the FORMAT section of the window set the "Clock Source" to be your Scarlett's spdif input. Then in the "SYNC Setup & Time Code Offsets section "Clock Reference" should be set to Internal VSO. Create a stereo track in Pro Tools and set it's input to be the Scarlett's SPDIF Channels. Leave the track in "Input" mode. If you are hearing any clicks, crackling then it means the settings aren't correct. The setup I described above works for me but I am using AES. You can try different combinations in the setup window until it works I suppose. Ha.

boltrecords said:
4. How is the dry signal being sent to the track now? from the axe still or from me plugging to the scarlett?
Click to expand...
It will come from the AXE FX. The way I do it, and there is more than one way to skin a cat, is to use the FX Loop to send the direct dry guitar signal from the AXE FX. In order to do this you have to set up (on the top row in your grid) the FX Loop block. Have it be the first and only thing in the row (unless you want to process the direct signal in some way first like add gain to it or something). This block should not be connected to the output at all. Just one block, first position in the grid. Then your patch can be set up like you like it. Stereo or Mono.

boltrecords said:
5. How am i setting the inputs and outputs of the wet track, dry track and reamp track now?
Click to expand...
You will be recording the dry signal from your guitar (after it goes into the AXE FX) and routing a cable from the Output 2 Left jack on the AXE FX to an analog input on your Scarlett. Then create a mono track in Pro Tools and set the input of the track to be the corresponding output from the scarlett. I don't know anything about the Scarlett. I use an HD system so I have a 192 that I can plug analog and digital signals to and have separate inputs for them in Pro Tools.

You may also find this thread informative. It is on Reamping using SPDIF. The difference with this method is that it assumes you want a mono processed guitar track to be coming out of the AXE FX. This method pans the wet signal Left and the dry (direct) guitar signal to the right in the AXE FX and you record it on one STEREO track in your DAW and then split them into mono tracks afterwards.
 
I'm able to get the dry track recorded but I still am getting "no input clock" on the axe and no signal from the dry track is ever hitting the input on the axe fx when attempting to reamp


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
To add my notes from the debugging session we had in the chat room.

GOOD :
- We were able to get SPDIF OUT of the Axe, through the 6i6 and into ProTools without issue.
- We were able to send the dry guitar track out of ProTools and into the 6i6 to be heard over the monitors attached to the 6i6.

BAD :
- We were never able to get the Axe to recognize the clock from the 6i6 on the Axe SPDIF IN, and so,
- We were never able to get a signal to the Axe SPDIF Input

Thoughts:

- the 6i6 SPDIF output is possibly not active or not at the right sample-rate or bit depth
- there is a bad cable running from 6i6 SPDIF OUT to Axe SPDIF IN
- the Axe config not correct (although, we triple checked this...)

The above suggestion to go via analog may be a good interim step until the SPDIF IN issue can be resolved.

I wonder if a reset of the Axe would be in order, or if you have other SPDIF equipment that could be used to send a signal to the Axe to verify the SPDIF input is working?
 
I'm also able to route the output from the axe fx to the scarlett input for recording the wet track. So at this point the only issue I'm having is getting the dry track to send to the axe and then back to the reamp track. Whenever I switch the axe to spdif and the scarlett back to internal, the axe doesn't sync up and still says no input clock. I feel,like there is a small setting or detail I'm missing


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
So I just ran a quick analog test which worked fine. I expected that. Ran out 3 on the scarlett to the input on axe. Then output one left to I put on scarlet. Routed dry track to go out output 3 and reamping track set to scarlett left input.

It worked that way fine.

That way actually seems easier. No switching of settings within pro tools or the axe. Does this method offer less quality than using spdif or USB? Noticeably less quality?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Barring large amounts of interference, I'm not sure if the quality difference of Analog v. SPDIF is anything that would be noticeable. Sure, technically, the signal is undergoing more A/D conversion, but can that really be heard? I use SPDIF primarily to gain another output path so I can keep Input2/Output2 free as an FX loop. The DI signal coming out of the Axe is at a pretty low level so I would watch for noise there.

You will certainly have fewer settings to change in the analog case. You'll just have to change where the Axe gets its input for recording v. re-amping.
 
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