PreSonus Studio One and Axe-Fx 3

Nahtanis

Inspired
So I am pretty new to the whole Fractal world and I have an Axe-Fx 3 that I am trying to hook up to Studio One 3 Professional. I have all the basics up and running, meaning that I can record and can re-amp and all that. The problem that I am running into is that the Axe-Fx 3 connects to the computer and also is connected directly to my studio monitors. This might be a totally basic question, but when I record I also have the Axe-Fx sending the guitar sound to the monitors, so there is like a dual guitar sound thing happening. I can turn off the monitoring in Studio One, but that is what I want to actually hear since I am panning LR and levels are correct and stuff like that. Is there a way to only send audio over USB only but still have the Axe-Fx output the DAW mix to the monitors? Sorry I searched and I can't even find a thread about this for the Axe-Fx 2. I figured that there would be some setup video on on YouTube also but nothing that answers this one.
 
If you monitor through your DAW while you’re actually laying down a track, the latency will drive you crazy. You really don’t want to hear that signal while you’re playing. Save your mixing until after you’ve recorded your tracks.
 
If you monitor through your DAW while you’re actually laying down a track, the latency will drive you crazy. You really don’t want to hear that signal while you’re playing. Save your mixing until after you’ve recorded your tracks.
Oh that is a good point. From a practical perspective the thing that is driving me nuts is that the guitar from the Axe-Fx is louder than the previous tracks that I will have recorded, so it is a little messy to play along since I am louder. But yeah you are right about the latency. Maybe I just need to break old habits since I was recording before with Bias Amp, Revalver, etc. So latency is just part of the hassle there. I didn't realize it, but I guess I can totally avoid that now.
 
From a practical perspective the thing that is driving me nuts is that the guitar from the Axe-Fx is louder than the previous tracks that I will have recorded, so it is a little messy to play along since I am louder.
No option to increase level in the DAW or the computer's audio system?
 
You need to run some outs from the back of your axe fx iii to your interface. I have my monitors hooked up to my interface, so no matter if im using the interface or using the axe fx iii as USB, I can monitor everything coming from the axe fx.
 
You need to run some outs from the back of your axe fx iii to your interface. I have my monitors hooked up to my interface, so no matter if im using the interface or using the axe fx iii as USB, I can monitor everything coming from the axe fx.
Hmmm, I have bypassed my interface and am using the Axe 3 as my main interface now. I will try your suggestion though, that would make the Axe 3 more like another instrument in the chain.

Also I like your videos, keep it up! I learned some stuff with the re-amping one you did awhile ago.
 
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Hmmm, I have bypassed my interface and am using the Axe 3 as my main interface now. I will try your suggestion though, that would make the Axe 3 more like another instrument in the chain.

Also I like your videos, keep it up! I learned some stuff with the re-amping one you did awhile ago.

Awesome! Glad I could help you man! I keep my interface sorta as a bridge between the axe and my DAW. It just makes things way easier for.
 
So I am pretty new to the whole Fractal world and I have an Axe-Fx 3 that I am trying to hook up to Studio One 3 Professional. I have all the basics up and running, meaning that I can record and can re-amp and all that. The problem that I am running into is that the Axe-Fx 3 connects to the computer and also is connected directly to my studio monitors. This might be a totally basic question, but when I record I also have the Axe-Fx sending the guitar sound to the monitors, so there is like a dual guitar sound thing happening. I can turn off the monitoring in Studio One, but that is what I want to actually hear since I am panning LR and levels are correct and stuff like that. Is there a way to only send audio over USB only but still have the Axe-Fx output the DAW mix to the monitors? Sorry I searched and I can't even find a thread about this for the Axe-Fx 2. I figured that there would be some setup video on on YouTube also but nothing that answers this one.
Did you ever learn how to plug everything in? My husband is the musician. He wants to play the guitar through the AXE FX II and record what he is playing into the studio One 3 software on his PC laptop. He has an Audio Box interface, do we need to plug the AXE FX into the interface or into the PC? And how do you setup the track in Studio One to recognize the AXE FX as an instrument or ??
 
Did you ever learn how to plug everything in? My husband is the musician. He wants to play the guitar through the AXE FX II and record what he is playing into the studio One 3 software on his PC laptop. He has an Audio Box interface, do we need to plug the AXE FX into the interface or into the PC? And how do you setup the track in Studio One to recognize the AXE FX as an instrument or ??
the Axe-Fx II is a USB interface itself. you can record directly to the computer over the USB cable.

or you can use the Analog outs of the Axe into another interface.

with any audio interface, you connect the speakers or headphones directly to it. so if you use the Axe USB to record, connect speakers to the Axe. if you use the other interface, connect the speakers to that.

in Studio One, you set the Axe as the Playback and Recording device in Preferences, Audio Setup. (in my screenshot, it says MacBook Speakers because i don't have the Axe plugged in right now)
Screen Shot 2020-05-16 at 1.28.21 PM.png


you create an Audio track. an instrument track is specifically for MIDI instruments and plugins.
 
the Axe-Fx II is a USB interface itself. you can record directly to the computer over the USB cable.

or you can use the Analog outs of the Axe into another interface.

with any audio interface, you connect the speakers or headphones directly to it. so if you use the Axe USB to record, connect speakers to the Axe. if you use the other interface, connect the speakers to that.
One last question, we are using Studio One software, do you know how to setup the track so it recognizes the instrument?
 
One last question, we are using Studio One software, do you know how to setup the track so it recognizes the instrument?
when you add the track, you'd select the input right in that pop up (again mine says none since i don't have any gear plugged in right now)

Screen Shot 2020-05-16 at 1.32.54 PM.png

i also added more info to the previous reply if you didn't see it already. be sure to add a regular audio track not an instrument track.
 
Everything Chris is saying is totally correct and that is how I ran my home studio for awhile. Eventually I purchased an Apollo x8 and a patch bay, that greatly expanded my overall setup. There was a little learning curve at the beginning, but now recording from a Fractal, or any device really Is super simple. When I used the Axe-Fx 3 as the interface it worked good for recording guitar, but was limiting for other thing like using other outboard gear.
 
turn down the output knob on the front of your axefx and make sure the blue monitor button is lit on the track, and the green z is engaged on the master channel.
 
He’s describing how to do low latency monitoring through S1. That’s almost never a good idea. Monitoring direct usually works better when recording guitar.
 
Yeah the reason you connect monitors or headphones to the Axe is so you hear the sound immediately with no latency. Keep that knob turned up I’d say.
 
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