Reamping with UMC404 - Desperate for help!!!

S

Silent Weasel

New Member
Hey guys,

I'm not one to ask for help without doing some serious research, but I'm completely out of ideas on this one. I've spent hours and hours trying to reamp with my brand new Behringer UMC404HD with no results. I specifically upgraded to it so I could reamp with my new AX8.

Here's my setup and where I'm at:

DAW is Reaper, which I'm quite familiar with.
Interface is a UMC404HD
Monitoring with Yamaha HS5's and HS8 sub.

- DI recorded via AX8 output 2 (echo instrument input 1) (also tried using a DI recorded straight into interface). The DI signal looks good, and plays loud and clear when routed to monitors direct.
- DI routed via 'playback output' into FX return on AX8 (also tried EVERY output on interface into FX return (even tried into input 1).
- I'm then direct monitoring the AX8 main outputs.

I can hear the signal coming through, but it's VERY weak. It can't get through a noise gate in the AX8, and won't drive an amp block at all. I've tried maxing out the DAW gain at +12dB, but it's still weak. I've got the mix and output on the UMC at maximum but it makes no difference to the signal received by the AX8.
I've tried using my old Steinberg interface as a signal boost in between the UMC404 and the AX8, no luck. I've tried increasing the gain in blocks prior to the amp block, but it just gets noisy and unusable.

I've read that for some reason the outputs from the interface are -10 dBv and not +4dBu, but I've set the FX Return at -10 dBv and still no luck. I get no FX return LED's lighting up at all, but I can hear the signal coming through faintly.

I appreciate ANY help you guys can give me.

Thanks
 
The problem is the DI between the interface’s output and the FX return. You’re using a passive DI (likely one without an isolation transformer) in reverse which doesn’t have ideal results for reamping.

You need a specialized DI for reamping that knocks the signal down from line (even -10dBv should be fine) to instrument level, but not mic level (which is lower).
 
Thanks philipacamaniac,

Wouldn't that mean that currently my line level signal is too hot for the FX Return and it would just clip? I'm not getting ANY signal LEDS lighting up on the FX Return.

and wouldn't that imply that turning down the level from my DAW until it matched instrument level would give me results?
 
Sometimes a reverse passive DI can work, but usually it’s better to have a reamping DI box. In this case the output of your reverse DI is too low. You need to convert the output of your interface to instrument level, high-z impedance signal.

You are also probably better off bringing the reamp signal back into Input 1, not the FX Return (which is expecting line level).
 
I ended up solving this issue by using ASIO4ALL drivers to run both interfaces simultaneously. I use the steinberg interface to send the DI signal back to the ax8, and use all the inputs on the UMC for the reamped stereo signal. It works, but there is still too much noise on the reamped signal with high gain amps.

Hopefully this helps out someone else who might have this problem one day
 
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