Routing USB Audio from computer to output 2?

bke

Inspired
Hi,

I have my speakers set up to output 2 on my AXE FX, anyone know how i can set up so my computer audio plays through them? seems to default to output 1 and haven't been able to find a way to change it - saw below in the manual but not sure what it means... thanks

COMPUTER INPUTS 1+2 Source: The output of the OUT 1 block on the grid. Applications: Record the stereo processed output of the Axe-Fx III.

COMPUTER INPUTS 3+4 Source: The output of the OUT 2 block on the grid. Applications: Record a second stereo processed signal.
 
You may have missed or not understood a critical piece of info in the manual:
As with all USB Audio devices, inputs and outputs are defined with respect to the computer.
So relative to the USB Interface:
  • Computer Inputs: signal flows from the Axe FX to the computer
  • Computer Outputs: signal flows from the Computer to the Axe FX
In your use case, if I understand correctly; you want audio from your computer to play through your speaker that is attached to Output 2 on the AxeFX.

If this is an accurate interpretation, route the audio on your computer to Computer Outputs 3 + 4. This should feed that signal to Output 2 on the Axe FX.
 
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You may have missed or not understood a critical piece of info in the manual:

So relative to the USB Interface:
  • Computer Inputs: signal flows from the Axe FX to the computer
  • Computer Outputs: signal flows from the Computer to the Axe FX
In your use case, if I understand correctly; you want audio from your computer to play through your speaker that is attached to Output 2 on the AxeFX.

If this is an accurate interpretation, route the audio on your computer to Computer Outputs 3 + 4. This should feed that signal to Output 2 on the Axe FX.

Thanks, how would I go about doing that?
 
Need more information from you to answer your question.
  • What is your computer platform? Apple? Windows? Other?
  • What is the source of the audio you want to play? If it is your DAW, what DAW are you using? The procedure to output the DAW audio output to the correct USB channels will be specific to the DAW. If it is your sound card you want to hear, you will need to configure your system to use the Axe FX as a sound card.
If you use Apple, the Axe should be visible to your computer once connected via USB. No need to install drivers.

If you use Windows, you will need to install the Axe FX III USB Driver for Windows.

Provide the info specified above and we can help you further.
 
Hi,

Im on Win10, USB is installed - have used the axe (standard, II, now the III) with PC no problem. Using Axe as audio interface for playback of itunes\you tube\DAW (reaper) connected via USB

Ive changed my speakers from output 1 to output 2 (as they are only XLR outs, so can use output 1 1\4 inch for something else)
 
So you are familar with the Axe->Computer integration.

Do you have your computer output going to USB Channels 3 + 4? 3 + 4 should route to Output 2 on the Axe FX by default.

There are also levels settings for the USB interface. Forget where it is and I am away from the Axe now.

When playing only audio from your computer do you show any levels at Output 2?
 
Please note, the following is from memory, so may not be 100% accurate, but the idea is there.

On each of your tracks in reaper, there is a "routing" button (you may have to expand out to see it). Click on this, a window pops up. Click where it says "add hardware output" and then set it to the proper USB channels. I would also uncheck the "Master Output" to prevent it from outputting to Output 1.

It's probably good to make a Folder in reaper called "Backing Tracks" and set all the routing there, then just create tracks underneath the folder. That way you don't have to constantly set routing on every track.

My band has two folders like this, one for Click Tracks and other cues, and another for back tracks. The Back Track folder gets routed to USB 3/4 (Output 2) & USB 7/8 (Output 4). Click tracks to Axe-FX Output 4. This allows me to more easily manage what goes to FOH (Output 2) and what goes to our IEMS (Output 4).

If I remember right, USB 7/8 is hard wired to the Input Block > USB block
 
Please note, the following is from memory, so may not be 100% accurate, but the idea is there.

On each of your tracks in reaper, there is a "routing" button (you may have to expand out to see it). Click on this, a window pops up. Click where it says "add hardware output" and then set it to the proper USB channels. I would also uncheck the "Master Output" to prevent it from outputting to Output 1.

It's probably good to make a Folder in reaper called "Backing Tracks" and set all the routing there, then just create tracks underneath the folder. That way you don't have to constantly set routing on every track.

My band has two folders like this, one for Click Tracks and other cues, and another for back tracks. The Back Track folder gets routed to USB 3/4 (Output 2) & USB 7/8 (Output 4). Click tracks to Axe-FX Output 4. This allows me to more easily manage what goes to FOH (Output 2) and what goes to our IEMS (Output 4).

If I remember right, USB 7/8 is hard wired to the Input Block > USB block

I believe "bke" might be referring to the windows 10 wdm driver that seems to be hard wired to out's 1+2 in the windows domain, not within reaper, or any other sequencer software....(that option works)
The Fractal usb wdm driver can only use out's 1+2, there is no other selection available under windows sound, in the control panel.
 
I expected turning the following Axe Fx global setting to ON would achieve this: IO>Audio>Output 2 Configuration>Copy Output 1

However it doesn't work for USB Audio. Any chance this could be addressed in a future update?

edit: I'd like to use Out 1 with headphones and Out 2 with monitors, with independent volume controls and eq settings for each. Note I can achieve this using the Mac's Audio MIDI Setup tool, but it requires manually switching outputs everytime. Having the "Copy Output 1" setting work for USB would make things easier.
 
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I think/hope you can accomplish the goal of having USB audio route to both Output 1 and then mirror that to Output 2 by routing the USB audio to Output 7 & 8 then adding the INPUT USB block to the Grid and linking that to Output 1. This would also give you the ability to layer a mixer block in to be able to balance out the volume between the guitar and USB audio levels (and do other things like put in an EQ block for just the USB audio path). At the end of the day you get what you want here (USB audio going to outputs 1 and 2 with independent volume controls), but it would require you to set this up in every patch to accomplish and I don't know if the III has an automated way to do this.

Fair warning though, I have not actually tried this yet. This is sadly the #1 reason I am planning to trade out of my Axe Fx II XL for a III so I don't have to mess with an external mixer. Don't have the III yet.
 
.......

If I remember right, USB 7/8 is hard wired to the Input Block > USB block

Can you elaborate on that? I am trying hard to get reaper to output to output 4.

Does this mean in a preset you have usb block going to output 4?
 
I have been looking over that page a bunch. In the DAW, the outputs 7 and 8 don't go to the physical "output 4" jack on the back. I'm a bit confused. Thanks for trying to help though. I can send a preset to 4 and then output the other things to 1, but then my DAW has to be running to just play the guitar through the studio monitors.
 
I have been looking over that page a bunch. In the DAW, the outputs 7 and 8 don't go to the physical "output 4" jack on the back. I'm a bit confused. Thanks for trying to help though. I can send a preset to 4 and then output the other things to 1, but then my DAW has to be running to just play the guitar through the studio monitors.
see below

Can you elaborate on that? I am trying hard to get reaper to output to output 4.

Does this mean in a preset you have usb block going to output 4?
Sort of... in your DAW, Computer Outputs 7/8 go to the Input USB grid block on the Axe-FX. You can then route this through any signal chain to any output(s).
 
Third time I've posted this manual page in 3 days :)

unix-guy,
Thanks for doing that; this is the first time I've seen it, and I learned something (or maybe relearned something I'd forgotten? ;)) It's a pain to re-post, but I do appreciate it.
 
unix-guy,
Thanks for doing that; this is the first time I've seen it, and I learned something (or maybe relearned something I'd forgotten? ;)) It's a pain to re-post, but I do appreciate it.
I don't mind... I got good use out of that one screenshot :)

And each case was a different scenario with some common factors.
 
Dumb questions for those of us who have not used the AXE to route DAW audio before and are switching presets/scenes at a live performance:
  • Do you have to set up each preset with block to route the audio to output 2?
  • When you change presets, will there be a gap on the backing track?
  • If so, is there a global setting I need to enable to fix this?
 
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