Wish SPDIF/AES Output Mode: Option for In1+Out1

AJ Vargas

AJ Vargas

Experienced
Basically, I propose another option to the existing configuration of the SPDIF/AES output mode, so one channel is mapped to Out 1 and the other to Input 1 and maybe another permutations. I find this to be very convenient to record both wet and DI signals via SPDIF/AES without creating any parallel routing in your grid (i.e from Input 1 block in parallel direct to Output 1) and panning and leveling the Output block for every preset you want to record with... just like you can do with the USB interface.

This would be very convenient when tracking Normal(wet)+DIs and using the Axe as USB interface might not be an option and you still want to keep it in the digital realm. I've heard of guys using UAD Apollo interfaces having trouble with both interfaces running together and wanting to record via AES. Windows guys with another interfaces that can't set 'Aggregate devices' like us Mac guys do, etc...

Personally, I'm having a little trouble with latency on recorded tracks in Logic using the Axe's USB, and having the same ease of a wet/dry setup for recording via SPDIF/AES would be an absolute breeze.
 
I would also find this extremely useful. Even with both channels being mono, it would still be better than what I am doing now

I route the input signal out to the Apollo over AES, and the output signal goes over analog on output 2. That way I have the pristine source signal for later reamping, and I leave it muted until then. The muffled analog Is recorded to a separate track which is a scratch track until later in the mixing when I’m ready to reamp.

This works ok, but it means even if the tracked patch is fine, I will always have to reamp to get rid of the analog line mud. If I could track both the input and at least one channel of the output, I could decide not to reamp if the patch is good enough.
 
AJ Vargas said:
Basically, I propose another option to the existing configuration of the SPDIF/AES output mode, so one channel is mapped to Out 1 and the other to Input 1 and maybe another permutations. I find this to be very convenient to record both wet and DI signals via SPDIF/AES without creating any parallel routing in your grid (i.e from Input 1 block in parallel direct to Output 1) and panning and leveling the Output block for every preset you want to record with... just like you can do with the USB interface.

This would be very convenient when tracking Normal(wet)+DIs and using the Axe as USB interface might not be an option and you still want to keep it in the digital realm. I've heard of guys using UAD Apollo interfaces having trouble with both interfaces running together and wanting to record via AES. Windows guys with another interfaces that can't set 'Aggregate devices' like us Mac guys do, etc...

Personally, I'm having a little trouble with latency on recorded tracks in Logic using the Axe's USB, and having the same ease of a wet/dry setup for recording via SPDIF/AES would be an absolute breeze.
Click to expand...
You can already do that, digital DI and wet spdif without any parallel routing. See configuration #5 here: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axefx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/
 
GlennO said:
You can already do that, digital DI and wet spdif without any parallel routing. See configuration #5 here: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axefx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/
Click to expand...

But (if I understand correctly) that method requires you to track the DI by plugging the guitar direct into the interface which can have an effect in the quality of the DI signal in two ways: The quality of the preamps/Instrument input in the interface itself and the gain you manually apply . My wish is for the Axe to have an option for automatically feed the DI via one of the two channels of the S/PDIF out, so it feeds the DI signal AS IS, 1:1 both in quality and level just like you do via USB 5/6, except that with my wish you don't have to re-route anything manually in the grid every time you want to track DIs.
 
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Any audio interface which is high end enough to have spdif in/out has an instrument preamp that is more than capable of achieving the quality you're after :).

More flexible I/O routing in the AxeFX would be handy for various reasons (https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/i-o-routing-matrix.162651/) but you can already do what you're asking for here.

P.S. You're absolutely correct that it's essential when re-amping to have unity gain on the DI input relative to when you recorded the DI. I go into that in some detail in the AxeFX recording guide, and the method I'm recommending does exactly that.
 
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Yes that would indeed be very useful!
Currently I go the "parallel routing" way so that I can have one channel of the AES/EBU stream carry the DI signal and the other channel a mono wet signal, too. Both channels are recorded with a digital mixer (Korg D32xd) and I can use the DI signal for reamping if required.
Setting up that parallel routing in the grid is possible, but requires that each and every preset must be adopted respectively.

But I don't want that DI/wet mix on Output1 since that also affects the headphone jack. Nobody wants that on headphones!
Thus I use Output2 for DI/wet.
 
GlennO said:
Any audio interface which is high end enough to have spdif in/out has an instrument preamp that is more than capable of achieving the quality you're after :).

More flexible I/O routing in the AxeFX would be handy for various reasons (https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/i-o-routing-matrix.162651/) but you can already do what you're asking for here.

P.S. You're absolutely correct that it's essential when re-amping to have unity gain on the DI input relative to when you recorded the DI. I go into that in some detail in the AxeFX recording guide, and the method I'm recommending does exactly that.
Click to expand...
I am really struggling with achieving unity gain for a DI signal in the fillowing setup:
RME Fireface UCX fed by SPDIF plus one analog cable connection from the AXE3.
Stereo viaspdif works fine. DI from Input 1 directly into OUT 4, that I have turned up fully at the AXE (via the knob for out 4) that goes to a line in of my RME is either lower or higher in volume (dependent if I set the lvl to linus 10 or plus 4 for the input of the RME) conpared to the DI that goes out from the USB Out 5 from the AXE3 (that i recorded in parallel, yet just for conparison reasons) Any idea what i still could do/ check?
 
DonProm said:
I am really struggling with achieving unity gain for a DI signal in the fillowing setup:
RME Fireface UCX fed by SPDIF plus one analog cable connection from the AXE3.
Stereo viaspdif works fine. DI from Input 1 directly into OUT 4, that I have turned up fully at the AXE (via the knob for out 4) that goes to a line in of my RME is either lower or higher in volume (dependent if I set the lvl to linus 10 or plus 4 for the input of the RME) conpared to the DI that goes out from the USB Out 5 from the AXE3 (that i recorded in parallel, yet just for conparison reasons) Any idea what i still could do/ check?
Click to expand...
That's the downside to using analog out for a DI. Getting the levels right can be difficult. Not only when recording but when reamping because it's not enough for the signal to be strong. It's also important it be exactly the same as when you originally played it. The recording guide has a number of examples of how to set up a rig for DI recording that avoid the problems of analog output by using digital instead. For example, see configuration #5.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axefx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/
 
GlennO said:
That's the downside to using analog out for a DI. Getting the levels right can be difficult. Not only when recording but when reamping because it's not enough for the signal to be strong. It's also important it be exactly the same as when you originally played it. The recording guide has a number of examples of how to set up a rig for DI recording that avoid the problems of analog output by using digital instead. For example, see configuration #5.

https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/axefx-for-the-recording-musician.177592/
Click to expand...
Many thanks for the quick reply. I took some time during the last days to test a couple of things however I must say I find it quite frustrating:
1. configuration#5: i really like the idea, however I have higher noises when making use of this method. (I experience the same with “standard“ reamping viad spdif… however when I only record the spdif out channel into my RME the noise ratio is perfectly fine… it increases when I reamp. same happens btw when I reamp with an analog signal…). i checked cable connections. At full guitar volume this is not really recognizable, but with guitar vol rolled back, it definetely is….
2. AXE as interface: with this I can reamp as expected and avoid the noises. However I need to in increase USB input level of around 6DB to end up with the original sound, which also seems odd to me… (also most recognizable at guitar vol rolled back). Downside of this method is the latency issue. 2nd downside: cant make use of the RME
3. aggregate device: more or less the same as above under 2, with the clear downside of latency…

As said…very frustrating that with the AXE and the RME as top equipment, these issues occure.
 
I'm not sure what latency issue you're referring to. The Axe-FX has very low latency, around 2ms. Assuming you're monitoring direct, you shouldn't have any noticeable latency.
 
I know, thanks. However as said, find it quite frustrating that nothing works as plug and play... and as the latency compensation os no static value and changes all the time / from project to project - I'll only consider that as a workaround, but no robust setup with which i can enjoy recording instead of worrying what could hve gone wrong this take
 
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