Unorthodox Setup Question (New Owner, Sorry)

Kabala

Kabala

Inspired
I did search and saw a few similar threads but not exactly the way I HOPE to run my incoming III MK II.

So quickly then - I track my tube amps in a slightly unusual way: I run my mic into a Focusrite 18i20, then spdif out of that into my trusty OLD Lexicon MPX 550 (which gives me hip stereo effects applied to the mono signal instead of using the effects unit in the loop, which obviously feeds your mic a mono source) then into my PC/DAW via spdif. Done. Nice, clean, stereo effects from your mono mic'd cab.

What I'm hoping to do is simply swap the Axe Fx III in place of the MPX 550 (I'm guessing the Axe has stellar coloring effects) so I can use it as both, my stereo grease for tracking the tube amps via the mics as I always have, but now also simply jack into the Axe and record it and its models, etc too. Something tells me this should be no prob - the only thing concerning me is my new sound card has optical digital in/outs (the MPX 550 did as well), not spdif...so I'd have to go out of the AXE via USB instead.

Thanks for any input!!!
-derek
 
I believe the Focusrite has direct monitoring. If so, you could run your mic into the Focusrite (the Axe doesn't have a mic pre), analog out to the Axe, and not have any AD/DA conversion latency. Run that into the Axe's input 2, and then you could use input 1 for your guitar if you wanted to go straight into the Axe. Then go USB from Axe to computer, using the Axe as your interface.
 
^^^ Great...super helpful, thanks G. I didn't realize the unit has two inputs, that makes me rethink some things now. C'mon UPS, arrrgh!
 
Just bumping to vent...after three evenings of futility I'm at wits end trying to get this thing #%^#@in' setup with Cubase 11. No luck. Anything but "plug n play" for me. I'll try again for one more night, then I'll take screen grabs of all my settings and come back here to beg for hookup help. FWIW, the main issue is not hearing anything else in Cubase (for example, Ez Drummer 2) unless I change drivers to something other than the AXE III drivers (SoundBlaster Z, ASIO4all v2, etc). And I can only hear the Axe content I recorded if I play it back, not while actually tracking. The input meters move, a good sign...I'm just missing a setting or two somewhere either in the Axe or Cubase.

I've made progress tonight, finally seeing "AXE III" in my main in/out audio connection...just not hearing it, grrr.
EDIT: Where I'm at

Cubase-1.jpg


Cubase-2.jpg


Cubase-3.jpg


Cubase-4.jpg
 
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My first suggestion is to use the proper driver for whatever interface you're using, not ASIO4all. If you're going to use the Axe as your interface, use the Fractal drivers. Second, in your audio connections, make sure you have outputs assigned properly.
 
Thanks for helping out! I did try every driver, in fact, the Fractal drivers more than any (my very first pic shows that) as I read the same suggestion from others having issues too. Didn't solve it. I'll keep hacking away at it, I'm sure I'm missing something.
 
I'm not suggesting you can't use third party drivers, I know a lot of folks who use ASIO4ALL without any issues. I personally prefer manufacturer drivers over third party. For troubleshooting though, I always like to start with the basics...A "boot in safe mode" if you will.

Based on what you're saying, I'm thinking your issue is with I/O assignments. Make sure you have the Axe selected as your interface, and then Cubase outputs assigned to the Axe.

Or...Go back to what you know works....Your Focusrite interface. Once you have that working, take screenshots of your Audio System and Audio Connections pages in Cubase, switch to the Axe as your interface, and see what changed in those pages. That should give you a clue as to what the problem is.
 
^^^ Thanks again so much, G! Looking forward to trying that this evening. Great idea about the Focusrite and seeing if I can get that working properly again first. Everything went south on me when Windows forced me to move on to 10 from 7, my trusty old E-MU card was a casualty (no longer supported/worked and it had been running perfectly via spdif and the 18i20). So I broke down and upgraded everything, Windows, sound card, mic preamp, even moved on from Cubase 5 to 11. And now, the Axe III is the final new device to my home studio - I know some great recording days are ahead, just have to get all this crap sorted out haha.

I do have a plan b. I was able to track some sounds from the Axe, a good sign, I just unfortunately had to switch drivers in Cubase to hear the playback. So I could always get a second pair of speakers and hook them up to the Axe to hear what I'm doing while recording via USB and switch drivers every time to use my ref monitors to mix, etc...although I'm thinking that may not work as I need to hear EZDrummer 2 while tracking guitars, sigh...suppose I just need more time with this stuff (thought I was decent at it but I'm new to using a USB interface, always been a "into the sound card" guy and using it for everything)
 
It’s not clear what you’re using the Soundblaster sound card for. Your 18i20 is an audio interface, so plug your monitors into that, and plug the Axe into the 18i20 via SPDIF (or via the analog mic or line inputs, it honestly doesn’t make much of a difference unless you’re tracking DI signal).

Then set Cubase and your computer and other software to use the 18i20 for input and output. Use the Focusrite Control software to mix the volume of DAW/PC playback and real time monitoring of the Axe input (whether SPDIF or analog).

Alternatively, you could use the Axe as your audio interface instead. In that case, plug your monitors into the Axe, and set Cubase to use the Axe for input and output. You could still even use the 18i20 for mic pres (SPDIF out of the 18i20 into the Axe). In this scenario, you use Axe Edit or the Axe front panel to adjust the DAW/PC USB playback levels (signals other than your guitar, coming from the computer and playing back through the Axe for monitoring).
 
I’m far from an expert but I’d avoid the axe USB just to prevent headaches. I’d keep your original analog chain for the tube amps. I’d plug the axe into the Focusrite via xlr. AND THEN I’d use a stereo line level pair on the Focusrite into the axe input 2 (stereo, line level) and then you have a fancy piece of outboard gear to apply effects to ANY audio you record (and then you print it).

wanna get super fancy? Plug your guitar directly into the axe and mirror input 1 to output 3 and plug that into your tube amp and record both at once, and mirror input 1 to output 4 and have that run into your Focusrite for a DI signal to reamp later as needed.
 
philipacamaniac said:
It’s not clear what you’re using the Soundblaster sound card for. Your 18i20 is an audio interface, so plug your monitors into that, and plug the Axe into the 18i20 via SPDIF (or via the analog mic or line inputs, it honestly doesn’t make much of a difference unless you’re tracking DI signal).

Then set Cubase and your computer and other software to use the 18i20 for input and output. Use the Focusrite Control software to mix the volume of DAW/PC playback and real time monitoring of the Axe input (whether SPDIF or analog).

Alternatively, you could use the Axe as your audio interface instead. In that case, plug your monitors into the Axe, and set Cubase to use the Axe for input and output. You could still even use the 18i20 for mic pres (SPDIF out of the 18i20 into the Axe). In this scenario, you use Axe Edit or the Axe front panel to adjust the DAW/PC USB playback levels (signals other than your guitar, coming from the computer and playing back through the Axe for monitoring).
Click to expand...
Nice! Thank you for breaking it down for me, super helpful! I had no idea I could use the Focusrite like that (or hell, any usb interface). Wasn't aware I could plug the monitors into the focusrite and use that for all things audio on my pc, cubase, gaming, mp3 or wav playing, porn watching, etc. Coo! I had been a long time recorder by way of everything going into a sound card via Spdif or analog cables. So this meant I used my soundblaster card/drivers for everything when in cubase, tracking guitars from the mic pre, ezdrummer 2 playback, etc). Thanks again (and Duff Man, others).
 
I like using the Axe as the sole interface for recording and playback, via it's USB cable. If I need a mic pre, I can plug that into the Axe, too.

You can use the Axe for audio playback even without a DAW. Windows recognizes it just fine.
 
Sorry to bump this...BUT I AM GOOD NOW!!! Thanks for all the help. Everything is working properly thanks to the last few posts (regarding speaker connections and skipping my pc sound card entirely and just using the Axe/Focusrite as my audio source). I slapped a pair of desktop speakers into my soundcard tho for everything else non CUBASE/Ref Monitor related and couldn't be happier with the setup now. Whew!!! thanks again, gents.
 
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