USB Audio Questions?

I'm having some USB audio questions/challenges, so figured I should post here rather than start a new thread. I would really like to figure out how to make the AxeII work better with my existing interface (EMU 1820M). I'm even willing to get a different interface if it will work well. Everything seems to work best using ASIO, but unfortunately that means it's one or the other. If I'm not mistaken, I think asio4all just provides a layer between the WDM drivers of all the installed audio devices and makes them appear as a single asio device to the DAW. That would be cool with me, but I think the EMU's WDM driver is crap as I can seem to make it work for me.

Right now, I'm just using the AxeII audio interface via ASIO, but my monitors are hooked up to the EMU. To make this work, I've got the EMU also slaved to the AxeII via SPDIF. This works ok, and I don't think there are even any sync issues because they are talking digitally with the AxeII as master both over USB and SPDIF...should be clocked the same, right?

So, what's the issue? I would really like to be able to use the AxeII for reamping individual guitar tracks via USB, while at the same time listening to the whole mix. This would allow me to tweak the guitar processing in real-time within the context of the mix. Right now, all I can do is solo the track being reamped and send it out and back in to be recorded to another track. If the AxeII USB interface had another pair of inputs available, this wouldn't be a challenge. As a workaround, I could switch over to using my EMU interface and then just use SPDIF for reamping, but it would be nice to keep it simple and not have to switch asio devices repeatedly.

I hope I'm just overlooking something simple, but I don't think I can get there until I have the AxeII and another audio interface working simultaneously. I certainly welcome any ideas or recommendations of any interfaces that kick ass using WDM on Windows 7 64-bit.

Thanks,
Mitch
 
Sounds like you need a cheap mixer or a monitor interface. Hook Axe and Emu outputs up to it and the monitors to it. Done. Otherwise you could hook the Axe up to the Emu, one set of outputs Spdif and the other analog, but you'll get extra D/A/D there.
 
I was using axe edit the other day and messing with the audio monitor settings. I set my input to axe fx 2 and my output to my apogee duet, it did nothing. So I started looking around for a way to engage it, thought maybe it needed to be turned on or something, so I clicked the little power icon in the upper right hand corner and all the sudden I had sound. It was really glitchy and cut in and out a lot but it did play back, I'm wondering if something was screwy here and it's not supposed to do this? It stopped working after a while and I couldn't get it to do it again until I restarted. I am using OSX 10.6.6 and I'm not using any sort of aggregate device.
 
Thanks for the suggestion, but I'm really looking to keep it all digital and in-the-box and have access to all audio interfaces at once in my DAW. Right now, the only way to do the reamping while listening to the full mix would be to just continue using the Emu and hook up the Axe-Fx via SPDIF, but then I wouldn't be able to utilize the USB reamping functionality and would have to manually route my DI. It sucks that ASIO only allows one device at a time. I may end up getting another interface with better drivers, even though the EMU already rocks under ASIO.
 
mitch said:
I may end up getting another interface with better drivers, even though the EMU already rocks under ASIO.
Click to expand...

Perhaps a Mac;-) If not that aren't you still going to have to use WDM drivers and ASIO4all, whatever interface you get? At least with my solution (mixer or monitor controller), it's still all digital. Reamping works fine. What isn't easy is recording guitar and vocals (or band) at same time while still being able to reamp the guitar.
 
MikeyB59 said:
Perhaps a Mac;-) If not that aren't you still going to have to use WDM drivers and ASIO4all, whatever interface you get? At least with my solution (mixer or monitor controller), it's still all digital. Reamping works fine. What isn't easy is recording guitar and vocals (or band) at same time while still being able to reamp the guitar.
Click to expand...
I'm not much of a Mac person, but this interface limitation on Windows is bothersome. I think you're right that I would have to use WDM with ASIO4ALL if I want to get both interfaces working simultaneously in my DAW. If I can find an interface that does WDM well, then problem solved I suppose. Using a mixer or monitor controller doesn't really solve the problem, as I still have no way to have both interfaces active at the same time. Hooking the Axe-FX up to the Emu using an analog pair and SPDIF would allow me to do what I want. The only downside is that I'm not really taking full advantage of the Axe-FX interface and need to incur a D/A/D. I guess that's the best option unless I can find a way to aggregate devices. I suppose it's not too bad, since many folks seem to prefer the analog outs anyway.
 
Just to keep anyone up to date that might be interested, I’m going to try this.

Going to assign all in’s and out’s to the AF II, this will also give me my direct monitor so I’ll be good there. When I use the Firebox for an out (for Sonar) to my monitors I give up that direct monitor and have to use input echo on Sonar which I really don’t like, there are times for it but if I can avoid it I do.

Next plan on keeping the Firebox hooked up to my monitors, what I’m going to do run a SPDIF from the Axe Fx to the Firebox. So basically Sonar will be dealing just with AF II and the AF II will pass everything off to the Firebox and finally out the monitors. When I do something else involving microphones and so on it is easy enough to go into Sonar and change the in’s & out’s to the Firebox.

It only involves two cables, USB for the computer and SPDIF to the Firebox done any changes would be done through software
In my case I believe this will work fine I don't see myself using the in's of the AF II & the Firebox at the same time, also with this setup it will keep everything digital till it hits the outputs of the firebox, so I'll be able to take advantage of re-amping
 
I tried the ASIO4ALL drivers. No go. Yes it allows you to use both my Focusrite DSP PRO interface and the AXII wrapped in a WDM, but pops and clicks and stuttering with Sonar X1. It sucks that ASIO standard only allows 1 device (echo). The above post is a decent workaround, but I love my virtual rooms and monitor simulations in my focusrite asio driver with great latency.
boo hoo, my ideal hassle free reamping, tracking and monitoring solution is still a dream. There are workarounds ofcourse. but less than hassle free.
Wish SPDIF did reamping like the usb, then i would bother with it. so for nowi'll just use the analog outs and reamp separately when i need to.
I guess the MAC boys outdid us windows guys on this!!
aggregating, aggravating.
At least I'm not disappointed in the II. Its nice!!
 
Last edited:
6L6C said:
Next plan on keeping the Firebox hooked up to my monitors, what I’m going to do run a SPDIF from the Axe Fx to the Firebox. So basically Sonar will be dealing just with AF II and the AF II will pass everything off to the Firebox and finally out the monitors. When I do something else involving microphones and so on it is easy enough to go into Sonar and change the in’s & out’s to the Firebox.

It only involves two cables, USB for the computer and SPDIF to the Firebox done any changes would be done through software
In my case I believe this will work fine I don't see myself using the in's of the AF II & the Firebox at the same time, also with this setup it will keep everything digital till it hits the outputs of the firebox, so I'll be able to take advantage of re-amping
Click to expand...
That's essentially how I have it setup currently. The only thing I can't do is re-amp while listening to the whole mix. The DI track to be re-amped has to be soloed as the DAW is sending everything out the USB into the AxeFx.
 
Last edited:
Dramelot said:
Wish SPDIF did reamping like the usb, then i would bother with it. so for nowi'll just use the analog outs and reamp separately when i need to.
I guess the MAC boys outdid us windows guys on this!!
aggregating, aggravating.
At least I'm not disappointed in the II. Its nice!!
Click to expand...
SPDIF is actually useful for re-amping in that you can choose it as the main input source and also choose to have it output output1, output2, or the raw input. The only thing is that it's only one stereo pair, so if you're sending the raw input to your DAW via SPDIF, you'll have to send the processed signal via analog output 1 or 2. As I think it through, that's really not such a bad option especially if you assume you'll be reamping your tracks. In that case, who cares if the processed track you initially recorded is going through extra conversions, as it is most likely only serving as a scratch track anyway. Not the dream of doing everything over a single USB cable and keeping absolutely everything in the digital domain, but still very workable.
 
I guess the main thing is to get the dry track in the daw by spdif or DI analog and have it there ready. and worry about reamping after all the tracks are close to mix down. Mitches idea is one of the options i considered after no success with aggregating my devices, and will probably be my choice.
Getting a little spoiled aint I. Things are so much easier than back in the day and i still want them easier lol.
 
Last edited:
Dramelot said:
Getting a little spoiled aint I. Things are so much easier than back in the day and i still want them easier lol.
Click to expand...
Haha....yeah, it's really an embarrassment of riches! I'm only contemplating it because I like to figure out my options, but there really aren't any bad options here. Multiple ways of getting from A to B and all of them pretty darn enjoyable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom