Using Axe 2 as soundcard with Reaper?

Jason W.

Jason W.

Inspired
This may have already been covered somewhere on here, but what specific things need to be done to get the Axe to work on Reaper with Windows 7? Driver download, guitar into Axe, usb connection, monitors connected to main L and R outs, select Axe in ASIO.. Do I need to switch 44.1 on Reaper to 48? I am also using Ez Drummer. Guitar skills I have, computer skills I don't, so if someone could give me step by step instructions, that would be great!
 
I use Windows 7 and utilize Reaper with Superior Drummer 2.0. Here is what I do:

- Turn on Axe-FX II first
- Under preferences select Axe-FX II (I use Wave because ASIO doesn't work for me)
- You should hear sound coming out of monitors (I use headphones). You can verify by playing music from your computer and should hear it thru Axe-FX II
- In your windows sound settings, you need to have the Axe-FX II selected
 
Id like some help here as well.

I have an old Desktop running XP, that uses PTLE via an MBox. This is good enough for me, but its only used for recording - so takes a while to boot up. When I want to scratch pad I want to use my W7 laptop - which isnt compatible with PT or the MBox (as Im running 7.3le) - and use the AFX2 via USB as the interface.

I can get reaper to work - play music and record however the latency is TERRIBLE. I cant listen while Im recording - I have to monitor a differnt way (ie backing through my monitors and AFX via my amp/cab). Its really quite annoying. I dont know why but I cant get it to work via ASIO (which is maybe the issue) so dont knwo how to tack this issue.
 
I am having issues here as well (latency). Here is my current setup, which is not acceptible:

1) I am using ASIO driver for input and output
2) If I load an mp3 into Reaper, I can play it and hear it through the front headphone jack on the front of the Ax-FX II. It also is output through the back of the unit (which I have connected to 2 powered amps).
3) If I plug my guitar into the front of the Axe-FX II, it is mixed ON TOP of the mp3 that is playing (no delay). Basically the output of the Axe-FX II is layed on top of the output coming from the PC through USB connection
---- So basically at this point, I have one track in Reaper (mp3 song), and I can play along and hear PC and guitar through headphones.

4) I then add a track in Reaper, and set it to the Mono-Left, which will allow me to record (or monitor) the guitar part that I am playing. I have managed to get the latency down, but there is a huge issue...
---- Now the output from the headphones contains the original guitar signal that is processed by the Axe-FX II, the mp3 playing in Reaper on the PC, and the DELAYED DUE TO LATENCY track that I have added in reaper. This makes the guitar part that I am playing sound terrible, since it has the original, and delayed version being mixed together - think massive reverb sounding garbage.

Anyone know what I am doing wrong? How can I get the headphone jack (or output in back) to just play what is coming out reaper?

Thanks!

Oh, I am running windows 7 Ultimate SP1, Intel core 2 duo 2.2G, with 2G ram.
 
WannaAxe said:
How can I get the headphone jack (or output in back) to just play what is coming out reaper?
Click to expand...

Route the guitar signal to the Effects Loop block only (don't connect FXL to anything in the next column, turn down output level if you have to use column 12) then in the I/O menu find the "USB out source" (or similar) parameter & set that to Output 2.
 
For using the Axe 2 as a soundcard on Reaper via USB, my settings are as follows........ AXE-FX II ASIO DRIVER selected...... Box is unchecked for "request sample rate" which is set at 44100, and the box is checked for "request block size" which is set to 128. Now although I have this successfully working with EZ Drummer, do I need to switch the 44100 to 48000????? And should the 128 be lower for as little latency as possible? One more thing, should the box for "request block size" be checked or unchecked? Any assistance with this will greatly help, Thanks!
 
I have the same config as you.

I use ASIO, Both my request sample size and block size checkboxes are NOT checked, and the values are 44100 and 256.

Works perfectly for me, latency is low.
 
If already mentioned I would like to ask something as well if I may…
My configuration is the same, AxeII USB to my PC WIN7 64bit Reaper DAW.
I can record and all is working fine.
How do I record 2 stereo channels ?
Meaning – one stereo signal processed with the Axe and the 2nd as a dry neutral signal of the guitar so I can re-amp later.
Thanks.
 
I checked the Axe 2 driver settings in Reaper also, there were only 2 boxes. The 1st box was set to "safe", and the 2nd box was set to 2048 samples. Should the 1st box be set to "low latency" (which is one of the options), and should the second box be set lower than 2048, for example 512?
 
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just try to go as low as possible.....I use 256 samples and it works....
if your system is faster you might be able to go even lower.....when it starts to clip and distort just go up one step
stay on "safe" for the streaming mode and adjust the buffer size
 
Speaking of clipping, while EZ Drummer is running and I'm jamming along, I look at my output levels L1 and R1 on the utilities page and notice the Axe clips, unless I turn down the master track on Reaper from 0.0 to around -2.70 or so. Is it because my guitar tracks and the drums tracks are combined on outs L1 and R1? Is there a way to have the drums come out of Outs L1 and R1 and the guitars come out of L2 and R2? I'm still trying to figure out the whole computer recording thing, levels, buffer, connections etc..
 
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Jason W. said:
Speaking of clipping, while EZ Drummer is running and I'm jamming along, I look at my output levels L1 and R1 on the utilities page and notice the Axe clips, unless I turn down the master track on Reaper from 0.0 to around -2.70 or so. Is it because my guitar tracks and the drums tracks are combined on outs L1 and R1? Is there a way to have the drums come out of Outs L1 and R1 and the guitars come out of L2 and R2? I'm still trying to figure out the whole computer recording thing, levels, buffer, connections etc..
Click to expand...

Hey jason, did you ever get an answer to your above question? I'm running into the same clipping situation with superior drummer through my DAW when using my axe fx II as the interface.
 
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