Win 10 latency, RME Babyface and Axe-Fx 2

S

sonofmickel

Inspired
Hi all...
This next question is in the Reaper DAW.
I just switched to PC, Win 10 after many years on Mac.
I am using an RME Babyface as my audio interface(vocals, acoustic guitar etc...).
I am trying to integrate the Axe FX 2's USB recording feature into my workflow and am having a bugger of a time!

I want to monitor with the Babyface(already hooked up to my monitors). I also want to use the Axe FX 2 USB to record and reamp.
I've been trying WASAPI(way too much latency) and ASIO4 All(goes buggy and makes zipper noise, glitch etc).
Does ANYONE have a workflow that works the way I want it to?

This all worked easily with Aggregate device setup on OSX. Is there seriously nothing like aggregate devices on Win 10? Asio4 All is just not working very well at all.

UPDATE: against all reason, against all public knowledge I updated the system to 1903(tons of gamers and DAW people are negatively effected by this garbage of a software update). I can say that update 1903 has "fixed" my system. I am even using Reaper with the WASAPI driver/Shared Mode, Line(Axe FX II) and Speakers(RME Babyface) as output. Block size is 48 samples for 1ms latency(we know that is a lie but there is hardly any latency while riffing some guitar).
Problem with WASAPI: Axe FX only has access to input 1 and 2, no channel 3 or 4. That means there is no way to record a DI track. Man this is a challenge. At least the system seems stable enough to track printed amps.
I'll report back when I find a solution that enables DI tacks.

Computer specs, Win 10, i7 3770k chip, 32gb ram, 2 x 500gb SSD, 2TB spinner, 1 TB Spinner
 
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HI
When using my AFX2 (now AFX3) I had a XR18 audio/mixeur interface, win10 64b.
I made an aggregation with Asio4all to have all input available from the xr18 and the AFX2.
It works flawlessly with 2ms/2ms in Reaper (I7 8700k, 16 Go).
I paid attention to buffer setting, but all around 64 and no issue for 3 years usage. (now moving to motu 828es to plug the AFX3 in S/pdif).
 
Some, like @trb , have got ASIO4ALL to work for them. I was never one of them, and is one of the main reasons I have stuck with MacOS.
 
For those of you that ASIO4ALL works, what are your computer settings?
What Interface are you using?
How are you monitoring the Axe FX reamping process?

The system works fine until I want to use the Axe FX in my workflow. It works so easily on Mac OSX.
How can Windows 10 not have this working?
 
Hi sonofmickel, I have basically the same setup you are describing, (have not tried reamping), but my RME is the UCX Fireface. I think the the drivers are pretty much the same as the Babyface. I run a pair of the Axe Fx outputs into two of my RME's input channels. I set the input device on my DAW to the ASIO Fireface USB, and I am in business. Setting the buffers to 48 is probably why you are having issues, that seems like a pretty lean buffer setting. You could try setting the buffer at a minimum of 64 or if you are still getting zip sounds and digital noise, try 128 as a buffer setting. My personal experience is that the RME's ASIO driver works better than ASIO4ALL with the RME.
 
sonofmickel said:
For those of you that ASIO4ALL works, what are your computer settings?
What Interface are you using?
How are you monitoring the Axe FX reamping process?

The system works fine until I want to use the Axe FX in my workflow. It works so easily on Mac OSX.
How can Windows 10 not have this working?
Click to expand...
HI Sono,
see my post above.
Was not using reampling but it would work the same, as you have access to all the AFX USB IN/OUt with Asio4all.
 
Thanks for the reply EricP1954.
Yes the Axe FX works perfectly fine when using the audio/xlr outs into any interface line/audio inputs.
Try recording the stereo AXE FX USB signal to get simultaneous L/R wet and L/R dry signal for re-amping.
Re-amping is the sole purpose of the USB driver as far as I am concerned. It is an addictive way to print different amps, effects, heck even whole different patches using the original performance! You start coming up with stuff you never imagined would work within the context of a song. But... you need the "dry" tracks for that workflow. Hence you need to use the AXE FX USB driver.

The problem is when trying to record the AXE's "USB" output signals(wet tracks 1, 2, and simultaneous dry tracks 3, 4) while monitoring thru the interfaces audio outputs (studios typically have their monitors attached to the interface outputs 1/2). This scenario requires the use of ASIO4ALL so both drivers can be utilized at the same time. Without ASIO4ALL, monitoring would be done using either the interface drivers with monitors attached to the interface or AXE FX driver with monitors attached to the AXE FX, requiring a disassembly of the studio just to use the AXE FX USB driver.

If you are laying down guitar tracks the AXE driver is fine. If you want to add vocals or use your keyboard for input you are out of luck, you need to unplug speakers and setup the interface driver in the DAW. It's not difficult but it is a hassle in the year 2019.

The problem is with Windows 10 not having an effective aggregate driver at the core of the OS, not the AXE FX.
Apple has had this aggregate ability since the 2000's and works pretty good for the most part.
 
sonofmickel said:
For those of you that ASIO4ALL works, what are your computer settings?
What Interface are you using?
How are you monitoring the Axe FX reamping process?

The system works fine until I want to use the Axe FX in my workflow. It works so easily on Mac OSX.
How can Windows 10 not have this working?
Click to expand...
I use asio4all with my presonus interface and the axefx3.
I use a 512 bytes buffer on both interfaces and monitor my reamps directly with the axefx3 plugged in a linemixer
It works perfectly, win10 is not the culprit.
Of course you have to set your interface to 48KHz too
 
Headphones shall be the answer for me.
If Windows 10 would spend some $$ on a os level driver we could do it, 512 is far too big a buffer to track with, I couldn't do it.
AlGrenadine, what is your round trip latency at 512 buffer?
It has to be 12ms or so isn't it?
I can't do more than 7ms, 5ms is good, 3ms would be ideal.
 
sonofmickel said:
Headphones shall be the answer for me.
If Windows 10 would spend some $$ on a os level driver we could do it, 512 is far too big a buffer to track with, I couldn't do it.
AlGrenadine, what is your round trip latency at 512 buffer?
It has to be 12ms or so isn't it?
I can't do more than 7ms, 5ms is good, 3ms would be ideal.
Click to expand...
You don't care for latency when using a linemixer : you hear what you play real-time
 
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