USB Interface and Onboard Sound - At the same time?

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PizzImperfect

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Hi all,

I use a Focusrite Sapphire USB6 for my vocal recording needs. However, I've just got a great new PC with a powerful motherboard, touting excellent onboard graphics for games etc.

Is it possible for Windows to use both at the same time? So I don't have to switch my 3.5mm jack from the Interface to my PC whenever I use the other?

Thanks!
 
If I'm not mistaken, the USB interface needs to be selected as the computer's working sound card, essentially, which would take over its ability to record via the original sound card...Can anyone verify this?
 
depends. On ASIO drivers, one card at a time. For MME and depending on the software, you can route recording as one device, output as other. Audacity, using Windows drivers allow that, but Audacity doesn't use ASIO.

To monitor your recording, you probably should either get an adapter for the Focusrite heads phones, or get another set of headphones.
 
I use my Tascam with Reaper and monitors hooked to it. Built-in soundcard for internet, etc. I've had both on at the same time with no issues, although obviously I wans't both playing internet music and Reaper stuff at same time.

It sounds like the OP is just trying to avoid switching outhis headphone plug? So either use the AI for everything, or get a headphone amp with two sets of inputs so you can switch between them.
 
Using MME, you can use both (Video Cam Mic, or using the USB interface for Mic input, sound card output). So, both can be on. When using ASIO, it will only use (key word here) one interface at a time, unless the driver is built for multi-interfaces (M-Audio allowed for multi M-Audio cards, RME I think does as well).
 
After downloading the manual for the interface I thought "Aha!" OP can use the 3/4 inputs and run everything through the Saffire.
No such luck. Although there is a clutch of audio connectors on the back panel, none are a third and fourth input. (daft I calls it!)

If the need is just to send all the PC sounds out through monitors then the PC's 1/8"(ugh!) jack can feed either a switch or a monitor controller or even a small mixer together with the output of the AI.

I have such a mixer taking the output of two computer's PCI sound cards. Two 2496 in one PC and one in a second. If I want to listen to a USB AI I just jack it into another line input. Or indeed on very rare occasions, the OBS output of my i3 HP lappy.

Dave.
 
Why don't you use the Sapphire for everything? It will sound better than onboard sound. There is no reason to use the onboard sound card on the computer.

I use a Tascam US-144 as my soundcard. Works great
 
winkosmosis said:
Why don't you use the Sapphire for everything? It will sound better than onboard sound. There is no reason to use the onboard sound card on the computer.

I use a Tascam US-144 as my soundcard. Works great
Click to expand...

Yes, we know but you can only do that if you DON'T use ASIO drivers and we all know they give the lowest latency.

Of course IF the OP had bought a "decent" AI like the KA6 he would have two extra inputs to play with!

Think thrice. Buy once!

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Yes, we know but you can only do that if you DON'T use ASIO drivers and we all know they give the lowest latency.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but I didn't understand that at all. Why can't the OP use ASIO drivers?

I do exactly what winkosmosis does, run all sounds through my interface (firepod). I don't do any switching between interface and onboard sound.

Latency is an important consideration for recording. For playing games or listening or music it's not so critical. However, as you note, ASIO drivers (which I'm using) give the lowest latency anyway.
 
"
I do exactly what winkosmosis does, run all sounds through my interface (firepod). I don't do any switching between interface and onboard sound."

Agreed Gekko but we must get our terms right as I understand things.

Certainly you can route all computer SOUNDS, tube, radio etc through an external interface and use ASIO drivers. What you cannot do is route the internal sound CARD through that device.

AFAIK, if the OP want to run his games noises out of his OBSoundcard he must use the headphone out and Windows will only run ONE "soundcard" at a time as ASIO (even if the OBS supports ASIO).

I cheated and fitted a pair of 2496 cards and killed OBS in the BIOS!

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
"
I do exactly what winkosmosis does, run all sounds through my interface (firepod). I don't do any switching between interface and onboard sound."

Agreed Gekko but we must get our terms right as I understand things.

Certainly you can route all computer SOUNDS, tube, radio etc through an external interface and use ASIO drivers. What you cannot do is route the internal sound CARD through that device.

AFAIK, if the OP want to run his games noises out of his OBSoundcard he must use the headphone out and Windows will only run ONE "soundcard" at a time as ASIO (even if the OBS supports ASIO).

I cheated and fitted a pair of 2496 cards and killed OBS in the BIOS!

Dave.
Click to expand...

Not to labour the point, which is exactly what I am doing, but why would you want to run an internal soundcard through an external interface? And how do you figure the OP wants to do that?

What he was asking, as much as I can figure out, was whether there was some way he could use both his interface and his onboard soundcard. The answer is, as you pointed out, no he can't. He has to choose.

His choices are:

1 Do what he has been doing: switching from one to the other according to what he is doing, and switching his jack accordingly; or
2 Route all sounds through the interface and ignore the OB sound.

My recommendation (as I've noted already) is the second.

Note that the OP refers to a "powerful motherboard, touting excellent onboard graphics for game", which I would expect these days. But he does not mention the attributes of the soundcard, and I expect it will be some kind of Realtek thing, and no great loss if not used.
 
gecko zzed said:
Not to labour the point, which is exactly what I am doing, but why would you want to run an internal soundcard through an external interface? And how do you figure the OP wants to do that?

What he was asking, as much as I can figure out, was whether there was some way he could use both his interface and his onboard soundcard. The answer is, as you pointed out, no he can't. He has to choose.

His choices are:

1 Do what he has been doing: switching from one to the other according to what he is doing, and switching his jack accordingly; or
2 Route all sounds through the interface and ignore the OB sound.

My recommendation (as I've noted already) is the second.

Note that the OP refers to a "powerful motherboard, touting excellent onboard graphics for game", which I would expect these days. But he does not mention the attributes of the soundcard, and I expect it will be some kind of Realtek thing, and no great loss if not used.
Click to expand...

Yes, again I agree. OP need to route all his sounds through the AI. I am at a loss to know why he does not or thinks he cannot do that.

Dave.
 
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