Allen and Heath ZED16FX recording problem!!

ZOMBLUE

New member
Hiya
I have been trying out compact/analog mixers for the last 6 months, looking for something versatile for band/karaoke/recording/etc -
So far I've tried Presonus AR16 (Loved but LOTS of hardware defects and problems), Mackie ProFX16v2, Yamaha NC16XU, and now my
Allen and Heath ZED16FX which I adore!... but though all the above mentioned mixers worked & I had NO problem recording with those, my A&H is giving me fits.

I have a Super clean and fast win10 pc and all the other mixers I had worked fine with it, but though the ZED16FX has no problem streaming from the pc,
I cannot get a channel into the board to work. I can't understand it and even called Allen and Heath, who said it must be a setting on the comp, because if I have signal one way PC (OUT), I should also have it the other (IN). Their only other answer was to send it in at $75/hr to get it looked at, but he swore it's just a setting...but in EVERY program? I've gotta be missing something here lol

This board does not have drivers to update, as it's made to plug n play. I have Cubase LE AI Elements 9, Studio One Artist 3, Traktion 6, and Audacity (the ol standby). I should've at least gotten Audacity to get a signal?!

I have set everything to USB AUDIO CODEC for both speakers and mic (which is how the A&H is labeled), but still nada. I am not very familiar with these DAWS, so I definitely could be missing some settings, though I've done all I could find to do on my own.

ANY help is appreciated! I REALLY want to keep this board, and realize I could find a standalone recording option, but... it'd still be sweet to record with my A&H.
 
Howdy Z! I have a ZED10 and I think yours, like mine is an early unit and therefore USB 1.1 'Generic drivers' and 16 bits. I strongly suspect a setting in the PC that is not allowing the mixer to input. Have you tried the Klite CODEC pack? Download safely from 'ninite.com' .

I don't have W10 anymore (HAVE to get another junker pc!) but I could run my Z10 up and do you some screen shots?

But, as a 16bit, two channel recorder the old ZED is a bit 'nah'? Ok for a scratch band mix but not great for general song building (neither is Audacity of course!). There IS a solution! Two in fact...

1) A PCI/PCIe soundcard such as my 2496. Still just the two tracks but 24 bits and a -95dB noise floor.
2) (REALLY good this!) The Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 interface. You run the mixer into lines 3 and 4 and you still have 2 more mic ins and 4 tracks, plus MIDI and digital I/O. 24 bits, better than a -100dBFS noise floor and blindingly low latency.

Of course you could run the zed into any AI with line inputs.

Let me know if I can be of further help and I will blow the dust off the old A&H! Last thought for now..ASIO4ALL?

Dave.
 
I have set everything to USB AUDIO CODEC for both speakers and mic (which is how the A&H is labeled), but still nada. I am not very familiar with these DAWS, so I definitely could be missing some settings, though I've done all I could find to do on my own.

It sounds like you are doing everything right. Try downloading this file ASIO4All and install it. Audacity can not read it, but your others DAWs should. When you start a track and arm it to record, does it look something what my pic below looks like? This is using wave out. The pic below that, shows the ASIO4ALL file being recognized.

View attachment 100796

View attachment 100797

If you already don't know, most mixers will only give you a left and a right channel into your DAW, regardless of how many inputs it may have. So you can only record two tracks at a time. Also, you need to check and see what type of USB Buss you have. If it is 2.0 or 3 on your computer and your mixer is set up for 1.1, that may be your problem, but I can not say with 100% accuracy.

View attachment 100798

ANY help is appreciated! I REALLY want to keep this board, and realize I could find a standalone recording option, but... it'd still be sweet to record with my A&H.

That the way I feel about my gear as well, even the ones I know are so out dated, I just can't seem to let them go! Now, about your signature tag like. I have been studying close up magic since 1979. We may have to agree to disagree.
:listeningmusic:
 
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Thanks Mack! I have something I’ve installed with ASIO on my pc but don’t remember what and I’m not around it atm - But will look into all of this in the morning. Appreciate it!
 
Thanks Dave! I DO have ASIO (something) on my pc - I’ll have to look tomorrow, I always use Klite codecs packs n they’re installed and updated - and I dunno about changing my card out cause I have a laptop- now if it was a desktop np I’ve worked on em since ‘98 lol.
— I’ll check into everything in the morning. I really appreciate your input!
 
Ty Dave - I have been looking into audio interfaces as well, ty for recommending that one, I’ll look into it also! :)
 
Allen & Heath not showing up as mic in (USB) on PC

Ok upon looking at my setup here I’ll try to post a screenshot of the ASIO program I had on comp along with the settings at top and how (I think) I should set it at the bottom? Haven’t tried it yet because there’s no directions, but I'm assuming this is what I do?

Maybe I don't have permissions to post the screenshot? I tried from phone and pc.

I'll just give it a shot n see if it changes anything as far as my pc and the A&H mixer
 
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ok so I made sure that the USB AUDIO CODEC was selected for both speaker and mic, then tried it in Cubase and Audacity - still NOTHING!... sigh -- Because it's the same on ALL of the DAWS I have installed and Still DOESNT WORK, I'm thinking it's got to be a universal setting on the comp I'm missing, or the USB send is not working properly? I had already installed and ran the ASIO program prior to posting here, but went back and Unchecked and RECHECKED the proper boxes for designating those settings to be default, but nothing...

HAS ANYONE BEEN ABLE TO RECORD WITH THIS MIXER? Allen & Heath ZED16FX???
 
I'll take a guess........ :)
Is it routing of the signals on the board? Looks like to get a channel to the USB it needs to hit the AUX 1-2 bus and go through a switch. Plug something into the AUX 1 or 2 bus outs that you can monitor with to make sure signal is getting on the bus and out. The AUX 1 & 2 pots will need to be cranked up a bit.

Looked at it again and the signal can come from the Main Bus as well, either pre or post Main fader. If set for post main fader, make sure the fader is up.

Looks like a decent mixing board. :thumbs up:
 

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Yes Mark, this should work. I shall have a play with my Z10 the morrow and see what STOPS it working!

Dave.
 
Got up crack of, hooked A&H to HP i3 laptop. Now, did you wait until the 3 driver/CODEC installations had finished? I did.

The mixer recorded fine, actually a battery metronome. N.B. Rec' level were set in Windows to 5% and with the mixer's meter blipping the FIRST LED I get -15dBFS or so on the DAW (Sam SE8) .

The spectrum shows why these early 16bit USB mixers are such a poor idea*, lots of spikey stuff. To be fair, the peak noise is a decent -74dBFS and rms even better at -86. Most specs give weighted figures to they would likely be -80 and -90 in the sales blurb. The NI KA6 (and most other modern 24 bit AIs ) would be better than -100dB unwtd and no spikey bits!

On the mixer, you need the 'REC' button pressed to send the signal to the USB converter.

All this done a bit quickly with Sam 8 but can try Audacity if you like. One possible issue, you have got the system set for 16 bit record and play?

*This is NOT a failing of A&H! All the first generation USB 16 bit mixers had this 'artifact' problem, inherent in the then available chips I guess? A&H and others have moved to 24 bits as soon it seems as it was economically feasible. In fact, properly setup in Windows, the mixer is capable of excellent recordings of 'noisy' stuff like a rock band. All that USB crap will be WAY down on pub noise!

Ooops! Did not say! SM57 25mm from metronome.
Dave.
 

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Oh! Weirdness personified!

See attached. The ONLY way I could get a signal into Audacity is using MME drivers and Ms Sound Mapper. I went through all other permutations AFAICT.

Note, set in 'Edit/Preferences' for 16bits and the above driver and device. I have slammed the levels (50%) for the duration.

I have both Cubase (Ell'6) and Reaper but have not touched them in months so I shall only tackle those if the need REALLY is great!

I strongly suggest a download of Samplitude Pro X 3 demo. Love that for a month then get Sam Silver. It is also pretty good for MIDI but Cubase is better.

And BTW, Audacity did not 'see' ASIO4ALL at all-at all.

GOTTA Work innit?

Ah! Anyone know why the grey area in Audacity is empty, no waveform? It gets grabbed from Sam.
Dave.
 

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Ah! Anyone know why the grey area in Audacity is empty, no waveform? It gets grabbed from Sam. Dave.

"Microsoft Sound Mapper' or simply 'Wave Mapper') often becomes the default driver for both audio playback and recording after you install a new audio application, and it may if you've recently installed a new audio interface. However, it isn't really a driver, but a virtual device installed automatically with Windows, which simply results in your application using whatever default devices you've already chosen for both sound recording and sound playback in the Control Panel's 'Sounds and Audio Devices' applet".

I have yet to have "Sound Mapper" work on any of my applications. I read the explanation above from this site. It may help you out.
 
"Microsoft Sound Mapper' or simply 'Wave Mapper') often becomes the default driver for both audio playback and recording after you install a new audio application, and it may if you've recently installed a new audio interface. However, it isn't really a driver, but a virtual device installed automatically with Windows, which simply results in your application using whatever default devices you've already chosen for both sound recording and sound playback in the Control Panel's 'Sounds and Audio Devices' applet".

I have yet to have "Sound Mapper" work on any of my applications. I read the explanation above from this site. It may help you out.

I think we are at cross purposes here Mack? I was just referring to the lack of modulation in the screen grab, Ms Mapper worked fine..but nothing else did and I wondered if this is a byway the OP had not tried?

(I have since done another 'grab' of Audacity and it worked! As I have said, many times, I am better with valves.)

Dave.
 
See, MOTs don't check the nut holding the steering wheel! Dave.

That's funny. Last year a young lady moved from Florida into the condo above me. She kept having problems with her battery losing charge. After looking at it, I told her the problem was the "Nut Behind The Steering Wheel". She instantly gave me the "Deer In The Headlight Look".

I told her we needed a can of coke, a old hair brush and a gallon of water to fix it. Again with the look. After waiting outside for 5 min in 27 degree weather, she returned with all three items. I took the hair brush and cleaned the battery terminals, poured the coke over them, than brushed them again 5 min later. I took the water and diluted the corrosion that the coke had eaten up. Then I removed her engine oil fill cap and rubbed the sludge often found and wiped in on the clean terminals.

She asked what did me doing what I did, have to do with the "Nut Behind The Steering Wheel". I asked her to sit in her car so she could stay warm. She did. I asked her, now, "not what, but who is the nut behind the steering wheel". She just started busting out laughing. I then explained to her that up north in Virginia, batteries have a cold cranking rating and that she must make sure that her terminals remain clean or it will spell death to her battery.

She still has the same battery the dealership wanted $350.00 to replace and 2 days after I cleaned her terminals, I had two dozen CC Cookies sitting at my back door with a very lovely thank you note. That was close to 8 months ago.
 
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Hiya arcaxis - I’m down to that conclusion and just this minute was going to look through those settings, as it’s the only thing left to try. I haven’t had this mixer very long, so hadn’t explored all of those options yet ( weren’t needed until now)... but thought I’d check on this thread first and low n behold you have just narrowed down this area for me, cause the documentation I just got on it shows ALL Variations and THAT was a bit overwhelming lol. Ok - so, I’m off to give it a go! THANKS!!!
 
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