Echo Layla 3G and Layla 24/96 dual setup

S

Setanta

New member
Hi!

Very new to this. :confused:

I've used my Echo Layla 3G with Cubase without any major heartache. I recently had a chance to pick up a Layla 24/96 at a good price. I have connected both devices using an ADAT cable. I also have them connected with a BNC wordclock cable.

If I right click the speaker icon on the taskbar, and select 'Playback Devices,' I can see the Layla 3g, designated as Analogue 1/2, 2/3...up to 7/8. I also see another Layla (no mention of 24/96), which looks very similar, except that it's referred to as digital, not analogue.

Nothing too strange then. :)

However, when I fire up Cubase (6.5), I don't see the additional eight digital channels from the Layla 24/96, as expected.

Am I missing something really obvious here?

Is the ADAT cable link adequate to connect the two devices so that I have sixteen available channels in Cubase or do I have to also connect the 24/96 using the additional PCI card and breakout cable that came with the device? :confused:
 
Unfortunately, they are not compatible! :facepalm: I started off thinking that I could utilise the eight additional inputs on the 24/96 by connecting them via ADAT. That didn't work. :o I then followed miroslav's advice and attempted to install the second PCI card. The computer wouldn't even boot. I contacted Echo Tech Support, explained that I had bought both the Layla 3G and 24/96 second hand but would appreciate their assistance. A really helpful guy called marcel replied, asked me to try a few things. I managed, with his help, to get both PCI cards installed at the same time. But only when the 24/96 was the primary device. As the 24/96 doesn't have phantom power, this went down like a ton of bricks with our vocalist. :spank:

Tried everything i could think of to make the two devices talk. Nuthin' worked. I could see both in Cubase. And I had sixteen visible inputs but the eight digital inputs did not function. Finally marcel said that they would never talk - something about the audio stack in Windows 7. I've no idea what that is, apart from it being a deal breaker for my two Layla's. :(

The annoying thing is, both function perfectly on their own (apart from the 24/96 not having phantom power) but refuse to talk to each other. Kinda like one of those old couples you sometimes see down the pub. Great pity but there ya go.

Thought I'd let you know in case somebody else was thinking of going down the same road. ;)
 
Some equipment can be daisychained. The Echo firewire products are an example.

I wonder if you can set up one device to work in stand alone mode (you can set that up, I think, from the Echo console). In that device, see if you can route the input from each channel to a digital output channel. Connect to the "primary" unit by ADAT. For clocking, you will need to run the word clock connections, so that the second device slaves its clock from the primary. Grab your manuals and check out stand alone operation. EDIT: the term "stand alone" might not be used, but you should be able to create the required internal routing from the Echo console.

I don't believe that you would be able to specifically control one device by the other, but you still might get your 16 channels.

Not sure, of course if any of this will work. I do have an Echo Audiofire 8, but I haven't used the Layla units, and I work in Linux. However, the above strategy is what I would try.

By the way, just be aware that using ADAT will limit you to sample rates of 44.1kHz or 48kHz.

Keep us posted! Paul
 
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Regarding the clocking, on the primary device, use the console to set the clock to Internal. On the secondary device, set the clock to Word Clock (or external). You will need to connect the word clock ports with a digital audio cable.

A digital audio cable will use 75 ohm RF cable with BNC connectors.

Example: Blue Jeans Cables 2 feet of Belden 1505F cable with BNC connectors = $19 plus freight.

Paul
 
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Already connected by BNC and ADAT, as indicated in my first post, thanks.

Here's a snapshot of the console. Layla 3G Console.PNG

Under 'Clock Source' the only options available to me are 'Internal' or 'MTC.' No idea why but ADAT isn't being picked up. :facepalm: No option to select 'Word.' This is with the 24/96 PCI's card taken out. It's the same result with it in, however, so I don't think this is an issue.

I'm really lost here. had hoped that it would be as easy as it said it would in the Layla 3G manual: The Windows drivers included in this package support multiple Echo products within the same system. In addition, your new Echo hardware will operate alongside other Echo products. Echo hardware can also peacefully coexist with audio equipment from other manufacturers Unfortunately,they don't! :(

Thanks for your advice PRHunt. it was worth a shot! :thumbs up:
 

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Can't speak for the compatibility of two different models of Echo products...but I run 3 Layla24 boxes w/PCI cards simultaneoulsy without issues.
 
May I ask if you run Windows 7 miroslav? I ask 'cos the Echo Tech Support guy said that he thought my problems were being caused by Windows 7 audio stack. If you are also running Windows 7 then my guess is that there is some sort of issue with my motherboard, in which case it would be cheaper to buy a new Layla 3G. :facepalm:
 
Nope...I run W2K and/or XP...I have two DAW boxes.

I don't believe the Layla24 drivers went beyond XP (maybe Vista)...though I think Win7 is an altogether different animal when it comes to audio AFA those older drivers.
 
I understand that you want to use analog input on the second device, and use the ADAT output on that device to feed the ADAT input on the primary device?

Reference the second device. By default, the ADAT outputs take their data from the respective ADAT inputs and the analog outputs take their data from the respective analog inputs). You need to change the default routing so that the second device routes audio data from its Analog inputs to its ADAT outputs.

Did you do that?

Each device requires installation of the respective PCI card to operate, so leave both installed. The devices will not "talk", nor will one device control another. However, you should be able to stream data and a clock from one into the other.

Here is what I would try:

1 You need to run the Echo Cosole for each device to select ADAT for digital I/O, and to assign clocking (one unit set to Internal, the other set to Word).

2 On which ever device you choose to send ADAT, you also need to use its Echo Console mixer controls to route the analog inputs to the ADAT outputs. On the screen shot posted above, you would click on, for example, D1-2 and then click on A1-2 as inputs. So on for all eight channels. These devices are designed for quite flexible routing, and it's all described in the manual. (With my Audiofire, I found all this a little less than intuitive and needed a few readings to make sense of it.)

I skimmed the 24/96 and 3G product manuals for each unit, and it seems that settings are saved to the PC, rather than stored in the device firmware (as they are on my Audiofire). So you would save the settings, and then run the console to load the configuration (there's an option to load the last console session when the console runs, and you can set the console to automatically run when you log in to Windows).

Try getting the data routing working, then worry about the clocking (obviously, though, both devices must run at the same sample rate).

You state that both function on their own, which makes me fairly confident that you should be able to do what you want.

Paul
 
Thanks Paul, for your very detailed explanation. I'll try what you've suggested. We have visitors coming over to stay with us for a few days so I'm not going to get to it right away but I 'll post back as soon as I do. Thanks again, I appreciate you giving up your time to help an audiotechinfant.
 
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