monitoring effects

[acoustic rain]

I want monitor effects while recording vocals (but not record the effect). My thought is that I can use an insert cable and plug it into an effects unit (Lexicon MX 200, TC Electronics M-350) and then out to my audio interface (Lexicon Alpha). However, I seem to remember (yes, it's been quite a while) that there needs to be a send and return in order for this to work. Do I need a mixer with inserts? Please advise as to the simplest setup (or maybe not so simple) so I can properly achieve my goal. Thank you!

 

[JimmyS1969]

Monitor from your DAW while recording. Insert the effects on the channel you are recording to in the software. It won't print the effects to the recording.

Now the speed of your PC and the quality/latency of the Alpha driver will come into play here as to how much you can get away with...

If you ran an external effects unit to the input of your interface, it will record the effects.

Now if you desire to use a mixer to do this I would recommend a really good (expensive) one. Better spending the money on a decent interface with DSP effects or a computer/interface that can just do what you need without the mixer.

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Monitor from your DAW while recording. Insert the effects on the channel you are recording to in the software. It won't print the effects to the recording.

Turn on the DAW's input monitoring, mute the channel, create a pre-fader send to the effect, do your actual input monitoring through the interface as usual. That gets you low latency monitoring with effects.

 

[MrWrenchey]

Better spending the money on a decent interface with DPS effects or a computer/interface that can just do what you need without the mixer.

Yeah, you always want to make sure your interface has good Damage Per Second. First thing I look for.

 

[JimmyS1969]

Yeah, you always want to make sure your interface has good Damage Per Second. First thing I look for.

LOL! Dyslexia has reared it's ugly head.

 

[CoolCat]

you can do that on the line 6 UX 8 unit I have, it has dry and effects choices....so track one can be Ch1 (dry) and track 2 can be Ch 9 (wet mono effects) or Track 3 can be CH9&10 stereo w/ effects). all recorded the same time.

if you can find one, they are also a decent 8x8 preamp, $180-$280 ish.

 

[acoustic rain]

Monitoring effects while recording

I have tried to adjust my latency on the Alpha but it wasn't good enough to record. Expensive mixer isn't in the budget. I used to do this with a Behringer MX-1804X using an insert cable and the channel inserts. Am I to understand that I cannot use one of the above-mentioned effects units with an insert cable (knowing neither one has an insert) to monitor the effects and that they will record along with the vocals? And with that said, I'd need a mixer with inserts? Sorry if I'm being redundant, but I like to hear a little reverb when I'm recording vocals.

I may have to bite the bullet and get a mixer. Any ideas as to a decent low budget mixers with effects and channel inserts?

Thanks for all your help. I am relearning the process and it's little harder now than it was 15 years ago when I had the necessary equipment.

 

[mixsit]

I have tried to adjust my latency on the Alpha but it wasn't good enough to record. ..

Question 1- Forgetting effects for a second ('good latency for the reverb in a headphone mix doesn't even matter much.) Does that mean the latency is poor enough for your monitoring and recording in general?

Am I to understand that I cannot use one of the above-mentioned effects units with an insert cable (knowing neither one has an insert)... snip

Doesn't make sense.

..to monitor the effects and that they will record along with the vocals? And with that said, I'd need a mixer with inserts?

To monitor your track being recorded plus an effect with out being recorded requires two completely separate paths; The one going directly to the recorder, and a split off of the input going just to the FX, then both to the headphones.
A mixer for example doing the mic pre, feeding line-in to your Alpha, with an aux send to your FX box back into the mixer, then blending into the mixer's head phone out is one way. (The mixer would need another pair of inputs to bring any previously recorded tracks back to the headphones mix as well.

An insert isn't needed in this application by the way. An insert is when you want to pass all the signal through another device and pass that effected signal on as one. You don't want that.

Sorry if I'm being redundant, but I like to hear a little reverb when I'm recording vocals.

First 'question 1, then did you try what Jimmy and Boulder said? Again, we want latency good enough for decent monitoring, but that aside, you can do your FX' in the software too.

I may have to bite the bullet and get a mixer. Any ideas as to a decent low budget mixers with effects and channel inserts?

so.. First things first.