Brand new setup; no sound from daw to monitors; using Reaper with Alesis io2

F

foxwaves

Member
For the past couple of years, I've been working whenever I could get a few minutes on a little home studio. Computer recording is new to me, but somehow I scrounged up enough equipment to start. Got a brand new pc (with Windows 8, unfortunately), an Alesis io2 interface, some Edirol powered monitors and so on.

I downloaded Reaper for evaluation, recorded a short test guitar track, but can't get the sound out of the monitors. I did download the Asio4all driver, also. But I am lost with all the settings for input/output and so on. I have tried a lot of different combinations, but I suppose not the right one. With my guitar plugged into the interface, I get sound through the monitors, but it seems to fade away and has a weird chorus-type effect to it.

I have fooled with this until I'm going nutty (nuttier) and am so ready to start recording and learning the basics. I know it's difficult ofsite, but I sure hope someone can steer me the righ way as to settings. I've looked in my manuals, books and online...Thanks!
 
Setting up new studio; Reaper, Alesis io2 interface, WIndows 8; need settings help!

For the past couple of years, I've been working whenever I could get a few minutes on a little home studio. Computer recording is new to me, but somehow I scrounged up enough equipment to start. Got a brand new pc (with Windows 8, unfortunately), an Alesis io2 interface, some Edirol powered monitors and so on.

I downloaded Reaper for evaluation, recorded a short test guitar track, but can't get the sound out of the monitors. I did download the Asio4all driver, also. But I am lost with all the settings for input/output and so on. I have tried a lot of different combinations, but I suppose not the right one. With my guitar plugged into the interface, I get sound through the monitors, but it seems to fade away and has a weird chorus-type effect to it.

I have fooled with this until I'm going nutty (nuttier) and am so ready to start recording and learning the basics. I know it's difficult offsite, but I sure hope someone can steer me the right way as to settings. I've looked in my manuals, books and online...Thanks!
 
Welcome Foxwaves,

you have the same setup as me except I have W7, if you klik on OPTIONS in the top line in reaper, down the bottom of the list is preferences, then try & get the same as mine! hopefully you should be good! :DView attachment 80065and klik on the ASIO configuration box to select your IO|2 as well!
 
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The 'chorus effect' indicates to me that you are monitoring your recorded signal PLUS the direct signal, the effect is from the latency of the sound loop (guitar > interface > computer > DAW > interface > speakers).

Are you sure you recorded something (when you can't hear the playback)? In other words, can you see the waveform on the track?
Make sure you have the Alesis selected as the output device in the Options menu in Reaper.
 
I reckon you'd be better of with an asio driver from the alesis site (upto date one).
Asio 4all is not truly asio.
most of us here use asio drivers with an interface. It helps with latency etc.
go look on you tube and see what others use with your interface or wait a while and someone heres bound to have the same interface and know a good solution to your dilema.
Good luck

Edit I forgot go ask in the Alesis section too. they might be more help there too.
 
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jiff 41 said:
Welcome Foxwaves,

you have the same setup as me except I have W7, if you klik on OPTIONS in the top line in reaper, down the bottom of the list is preferences, then try & get the same as mine! hopefully you should be good! :DView attachment 80065and klik on the ASIO configuration box to select your IO|2 as well!
Click to expand...

Thank you, jiff 41! I appreciate your reply. My setup matches your screenshot initially, but my inputs and output ranges all list "HD Audio Stereo input 1" (&2), and the next lines are "HD Audio Output 1" (&2) and no option for the io2. I've got something wrong somewhere!

When I go to the ASIO configuration box, under "WDM Device List" The first four lines mention Realtek High Definition Audio and the fifth line has a red "X" prior to "io2", followed by two lines also with red "Xs" that mention out and in. ANy ideas where I've gone wrong, my friend? Thanks for your time and help!! Greetings from Tennessee, USA!!
 
mjbphotos said:
The 'chorus effect' indicates to me that you are monitoring your recorded signal PLUS the direct signal, the effect is from the latency of the sound loop (guitar > interface > computer > DAW > interface > speakers).

Are you sure you recorded something (when you can't hear the playback)? In other words, can you see the waveform on the track?
Make sure you have the Alesis selected as the output device in the Options menu in Reaper.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, mjbphotos. Through the monitors, I hear the chorus effect only when I play my guitar which is plugged into my io2 interface. So far, I've only been able to get sound from my test recording to come through the pc speakers, and that has vanished since I've been tinkering with the settings. I've got waveforms, and the mixer volumes respond....I've just got something out-of-whack somewhere. I keep reading that I need to disable all pc related sounds for proper function. I feel like a greenhorn with Windows 8, and haven't explored it enough yet to see the best way to do that. I would not recommend Windows 8 to anyone!

In Reaper Preferences/Options/Midi I have io2 enable in both input and output, with Microsoft GS Wavetable Synth disabled; is that correct?

Haha, in the ASIO configuration box, I just saw one of the possible errors listed is that "Computers hate you!" At least the programmer had a sense of humor. Maybe...

Thanks again for your help!
 
kip4 said:
I reckon you'd be better of with an asio driver from the alesis site (upto date one).
Asio 4all is not truly asio.
most of us here use asio drivers with an interface. It helps with latency etc.
go look on you tube and see what others use with your interface or wait a while and someone heres bound to have the same interface and know a good solution to your dilema.
Good luck

Edit I forgot go ask in the Alesis section too. they might be more help there too.
Click to expand...

Hey kip4, thanks! I went to Alesis this weekend and downloaded their driver. In preferences, it lists my audio system as ASIO and my ASIO Driver as ASIO4ALL v2. If I need another driver, I could look.

Thanks for the suggestion! I hadn't even noticed that there was an Alesis section.

I'm not a young man, so I need to get this stuff set up if I'm going to retire filthy rich from music, hahaha. Thanks again, kip4!
 
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