Cannot monitor playback without switching paths on Maudio Audiophile 2496 Soundcard

[Arnold Jackson]

Hi guys. I am having a problem that might be obvious to some, but it's driving me crazy.

When I record material with Cool Edit Pro, and then go to play it back, I am unable to monitor it, unless I switch the monitoring selection on my Maudio mixer to "Wave Out 1/2."

To record, and hear my guitar through my speakers, in real time, I must have the option "H/W in 1/2" selected.

This forces me to keep switching back and forth to each, in order to hear the results. Also, this makes multitracking almost impossible.

Can anyone suggest some settings to cure this problem? I want to be able to record and playback without worry.

Again, I apologize if this comes across as a very rudimentary question, but I'm stumped.

The selections that the Maudio mixer offers, other than the two already mentioned are the following:

Under H/W Out 1/2:

1. Monitor Mixer
2. S/PDIF In
3. S/PDIF In (L/R Rev.)

The other options are listed on the far right side of the monitor, and are for "H/W Out S/PDIF" only.

The middle selections are grayed out and are not available. I've tried various combinations.

Thanks for your help!

 

[tmix]

I can Help

I just got through helping a friend with the same problem.

I dont want to bore you with too much info, so I'll give you the short answer first. If that is'nt enough get back!

When you are looking at the M-Audio applet routing page, you are looking at an on board digital mixer and its various output assignments.

What ever you choose in the column 1/2 out (H/w in or wav out or Monitor mixer) is what will appear at the outputs.
Hardware in will simply bounce what is present at the inputs directly to the outputs.
Wav out will direct the out puts of your prerecorded music on your computer to the outputs.
Monitor mixer will allow you to use the mixer screen of the souncard to blend both the inputs AND outputs of your computer to the outs of the soundcard.

In other words, if you want to record a new track and listen to the recorded tracks at the same time, use the monitor mixer.
You will see several sliders representing your card's inputs and wav sources from the computer.(plus a main out for overall loudness) simply make sure the channels on the applet are not muted and bring the siders up to achieve the balance of what you want to hear.

This in NO WAY effects the levels of what is being recorded, just what you are listening to ( Actually there is a way to hose it up and effect the recording, but just don't choose monitor mixer as your recording choice in your recording software.)

Really the only time you would want to assign simply the wav out to the card outs is when you are doing a lot of final mixdowns at higher volumes, you can bypass the monitor mixer which will sometimes distort because it doesnt have a lot of headroom.

hope that helps!

Tom

 

[Bulls Hit]

Good answer Tom.

That M-Audio mixer is just TOO damn flexible sometimes

 

[Arnold Jackson]

Got it!

Thank you so much!!!!

I was right, it was a simple answer. I wa simply ignoring the fact that the levels were not only muted, but that I had to bring them up.

You have made my day!

 

[tmix]

You Bet!
What can be confusing about the mixer template is that what level you see on the input or wav in meter is what level is being sent to it... not what is being passed through.

It is helpful in locating too strong an input signal for those software programs that don't have good input metering but that is about it.

Tom