Routing the Ins & Outs properly

  • Thread starter Thread starter cincy_kid
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cincy_kid

cincy_kid

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Ok, first I would like to state how appreciative I am for the help and information on this board. I have gotten lots of help already, although I feel I still know nothing ;)

That being said I will list the equipment in question:

-M Audio Quattro card
-Behringer UB 802 Mixer

Before I was given the Quattro from a friend I had a consumer quality sound card (sound Blaster Live) and ran my set up successfully as follows:

1) XLR mic cable into mixer channel 1
2) 1/4" cord from FX SEND of mixer (which is a mono channel and separate bus) into LINE IN of SB Live
3) Y adapter with 1/8" stereo from the SB Live OUT to the TAPE IN of mixer with rca ends.
4) Pressed in button on mixer that sends TAPE IN TO CONTROL ROOM.
4) Headphones plugged into headphone jack in mixer.

This setup allowed me to record multiple tracks using Acid 4.0 and I could hear and control volumes for both the current track I was recording (using the gain/level for channel 1), as well as the already recorded ones (using the CONTROL ROOM volume). No feedback loops or whatever they are called. It was fine (other then the fact that the sound card was junk and quality was poor)

Now with the Quattro it has 4 ins and 4 outs. So the 1/4" is still going from the FX SEND to input 1 on the Quattro. Then I have 2 Balanced TRS 1/4" cords going from output 3 and output 4 and back into the mixer at channel 5/6 (Left/Right). I have tried going into 3/4 and also there are 2 stereo aux returns (Left/Right) I have all tried going into.

*NOTE - I was unable to install the ASIO drivers so I belive it defaults to WDM or something.

In the Quattro Control Panel I have choice of:

2 ins, 0 outs (24 bit / 96mhz)
0 ins, 2 outs (24 bit / 96mhz)
2 ins, 4 outs (24 bit / 44.1mhz)
4 ins, 2 outs (24 bit / 44.1mhz)
4 ins, 4 outs (24 bit / 44.1mhz.....)

I have tried all options when troubleshooting my problem. I was playing with the Ins and Outs of the sound card trying different combinations and here is what is happening:

- Outputs 3 and 4 will not allow me to hear any playback in any case.
- Outputs 1 and 2 I can hear playback everytime in any case.
- Input 3 or 4 I can hear myself in headphones, but I get no signal in acid and nothing records.
- Input 1 I can hear and record fine, but when you playback you dont hear anything, even tho it picked up the signal in Acid
- Input 2 I can hear and record fine, and when you playback you hear the track you recorded AS WELL AS the track I recorded from Input 1 all on the same track now!

So it seems as the only time I hear something is when I record into Input 2 and go out from 1 and 2 back into the mixer, but unfortuantely I get the feedback loop or whatever its called when your current track recording also has the tracks u played back on it as well.

I was told I could accomplish what I want without having to buy a headphone amp or other equipment. Is it true? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks again in advance
 
You might want to post this question over at Harmony Central in the recording forum. Explain the problem just like you did here and I'm sure they will be able to help.
 
Yep you've got yourself a nice little loop going there.

Get some 1/4" to rca converter plugs and route your soundcard outputs 1 & 2 back to Tape In on the mixer.

I don't know anythng about Acid, but you need to tell it which input to record from. Looks like it's defaulting to Input 2. If you're only recording from 1 mic at a time, it don't really matter
 
OCNOR: Thanks I may end up doing that.

Winston: I have read that a few times but thanks :)

BULLS: Yea, I am going to pick up those today and go back to going into TAPE IN.

Thanks again for your comments.
 
now what?

Ok, so I bought new cords roday. They are the ones that go from 1/4" mono to rca phono. I have them going from outputs 1/2 and into TAPE IN like suggested.

Now I can record fine, and its not giving me the loop as I did before. Its only recording the new track I am currently recording like I want it to. But there is another problem.

If I press the button in that sends TAPE IN TO CONTROL ROOM, which is how I did it with my last card, then it allows me to hear the previously recorded tracks perfectly, but I CANT hear the current track I am wanting to record. On the other hand if I depress the button thats sends TAPE IN TO CONTROL ROOM, then I can hear my current track I am recording but CANT hear any of the previously recorded tracks.

WHAT GIVES?? The only difference with my current setup and Sound Blaster setup is that Sound Blaster used a Y cable going from 1/8" from card to dual rca cables to TAPE IN. My current set up has 2 cords from 1/2 of card to rca TAPE IN.

I know if I had this working with a Sound Blaster that I can get it working with this Quattro. I know people dont like this card and it has gotten bad reviews but it still should work fine for my needs.

Any other advice? See something I am missing?
 
Does that card come with a Control Panel?

On the Delta cards control Panel, there's a setting called Monitor Mixer that seems to fix most monitoring issues
 
Yes theres a control panel, but I can only change 2 things:

1) The number of ins and outs i want to use (I am currently using 2 ins / 4 outs setting)

2) Latency (have it set to medium which is default)
 
So you've got no way of adjusting the playback volume levels of what you're recording and what you've already recorded?
 
Solved For Now

Ok all, thx so much for the replies! Ocnor posted on my other thread on harmony central and it seems to work for my just fine.

You can read it here

Basically I am running back from the card into channels 3/4 in my mixer. Before I was getting a loop but when I turned the FX knob all the way down on the return channel it solved the problem. Sorry for missing this as I am still a big noob, but appreciate everyones input and help ~

I will be back soon I am sure :o
 
Ha, I see you got to the solution I was going to suggest.
You probably get nothing on outputs 3/4 of the Quatro because your software is not feeding them.

When you had the Creative card, it was probably using a playback mixer setting that included the line in, that's how you could still hear your live input from the mixer send with the Tape-in button pushed - doing this over-rides the normal mixer input feed to the mixers monitoring (control room) section.
 
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