• Registered: 2012-03-16
  • Posts: 14

Topic: How to monitor Cubase external effects via Totalmix

Hi there.

I have some trouble finding the right settings in Totalmix, so that I can monitor the effect of my outboard gear. I use a RME hsdp9652 card. Via adat I use two Focusrite Saffire pro 26 I/o and an ada8000 to end up with 24 analog ins and outs. They are of course not connected to the computer via FireWire but via adat through the hdsp card. I am trying to use outboard gear as external effects in cubase 5. I have no problem routing audio out of my adat units (eg. ada8000) and in to my outboard (eg. Gap pre73). I'm also capable of returning the audio from my outboard and in to Cubase again, but my problem is with the monitoring settings in totalmix. I can't figure out how to monitor the return from my outboard alone without also monitoring the send signal. I can record the processed signal to separate tracks, but when monitoring the signal I hear both dry and wet signals combined resulting in some comb-filter sounding audio.

How do I monitor the wet signal returning from my outboard gear, without the dry signal sent from Cubase?

Best regards

Kasper

  • Registered: 2012-03-16
  • Posts: 14

Re: How to monitor Cubase external effects via Totalmix

Hi there.

I'm having some problems with reamping and using outboard gear du to the many options provided by the Totalmix software.

My DAW is Cubase 5, and I've unsuccesfully tried routing audio out from Totalmix to outboard without getting this combfiltering effect or backfeed-like sounds. 've also tried reamping, which didn't succeed either due to backfeeding inside totalmix(?) and the early introduction of converter distortion.

I've tried it in two ways.

One is using Cubase's External Effects with outboard, which ended up as described above. I routed a signal to an adat output of my Behringer ada8000 and into a compressor (rnc 1773) and back into the line-in on the ada8000. I couldn't figure out, how to only listen to the affected signal, without also monitoring the signal I was feeding the compressor - thus having "phase"-like or combfiltering-like problems.

Secondly, I tried making an output bus on submix no. 4. Then in Cubase, I assigned a guitartrack's output destination to analog out 4. I then fed that signal to my chain of floorpedals, into af GAP pre-73 preamp with Low-Z engaged and from there to an adat input. That's where the feeding startet, unless i kept the submix channels fader almost at maximum attenuation. If I took the signal through my pedals and in to a guitaramp, I got notecible converter distortion on the amp, making it impossible to hear, wether the distortion came from my pedals or the converters(if it was the converters producing the distortion... The preamps weren't clipping). Trying to record the amp with a mic, again produced this feedback sound.

How do I setup Totalmix for this? I've read and watched loads of guides, tutorials and postet my problems on different forums (even here: http://www.rme-audio.de/forum/viewtopic … 181#p74181), without getting any qualified help. The only thing I found out was, that other people succesfully use a function called "Loopback", which the 9652 model doesn't support... Then what?

My 9652 is coupled with a device (can't remember the name) wich applies 4 analog stereo outs to the 9652.
I use two Focusrite Saffire pro 26 I/O soundcards in standalone mode as preamp/adat along with an ADA8000 as a total of 24 ins.

Could anyone please explain this to me, or provide me with a link, to where I can find the help I need. I started the quest for a solution more than one year ago, and I'm now so frustrated, I'm thinking of selling my 9652, to get another product, that is more userfriendly (to me anyways)

Thank you in advance.

Kasper Bjerre
Denmark

  • Registered: 2012-03-16
  • Posts: 14

Re: How to monitor Cubase external effects via Totalmix

Bump DeadHorse

  • Registered: 2012-03-16
  • Posts: 14

Re: How to monitor Cubase external effects via Totalmix

Okay - so far I found out this much:

There is no internal loopback available on the 9652 card, which means, I have to make a physical loopback by hooking up adat out with adat in via cable on the card.

Problem is, I'd hate to crawl behind all my gear to get acces to the card, everytime I want to use outboard when mixing, and then going back and changing it, when I want my four different monitor mixes for recording bands..

Can this physical loopback be done on the back of my Behringer ada8000 instead? That would be really handy, since it is in reach from my workspace...

  • Registered: 2012-07-23
  • Posts: 1

Re: How to monitor Cubase external effects via Totalmix

Hi Bjerre,

as Admin Knut and vinark already stated in your other thread regarding this problem, you only have to set up Cubase 5 external FXs correctly. Also you don't have to mess around with TotalMix (unless you have totally screwed up the factory preset...i guess).

I personally don't have a TotalMix RME card (just an older Digi9652 card which will be turned into a RayDAT quite soon) but i use Cubases external FX all the time without any hassle.

For example, i have an TC M-One connected via SPDIF IO's and can use it as a FX unit inside Cubase. I have to do a realtime bounce when mixing down the master but that's no problem.
Also i have my Mindprint EnVopice Mk II channelstrip hooked up to Cubase via the external FX. This way i can record clean vocals (uncompressed, un-EQ'd) in Cubase and do the processing afterwards during the mix etc.

So i guess you just have to study your Cubase 5 manual to fully understand the audio signal flow when using external FX.
But believe me....it's not so hard once you got it..

CU