• Registered: 2008-04-18
  • Posts: 11

Topic: Totalmix FF800 question about using external hardware/routing....

Hi - I posted this thread on the Reaper forum as well, but I think I may be able to do this within Totalmix
without latency.  I'd really appreciate some help with this as I plan to do this with a hardware compressor on master
buss as well.

Thanks!

Ok - so this is the only similar thread I could find -

http://forum.cockos.com/showthread.p...are+compressor

I'm trying to run a stereo mix from Reaper through my preamp and back into Reaper. I'll also need to figure out how to do this with a hardware compressor as that will likely be my next purchase -

So - I ran TRS/XLR male cable from outputs 1,2 of FF800 into XLR inputs of preamp->then ran XLR female/TRS cable from outputs of preamp to inputs 5,6 of FF800. (also tried this from outputs 5,6 of FF)
I then played a stereo mix in reaper and I used reainsert plugin on the track with audio to bring in the audio from inputs 5,6 - I could hear a distinct delay/phasey sound for some reason no matter what I tried. I used the auto detect for reainsert as well. Am I setting this up correctly? Is there a better way to do it without latency? I tried different buffer settings as well. Can I do a send/return on the master track?
I'm also reading up on possibly using Totalmix FF800 software to see if I can route everything there, so if anyone is familiar with that/FF800 that would be great.

I'd really appreciate some help with this. I've been using plugins for this kind of thing for a long time and I'm just getting into using more hardware.

So within Totalmix would I need to use "loopback mode" to solve this?

In addition to the latency, the eq on my preamp also seemed to easily cause feedback, so I'm sure I had something routed wrong in totalmix.  There is no issue with my preamp.

  • syah
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  • Registered: 2012-02-18
  • Posts: 42

Re: Totalmix FF800 question about using external hardware/routing....

Make sure that input 5/6 faders are closed for submix (output) 1/2, or else you could get feedback.

So you use output 1/2 to feed the playback channels 1/2 (middle row on totalmix) to the external hardware. From that you send it back into totalmix on channels 5/6. You now have to focus on the outputs 5/6, which you want to use for loopback. Open the output faders 5/6 and then feed them with input 5/6. Set loopback on for output 5/6 and the signal is send to Reaper directly. In Reaper you have to make sure that the input (from 5/6) is NOT send out to output 1/2 also. Because this also could create feedback.

  • Registered: 2008-04-18
  • Posts: 11

Re: Totalmix FF800 question about using external hardware/routing....

syah - thank you very much!  That was very helpful.  It took a while, but I followed your instructions and got it working.  However, I have another question.

First - here's what I did -

1. Connected FF outputs 5, 6 to inputs of preamp
2. Conected outputs of preamp to FF inputs 5, 6
3. Made sure on submix output 1, 2 that 5, 6 input faders were closed
4. Opened output faders in totalmix on channels 5, 6 and set to loopback
5. GREY AREA - I had to close the input faders on channels 5, 6 on submix output 5, 6 or I got feedback (not sure I understand why as even when the input faders were closed, I could see the signal on inputs 5, 6 and outputs 5, 6 in loopback mode)

With the above setup (and I saved as a totalmix preset) I could then hear the signal from the preamp in reaper by simply arming a track set to inputs 5, 6.  I could use my preamps eq and gain to affect the signal as well.  The only thing that surprised me is this - when I increased the gain to bring in more preamp sound/mojo, I could hear the output increasing in my headphones and I could see the output increasing in total mix on the 5, 6 inputs, but on the Reaper channel the signal did not increase in output.  I'm thinking this could be done somehow since I'm sure people do this with external compressors on the 2 buss all the time.  Any ideas on this??
I'm sure it's something simple I'm overlooking, but I'm really glad I got this working without any latency! smile

  • syah
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  • Registered: 2012-02-18
  • Posts: 42

Re: Totalmix FF800 question about using external hardware/routing....

Your method is even better and al little less complex. I'm glad you could use my instructions. It was my interpretation of how you wanted to set it up, but it works for you now slightly different, so that's fine wink

I guess the only piece of the puzzle you are missing now is how the loopback actually works. When activating the loopback button, you are activating a so called b-input (a second input channel on the driver). The inputs 5/6 on totalmix are still active and at the same time, loopback switches the driver input 5/6 to take the output of channels 5/6 instead of the signal that is fed to inputs 5/6 on the totalmixer (analog inputs).

The only way to control the levels on the loopback channel (the input in your DAW) is changing the volume on the outputfader of the loopback channel.

I hope this helps you to get a deeper understanding of the routing possibilities of the RME.