1 Topic by ogiboo (edited by ogiboo 2022-05-03 10:53:28)

  • Registered: 2020-10-18
  • Posts: 8

Topic: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

Hello folks,

I'm Japanese RME user. (Fireface UC, UCX II, ADI-2 DAC)
Today, please let me ask you about TotalMix FX how-to.

Is it possible to apply different EQs to the main outputs of L / R ch in TotalMix FX?
I'm using Fireface UCX II and ARC USB, and I'm trying the above for room acoustic bass correction.

- Channel cannot be separated when HW Output is assigned to Main output (Stereo indicator cannot be turned off in the case) -> Only the same EQ on the left and right can be applied.
- If I do not assign the HW Outputs to the Main output, I can separate it into Analog 1 / Analog 2 (Mono x2) then EQs can be applied to each. However, the Volume knob on the main unit or ARC USB cannot be used, since it is not the Main output.

I couldn't do what I wanted to do, so I tried Loopback etc, but it still doesn't work.
If you know a good way to do above, please could you let me know?

  • waedi
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  • Registered: 2020-12-08
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Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

The only thing comes to my mind is Reaper or any other DAW as additional software helper.
Split the signal there and apply the EQ there.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue
  • Registered: 2020-10-18
  • Posts: 8

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

Hi waedi,

I understood from your comment that there is no way to achieve it only via TotalMix inside mechanism.
ADI-2 DAC can do 2ch separate EQ with it's 5 band EQ. I was a little disappointed compared with it.

Anyway, thank you for the kind message. Have a good day!

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

- If I do not assign the HW Outputs to the Main output, I can separate it into Analog 1 / Analog 2 (Mono x2) then EQs can be applied to each. However, the Volume knob on the main unit or ARC USB cannot be used, since it is not the Main output.

If you don't mind to "waste" another output channel, you can still do this. Just make SPDIF out (or a different channel) the MAIN OUT, and create a fader group containing Main Out and the AN1 and AN2 output channels. Now the encoder changes all the faders together as a group.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

  • Registered: 2018-12-21
  • Posts: 326

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

If you don't want to waste another output, you could assign the phones output to main (instead of phones in the control room section) and do the rest as described above. then your phones output will still be usable, it will just be linked to the same volume control as your speakers, but you could still individually mute phones and speakers in total mix.

  • Registered: 2020-10-18
  • Posts: 8

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

Hi Jeff,
Hi hselters,

Thank you for the useful tips.
I could tie AN1 and AN2 with Main Out. I'm not using many devices, so never mind using another output for this.

While, connecting to the "Phones" allow me a different UX, I will try both of them more and will choose either of them which is sutable to me.

Thank you very much for your cooperation!

7 Reply by hselters (edited by hselters 2022-05-04 22:45:50)

  • Registered: 2018-12-21
  • Posts: 326

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

You’re welcome.
And if you’re not using all your outputs, but could use more bands for room correction on your eq, then you could look into the loopback feature, which would allow you to apply a second pair of EQs on the channels going to your speakers for 2x 6 bands of room correction.
Can’t recall from the top of my head if the  loopback feature in total mix on your interface will be post eq, but if not you could also do a physical loopback on your spdif or aes channel.

8 Reply by ogiboo (edited by ogiboo 2022-05-05 07:46:56)

  • Registered: 2020-10-18
  • Posts: 8

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

Hi hselters,
Thanks again!

Yeah, I'm interested in getting more EQ bands.
Although I've been trying to use loopback, I'm failing it so far. Can Tootal Mix let me create the 2 laps routing internally? The following was what I tried and failed.

AN3/4(Soft Playback) -> SPDIF(HW Out) : Set loopback -> SPDIF(HW In) [Here]-> AN1/2 (HW Out)

1)  I can read SPDIF(HW In) correct audio from DAW.  (as expected)
2) On the other hand, inside Total Mix, I cannot route it to AN1/2(HW Out) again, then no audio out from there even I turn up the slider. (The meters doesn't be moving on SPDIF(HW In) and on AN1/2(HW Out) either.


Am I wrong something?

  • Jeff
  • Jeff
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Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

You are correct, there is no way to run thru TMFX a second time, unless there is some DAW app involved.

TotalMix inputs are always "actual" hardware inputs, so you will not see the loopback signal as in input in TMFX. You will only see it as input at the driver level.

Regards,
Jeff Petersen
Synthax Inc.

Jeff's Website

10 Reply by ogiboo (edited by ogiboo 2022-05-05 17:50:57)

  • Registered: 2020-10-18
  • Posts: 8

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

Hi Jeff,
Hi hselters,

Thank for your the updated info. I understood it.  According to the hselters comment

but if not you could also do a physical loopback on your spdif or aes channel.

I could remember that I have Toslink optical cable, then tried it. (Honestly speaking, it's first time to use digital IO for me)

This is my latest trial configuration.

All SW inputs -> ADAT1/ADAT2 HW Out (Mono x2 : Separate EQs) -> Toslink physical loopback
-> ADAT1/2 HW In (Stereo) -> AN1/2 (as Main Output)

It seems working good for me, and more suitable for my workflow.
+ Can separate EQs (on ADAT1/ADAT2)
+ Add EQ bands on 2nd loop (if I need more)
+ Work Mono and SpeakerB well on Main Output.
+ Robust fader (Faders in fader group sometimes out of sync to me. I might less experience.)
- Longer latency

Can you tell me if you notice anything about above?
- Any differences if I use ADAT or SPDIF for this purpose?
- I usually don't mind the latency, except for during real time guitar recording.
  (It doesn't bring large latency, right? <5ms?  My buffer size is 64 samples now.)

I'm appreciate you taught me a lot.

  • Registered: 2018-12-21
  • Posts: 326

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

I don’t know exacxtly how much latency it’ll add (others on this forum will know and you might also find that info through the search function or can just measure yourself using your daw), but neither the spdif nor an adat loopback should add much more than a few samples of latency (id be surprised if it’s more than a half ms). And as long as you stay in that digital domain there won’t be any degradation or quality loss in your signal.

  • Registered: 2018-12-21
  • Posts: 326

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

ogiboo wrote:

Faders in fader group sometimes out of sync to me.

happened to me as well when using snapshots. What helped: check that the “do not load” setting in the preferences is set it to “- -“, if I remember correctly, then the control room section faders should stay on their set level, no matter what Snapshot you load (I wish this was the standard setting or could be saved and loaded together with the workspace, as it creates always issues with new users using our total mix workspace, which relies heavily on fader groups for Multichannel level control).

  • Registered: 2020-10-18
  • Posts: 8

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

Hi hselters,
Thanks again! I could measure my environment.
At first, I used Cubase and play a audio track then record Toslink/ADAT loopback. Unfortunately, the recorded track represented minus latency(!) Cubase seemed to have some delay correction logic.
Then I tried RTL Utility https://oblique-audio.com/rtl-utility.php
It showed me 3.3ms when 44.1k/48sample and 4.0ms when 44.1k/64sample.
The latency was enough for me. I continue to use this environment.

I understood why the Fader Group broken sync happened to me with your comment too.
Thank you very much!

  • Registered: 2018-12-21
  • Posts: 326

Re: Can Separate EQ on the Main Output?

oh, that is adding more latency than I thought, thanks for measuring.