so, after 12+ years of using the firepod and doing some research on some newer interfaces, I went with the fireface800 as I found one used, cheap, and in good shape from a reputable dealer.
So, I just hooked it up -
checked the firmware - up to date
installed drivers
...
I am stunned by the total mix thing, but I want to start with a few simple tasks:
- can I route the main output to the front knob? I miss having a knob right there that I can turn down or up at a moment's notice.
- how do I get things to WORK? haha. I plugged in my guitar into the first input, and select that input in reaper, and nothing. Is there some kind of totalmix thing I have to do first?
- I eventually got it to work, not sure.
- can i send an input to a PC and also to an output? like for instance,
input one ---- PC AND output one
input 2 ------ PC and output two
etc etc
- how do I enable fx without effecting the dry signal?
- can we switch sample rates without crashing reaper?
I am stunned by the total mix thing, but I want to start with a few simple tasks:
It rocks, a little intimidating the first time you see it but once you are over the basic hump, it's hard to go back.
Quote:
- can I route the main output to the front knob? I miss having a knob right there that I can turn down or up at a moment's notice.
Hmm... On the FF800 you could route 1/2 to 9/10 but that isn't going to help if 1/2 is what goes to your monitors. They actually changed that slightly in the UFX likely for the reason you are asking. At the time I already had a PResonus Monitor station which is my "big analog knob".
Quote:
- how do I get things to WORK? haha. I plugged in my guitar into the first input, and select that input in reaper, and nothing. Is there some kind of totalmix thing I have to do first?
Depends on where you are plugging in, if on the front you may have to select between inst/line etc. Otherwise, it should work as expected. Just remember top row is inputs.
Quote:
- can i send an input to a PC and also to an output? like for instance,
input one ---- PC AND output one
input 2 ------ PC and output two
etc etc
If I'm reading this correctly yes, you can route any channel(s) to most any other channels. What you want to wrap your head around first is the three horizontal sections in total mix..
You have a LOT of flexibility in routing configurations concerning the above. For example I could route input 1 to every single output if I wanted.
Quote:
- how do I enable fx without effecting the dry signal?
Are FX available in TM for FF800?
Quote:
can we switch sample rates without crashing reaper?
I've never had a problem. Some answers I'm going to forget because I've had my UFX for three years now and there are going to be some differences I could conflate.
__________________ Music is what feelings sound like.
Location: Near Cambridge UK and Near Questembert, France
Posts: 22,754
2 cheapo lightpipe cables, Jason. One for in and one for out.
I have an older pci RME card with 2 Octopre LEs plus the digital card hooked up to it.
The cheaty way to figure out if you wired the AAT loop correctly is to look at the end of the cable
If it is glowing red it is an "in" to the Octopre if it isnt it's an out.
Seemples, no?
Totalmix FX has the effects IF your interface support it, so you can confirm hat one way or the other pretty easily.
As it comes from the install, TM has (from the top down) Hardware inputs, Software playback and hardware outputs. Your Octopre should show up as ADAT 1 2 3/4 5/6 7/8 in the hardware ins and outs if it is all running right.
On the Octopre your Digital connections are clearly marked & you can double check by opening the RME DSP settings utility you will find either on your desktop or on the task bar under "show hidden icons"
It will show what ya got and whether or not you are in synch between the RME card and your Octopre.
P.S. depending on which Octopre ou have I dont think MUX (96k on 4 channels) is do-able, but since I KNOW my setup cant do it, I never bothered finding out what it CAN do.
What do I need to connect a focusrite mkii octopre? What are ADAT cables? can it work at 96k
Did you see my new setup feeding two soundcards with a set of otopre mk ii's? Youll need word clock if you dont want the octopres to be master. Radio shack will have both the word clock cable and the adat cables
The mkii only has adat out, unless its the dynamic
That sounds about right, if he just wants to 'pipe' his mic pre outputs to the FF, no need for the other pipe. However, I'd add the WC cable and let it handle the sync with FF as the master.
__________________ Music is what feelings sound like.
Thats for the wordclock, I have an email into focusrite as to whether the mkii's are self terminating as mki's are, but so far I've been using them fine as if theres no termination
Thats for the wordclock, I have an email into focusrite as to whether the mkii's are self terminating as mki's are, but so far I've been using them fine as if theres no termination
Nearly all word clock connections are self terminating these days. And well made clock outputs will still work with short cables in a simple setup if they are not self terminating.
The clock isn't really needed with just the one external device there's no advantage. ADAT clock works fine. But it doesn't hurt to have the cable, just in case he needs to test the clock or connect a stubborn, old second ADAT device.
__________________
In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
George Orwell
Nearly all word clock connections are self terminating these days. And well made clock outputs will still work with short cables in a simple setup if they are not self terminating.
The clock isn't really needed with just the one external device there's no advantage. ADAT clock works fine. But it doesn't hurt to have the cable, just in case he needs to test the clock or connect a stubborn, old second ADAT device.
In this case, ADAT clock works fine for sync purposes, but that means that the mic pre is the master, and he gives up having the interface itself chose what sample rate to be at. For instance in my case, I switch between audio at 44k and video at 48k a lot, which is handled automatically by my soundcard and windows.
In this case, ADAT clock works fine for sync purposes, but that means that the mic pre is the master, and he gives up having the interface itself chose what sample rate to be at. For instance in my case, I switch between audio at 44k and video at 48k a lot, which is handled automatically by my soundcard and windows.
Ah, OK. Hadn't thought about that. I never switch between 44 and 48...
__________________
In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.
George Orwell
I was too. not at my computer, so going from memory, here is the best I can offer to help you understand TotalMix.
(disclaimer: I have limited experience. never worked on a mixing board. I'm an amateur......)
by far, the most helpful thing I did to understand how TM works is to do this:
- open 2 windows. (I stumbled on this, myself. I cannot possibly overemphasize how much doing this has helped me.)
soooo, open 2 windows, one each of the Mixer view and the Grid view. (the Grid view makes me think of a patchbay.)
in the Grid view, columns (vertical), are inputs.
rows (horizontal), are outputs.
connections appear in the field.
ok, now, so you have one each of the two different windows open at the same time.
the thing to know now, is that changes and routing connections that you make in one window, are instantly and automatically changed in the other window.
play around with double clicking at various places on the Grid view. you will see the changes you make instantly happen in the Mixer window.
where you have connections made, observe how moving a channel fader in the Mixer view, changes the value in the corresponding connection on the Grid view.
also, you need to know that on the Mixer view, if a channel fader for a given routing target is pulled down all the way (-inf), the corresponding representation on the Grid view, will simply be empty. as you move the fader up, the value will appear, and move up on the Grid view.
if this all sounds confusing, let me assure you, it is easy. just mess around with it for a bit. its actually kind of fun. and certainly ingenious.
Good info Chas. Just so everyone knows you don't really ever need the grid view (mostly), I rarely if ever need it especially with the latest total mix version. Place it in 'routing mode' then whichever output is selected, the knobs on all the other channels affect what routes to the one you selected, select another output channel, and they now route to it and it remembers each so you just always can select the target channel and all input/software faders then route to it.
I could probably make a quick video when I get some free time.
__________________ Music is what feelings sound like.
It rocks, a little intimidating the first time you see it but once you are over the basic hump, it's hard to go back.
it looks like what I've been needing all along, but it's going to take some time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic
Hmm... On the FF800 you could route 1/2 to 9/10 but that isn't going to help if 1/2 is what goes to your monitors. They actually changed that slightly in the UFX likely for the reason you are asking. At the time I already had a PResonus Monitor station which is my "big analog knob".
I also have a couple of devices like this, I will have to hook them up
Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic
Depends on where you are plugging in, if on the front you may have to select between inst/line etc. Otherwise, it should work as expected. Just remember top row is inputs.
I think I have the hang of that now
Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic
If I'm reading this correctly yes, you can route any channel(s) to most any other channels. What you want to wrap your head around first is the three horizontal sections in total mix..
You have a LOT of flexibility in routing configurations concerning the above. For example I could route input 1 to every single output if I wanted.
I'm trying to "how" to route it. Going to look at the videos.
Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic
Are FX available in TM for FF800?
no, clarified
Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic
I've never had a problem. Some answers I'm going to forget because I've had my UFX for three years now and there are going to be some differences I could conflate.
once reaper started getting working, I think I never touched totalmix again, but damn I would have died if I didn't have it in Vegas!
I won't really need it for usage in reaper, I see - but it will REALLY come in handy for recording bands, and then sending the outputs to a mixing board.
Maybe this will help, you guys may have to run it full screen but embedded may work. So notice how I'm selecting different output channels on the bottom row which are hardware outputs... And then I change various faders for hardware 'inputs' and software 'outputs', first and second rows respectively. Be sure to select "submix mode" top right to do this...
You can see how all the faders remember their respective values for the output you have selected. That means you can have a myriad/plethora/cornucopia of mixes going to any/all/some of those outputs.
Also, if you expand the channel with the tool icon, you'll see a loopback button on each hardware output channel (bottom row), that's a little dream come true there. Is youtube coming out of hardware 1/2 and you want to record it in reaper? No problem, just enable loopback on 1/2 and set a track in reaper to record on 1/2, voila. You can also so that on the main output fader and so on.
A quick reminder about those input faders on the top row; that's how you directly monitor what is coming into the sound card. You don't want those on and reapers internal monitoring at the same time, you'll go mad. The simple rule is..
If recording a mic'd source like an amp, chances are you'd monitor via Total mix (input fader up) but if you were using a SIM or needed to monitor some effect in Reaper while recording, you'd turn those down then turn reapers monitoring on. You just don't want both on at the same time or you'll hear the echo/phase.
Someone correct me if I'm displaying the wrong version of TM.
__________________ Music is what feelings sound like.
ok so im merely selecting the output at the bottom of the channel and moving the volume and it routes it? What is this wizardry?
What is really happening is when you select an output on the bottom row, it is automatically aware you did that and displays all the related faders routing to it. They are actaully all there all the time, it's just switching the view you see. You might even think of it as a stack of mixers and it just pulls the one you care about to the front when you select it's corresponding output.
It's a hell of a time saver and for 99% of what you probably do, it's easier than going into the grid view to do essentially the same damn thing most of the time. So I'd begin with submix mode and stay there until there is some routing you need, it can't do.
__________________ Music is what feelings sound like.
Last edited by karbomusic; 11-02-2016 at 07:10 PM.
Hmm... On the FF800 you could route 1/2 to 9/10 but that isn't going to help if 1/2 is what goes to your monitors. They actually changed that slightly in the UFX likely for the reason you are asking. At the time I already had a PResonus Monitor station which is my "big analog knob".
I just realized I had something like that and threw it in. Got the volume knob!
I will actually need the outputs on the octopre - I will need it for sending to the live mixer for a show.
The outputs o nthe octopre are right after the mic pre's I use some of mine to send back to the live room PA for vocalists, so they can still use the mixer in the room the way they would normally practice, yet I can record them without changing anything. Handy
Location: Near Cambridge UK and Near Questembert, France
Posts: 22,754
Jason - sorry I hadnt realised you were on the Mk2 Octopre or indeed that it was that different in terms of connectivity to the Mk1 and LE.
VERY surprised if it doesn`t have both ins and outs on the ADAT connection, as I was pretty sure they all did.
Just had a quick look on the ff site and yes indeed it DOES have 8 ins and 8 outs.
FWIW I have never needed to go with wordclock connection for my two Octopres, as the clock is pretty stable in either direction in my experience, although of course YMMV.
And yes Totalmix can be as simple or as complex as you like.
That said, I have the routing matrix in Reaper do most of that stuff, including the outputs to my headphone amp, which has eight connections but sadly only 4 channels.
Not that I have ever needed that many mix feeds to date!
J
And yes Totalmix can be as simple or as complex as you like.
That said, I have the routing matrix in Reaper do most of that stuff, including the outputs to my headphone amp, which has eight connections but sadly only 4 channels.
Long time REAPER forum members will likely recall that REAPER's routing matrix was "inspired" by Totalmix
just got my fireface800... questions
Linear Mode
