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Old 03-01-2019, 01:20 PM   #1
Black Shadow
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Default Direct Monitoring the MR816 with Reaper

Making this post to potentially save others the Google search I've been on.

If, like me, you track with a Steinberg MR816 and you're thinking of migrating from Cubase to Reaper, you might be wondering how to get direct monitoring (DM) to function in Reaper. DM can be controlled directly in the Cubase interface, but not directly in Reaper. Since direct monitoring offers zero latency, it is IMO an invaluable recording tool, but to the best of my knowledge, Reaper does not support ASIO direct monitoring.

So, how? If Reaper is running, close it. Now open the MR Editor (icon in your task bar) and raise the volume of, for instance, track 1 to 0 dB. If you're receiving a signal, you will now hear it come up on your monitors or in your headphones, provided you've turned up the volume on those with the control knobs on the MR816.

Save the current configuration (important!) and close the MR editor. Run Reaper. You will find you can still hear the direct signal. Do NOT turn on monitoring in the track you've armed for recording, since that would add the same monitoring signal, only slightly delayed due to the latency dependent on the buffer size of your audio settings.

And voila, you can now record in Reaper while enjoying zero latency direct monitoring.
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Old 02-12-2023, 06:38 PM   #2
deseipel
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Black Shadow View Post
Making this post to potentially save others the Google search I've been on.

If, like me, you track with a Steinberg MR816 and you're thinking of migrating from Cubase to Reaper, you might be wondering how to get direct monitoring (DM) to function in Reaper. DM can be controlled directly in the Cubase interface, but not directly in Reaper. Since direct monitoring offers zero latency, it is IMO an invaluable recording tool, but to the best of my knowledge, Reaper does not support ASIO direct monitoring.

So, how? If Reaper is running, close it. Now open the MR Editor (icon in your task bar) and raise the volume of, for instance, track 1 to 0 dB. If you're receiving a signal, you will now hear it come up on your monitors or in your headphones, provided you've turned up the volume on those with the control knobs on the MR816.

Save the current configuration (important!) and close the MR editor. Run Reaper. You will find you can still hear the direct signal. Do NOT turn on monitoring in the track you've armed for recording, since that would add the same monitoring signal, only slightly delayed due to the latency dependent on the buffer size of your audio settings.

And voila, you can now record in Reaper while enjoying zero latency direct monitoring.


I got here trying to figure out a solution to the Steinberg UR816C direct monitoring. The problem is that you can't get the direct monitoring signal into Reaper AND then hear it. What I hear from dpsMix is the signal from dspMix, not Reaper. Somehow Cubase let's you direct monitor within Cubase?
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Old 02-13-2023, 12:37 AM   #3
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Funny how bad the versatility of those devices seems to be.

With the NI Audio 6, I have a hardware button that selects the headphone output to monitor the analog outputs 1+2 or 3+4, a button that sends the direct input (1+2) monitor to outputs 1+2 and/or 3+4, a button that sets the direct input (1+2) monitor to mono, and a knob for the balance between normal and direct-monitor output.

-Michael
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Old 02-13-2023, 02:28 AM   #4
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Originally Posted by deseipel View Post
Somehow Cubase let's you direct monitor within Cubase?
Not really...it lets you control it from within Cubase but you're still hearing the exact same dsp monitored signal.

What is the problem you need a solution for exactly?
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Old 02-13-2023, 02:43 AM   #5
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this is the same situation with any DSP zero latency monitoring from your audio device.


Basically all you need to remember is you have to turn off any monitoring from reaper and then just control levels from inside the software monitor from your interface, the MR is no different in this regard than RME or Focusrite for example.

In its simplest form you'll have the outputs from reaper showing as a stereo out which you will then balance with your input channel level. So if you want more of the input channel raise that in comparison the reaper master mix level. If you need to hear a different balance of instruments you do that inside the Reaper mixer.

Cubase just gets round it by integrating the sound card mixer of it's own interfaces into it's own mixer so you're not having to use 2 mixers.


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Old 02-13-2023, 03:14 PM   #6
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"DSP" (aka Digital Signal Processing) and "zero latency" is a contradiction in itself.
Do you mean "A/D interface remote control" ?

-Michael
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Old 02-14-2023, 03:35 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mschnell View Post
"DSP" (aka Digital Signal Processing) and "zero latency" is a contradiction in itself.
Do you mean "A/D interface remote control" ?

-Michael
the MR 816 has onboard DSP which means with Asio direct monitoring you get, to all intents and purposes, zero latency as you're NOT monitoring through Reaper.

So regardless of your buffer setting/plugins etc the latency will be perceived as zero this way.

it also has a built in Reverb so you can monitor/record say a singer in a project running @1024 samples on a project with zero latency.



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Old 02-14-2023, 09:47 AM   #8
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I believe latency via the Steinberg dsp mixer at 44k is a little under 2ms.

I think most manufacturers using dsp stopped claiming "zero latency" quite some time ago and tend to use terms such as "near zero" nowadays.
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Old 02-14-2023, 10:38 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stella645 View Post
I believe latency via the Steinberg dsp mixer at 44k is a little under 2ms.

I think most manufacturers using dsp stopped claiming "zero latency" quite some time ago and tend to use terms such as "near zero" nowadays.
yes, but we all know what they mean though by the term. It means you're NOT affected by the project latency, which is the point in question.

I used the term ' to all intents and purposes' it's zero latency



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Old 02-14-2023, 11:01 AM   #10
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Anyway....
Did you find out how to set the interface to "close to zero" latency for e.g. the Mic input while using Reaper to play the non - armed tracks accordingly ?
-Michael
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Old 02-15-2023, 02:58 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mschnell View Post
Anyway....
Did you find out how to set the interface to "close to zero" latency for e.g. the Mic input while using Reaper to play the non - armed tracks accordingly ?
-Michael
Michael, I'd like to know as well as I gave him the answer in my first reply



I sold my MR816's last year


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