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Thread Focusrite Saffire Pro 26 - inserts & headphone mix issues

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1 Focusrite Saffire Pro 26 - inserts & headphone mix issues
Hi.

Firstly, I'm currently using I'm currently using Logic 9.1.8 and also the Saffire Mix Control software.

I've recently upgraded to a Saffire Pro 26 as I was given a TLA 5013 stereo EQ and a DBX266XL stereo compressor by a friend.
I manged to patch them in accordingly from outputs 3/4 back into 3/4, and also out of 5/6 and back into 5/6.
I can monitor the addition of the EQ and Compression through my monitors when playing back in logic. But I can't seem to work out how to monitor the changes through headphones.

I work on a mixture of monitors and headphones so would prefer to be able to hear the eq & compression through both when I need to. I don't mind changing the Saffire Mix control routing to make this possible (e.g - changing my saved mix "profiles" to switch between output from monitors to headphones and then back) but what I don't want to have to do is have to unplug the patch cables every time to make this a possibility.

Is there a better way of patching than I have done or is this simply no possible? I'd prefer not to run the EQ into the compressor for obvious reasons.

Whenever I seem to monitor through the headphones I just get what I believe is the dry signal from Logic with no additional EQ or compression.

Current mix settings:

1903155.png

Also, I've noticed that on headphone mix 2 it only seems to be outputting from the left hand side? Not sure If I've done something wrong or the unit is faulty. I only purchased it 3 or so weeks ago. Headphone mix 1 seems to work fine.

Really appreciate any help or ideas you could throw my way.

Thanks.



2
First thing i noticed is the interface is in daw mode. That means your outputs presenting the sound of your daw.
Next thing i see you headphones are set to daw 3 and 4 which basicly means they will never present your outboard equipment.

However if you route a channel through the eq and let it back in to the daw and send that to the main it will be presented through the headphones.

Example in daw mode :

Have a channel say vocal set through output 3/4.
Connect eq to output 3/4 and let it back in on 3/4.
Now while playing send track to 3/4 and monitor it on example 1/2.
It is possible but you have to remember that latency will happen.
Btw this software is not the best thing for inserts but it can be done.
I work with a scarlett 18i20 and a octopre where in some setups the scarlett are my inputs and outputs and the octopre my insert points ( send / return).
It took awhile for everything worked.

EDIT: JUST A THOUGHT
If you make a headphone mix within the mixer
Say fader one to 10 set to the daw and fader 11 to input of eq and send that software mixer mix to headphones itshould work with almost no latency.
The thing is how to get the send to the eq.
If solved your up and running.

EDIT 2:

Oh wait... I see your mixing your inputs so if you set your routing as followed :

Analog in 2 is vocal on the mixer.
Route input 2 to output 3 which is eq
Analog in 3 is eq in and set this also as track in the software mixer.
Route this mix to headphones and your vocals will have eq applied to it.

Perhaps i made a mistake but i wrote this without access to the software

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...

[ Post last edited on 10/21/2014 at 11:25:38 ]

3
Hi, thanks for your reply.

I'm using it in Mixing/DAW mode as I'm routing channels from Logic to the analog outputs to send to EQ/Compressor and come back into the unit. I believe this is what this function was intended to do.

I'm also away from my studio at the moment so won't be able to try your suggestions, but I think I understand what you said in your second edit about routing the signal and setting up a headphone mix somehow.

I'll give this a try when I'm next with the unit to see if it works!

If anyone else has any suggestions in the mean that'd be great.

Thanks!

edit:

Just through reading another couple of threads and from my understanding of the limitations of the Pro 26.

I'm wondering if I swap my speaker outputs to 3/4 and correlate this to my DAW also outputting 3/4.
Route my EQ to outputs 1/2 and back into 3/4.
Comp out of 5/6 back into 5/6.
Then within the mix control I can set the DAW out 3/4 to line out 3/4 (headphone mix 1) where I'm guessing I'll be able to monitor the changes through the headphones?

Not sure if this is the right thing to do or not so I'll wait and feedback anyone has to offer.

[ Post last edited on 10/22/2014 at 01:43:14 ]

4
Ok, I tried my routing idea out but it didn't work. Starting to wonder if it's at all possible with this unit or I'll have to upgrade to something else?

I really want the option to be able to monitor the EQ and compressor through the headphones but can't see a way around it at the moment.
5
Hi,

I have another question for you because i'm lost here for a moment.

Your daw is playing back a stereo master?
And you linked the eq and compressor at ports 3/4 and 5/6.

You like to hear the comp and eq on both monitors and headphones right.

What it the purpose of the eq and comp.
Do they both have to effect the stereo daw sound? Or whould you like to use them as independent insert which can be selected by the daw and monitor that sound.

Like daw is stereo mix and you like to add eq and compression to that or whould you like to add a vocal track to eq and a separate drum track to the compressor and monitor them on 2 sets of headphones

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...

[ Post last edited on 10/23/2014 at 00:02:37 ]

6
Hey.

I would like to use them as inserts on mono/stereo tracks within the mix.

Say to send a kick drum to the comp as well as a snare. And then some pads to the EQ.

But obviously when I'm doing this is like to be able to monitor the changes I'm applying through the speakers and headphones in context of the whole mix.

I'm starting to think there isn't really a way round this without upgrading.

i could run the units in series but I don't really want I do that as I wouldn't want to apply both EQ/compression to some channels etc.

I was thinking of a patch bay but it still wouldn't solve the problem as I wouldn't have enough outputs if I wanted to use the EQ and compressor at the same time unless I was sending the signal to both units.

Hope this makes sense.
7
I will test something here because i think there is a solution that works but in a bit different way you have now.

Stay tuned.....

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...

[ Post last edited on 10/23/2014 at 04:17:45 ]

8
Thank you so much. Really appreciate the help you're giving me!
9
I'm sorry but what you want only can be done with an external mixer or what we did with our scarlett 18i20.

The problem with your hardware is output assignment. If you select port 3/4 it works but your headphones are also assigned to 3/4. And so on.

What we did on the 18i20 is as followed :
Hardware monitor out = testmix l/r
Output 3 = line out 3 { eq l }
Output 4 = line out 4 { eq r }
Output 5 = line out 5 { comp l }
Output 6 = line out 6 { comp r }

Line out 7/8 = headphones 1 = testmix l/r

We made a testmix in the soft mixer :
Channel 1 = daw direct 1/2
Channel 2 = line in 3/4
Channel 3 = line in 5/6

So we now can make a mix including eq, comp and rest of the daw in stereo
And hear it over the monitor lines and headphones.

The reason it doesn't work for you ( we have tested it) is that your SENDS outputs are sharing its channels with the headphones.
And thus you hear only the SEND sound from your daw. If you would route your headphones to the inputs you only hear the effects.

If you make the setup we did you would experience only over the main monitors but never over the headphones.
But you could send the testmix to spdif and connect a digital recorder like a cd or md recorder and use his headphones out.

Sorry i can't help you any further

Good luck.

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...

[ Post last edited on 10/23/2014 at 08:10:26 ]

10
OH... But it can work if you use a mono comp and mono eq.

Eq on out 3 and comp on out 4
Eq line 3 in and comp line 4 in.
This way the headphones on port 5/6 stay clear so you can use those for the test mix.

So basicly

One stereo insert works, 2 wil not
2 mono inserts on one stereo bus also works

Aslong 5/6 stay clear for the headphones

But if you like to record it you have to use a stand alone recorder. Your daw can not record the results.

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...

[ Post last edited on 10/23/2014 at 08:41:08 ]