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HX Stomp USB to Mac Audio Output?


rwhitney
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Is there a way to hear the HX Stomp directly through my mac's speakers/digital output when connected via USB?

 

Connecting an HX Stomp to an iMac running OS 10.13.6 High Sierra via USB shows an audio input level in the system Sound input settings window but I'm not getting audio  through the selected output: Digital Output. If I select HX Stomp as output, I hear it through the HX Stomp's headphone output, as indicated in the manual. Does the HX Stomp only output to itself, or is there a way to get it to play through the mac for practicing without going through a DAW?  I've installed the Helix Driver 1.0.5 thinking that would make this possible, but no dice.

 

UPDATE: I learned from Line 6 support that this can't be done. You have to use the HX Stomp's analog outputs.

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Take a look at Audi MIDI Setup (Mac application) and see if you can assign your input and output there. Take a look in the Audio Devices window, and you can assign stuff in the left panel. And check out the USB Audio section in the Stomp manual to make sure your USB audio is set up correctly.

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2 hours ago, soundog said:

Take a look at Audi MIDI Setup (Mac application) and see if you can assign your input and output there. Take a look in the Audio Devices window, and you can assign stuff in the left panel. And check out the USB Audio section in the Stomp manual to make sure your USB audio is set up correctly.

Hey, thanks for your reply. Do you know for a fact this can be done? Have you done this?

 

1. "Take a look at Audi MIDI Setup (Mac application) and see if you can assign your input and output there." 

 

I've done this, and yes, both input and output are assigned: input=HX Stomp, Output=Built In Output in the Audio Devices window (as 24-bit 48k) (This does not change the iMac's digital output from its default 44.1k to 48k)

 

2. "Take a look in the Audio Devices window, and you can assign stuff in the left panel. And check out the USB Audio section in the Stomp manual to make sure your USB audio is set up correctly."

 

Under USB Audio, the manual only talks about connecting output through either the HX Stomp or through a DAW. It says Computer Output / Destinations are: USB 1/2> HX Stomp Main L/R ; USB 3/4>HX Stomp stereo SEND ; USB 5/6> HX Stomp Input block. 

 

Nothing about the computer's audio output.

 

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8 hours ago, rwhitney said:

Is there a way to hear the HX Stomp directly through my mac's speakers when connected via USB?

 

Connecting an HX Stomp to an iMac running OS 10.13.6 High Sierra via USB shows an audio input level in the system Sound input settings window but I'm not getting audio  through the selected output: Digital Output. If I select HX Stomp as output, I hear it through the HX Stomp's headphone output, as indicated in the manual. Does the HX Stomp only output to itself, or is there a way to get it to play through the mac for practicing without going through a DAW?  I've installed the Helix Driver 1.0.5 thinking that would make this possible, but no dice.

 

Hi,

 

I’m not in the studio right now, but I think this should be easy enough. My Helix is permanently tethered to my studio Mac for recording and monitoring through my Tannoy Reveals, but I can still use the speakers in the iMac if I want. As you state you can see an audio input signal in the System Sound input settings (within the System Prefs panel) then your chosen input option must be already set to HX Stomp. To achieve what you’re after, select the Output tab at the top of the System Sound panel (within the System Prefs panel) and from that window chose “Internal Speakers - built in”. Audio from the Stomp should now be directed to the speakers onboard the iMac, unless I have misunderstood the question?

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

 

EDIT

ARRGGG!

I have only now realised the what you have described is your iMac maybe stuck on "Digital Out" which usually results from having headphones connected. It's not uncommon for the tiny microswitch thing inside the headphone jack socket to get stuck. Sometimes connecting and disconnecting headphones will clear the stuck switch and then you should be able to select "built-in output" from the sound prefs. Failing that you can try this which should work:

 

1) Open iMac

2) Go to AUDIO MIDI Setup

3) At the very bottom left corner click the "+" sign.

4) from the popup menu select "create multi-output device"

5) In the settings for that device "tick" the box "built-in output"

6) Hold down the "option" key and click the speaker icon at the top right in the home menu bar of your computer and make sure to select "multi-output device".

 

Now you should get sound back from your computer speakers, but you still might have the grey icon up top and not be able to control the volume.
If that should that happen:

 

7) Hold down the "option" key and click the speaker icon at the top of your computer screen (on the home menu bar - top right)

8) select "internal speakers"

 

Now every time you use headphones and then unplug them you will likely have to repeat #6-8.

 

Hope this extra info helps/makes sense.

 

Edited by datacommando
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Thanks for that detailed response! -- but nothing works. :(

 

Input/Output devices are set in Settings, Audio MIDI Setup, home menu bar selections, whether using "Class Compliant: default or the Helix 1.0.5 Mac Audio Driver. Input recognized in settings, but no audio out to internal speakers / digital out.

 

Is there a way to access or set the HX Stomp's sample rate? How can you tell what it's running at? I'm going from the headphone/digital output of my iMac to a Lavry DAC. The HX Stomp doesn't switch the computer's output to 48k as it should, so the HX and the mac aren't sync-ing.

 

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6 hours ago, rwhitney said:

Thanks for that detailed response! -- but nothing works. :(

 

Input/Output devices are set in Settings, Audio MIDI Setup, home menu bar selections, whether using "Class Compliant: default or the Helix 1.0.5 Mac Audio Driver. Input recognized in settings, but no audio out to internal speakers / digital out.

 

Is there a way to access or set the HX Stomp's sample rate? How can you tell what it's running at? I'm going from the headphone/digital output of my iMac to a Lavry DAC. The HX Stomp doesn't switch the computer's output to 48k as it should, so the HX and the mac aren't sync-ing.

 

 

Ahh, now things become a little clearer, or murkier. It seems that we have an additional item that previously wasn’t mentioned - Lavry DAC!

 

As I have absolutely no idea how you are using the DAC, or how you have it connected, I will take it out of the equation for the moment. Without the DAC connected let’s just get the Stomp to behave as it should. Connect the HX Stomp to the iMac via USB - here we go!

 

“Is there a way to hear the HX Stomp directly through my mac's speakers when connected via USB?”

 

Well, as far as the HX Stomp is concerned regarding accessing sample rates and which driver does what, the situation is this. Using the “Class Compliant” Core Audio Driver in your Mac the HX Stomp will only operate at the native 48kHz sample rate. If you switch to the “Line 6 Helix” driver, this should allow you to operate at 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88kHz or 96kHz sample rates. Using the Line 6 driver you can use the Audio/MIDI Setup to select your Helix device for audio in/out then change sample rates via the pop out menu for that device. With the Stomp configured like this you should now be able to jam along with your iTunes, YouTube etc., with the audio output through the iMac built in speakers. If that works then there is no problem with the Stomp and it’s doing what it is designed to do.

 

With regard to your Lavry DAC, and how you connect that to the other stuff, that was not part of the original question so, hopefully you could let us know exactly how your audio equipment is rigged. The more info we have the more chance of a solution, if not it’s like being blindfolded in a darkened room and trying to find a black cat.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

:)

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On 4/16/2019 at 5:17 AM, rwhitney said:

 

Is there a way to hear the HX Stomp directly through my mac's speakers when connected via USB?

 

 

A picture is worth a thousand words so here ya go.

 

See if this helps.

 

Using the Line 6 Driver shows Sample Rate Selection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by datacommando
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So, it turns out it can't be done at this point. The HX Stomp only communicates with itself;  you have to use it's analog outputs to monitor.

 

Line 6 Support explained it to me in an email:

 

"We apologize for the confusion on this. When the HX is connected to your Mac it is taking over the sound card like an audio interface. This meaning you will need to have a monitoring source plugged into the HX such as headphones, speakers or an amplifier. Please note all audio will be routed through the Helix such as notifications, YouTube ect. "

 

Sincere thanks for all of your generous attempts to help!

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10 hours ago, rwhitney said:

So, it turns out it can't be done at this point. The HX Stomp only communicates with itself;  you have to use it's analog outputs to monitor.

 

Line 6 Support explained it to me in an email:

 

"We apologize for the confusion on this. When the HX is connected to your Mac it is taking over the sound card like an audio interface. This meaning you will need to have a monitoring source plugged into the HX such as headphones, speakers or an amplifier. Please note all audio will be routed through the Helix such as notifications, YouTube ect. "

 

Sincere thanks for all of your generous attempts to help!

 

Oops! Sorry about that.

 

Well, that’s something that I was unaware of until you just mentioned it in your last comment. Obviously all those things that I tried to explain came from my using the Helix Floor unit. Still, it all seems very strange to me because in the promo stuff that was posted on here in HX Stomp FAQ by Digital Igloo, he stated:

 

It’s also a world-class portable guitar recording interface with digitally-controlled analog impedance circuits, zero-latency monitoring, multichannel re-amping, and headphone amp. (One might suggest it’s the perfect front end for the Helix Native plug-in.) HX Stomp is whatever you want it to be, wherever you want it to be.“

 

and

 

USB—for recording to/jamming along with Macs, PCs, iPads, and iPhones. (iPads and iPhones require the Apple Camera Connection Kit.) HX Stomp can feed both stereo paths into your computer—along with dry versions for reamping—simultaneously

 

I have to say that certainly confused me.

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11 hours ago, rwhitney said:

It's disappointing for sure.

 

Well, yes, it always is disappointing when something doesn’t work exactly as you expected. Since my last post, I have realised that my Helix functions the same way (becomes the sound card) even though my previous “screen shots” would indicate otherwise. I will delete those images because they may lead to even more confusion. As previously mentioned my Helix is hooked up to my studio iMac and is in everyday use which leads to familiarity breeding contempt. Yes, I can use my iMac internal speakers with Helix connected via USB, but not powered up. Doh! There is also a general purpose MacBookPro around the place and when using that it is possible to switch between internal and external speakers, it will even use wireless to play through a couple of satellite set top boxes to the TV speakers, so I know that it’s possible to swap between speaker systems straight out of the Mac. We spend so much time using this technology that sometimes the edges become blurred.

 

What I really should have pointed you towards was using the Aggregate Device” option on your Mac which allows the use of more than one device.

 

Have a look at this video and see if it helps you to achieve what you need.

 

 

EDIT:

Lavry Engineering have a pdf about creating Aggregate devices for ProTools just the same:

 

http://www.lavryengineering.com/pdfs/lavry-ad11-da11-protools.pdf

 

 

Edited by datacommando
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On 4/15/2019 at 10:17 PM, rwhitney said:

Is there a way to hear the HX Stomp directly through my mac's speakers when connected via USB?

 

Connecting an HX Stomp to an iMac running OS 10.13.6 High Sierra via USB shows an audio input level in the system Sound input settings window but I'm not getting audio  through the selected output: Digital Output. If I select HX Stomp as output, I hear it through the HX Stomp's headphone output, as indicated in the manual. Does the HX Stomp only output to itself, or is there a way to get it to play through the mac for practicing without going through a DAW?  I've installed the Helix Driver 1.0.5 thinking that would make this possible, but no dice.

 

I've been following this thread kind of loosely. 

 

Finally though, I just gotta ask since so much work was put into it.  I'm not trying to slam you, I'm more just always curious about the ways people like to do things. Why do you want to go this way?  It seems like it would be so much easier to just listen to it all through the Stomp.

 

Numerous nights a week I plug my PC into my Stomp via USB, and select some youtube recording to jam along with. I plug my headphones into my Stomp, or my external speakers into my Stomp, and jam away. 

 

They sound far better than my PC speakers would anyway. Is it for convenience sake and a dislike or lack of headphones? 

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1 hour ago, Kilrahi said:

 

I've been following this thread kind of loosely. 

 

Finally though, I just gotta ask since so much work was put into it.  I'm not trying to slam you, I'm more just always curious about the ways people like to do things. Why do you want to go this way?  It seems like it would be so much easier to just listen to it all through the Stomp.

 

Numerous nights a week I plug my PC into my Stomp via USB, and select some youtube recording to jam along with. I plug my headphones into my Stomp, or my external speakers into my Stomp, and jam away. 

 

They sound far better than my PC speakers would anyway. Is it for convenience sake and a dislike or lack of headphones? 

 

Hi Kilrahi,

 

You know, that was my initial thoughts exactly - why not just use the HX Stomp for this job? Simple enough!

 

Then I saw the one thing that makes all this other stuff relevant. Lavry DAC – that's some serious and expensive piece of equipment. Have a look at some of the spec on this thing.

 

http://www.lavryengineering.com/products/da11.html

 

"rwhitney" doesn't say what relevance to the set up is, or why it's been used, but it must matter because as you say you can jam along to YouTube by plugging in a set of cans.

 

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19 minutes ago, datacommando said:

 

Hi Kilrahi,

 

You know, that was my initial thoughts exactly - why not just use the HX Stomp for this job? Simple enough!

 

Then I saw the one thing that makes all this other stuff relevant. Lavry DAC – that's some serious and expensive piece of equipment. Have a look at some of the spec on this thing.

 

http://www.lavryengineering.com/products/da11.html

 

"rwhitney" doesn't say what relevance to the set up is, or why it's been used, but it must matter because as you say you can jam along to YouTube by plugging in a set of cans.

 

 

Interesting. Kind of like sipping Coke out of a wine glass (to be clear - in my analogy Coke is the premium product).

 

I wonder if it would be better/possible to change the point of reference then. Use the Lavry as the central hub. I see many Lavry DAC's have USB inputs and XLR inputs. 

 

Could the OP connect the Stomp's main left/mono output via a 1/4 TRS to XLR cable into the DAC's XLR input, and then connect the Macbook via USB, and listen through the DAC's headphone jack? 

 

Either way though, he talks about shunting the sound through the Mac's speakers, which is like taking a premium drink like Coke but waiting to take a swig of it until someone else has turned it into high grade p1ss. 

 

I may have gone off the deep end with this reply. It's Friday and I'm done. 

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1 hour ago, Kilrahi said:

 

Either way though, he talks about shunting the sound through the Mac's speakers, which is like taking a premium drink like Coke but waiting to take a swig of it until someone else has turned it into high grade p1ss. 

 

I may have gone off the deep end with this reply. It's Friday and I'm done. 

 

 

Once more I have to agree with everything you say and those very thoughts had also crossed my mind. Why put the audio through iMac speakers? It’s beyond me. Although I can sort of comprehend the reason for not connecting the Stomp to the Lavry unit - it would add extra stages of AD/DA unnecessary conversion. I like your Coke in a wine glass observation, but I’m going to mix a bunch of metaphors and say that after looking through the wrong end of the telescope, we have now taken a sledgehammer to crack a nut!

 

Yep, it’s Friday and I need a beer - enjoy your weekend.

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On 4/19/2019 at 8:16 AM, Kilrahi said:

 

I've been following this thread kind of loosely. 

 

Finally though, I just gotta ask since so much work was put into it.  I'm not trying to slam you, I'm more just always curious about the ways people like to do things. Why do you want to go this way?  It seems like it would be so much easier to just listen to it all through the Stomp.

 

Numerous nights a week I plug my PC into my Stomp via USB, and select some youtube recording to jam along with. I plug my headphones into my Stomp, or my external speakers into my Stomp, and jam away. 

 

They sound far better than my PC speakers would anyway. Is it for convenience sake and a dislike or lack of headphones? 

I use the HX Stomp primarily for practice through a guitar amp, but would like sometimes to take it straight into my iMac's USB without having to fire up the amp (among other things). My iMac goes out digitally to a DAC (a DAC without an ADC isn't seen by the computer, btw, so can't be configured in Audio MIDI Setup -- but there's no need to do that anyway), then to my studio monitors (Dynaudio BM6As), not computer speakers.

 

It's a lot more work to patch the HX Stomp's analog outputs into the system than it would be to just go in USB and set the computer's input to the device, leaving the computer's output on Digital Output. It requires me to connect two cables to the Stomp's analog outs, set them to line level, route the signal into another interface, etc.  I like the HX Stomp for a convenient single source for guitar effects, but it would have been even better if it were plug-n-play with the computer. That said, it's not so much the fact that it can't be done but rather that the user manual is unclear about it.

 

 

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