ReAmping with SPDIF

[GrutterInTheSea]

Hi!

 

A quick question which has haunted me for the last few days....

 

So i use my Helix Pedalboard for recording with spfif. Means i connect the cables form my interface (NI Komplete Audio 6) to SPDIF in and out on my Helix.

I pan the DI 100% R and my Amp tone 100% L. So i can record amp and DI tone digitally and still use my Interface as my main interface so i can have my monitors connected etc.

Now i had some tracks recorded but the tone didnt fit the song so i wanted to Reamp it.

I know you can do it easily with USB but as said, i want to have my Komplete audio still as my main Interface.

Since i have SPDIF already set up i thought it was as easy as sending my DI track in the DAW (Studio One 4 pro) to SPDIF out and set the input on my helix to SPDIF.

But my problem is that the SPDIF out shows signal but nothing comes out of the helix (or in for that matter).

I tried a lot of things, for instant i send the DI to SPDIF L and R or and i treid paanning the output on the Helix differently or choosing a completely different output on the helix but.... NOTHING :(

 

Does anyone know how to help me here or is there a video on how to reamp with SPDIF on the helix? I searched on youtube but didnt find anything...

 

Thanks a lot!

[rd2rk]

Disclaimers:

I do not own either NI Komplete Audio 6 or Studio One.
I own Scarlett 18i20 and Reaper.
You'll need to translate to your device. I looked for the manual for it, but apparently it's a state secret.

 

The easiest way to re-amp with Helix is to spend $99 on Native, that's how I do it.
I decided to try to do it the way you're doing it because I know it can be done and wanted to see if I could get it to work. I'm crazy that way, and if the results of my struggle with this help you out, cool.

 

Notes on the Scarlett 18i20:

The Scarlett has 10 hardware inputs. Inputs 9/10 are the S/PDIF.
It has 12 hardware outputs. 11/12 are the S/PDIF.
The 18i20 uses the same mixer SW as the 6i6, and I imagine the I/O Channel #s would be relative. 8 HW Inputs makes S/PDIF Channels 7/8; 6HW Outputs makes S/PDIF Channels 5/6. The 6i6 is similar to your device, but YMMV.

 

First Steps - Helix

Recording Preset

Two paths, one effected, one clean, both Inputs set to Guitar, both Outputs set to Digital, one Output panned hard left (S/PDIF 1), one panned hard right (S/PDIF 2). Alternately, you could have a big preset with 1A into 1B, then split off 2B with Guitar Input and your second Digital Output.

 

Re-amping Preset

Input S/PDIF, Output Digital

 

DAW - Reaper

Track 1 Effected - Input S/PDIF 1, Output Master.
Track 2 Clean (DI) - Input S/PDIF 2, Output S/PDIF (Outputs 11/12) and Master
Track 3 Re-amp - Input S/PDIF 1/2, Output Master
Master Output 1/2

 

Mixer/Audio Interface - Scarlett 18i20

Here's where the complications ensue.
In order to get this to work, I have my Monitor outputs set to Software Playback 1/2. That's the Master Out in Reaper.
***S/PDIF Outputs 1/2 set to Software Playback 11/12.***

***MUTE this Channel during initial recording to prevent digital feedback (NASTY!).
   UN-MUTE to enable re-amping. 

 

I think that's it!

BUT....it's getting late, time to sleep. Hopefully, I won't re-read this over coffee tomorrow and go "OH NO! If he does that all the magic smoke will escape and he'll be very angry!"

Seriously though, keep your monitor /headphone volume low until you've got the bugs worked out. I wasn't joking about that digital feedback being NASTY!

 

[GrutterInTheSea]

Thanks for the reply dude, i'll try to do it as you've written it, but i dont have any controlls in the komplete audio controller software that say "software playback" or "hardware playback".

But i'll try again and see if i can get it to work somehow... i'll keep this thread updated, should be home in a few hours

[rd2rk]

Hardware Input just means you're routing an AI Hardware input to the chosen AI Output. SW Playback means you're routing the Track Output set in your DAW to the chosen AI Output.

If you've got the PDF manual, attach it here and I'll see if I can help with the translation, but I couldn't find anything except the useless Quick Start guide at NI.

[GrutterInTheSea]

On 10/15/2019 at 7:22 PM, rd2rk said:

Hardware Input just means you're routing an AI Hardware input to the chosen AI Output. SW Playback means you're routing the Track Output set in your DAW to the chosen AI Output.

If you've got the PDF manual, attach it here and I'll see if I can help with the translation, but I couldn't find anything except the useless Quick Start guide at NI.

 

Okay i tested it and documented everything so first, here's the manual: Manual

 

and then here is all the pictures of how i set everything:

 

hope you can help me out here^^

[rd2rk]

There's two Helix presets involved. The recording preset, and the re-amping preset.

 

RECORD - EFFECTED PATH

 

 

 

RECORD - CLEAN PATH

 

 

 

The EFFECTED PATH is panned hard left and is carried on S/PDIF 1.

The CLEAN PATH is panned hard right and is carried on S/PDIF 2.

 

In your DAW, set one track to record S/PDIF 1 (EFFECTED TRACK). S/PDIF 1 is what Reaper calls Helix S/PDIF 1.

Create a second track to record S/PDIF 2. S/PDIF 2 is what Reaper calls Helix S/PDIF 2.

Send the OUTPUT to S/PDIF 1/2 (whatever channel #s your DAW uses for that, Reaper uses 11/12, as the Focusrite Analog Outputs are numbered 1-10).

Set up a third track to record the re-amped signal, taking it's INPUT from S/PDIF 1/2.

 

In your Routing SW, MUTE the incoming S/PDIF to prevent feedback.

 

RECORD ACTIVATE tracks 1 and 2. You might want to turn off track monitoring on the CLEAN track.

 

Load the Helix preset you want to record, set up as above with EFFECTED and CLEAN paths.

Record your piece.

 

RE-AMP

 

 

 

Now load the HX RE-AMPING preset.

Deactivate RECORD on the two recorded tracks.

MUTE the EFFECTED track.

Turn off track monitoring on the CLEAN track so you only hear the re-amped track

RECORD ACTIVATE the re-amping track.

In your routing SW, UN-MUTE the S/PDIF Outputs.

 

Record.

 

This SHOULD send the CLEAN track out of your DAW, into Helix S/PDIF 1/2 IN, through the re-amping preset and back out Helix S/PDIF OUT to the RE-AMPING track.

The trick, as I mentioned, is in the routing SW, muting the S/PDIF Channel fro Helix to DAW while recording to prevent feedback, and un-muting it to allow the signal to flow from DAW to Helix and back to the DAW.

 

Obviously, you'll have to figure out what your NI SW calls the Focusrite/Reaper equivalents.

 

I've attached sample Helix presets to help with the Screenshots.

 

Hope this gets you there. Hope I didn't leave anything out, lots of steps!

 

Did I mention how much simpler this all is with Helix NATIVE?  :-)

 

 

 

 

 

[GrutterInTheSea]

DUDE!!! I figured it out finally :DD

I had all the settings right and checked everything a few times.

Turns out, one of my spdif cables was broken T_T

Strage to me how my interface could sync spdif with a broken cale but now i've changed the cable, everything works perfectly!

 

Thanks a LOT for your help man! <3

[rd2rk]

I can dig it! One of my cables sporadically sends a spike through S/PDIF. My speakers don't like it a lot. Digital cables are fragile it seems.