MusicMan4274 Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Hey I don't see an answer for this anywhere... I want to record a dry DI track, and a mic'ed up guitar cab. I have my guitar > Helix > real amp and cab. I also have a USB cable from Helix into my computer. I use a Focusrite 2i4 as my main audio interface, and my guitar cab is mic'ed up with an SM57 and running to the Focusrite. I'm using Reaper, and can easily get the mic'ed up cab coming thru the Focusrite. But I can't even see my Helix inputs anywhere. Am I able to run the Focusrite and Helix thru USB at the same time? Or do I need to get an actual DI box, then run everything thru the Focusrite? (Helix is only being used as effects before my amp...no amp or cab models are being used on Helix). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 You won't see the Helix in Reaper unless you're using it as the AI. If you're using a MAC you can create an aggregate device and use both the 2i4 and Helix, but on a PC you get one or the other. I'm a PC guy, so if you're on a MAC look into creating an aggregate device. If you're on a PC: On page 9 of the 2i4 manual there's a hookup diagram. They have the mic into channel 2 . Create a second path in Helix with no effects, select XLR as the output, and take L/Mono XLR to channel 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusicMan4274 Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 Ok thanks. I am a PC guy, so no aggregate. I'll set the Helix with XLR out to interface, and Guitar Out into my amp...don't know why I didn't think of the yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbehrmann Posted May 12, 2020 Share Posted May 12, 2020 You can try ASIO4All. It can aggregate multiple ASIO interfaces. I've used it with the Helix Rack and other interfaces. Works well for the most part. Stopped using in my current setup. It was encountering a 2-3 second delay/cut when toggling arm or monitor on any track in DAW. http://www.asio4all.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klaim Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Beware, ASIO4All is seriously buggy. In particular, I used it with Windows10 + Focusrite audio interface and got regular bluescreens (due to ASIO4ALL trying to write where it shouldn't). An alternative for windows is VoiceMeeter Banana, it's designed specificatlly to be an aggregate of multiple interfaces (including ASIO ones). However it's not really trivial to configure for specific cases, I mean I use it and it works well but not with Ableton Live for some reason (probably my fault for not setting something properly). It's the closest non-crashing tool for that though. I wish DAWs would have an internal way to handle multiple ASIO interfaces. I don't know what is exactly the limitation here, I just know it's an OS one, but programming-wise (I'm a programmer) I saw code acquiring several ASIO drivers without a problem, so I don't know, it's maybe just that it was not common until recently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 ASIO4ALL may be buggy but more importantly it is not an ASIO-compliant driver. It does not conform fully to the ASIO protocol. Most significantly it exists in part to overcome one of the more restrictive aspects of the protocol, namely the requirement that the same audio device be used as both the input and output device. ASIO4ALL does not impose that restriction, which is one reason it is not a fully compliant protocol. When audio interface devices (like Line 6 devices) are designed to be fully ASIO-compliant it's no surprise that issues emerge when used with ASIO4ALL. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klaim Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 6 minutes ago, silverhead said: ASIO4ALL may be buggy but more importantly it is not an ASIO-compliant driver. It does not conform fully to the ASIO protocol. Most significantly it exists in part to overcome one of the more restrictive aspects of the protocol, namely the requirement that the same audio device be used as both the input and output device. ASIO4ALL does not impose that restriction, which is one reason it is not a fully compliant protocol. When audio interface devices (like Line 6 devices) are designed to be fully ASIO-compliant it's no surprise that issues emerge when used with ASIO4ALL. Oh that explains a lot! I was wondering why all DAWs were doing that "oversimplification" of forcing input and output from the same interface... (didn't make sens for me, coding-wise, but it make sens if it's a protocol requirement, even if it looks old-school) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverhead Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Technically the protocol constraint is that only one ASIO driver can be used at any time. The result is that the same device, with its ASIO driver, must be used as both input and output. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klaim Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 I wonder if a major iteration of that protocol (or maybe another protocol) could allow multiple interfaces and routing different interface input and output however we want. I mean, I don't see the hardware limitation. Or maybe it's for "forcing" the soft-realtime guarantee at the protocol level, but it looks like it's an arbitrary barrier today. I'll check if there are discussions in audio devs circles about this kind of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmingle Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 I have both a Helix rack & a Scarlett 6i6 2nd gen interface. Maybe its my old ears but, the difference in sound quality between these 2 units is immense. The Helix has much better stereo imaging & seems to have more headroom. I use Kali Audio 6" monitors for playback. In 6 months, the Helix has replaced a box full of pedals & DI boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 My ears are 70. If you use the SPDIF connection, there should be zero difference between the two. Truth be told, I can't tell the difference between SPDIF and XLR into my 18i20. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rd2rk Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 It just occurred to me - are you using the Scarlett software to pan the channels L/R? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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