How do you record your HX (Stomp)?

[mk5342]

HI, very excited to have just got my HX stomp for my birthday. I mainly plan to record with it. I know it has a USB interface, which in theory, should be great, but I have heard of stability issues when recording alongside other interfaces to record multiple parts. In particular, I normally record DI bass and DI guitar in at same time, im looking to capture DI guitar and FX applied guitar channels alongside a Bass DI coming in via my main interface.

 

Interested to hear how you go about recording your HX stomp, no wrong or right answers, doesn't have to relate directly to my rig,  just collecting some ideas.

 

In particular interesested in multi track recording and whether you go via USB or via outputs. Also whether anyone has tried setting up a FX left, DI right on the outputs and how that has worked out.

 

Been watching loads of videos but at 20 minutes a pop i'll never get all the answers quick enough.

 

Cheers everyone.

[silverhead]

First off, I suggest you use either the HX Stomp (with the Line 6 ASIO driver) or a different audio interface for recording. I would avoid trying to use both, at least on Windows systems. Don't know about Mac.

 

I think the HX Stomp is able to meet your requirements. For details, download the manual and read the section on USB Audio, particularly the DI Recording and Reamping section. As I understand it you can use the Guitar input to simultaneously record your dry (and optionally processed) guitar signal, while also simultaneously record the bass guitar DI (dry)  using the Stomp's Aux In connection.

 

If you apply guitar FX processing while recording you may introduce latency. I tend to only apply the guitar plug-in processing to the dry track after recording it. During recording I monitor latency-free using the Helix device.

 

 

[craiganderton]

How easily you can combine dissimilar interfaces depends on whether you're using Mac or Windows. The Mac has the advantage for your application. Here's a brief excerpt from my Helix book:

 

MacOS Aggregation

 

Open Audio MIDI Setup (under Utilities), and then choose the Audio Devices window. Click the little + sign in the lower left corner. An Aggregate Device box appears, and you’ll see a list of available I/O. Check the interfaces you want to aggregate, and check “Resample” or “Drift Correction” (depending on your OS version) for the secondary interface or interfaces. Now all input and output options will be available in your host program.
 

Windows Aggregation

 

Aggregating Windows devices is theoretically not possible with ASIO, but you can use Windows’ native drivers, like WDM/KS or WASAPI. Select one of these drivers in your host software, and all interfaces that support those drivers will show their available inputs and outputs in your application. However, this is of limited use because ASIO, which was not designed to handle multiple interfaces, currently delivers better performance for Windows. 

 

The other option for Windows is to feed the HX Stomp's audio output into your main interface. The HX Stomp audio then has to go through a D/A and A/D converter, which it wouldn't have to do if it could go directly into USB. However, the difference in sound quality will be minor enough that it probably won't matter. 
 

[soundog]

You say "I know it has a USB interface...but I have heard of stability issues when recording alongside other interfaces to record multiple parts."

 

Are you recording via Mac or Windows?

 

If you're on a Mac and need to record Stomp FX + Guitar Dry + Bass DI, then set up an Aggregate Device (Helix + your audio interface) as Craig mentions. Then use Stomp USB for Stomp "wet" with FX on one channel, Stomp "dry" (guitar DI) on a 2nd channel, and Bass DI (through audio interface input) on a 3rd channel. I find aggregate devices are a bit of a pain, but this method is probably your best bet unless you have a >4 channel interface. FYI, I've never experienced any stability issues using a Stomp with an Apollo Twin.