HX Stomp newb question on signal chain/Logic Pro

[bgenn]

Hi all, 

 

First post here. I'm seriously considering getting the HX Stomp solely for home recording and had a general question. 

 

Right now I'm using Logic Pro with a Focusrite 18i20 audio interface with multiple XLR inputs for recording drums. I'm not recording multiple people simultaneously, just me one instrument at a time. 

 

For recording guitar from a signal chain perspective, would I be able to pipe the HX Stomp to the audio interface or would I need to connect the HX Stomp directly into my Mac for use with Logic Pro? Or does it not really matter?

 

Any thoughts welcome, thanks all!

[silverhead]

I doesn't really matter - you can get a good guitar recording either way. There are a couple of potential advantages in using the HX Stomp as your audio interface, and bypass the Focusrite:

- you will avoid a D/A and subsequent A/ / conversion as your audio gets from your guitar to your computer, resulting in a cleaner signal; and

- your Stomp will allow you to record both a processed and DI track simultaneously. Not sure what your Focusrite abilities are.
 

[rd2rk]

I also use an 18i20.

I've compared recordings made direct from Helix/HXS and through the Scarlett, and I can't perceive a difference, the converters are that good.

Using my Helix with SPDIF there should be NO difference, but again, I can't tell.

[bgenn]

Thanks a lot @silverheadand @rd2rk. Your responses helped convince me to go for it with the HX Stomp. :)

[lou-kash]

On 12/30/2023 at 8:40 PM, bgenn said:

connect the HX Stomp directly into my Mac for use with Logic Pro? 

Or does it not really matter?

 

It does matter:
Connect both directly, then create an Aggregate Device via Audio MIDI Setup app to use both interfaces simultaneously, while you'll also still have full control of both via their drivers, and you can also comfortably edit and back up your Stomp presets via the HX Edit app.
You may also want to install the Helix Driver, otherwise the Stomp will default to 48 kHz sample rate only. (Unless you're recording for the film industry, generally you may want to record at 44.1 kHz in Logic.)

[rd2rk]

On 12/31/2023 at 2:27 AM, lou-kash said:

 

It does matter:
Connect both directly, then create an Aggregate Device via Audio MIDI Setup app to use both interfaces simultaneously, while you'll also still have full control of both via their drivers, and you can also comfortably edit and back up your Stomp presets via the HX Edit app.
You may also want to install the Helix Driver, otherwise the Stomp will default to 48 kHz sample rate only. (Unless you're recording for the film industry, generally you may want to record at 44.1 kHz in Logic.)

 

The following is requested for both OP's benefit and my own curiosity.

With WIN10 EOL approaching  - which will require that I replace BOTH of my older Windows machines - I MIGHT buy a MAC.

It is NOT an attack.

 

Please explain WHY it matters - the benefits and possible drawbacks - I've read that there are some drawbacks to using an aggregate device configuration.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

 

 

[amsdenj]

macOS aggregate devices used to be a little unstable, but Core Audio has been much improved over the years and I have no problems with them now. I also use Loopback to create very complex virtual devices for connecting audio applications together. It works very well to and can do the aggregate devices too.

 

[lou-kash]

On 12/31/2023 at 8:35 PM, rd2rk said:

Please explain WHY it matters

 

I did already: you will have direct control over all devices, yet you can use them all at the same time. A literal "win-win situation" as they say. 

 

On 12/31/2023 at 8:35 PM, rd2rk said:

I've read that there are some drawbacks to using an aggregate device configuration

 

Hm… that might have been the case back in the day while I was doing mobile recordings with a PowerBook G4 and my two FireWire interfaces and their still crappy drivers. But I don't really remember.

But in the past few years I've been doing lots of mobile recordings with Logic and with the same old two FW interfaces plus the HX Stomp as an aggregate device – having 14 input channels in total – and it just works, and that was on MacOS El Capitan using hacked drivers for those two old FW interfaces because they aren't even supported on El Capitan anymore… 

 

The only drawback here is that the old FW devices don't work with my new MacBook M2 anymore.
So I bought a Roland Octa-Capture which is USB.
Guess what: on my old El Capitan MacBooks, all four devices run as an aggregate device: M-Audio FW410, Alesis iO26, the Octa-Capture and the Stomp.
That's a total of 18 XLR and 4 line/instrument inputs! 
It. Just. Works. ;)

 

(That said, some apps are quite picky about CoreAudio devices in general. Yes, I'm looking at you, iZotope RX with your friggin' "selected audio device cannot be opened" error! Funnily enough, you can actually work around this stupid error by assigning an – wait for it… – aggregate device with all your possible I/O in there. Go figure. :)