Interface Setup - Revision history

Meambobbo: /* Clock Options/SPDIF Source */

2016-02-04T04:25:33Z

‎Clock Options/SPDIF Source

Meambobbo: /* Clock Options/SPDIF Source */

2015-10-13T22:55:34Z

‎Clock Options/SPDIF Source

Meambobbo: /* Clock Options/SPDIF Source */

2015-10-13T22:54:50Z

‎Clock Options/SPDIF Source

Meambobbo at 20:48, 12 April 2015

2015-04-12T20:48:36Z

Meambobbo: /* Inputs/Mixer */

2015-03-20T21:04:08Z

‎Inputs/Mixer

Meambobbo at 20:49, 20 March 2015

2015-03-20T20:49:21Z

Meambobbo at 05:21, 16 March 2015

2015-03-16T05:21:58Z

Meambobbo at 04:21, 14 March 2015

2015-03-14T04:21:37Z

Show changes

Meambobbo: /* Connecting to DAW Software */

2015-03-13T23:28:16Z

‎Connecting to DAW Software

Meambobbo: /* Connecting to DAW Software */

2015-03-13T19:53:10Z

‎Connecting to DAW Software

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 === Clock Options/SPDIF Source ===
-The interface usually has the option to select the SPDIF clock source as internal or external (master or slave).  Many devices require being the clock source; and in this case, you must select external or slave as well as setting the correct sample rate to sync with the device.
+The interface usually has the option to select the '''SPDIF clock source''' as ''internal'' or ''external'' (''master'' or ''slave'').  Many devices require being the clock source; and in this case, you must select external or slave as well as setting the correct sample rate to sync with the device.
 Otherwise, you should use internal/master and set the sample rate at the rate that you want to record in.  The DAW may be able to override this value, but it's best to set it to the same to keep everything consistent and minimize confusion and risk of error.
 For interfaces that have both coaxial and TOSLINK SPDIF input, you should be able to select which ones you are using for input and output.
-Note: the sample rate selected ''does not'' affect the operation of the A>D converters.  These always operate at the device's maximum sample rate, providing the highest quality A>D conversion.  The signal is then digitally scaled down to the selected sample rate, without any loss of quality, other than the removal of frequencies above the Nyquist frequency.  Lower sample rates means smaller file sizes for storing DAW tracks and less CPU power needed to apply plugins or handle numerous audio tracks.
+'''Note: the sample rate selected ''does not'' affect the operation of the A>D converters.  These always operate at the device's maximum sample rate, providing the highest quality A>D conversion.'''  The signal is then digitally scaled down to the selected sample rate, without any loss of quality, other than the removal of frequencies above the Nyquist frequency.
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 For interfaces that have both coaxial and TOSLINK SPDIF input, you should be able to select which ones you are using for input and output.
-Note: the sample rate selected ''does not'' affect the operation of the A>D converters.  These always operate at the device's maximum sample rate, providing the highest quality A>D conversion.  It is digitally scaled down to the selected sample rate, without any loss of quality, other than the removal of frequencies above the Nyquist frequency.  Lower sample rates means smaller file sizes for storing DAW tracks and less CPU power needed to apply plugins or handle numerous audio tracks.
+Note: the sample rate selected ''does not'' affect the operation of the A>D converters.  These always operate at the device's maximum sample rate, providing the highest quality A>D conversion.  The signal is then digitally scaled down to the selected sample rate, without any loss of quality, other than the removal of frequencies above the Nyquist frequency.  Lower sample rates means smaller file sizes for storing DAW tracks and less CPU power needed to apply plugins or handle numerous audio tracks.
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← Older revision		Revision as of 22:54, 13 October 2015
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	For interfaces that have both coaxial and TOSLINK SPDIF input, you should be able to select which ones you are using for input and output.		For interfaces that have both coaxial and TOSLINK SPDIF input, you should be able to select which ones you are using for input and output.
		+
		+	Note: the sample rate selected ''does not'' affect the operation of the A>D converters. These always operate at the device's maximum sample rate, providing the highest quality A>D conversion. It is digitally scaled down to the selected sample rate, without any loss of quality, other than the removal of frequencies above the Nyquist frequency. Lower sample rates means smaller file sizes for storing DAW tracks and less CPU power needed to apply plugins or handle numerous audio tracks.

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 An '''audio interface''' is a device that is used to transfer audio streams (usually analog) to and from a computer, allowing recording and playback for DAW software.  They typically include microphone, instrument-level, RCA, SPDIF, and AES-EBU inputs, as well as monitor, headphone, and auxiliary/line-out outputs.  Often they will interface [[MIDI]] in addition to audio.
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 [[Category:DAW]]
 [[Category:Gear]]

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 === Inputs/Mixer ===
-The mixer or input tab of the control panel typically resembles a mixing board.  This includes the '''physical inputs''' on your interface as well as '''software return inputs''' from your DAW which your DAW will see as ''outputs''.  Your DAW should automatically see all of your interface's physical inputs without having to change anything here.  Different interfaces will provide your DAW software with different numbers of virtual outputs.  The mixer page determines how the physical and software inputs are routed to the physical outputs on the interface.  Let's look at a few examples.
+The mixer or input tab of the control panel might not exist, depending on your specific interface.  Some manufacturers rely on your DAW software to handle the routing listed here, which depending on your DAW, may or may not be available.  It provides an additional layer of mixing/routing between your DAW's output and your interface's physical outputs, as well as allowing you to level and pan your physical inputs.
 # Guitar > Mic'ed Amp/Cab > Interface Mic Physical Input > DAW > Software Return Inputs 1/2 > Interface Mixer Settings > Interface Outputs 1/2 > Monitors/Headphones
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 # Guitar > Interface Instrument Physical Input > DAW > Software Return Inputs 3/4 > Interface Mixer Settings > Interface Output 3 > Mic'ed Amp/Cab > Interface Mic Physical Input > DAW > Software Return Inputs 1/2 > Interface Mixer Settings > Interface Outputs 1/2 > Monitors/Headphones
-Notice how the "Interface Mixer Settings" appear in the above examples - this determines how the DAW outputs (seen as software return inputs by the interface) are routed to the interface's physical outputs.  In our examples, we have the mixer set to route software returns 1/2 to physical outputs 1/2 and software return 3/4 to physical outputs 3/4 (but we only use output 3 to feed the mono guitar amp).
+Notice how the "Interface Mixer Settings" appear in the above examples - this determines how the DAW outputs (seen as ''software return inputs'' by the interface) are routed to the interface's physical outputs.  In our examples, we have the mixer set to route software returns 1/2 to physical outputs 1/2 and software return 3/4 to physical outputs 3/4 (but we only use output 3 to feed the mono guitar amp).
 Example 1 is a typical guitar recording setup.  You are not routing the physical input directly to any output, but picking it up in the DAW where it is recorded to a track and output to the master bus, which sends it to outputs 1/2.  The Mixer sees that as software return inputs 1/2 and routes that to interface outputs 1/2, which are connected to your studio monitors.

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-An <u>audio interface</u> is a device that is used to transfer audio streams (usually analog) to and from a computer, allowing recording and playback for DAW software.  They typically include microphone, instrument-level, RCA, SPDIF, and AES-EBU inputs, as well as monitor, headphone, and auxiliary/line-out outputs.  Often they will interface [[MIDI]] in addition to audio.
+An '''audio interface''' is a device that is used to transfer audio streams (usually analog) to and from a computer, allowing recording and playback for DAW software.  They typically include microphone, instrument-level, RCA, SPDIF, and AES-EBU inputs, as well as monitor, headphone, and auxiliary/line-out outputs.  Often they will interface [[MIDI]] in addition to audio.
 Interfaces vary in form factors and how they connect to the computer.  Early interfaces were PCI cards that had to be inserted into the computer's motherboard.  Modern ones may use a PCI or PCI-e card, or use USB 2, USB 3, or a Firewire connection.  Some early interfaces consisted of nothing but a PCI card and a break out cable that split into various jacks to connect to audio cables - all the controls for the inputs were controlled via software.  Most interfaces nowadays consist of a hardware box meant to either sit on a desktop or live in a rack - the box provides various controls in addition to the input/output jacks.
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 === Inputs/Mixer ===
-The mixer or input tab of the control panel typically resembles a mixing board.  This includes the <u>physical inputs</u> on your interface as well as <u>software return inputs</u> from your DAW which your DAW will see as ''outputs''.  Your DAW should automatically see all of your interface's physical inputs without having to change anything here.  Different interfaces will provide your DAW software with different numbers of virtual outputs.  The mixer page determines how the physical and software inputs are routed to the physical outputs on the interface.  Let's look at a few examples.
+The mixer or input tab of the control panel typically resembles a mixing board.  This includes the '''physical inputs''' on your interface as well as '''software return inputs''' from your DAW which your DAW will see as ''outputs''.  Your DAW should automatically see all of your interface's physical inputs without having to change anything here.  Different interfaces will provide your DAW software with different numbers of virtual outputs.  The mixer page determines how the physical and software inputs are routed to the physical outputs on the interface.  Let's look at a few examples.
 # Guitar > Mic'ed Amp/Cab > Interface Mic Physical Input > DAW > Software Return Inputs 1/2 > Interface Mixer Settings > Interface Outputs 1/2 > Monitors/Headphones
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 }}
-Communication between the interface and the rest of the computer is not instantaneous or reliably timely.  For a slower computer or one bogged down with other tasks, it may not be timely at all.  This results in crackles and pops in the audio signal, as the stream is constantly being interrupted and dropped.  To prevent this, the interface can store the audio stream in an <u>input buffer</u>, a temporary memory location, where it can be reliably transported to the rest of the computer when the computer is ready to receive it.  In turn, this means that it takes longer for the audio to get to where it is supposed to go, resulting in <u>latency</u> between the input into the interface and the DAW's ability to record, process, or monitor it.
+Communication between the interface and the rest of the computer is not instantaneous or reliably timely.  For a slower computer or one bogged down with other tasks, it may not be timely at all.  This results in crackles and pops in the audio signal, as the stream is constantly being interrupted and dropped.  To prevent this, the interface can store the audio stream in an '''input buffer''', a temporary memory location, where it can be reliably transported to the rest of the computer when the computer is ready to receive it.  In turn, this means that it takes longer for the audio to get to where it is supposed to go, resulting in '''latency''' between the input into the interface and the DAW's ability to record, process, or monitor it.
 Interfaces often allow you to set the buffer size in terms of samples or miliseconds.  You should set it as small as possible so long as the audio never drops out or pops.
-While the DAW is smart enough to account for this latency, it may make it difficult for the musician to record if using software monitoring.  This latency can be avoided by using <u>direct monitoring</u> (routing the interface's physical input directly to a physical output).  It can also be minimized by using proper low-latency drivers (typically ASIO) and setting up your OS and DAW software to efficiently work with audio.  Or you can use a more powerful computer.
+While the DAW is smart enough to account for this latency, it may make it difficult for the musician to record if using software monitoring.  This latency can be avoided by using '''direct monitoring''' (routing the interface's physical input directly to a physical output).  It can also be minimized by using proper low-latency drivers (typically ASIO) and setting up your OS and DAW software to efficiently work with audio.  Or you can use a more powerful computer.
 Besides driver and OS settings, certain interfaces may be able to transport its data more quickly to the computer depending on the bus with which it uses to communicate.  USB 2.0 or 2.1 can sometimes run into issues, although theoretically fast enough.  Firewire is typically faster; however, this depends on the Firewire controller in the computer - some interface manufacturers recommend certain controller chips over others for best reliability and speed.  Interfaces that use a PCI or PCI-e card may benefit from being seated in higher slots on the motherboard to obtain a higher priority for its interrupt requests.  USB 3.0 is relatively new but should be more than fast enough to achieve imperceptibly low latency.

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 * Some interfaces may be powered via a Firewire or USB cable as well as its own power adapter.  Be careful - some are not meant to be powered by both simultaneously and can will be damaged if set up that way.  When in doubt, try using the interface ''without'' its supplied power adapter first.  On the other hand, some USB connections might not provide enough power, even if they should, such as if you connect to an unpowered USB hub that has numerous devices that use USB power.  If things aren't working as they should, it's best to try to do some research or contact the manufacturer before experimenting and frying the interface.
 * If your interface connects via a PCI or PCI-e card, the location of the slot on the motherboard may affect its performance.  Generally, the slots furthest from the bottom have higher IRQ's than those towards the bottom.  That means interrupts from the interface card can trump interrupts from cards below it and achieve better performance.  Sometimes, there are motherboard BIOS options to adjust the priority the card can have.
-* Not all manufacturers implement protocols the same way.  My firewire interface recommended using a firewire controller that uses Texas Instruments{{TM}} chips.  So I bought a PCI card with TI chips to provide the firewire ports to connect to the interface, rather than use the motherboard's firewire port.
+* Not all manufacturers implement protocols the same way.  My firewire interface recommended using a firewire controller that uses Texas Instruments chips.  So I bought a PCI card with TI chips to provide the firewire ports to connect to the interface, rather than use the motherboard's firewire port.
 * If installing a card into the motherboard and things don't work correctly at first, try powering down and reseating the card, or try using a different slot.
 * Not all USB ports are alike.  Sometimes the motherboard divides them between multiple controllers, with some functioning better than others.  If you experience poor performance, try switching ports and testing.

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:28, 13 March 2015
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−	~~[[Category:Recording]]~~
	[[Category:DAW]]		[[Category:DAW]]
		+	[[Category:Gear]]

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 == Connecting to DAW Software ==
-Once you have your drivers correctly installed and your OS has recognized your interface, the next step is to open your DAW and select your interface.  Every DAW software does this a bit differently, but most of the time, you should find the settings on the Settings or Preferences dialog under an Interface, Connections, or Hardware tab/page.  You should be able to select the interface.  Sometimes it does not appear as expected, either listed under a generic name like "ASIO Device" or listed multiple times with different drivers.  You typically want to select the option that uses "ASIO", which is the lowest latency driver, and typically the only one that talks to your interface.  "DirectSound" is ''not'' what you want - that's a generic Windows driver.
+Once you have your drivers correctly installed and your OS has recognized your interface, the next step is to open your DAW and select your interface.  Every DAW software does this a bit differently, but most of the time, you should find the settings on the Settings or Preferences dialog under an Interface, Connections, or Hardware tab/page.  You should be able to select the interface.  Sometimes it does not appear as expected, either listed under a generic name like "ASIO Device" or listed multiple times with different drivers.  You typically want to select the option that uses "ASIO", which is the lowest latency driver, and typically the only one that talks to your interface.  DirectSound, WDM, or MME is ''not'' what you want - these are generic Windows drivers that do not allow DAW software direct access to the interface and buffer the audio streams through levels of the OS as well as process them before sending them on.
 After you have selected your interface, you will want to setup your inputs and outputs.  Often the DAW software will do this automatically, but it may omit all of the possible choices.  Check the I/O page(s).  If all your inputs or outputs aren't listed, you may have to manually add a bus for each (or each pair) of inputs and outputs - you will get the option to select the physical inputs that correspond to the bus as well as being able to label it to match the physical I/O it pertains to.