Protools with Fractal Axe-Fx II

[Mr. Jack]

So I have an Axe FX II unit and I can’t get that thing to connect as an interface through USB at all. The cable is good, the driver is good (because I can connect to Axe Edit just fine) and the sample rates are both matching so I don’t understand.

Does avid just not play nice with Fractal?

I used a Line 6 Helix just fine for 2 years. Just plug in and play. I have googled my heart out trying to find a solution. I am hoping someone here knows what to do or knows where I can find something showing me step by step what to do because I don’t know what settings to change or where to start at this point. I may have to sell the Fractal and go back to Helix but the Fractal is supposed to be far superior (not really sure about that in my own experience though).

I dont want to run out of the unit in to another interface as I tried that and ran into latency issues and it really shouldn’t be an issue since that’s the glory of having USB integrated into the unit itself. That’s what made the Helix so nive. Plug it in and record, no latency, no delays, no issues.

[Darryl Ramm]

It should work fine.

You are not giving much useful info here.

What Computer. What OS. What driver version?

What are all the options that show up in the Play Back Engine dialog? What one are you selecting?

If multiple Axe-FX drivers are showing up you need to select an ASIO device. I cannot remember what the exact names are... you tell us what you see. Do not use ASIO4ALL.

I thought Fractal used to have notes on working with Pro Tools?

And finally seeings device control through a driver is a very weak test, audio has a very different path through the driver. So it’s certainly not proof that everything is OK.

[Mr. Jack]

Well now when I try to use it, it crashes my computer. I had my focusrite hooked up to get protools open, then when trying to find the Axe-Fx in my I/O the whole computer crashes.

It’s windows 7-64, protools 11 originally, upgraded to 12. I’m not too smart with the lingo and terms and such but I know the Helix worked like a charm and I never had to change any settings. I was hoping this all sounded familiar to someone and they’d be like “oh yeah, just go change this to that real quick and it’s ready to go” lol.

I will say, I do have ASIO for all lol so that’s one place to start I guess.

[Darryl Ramm]

Go into Windows device manager and tell us what version of the Axe FX driver. You have to get on top of this stuff, make sure whatever driver you are installing is compatible with Windows 7 etc.

[albee1952]

And, make sure the Fractal is not selected to be the Windows "Default Playback Device"

[Mr. Jack]

Ok it says under Axe Fx II properties:

Driver provider: Fractal Audio Systems
Driver Date: 5/16/2014
Driver Version: 2.23.0.0
Also says it’s the most current driver available.
Driver Details says: C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\fasusbaudio_x64.sys

I’m in protools 12.5.0
Windows 7 Professional
ASIO4ALL v2 - ProTools pops up at the bottom of the screen once protools is turned on?...

When running protools like this WITHOUT the focusrite connected all audio in the project is now coming out of the computer speakers and not through the Axe Fx and studio monitors.

The Axe Fx is NOT set as windows default audio device.

[Darryl Ramm]

So to start with you obviously don't have the Axe FX selected as the playback engine in Pro Tools. What exactly are the Playback Engine options shown in the following dialog pull down?

Setup>Playback Engine>Playback Engine pulldown

Attach a screen shot of that pulldown list if you can or type it in verbatim here.

Remember you are looking for an ASIO driver to use with Pro Tools, something that might be labeled as obvious as "Axe FX ASIO Driver" (I can't recall the actual name). That has to be selected as the playback engine.

You should not be selecting anything that says ASIO4ALL, and more importantly likely should never have ASIO4ALL installed on your system to start with.

(and it looks like you have the correct driver installed, and it's OK on your Windows version).

[Mr. Jack]

Well I did 2 things and I’m not sure which one it was or if it was both.

The sample rate on the unit itself was on 512, I changed it to 1024.

I also went in to the playback engine settings inside protools and found the driver was set to ASIO4ALL & I changed it to the Fasusbaudio driver and BOOM! I have playback and am able to record usb.

I assume the whole crashing incidents had something to do with the Axe Fx driver AND the focusrite being used at the same time maybe? I think ASIO4ALL is what I am using for the Focusrite Scarlet. Either way it’s working now thank God.

Thanks for your help as well!

[Mr. Jack]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

So to start with you obviously don't have the Axe FX selected as the playback engine in Pro Tools. What exactly are the Playback Engine options shown in the following dialog pull down?

Setup>Playback Engine>Playback Engine pulldown

Attach a screen shot of that pulldown list if you can or type it in verbatim here.

I did have it selected BUT it was trying to use ASIO4ALL as the driver and when I had both the Axe fx and Focusrite connected it was crashing it. I don’t guess I need to post that screenshot though because we are rolling now. Thank you kindly sir!

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jack

I did have it selected BUT it was trying to use ASIO4ALL as the driver and when I had both the Axe fx and Focusrite connected it was crashing it. I don’t guess I need to post that screenshot though because we are rolling now. Thank you kindly sir!

Great you are going. The Axe FX is a fantastic box. I am not really sure what was going on. Remember Pro Tools can start up with something different than what you think is the playback engine, to be sure you can hold down 'N' key while Pro Tools is starting and select the correct playback engine in the dialog screen when it appears. Lots of us just do that *every* time we start Pro Tools.

BTW you really want to be careful you are not accidentally using it via ASIO4ALL.... And unless you needs ASIO4ALL I would uninstall that. Just get rid of that horrible stuff. You don't need it for either external interface you have mentioned.