Omni and Ensemble Aggregate device ?

[kick56]

Question: Is there a way to set up aggregate devices with Apogee input (Ensemble) and HD Omni output ?

kick56

[kick56]

... evidently the HD Omni interface is Core Audio compliant so why will it not work in that configuration (aggregate device) ?

I must be doing something wrong with the setup if this is the case... ???

kick56

[nst7]

The HD Omni is not what interfaces with your computer, the HD card is what does. And no HD system works in aggregate mode, so this is not possible.

[kick56]

That's an interesting answer... so, the Omni 'is' Core Audio compliant but (only) connects 'through' the HD Native 'card' BUT the 'card' isn't Core Audio compliant so... sorry but that's engineering for the corporation not the user/technician/musician/producer etc. A big hand for AVID !

[kick56]

Btw nst7, isn't the Omni called an audio 'interface' ? and yes it does interface through the HD Native card to the computer so please spare me the semantics one doesn't work without the other, right ?...

[nst7]

I'm not trying to confuse you.

For the purposes of this discussion, the HD interfaces are not "interfaces" in the traditional sense of connecting with the computer. For all practical purposes, they are A/D and D/A converters, that happen to hook up to the cards via the digilink connector.

The HD Native, HDX or HD TDM Core cards are the actual computer interfaces. It is the cards that would need to be core audio compliant (or not). It is the cards that the drivers are installed for. Rather than having a USB or Firewire interface, you have a PCI card (whatever your HD card is) and that is your interface. Similar to other PCI interfaces by RME or Lynx, etc.

And the HD Native cards ARE Core Audio compliant. That's what allows them to work with other software like Logic, Digital Performer, Garageband, etc.


What you're referring to here is not about being core audio compliant. What you are dealing with here is the Aggregate Audio function built into Mac computers, that allows you to use more than one interface to expand your I/O. While this is a feature that the Macs offer, not every interface (whether PCI, USB, or Firewire) allows that to be used. That is up to the manufacturer. And not every interface by the same manufacturer will allow that.

For example, the 002 and 003 series can not be used in aggregate mode, but the Mbox family (both old and new) can. So can the Eleven Rack, I'm pretty sure.

The HD systems (again, the cards is all that matters) can NOT be used in aggregate mode. Avid has designed it this way, I'm not sure what their reason is.

And it's not just Avid. Not all of Apogee's products will work in Aggregate mode. The original Duet 1 did not, but the Duet 2 does.

And, I'm pretty sure the Ensemble does not. But you may want to call Apogee and check with that.

But even if the Ensemble does, it won't do it with the HD systems, because they do not allow that function.

I know this all may be even more confusing because the Protools software allows using aggregate mode, and yet some of their hardware doesn't. But they are just making the feature available in the software as an option for those interfaces that will allow it.


Bottom line, your best bet if you need more I/O, and want to take advantage of all the features of your HD system, is to sell the Ensemble and put the money toward an HD IO 8x8 or 16x16.

[kick56]

nst7,

Thx for that explanation and your patience. The hardware/software roadblocks that we come up against sometimes are let's face it, annoyingly frustrating...

The original reason for wanting to use both interfaces was because of latency problems. Being used to using the software input mixer of the Ensemble, I was just attempting to make life easier for myself as I've begun using PTNHD for mixing which I'm liking a lot, but I find Cubase much more creative (for myself that is) on the recording end with software instruments and file manipulation as well as having a latency free audio recording environment... we hope.


Thx for your suggestions

[nst7]

I'm pretty sure you can leave both hooked up, and then just choose which interface you're using, either in Cubase or Protools. If you choose the Ensemble, you should be able to use it like normal. It's not like you have to unhook the HD Native card or anything. Then you can switch back to the HD Native card when mixing.

However, the HD Native card does have a Low Latency function available, at least in Protools. Not sure if it also works in Cubase. And it's only for 2 channels.