AD16x and audition outputs

[Improv]

In our B room we have an AD16x with an HD card on its own digilink cable connected to the first interface card. We also have a 192 with 16 analog ins and 8 analog outs on a second digilink cable on the second interface card. It's set up this way so we can use the big ben in the Apogee as the master clock by selecting "192 #1 - internal" as the clock source. We monitor through 1-2 of the 192, and also use I/O loops on the 192 to access a Weiss DS1 and a Vari-Mu.

The problem is that since setting it up this way, all options are greyed out under the "audition outputs" option in the output page of the I/O setup dialog. Therefore, there is no way to preview audio imports or audiosuite processing. Am I missing something, or is it not possible to set audition outputs to anything but the first interface (and for some reason using an Apogee in this case is a no no)?

[Improv]

bump... gotta keep it afloat at least 24 hours

[Spaced]

Hi Improv

I'm afraid that you're right in assuming that only the first interface can be used to audition material. As your audition output options are greyed out, I guess that you have your AD16X booted up in V1 mode (16 analog Ins, digital outputs mirror analog inputs).

If you boot up in V2 mode (i'm assuming your firmware is up to date) by holding down the "Up" button whilst powering on (display will read "Apogee AD16X 2.0") you will enable the advanced routing option and the digital outputs will be accessible from Pro Tools. You can then route your audition path out of ProTools digitally (not ideal, I know, but better than nothing)

BEWARE- doing this will cause your I/O setup to change- indeed you will need to go through the hardware setup routine that you did when you initially set up the system.

The AD16X will now be detected differently- inputs A1-16 will remain the same, but outputs A1-16 will now correspond to the AD16X digital outputs and 1-8 of these should be available to use as audition outs. Feed a pair of these to a D/A and you've got an audition path (yeah, I know it's not very elegant). Alternatively, perhaps you could plug the digital output into your 192 and pick it up on an aux input in your session for monitoring.

Good luck with it all (maybe one day Digidesign could allow any output pair to be used as an audition path )

[7k]

I am dealing with the same problem using an AD16x and a Rosetta 800. I also have the AD16x first in line for the clock, but can't access audition audio. (You should see the crazy adaptor I have to use to access the G5s HEADPHONE jack to check my x-fades in Jam!)
Anyway, I thought a BUMP might be in order, just in case anything has changed since the original post.

[Improv]

Ok, so I guess the next question is why does the Apogee have to be the first card in order to access its clock? Couldn't it be interface #2, then you simply select "192#2 internal" for your clock?

I suppose it's not this simple or it's what people would be doing... but why is it not this simple?

[7k]

I did try that last week, and the AD16x kept revering to WC instead of Internal. I couldn't spend that much time on it, as I had a session getting ready to start, but I do want to try this again, or perhaps call Apogee, they might know if this works.

[7k]

Me again-
I haven't had time to deal with it quite yet, but I did talk to Apogee, and they assured me that the AD16x CAN go second in the chain WHILE using it as the Clock. He said that you have to really play back and forth with the settings in the hardware setup dialogue window, back and forth with the two interfaces, but it will eventually work, and will stay set once you get it there.

I will try to remember to post once I get this working to let you know how it goes.

[7k]

Well, I talked to Apogee a couple times on this and the first guy told me to put the AD16x second in the chain, and fiddle with the hardware setup for a while, till it finally works. I tried this and never had any luck. Finally Leon over there said it is just too quircky, and that you should do the advanced routing mode, and leave the AD16x first in the chain. I did this, (like mentioned earlier in this post) with the lightpipe going out from the AD16x into my Rosetta 800, and everything works great. He assures me that there is no signal quality loss, and I certainly don't hear any. Now I have audition outs again, as well as audio in Jam, iTunes, etc. Everything is once again blissfull- (and with that Apogee sound/clock- sorry Digi- great software though!)