Can't record from Eleven Rack

[heydenkm]

My apologies for making another thread about this. I know that there are many and I have read many of them and watched several YouTube clips looking for answers. However, I can't seem to get this to work. I'm also sorry that I'm going to post this exact same thread on elevenrackpresets.com forum to hopefully catch some other readers.

I bought a gently used Eleven Rack a few months ago that included Pro Tools 10 and a few other Avid plug ins. The seller was generally helpful in getting all of the licenses transferred and sent in the hardware transfer paperwork as well. At this point, I have PT working without any issues--I think. My only issues are with my Eleven Rack.

I've installed, uninstalled and reinstalled the current drivers. I've downloaded the expansion pack files to ensure that everything works. I've tried a couple different USB cables with no change. I have the Eleven Rack plugged directly into the computer--not a hub. I'm able to manipulate the 11R through the PT GUI and I'm able to play songs from iTunes through the 11R main outs to my QSC K12. I have deleted all of the paths in the Setup / I/O menu and hit the default button to ensure those are in their standard configuration. I've checked the Rig Input of the 11R in the GUI to be "Guitar". I've used the "Full Session" template as well as a blank new session with new a blank stereo audio track. I've checked and changed around the inputs and outputs of each track to try any option that might make sense.

With that said (and probably a few other things tried that I forgot to list), I'm unable to record any audio from the 11R to PT. When I look at the meters on the 11R, they all look to have a signal except the three USB levels. I don't know what else to try. After a couple months of hoping to record and not being able, I'm getting really frustrated. Can anyone help?

Here's some system info, I'm running the 11R into an iMac running Mountain Lion. I'm also running Superior Drummer, a Korg NanoPad and a Line 6 TonePort UX2. I initially set up the I/O to Pro Tools Aggregate I/O to include the TonePort but deleted this and just mapped to the 11R. With that said, I'd like to have my audio out of the TonePort as it is always attached and the 11R goes to gigs.

Let me know if there's any other information that would help troubleshoot this. Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Darryl Ramm]

What is the Setup>Playback Engine playback engine set to?

Can you create a new stereo audio track and drag a iTunes file onto that and then play from within Pro Tools and hear that in the monitors connected to the Eleven Rack output?

You are trying to record to a stereo audio (not instrument track) using the "Eleven Rig L/R" as the inputs to that track? And that track is record armed(red blinking light) and the transport is also in record mode (record button pressed)?

If all that is OK, then try again to go into Setup>IO and press default on the input, output and bus pages.

[heydenkm]

Darryl, I've read several of your posts. I swear that I've done each and every thing you just said at least once before. I've played back iTunes tracks. I've reset the playback engine to Eleven Rack and defaulted the I/O screens. I've armed the tracks and the transport. And I've recorded with zero success. I've maybe never done them in that order.

But somehow, this time through it worked perfectly. I was able to record. Amazing. I KNOW that I've done each of those steps but apparently not all together. It appears that you hit on something.

Now my only problem is that I'm not using my TonePort at all. It doesn't show up. Any idea how to have that available for I/O. With its two XLR inputs and always-connected monitor outputs and headphone jack, I'd really prefer to be able to use it. Any advice on how to add that in?

Thanks for your help again.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by heydenkm

Darryl, I've read several of your posts. I swear that I've done each and every thing you just said at least once before. I've played back iTunes tracks. I've reset the playback engine to Eleven Rack and defaulted the I/O screens. I've armed the tracks and the transport. And I've recorded with zero success. I've maybe never done them in that order.

But somehow, this time through it worked perfectly. I was able to record. Amazing. I KNOW that I've done each of those steps but apparently not all together. It appears that you hit on something.

Now my only problem is that I'm not using my TonePort at all. It doesn't show up. Any idea how to have that available for I/O. With its two XLR inputs and always-connected monitor outputs and headphone jack, I'd really prefer to be able to use it. Any advice on how to add that in?

Thanks for your help again.

It possible that your problems were really just with the playback engine. I think folks get themselves in trouble by doing things like defaulting the IO without checking first what the playback engine is set to. Or setting it, rebooting, messing around, etc. and not noticing it has silently changed back to say built-in output. Always start with the playback engine. Then defaulting the IO if needed.

Your Line6 TonePort is a separate interface. If the Eleven Rack is the playback Engine then you gave no access to the TonePort as an interface. OS X supports aggregating core audio interfaces, but how well that works at all is highly dependent on the drivers and interfaces and Avid only officially supports aggregating Built-in output with an interface (not two interfaced with each other). Aggregating devices is full of problems, lots of glitches and performance issues (vendors like Motu do a much better job supporting aggregate IO than others). I would not waste my time trying to aggregate your interfaces.

It depends on exactly what you want to use the TonePort for but you can potentially use output on the TonePort to drive the line input and/or digtial/S/PDIF inputs on the Eleven Rack--essentially using the ToneRack as an outboard processor to the Eleven Rack interface, or you could use the TonePort as the interface and hook up the Eleven Rack as an outboard processor -- very well described in the Eleven Rack user guide. Or you just treat them as separate interfaces and switch between them for different sessions.