Hardware Insert No Signal

[jbdrums63]

I'm using Pro Tools 2021.10 and an Apollo X8. I have my I/O configured for an outboard eq on Line 3. When I add the hardware insert in I stop getting a signal to that track. Any ideas? (Sorry if this has been answered elsewhere I have searched and could not find it)

[csmothers]

It seems TJ Allen’s suggestion to change the Outputs inside Console I/O Matrix from 1&2 to 31&32 worked for me I was having the same issues. But every since I did this as of last night it’s working smooth. I will do more testing tomorrow, I also wanted to note I deleted all Pro Tools Input/Output/Bus preferences in Pro Tools I/O. I did also route the section in the bottom of the Output menu and changed them all options to Output 31&32 as Main Mon L/R routed to 31&32. Thanks again TJ Allen!

[685]

When troubleshooting any Apollo for issues with sound I also tried to make sure the ALT OUTPUT is not assigned. Sometimes it gets screwed up when updating the UAD software. I keep a copy of my console settings and my Protools I/O settings in Dropbox.

My settings for now:


.

[jbdrums63]

Some pics

[Darryl Ramm]

Hi, Welcome to DUC.

How exactly do you have stuff connected? What is connected exactly where using exactly what cables plugged into exactly what connections? You need the outboard hardware connected between what Pro Tools thinks are output 3 and input 3 (which might be messed around with the UAD console… if not sure about that disable the console). Start with a straight through cable with no hardware box and just get that working first.

What EQ hardware are you using?

This is often not worth the hassle and you are just better off using plugins, especially for mixing (vs tracking).

[jbdrums63]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Hi, Welcome to DUC.

How exactly do you have stuff connected? What is connected exactly where using exactly what cables plugged into exactly what connections? You need the outboard hardware connected between what Pro Tools thinks are output 3 and input 3 (which might be messed around with the UAD console… if not sure about that disable the console). Start with a straight through cable with no hardware box and just get that working first.

What EQ hardware are you using?

This is often not worth the hassle and you are just better off using plugins, especially for mixing (vs tracking).

Through a patchbay I have the line out 3 of the Apollo into the Daking Pre/EQ Line In, and the Daking Line Out to Apollo Line In 3. Whentracking through the Daking into pro tools everything is fine, the issue arises when I want to use the EQ section as an insert. My I/O settings have been set in pro tools to correspond with the Apollo per UA's instructions (Pro Tools 3/4 = Apollo 1/2 and so on)

[K Roche]

Yes : Likely a routing issue
First Idea : list your system


I believe the Apollo has to run through the Console App so you have to make sure your getting signal thru that

Also for a Hardware insert in PT the physical connections on the interface have to input and output on the same channel number -----so for example Apollo out line 3 to Daking (input) then Daking (output) to Apollo line in 3 .. Also as Darell pointed out your screen shot of your insert page the numbering is screwed up. You have line 3-4 spilled open and the Daking in the number 3 position in the spill BUT if you follow over it is sitting in the number 5 slot
Reset it to default and then make sure that what you label in there matches the physical connections on your Apollo

[Darryl Ramm]

What I can just make out from the fuzzy photos of the screen is it looks like you are trying to use mic/line 3 as input on a track while concurrently trying to use it as a line 3 out to line 3 in to drive a hardware insert... you really likely don't want to do that (even if the intent is to track without the EQ then reuse the same input as an insert at mix time). Hardware inserts need their own I/O pair to work between and you should set this up as simply as possible, KISS: Keep it Simple and Stupid.

Please don't take crappy photos of the computer screen, use your computer to actually take actual high resolution screenshots.

And we don't have any idea of your experience here, but something that has come up in the past is confusion about real hardware inserts (e.g. in mic preamp hardware) when tracking and Pro Tools hardware inserts. Do you have an outboard mic preamp? Is so and all you want is hardware EQ when tracking then simply wire your the EQ box in line after the Mic preamp. if you are tracking with a Apollo 8x preamp then again I'd just suggest you use plugins in the Console or in Pro Tools.. especially given chances to combine with UAD mic modelling. You are very unlikely to beat what can be done with a suite of UAD mic and EQ plugins.

[TJ Allen]

My guess is that the I/O isn’t aligned. Apollo’s in their default state have the Monitor Outs appear as Out 1&2 in Pro Tools. What this means is that Apollo Line Outs 1&2 appear as Out 3&4 in Pro Tools.

For hardware inserts to work properly, the input and outputs need to be aligned and paired. So Output 3 is returned to Input 3. If Console isn’t aligned correctly, then the hardware insert won’t work.

[jbdrums63]

I'm using a Daking Pre/Eq MkII. I am able to track with it into pro tools it is when I try to use the EQ in the mix that I have problems. I have pro tools I/O set up for UAD (Line 1/2 in pro tools =mon L/R. Line 1/2 pro tools = Line3/4 in Apollo as per UAD set up instructions. I have ( through a patchbay) Apollo Line Out 3 to king Line In, Daking Line Out to Apollo Line In 3.