Linking Audio Interfaces via Aggregate Device

[emoule]

Good Morning Folks,

I'm having a hellova time setting up my PT I/O.

Here's my Mac Audio/MIDI config:

I've created an aggregate device setting for 3 audio interfaces:
1) Apollo x8p
2) Focusrite Scarlett 18i20
3) Focusrite 18i8

Screen Shot 2023-03-21 at 7.28.15 AM.jpg

According to some Youtube videos I've watched, my PT I/O should reflect these when I open the I/O settings but it does not.

When I open my I/O, this is what it looks like:

PT I:O.jpg

I manually changed the names in the first 10 columns. All of the rest of the paths just appeared without me doing anything that I'm aware of.

Channels 1-8 (Apollo x8p) work fine. I can get input signals from each of them using a mic but nothing else works.

When I return to my Audio/MIDI setup, I notice that the Scarlett 18i20's first input is on channel 33? I routed the Scarlett's Mic input to channel 33 but. . . nothing!

Screen Shot 2023-03-21 at 7.55.56 AM.jpg

Also, if you look at the following screenshot you'll see that within the Apollo subdevices, channel 9? is labeled ADAT. I'm not sure why I'm seeing this and not just channels 1-8?

Screen Shot 2023-03-21 at 7.50.54 AM.jpg

I'm obviously not sure what I'm doing wrong here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!!!

[its2loud]

1. Why are you doing this?
2. What version of Pro Tools are you running,
Ultimate, Studio, Intro?
3. Best way to link hardware devices is through ADAT or use Aux IO in Pro Tools.
You will experience slight latency through Aux IO.

[emoule]

1) I'm doing this so that I can use my Apollo x8p and my Scarlett 18i20 in order to record multi-instruments simultaneously.

2)I'm using ProTools 2019 12.0

3) I've hooked up the ADAT connection between the Apollo and the Scarlett but now I don't seem to have any control in PT of my inputs. Input levels are being controlled by the actual knobs on the audio interface(s). I also get an input signal in each channel (whether or not the channel is armed) but it's not being routed to my stereo output (1-2) although I can hear everything. It sounds weird but that's what's going on.

Let's say I plug a mic into channel one on the Apollo. I can hear the mic whether or not the channel is record enabled. If I record enable it, I can record the signal. The output however is not coming out of my stereo out meters (visually) I can't see it. Might this have something to do with the UAD Console settings?

I appreciate you chiming in and hope I can get this issue resolved.

Thanks so much!

[its2loud]

Originally Posted by emoule

1) I'm doing this so that I can use my Apollo x8p and my Scarlett 18i20 in order to record multi-instruments simultaneously.

ADAT is the way to do this. I would make the x8p your master device.

2)I'm using ProTools 2019 12.0

Aux IO is not available to you then.

3) I've hooked up the ADAT connection between the Apollo and the Scarlett but now I don't seem to have any control in PT of my inputs. Input levels are being controlled by the actual knobs on the audio interface(s). I also get an input signal in each channel (whether or not the channel is armed) but it's not being routed to my stereo output (1-2) although I can hear everything. It sounds weird but that's what's going on.

Control of input in Pro Tools? Input control is always done via the interface or associated interface software, like in the case of the UAD software for the Apollo.
The UAD software is also most likely the root of why you are hearing things incorrectly. You’re not monitoring through Pro Tools, you’re monitoring through UAD Console. I’d take some time to understand that workflow.

Let's say I plug a mic into channel one on the Apollo. I can hear the mic whether or not the channel is record enabled. If I record enable it, I can record the signal. The output however is not coming out of my stereo out meters (visually) I can't see it. Might this have something to do with the UAD Console settings?

Yes, as stated above.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by emoule

2)I'm using ProTools 2019 12.0

You mean Pro Tools Standard 2019.12? Or Pro Tools Ultimate 2019.12?

Back then Standard was limited to 32 I/O, so only the first 32 inputs in the aggregate will work. Setup>IO will show the IO but it will just not work, (the usual Avid don’t give a damn about user confusion). You would need to be able to remove the ADAT and other inputs in the Console so they don’t show up in the aggregate, I cannot recall if that is possible, but even if you can it’s the entire wrong approach, use ADAT as has already been pointed out.

More recent Pro Tools Studio is limited to 64 I/O. Recent Ultimate limited to 256 IO (for CoreAudio interfaces).

—-

Aggregate I/O is always best avoided if you have direct expansion options like ADAT. AFAIK Avid only officially supports aggregating the Mac Built-In Output with another interface, and the results you get are always very dependent on vendor drivers and ability to clock the interfaces together well. All best avoided, which has been pointed out in many hundreds of posts on DUC.

[emoule]

Originally Posted by its2loud

ADAT is the way to do this. I would make the x8p your master device.

How does one go about doing that? The ADAT out goes into the Focusrite. Is that it?

Aux IO is not available to you then.

Yes, I've realized this





Control of input in Pro Tools? Input control is always done via the interface or associated interface software, like in the case of the UAD software for the Apollo.

Exactly. What I'm trying to say is that, without any tracks on "input" or "record enabled" I'm still hearing active mics, even if I mute the channels and/or Master output from PT.

The UAD software is also most likely the root of why you are hearing things incorrectly. You’re not monitoring through Pro Tools, you’re monitoring through UAD Console. I’d take some time to understand that workflow.

Indeed. I suspect that the UAD "Console" is at the root of my frustration here.



Yes, as stated above.

[emoule]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

You mean Pro Tools Standard 2019.12? Or Pro Tools Ultimate 2019.12?

Just the Perpetual account. I forgot to renew it (Long story).

Back then Standard was limited to 32 I/O, so only the first 32 inputs in the aggregate will work. Setup>IO will show the IO but it will just not work, (the usual Avid don’t give a damn about user confusion). You would need to be able to remove the ADAT and other inputs in the Console so they don’t show up in the aggregate, I cannot recall if that is possible, but even if you can it’s the entire wrong approach, use ADAT as has already been pointed out.

I have the ADAT working between the Apollo and the Focusrite but as stated above, I have zero control within PT itself. It doesn't matter if I mute channels, turn faders off etc. I still hear any microphone that's plugged into either interface.

More recent Pro Tools Studio is limited to 64 I/O. Recent Ultimate limited to 256 IO (for CoreAudio interfaces).

—-

Aggregate I/O is always best avoided if you have direct expansion options like ADAT. AFAIK Avid only officially supports aggregating the Mac Built-In Output with another interface, and the results you get are always very dependent on vendor drivers and ability to clock the interfaces together well. All best avoided, which has been pointed out in many hundreds of posts on DUC.

Yes, I've read many of those posts, none of which favor aggregating via the Apple Audio/Midi Setup.

[Darryl Ramm]

I have the ADAT working between the Apollo and the Focusrite but as stated above, I have zero control within PT itself. It doesn't matter if I mute channels, turn faders off etc. I still hear any microphone that's plugged into either interface.
p

And as its2loud already pointed out... if you are hearing stuff outside of Pro Tools it's because you likely have the UAD Console set up to do hardware monitoring. You have to learn how to use Console. Start with Pro Tools not running and learn how to use the basics of Console and how to disable it if you don't want to use it. Same goes for Focusrite Control on your other boxes... you need to know how to use all this stuff at least a little. Open up the documentation and/or find some video tutorials to follow along with. UAD has great help on their forum if you need help.

[emoule]

Thanks guys. Will do. I really just didn't know where to begin. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!!