Sharing Pro Tools audio over Zoom on Windows

[The Weed]

Think of Loopback as virtual cabling. For example, I can use a Pre-Fader Send to route audio from Pro Tools to, say, Hardware Output 6 on my interface. I then Loop that signal back to Hardware Input 6 on my interface and in Control Panel>Sound>Recording Tab set Hardware Input 6 as the default.

I have an RME UFX and TotalMix, RME's software mixer, has a Loopback button on every Output. Clicking it Loops the signal back to the corresponding Input. Doesn't matter if there is a real connection on that Input - as long as it isn't being used at that time.

I think that Focusrite only has Loopback on one pair, so you're going to be limited, but worth a try.

[Benoni]

Originally Posted by EGS

Can you explain how to set this up with loopback (or perhaps link to a help page or tutorial)? I have a Focusrite LS56 with loopback, but I'm a loopback newbie Thanks!

I have some videos about it on YouTube using a few different audio interfaces.

But if your Focusrite uses Focusrite Control, the one you should start with is the Scarlett 18i8 video. Just go to the Loopback chapter if you are not interested in the rest.

Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 Gen3 - EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW
https://youtu.be/tT5wLm5-TMk

All interfaces that have loopback will be setup in a similar way within OBS, at least on Windows. For Mac you will still need Blackhole, Soundflower, Loopback (the app), or the new GroundControl Room or GroundControl Caster from Ginger audio, iShowU, or some other app that can capture sound on Mac.

Some other interfaces I have reviewed with Loopback are the Evo 4, Evo 8, Audient iD14, and Presonus 1824c. Again, just go to the Loopback chapter, most of these videos are loooong and cover everything in one video.

Audient iD14 MKII Audio Interface - EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW
https://youtu.be/fo_VNNhWvTo

EVO 4 LOOPBACK - DAW AUDIO INTO OBS or STREAMLABS (Screen capture & Stream)
https://youtu.be/nhq0tXpMaJA

addendum to previous video
NEW - EVO ON-SCREEN CONTROL APP for the Audient EVO 4
https://youtu.be/vMavp4MVVBY

EVO 8 LOOPBACK - Stream/Record Your DAW
https://youtu.be/PBFwOqb6Bew

PreSonus Universal Control Loopback - Record DAW ASIO Audio into OBS/Streamlabs
https://youtu.be/B0wLEzyJf-U

From my experience, Focusrite and Audient make the most stable Loopback drivers. Although, I have not used an RME interface which are also supposed to have great drivers.

[EGS]

Thnx!

[The Weed]

Originally Posted by Benoni

From my experience, Focusrite and Audient make the most stable Loopback drivers. Although, I have not used an RME interface which are also supposed to have great drivers.

RME has some of if not the best drivers in the industry and support their products long after they are legacy. The drivers are also multi-client. As to Loopback, it's simply a click on a button in RME's TotalMix to initiate Loopback on Hardware Outputs back to the corresponding Hardware Inputs.

[sourceelements]

You can share your Pro Tools audio into Zoom using Source-Nexus!

Simply put the Source-Nexus plugin on an aux track or your master fader, then set the Zoom mic to your Source-Nexus send audio device ("Source-Nexus A" by default) and you're sending a live, low latency feed directly from Pro Tools into Zoom. Works with virtually any other application, and multiple applications simultaneously as well.

Check out our latest Pro Tools and Zoom Source-Nexus tutorial on YouTube. The video shows the set up on Mac but it is largely the same on Windows.

Source-Bites: Pro Tools and Zoom made easy with Source-Nexus

[milet22]

I found this thread and responses really helpful so thanks to everyone who shared. Unfortunately, I'm still hearing basically unusable audio on the other end when I try this.


I have Pro Tools 2021.1 running on Windows 10 and my interface is a Focusrite Scarlett 8i6. I want to be able to play my PT session over Zoom for a collaborator to get his feedback (meaning I'm not trying to record remotely).



I followed the instructions about creating a loopback in Focusrite Control and I enabled the recommended settings in Zoom for sharing audio. When I share my screen and play an mp3 for example, my collaborator hears the music just fine. However, when I share my PT screen and play the session, there is constant clicking sound / noise. The session is 44.1 / 24.


Does anyone know what might be causing this or know how to fix it?


Thanks!
Rob

[The Weed]

First, Zoom requires 48K, not 44.1. Set your sessions to 48K and, just in case, you're onboard soundcard to 48K

Second, I could not use Zoom using the desktop application. I had to uninstall that and only use Zoom through a browser. In my case MS Edge. Zoom makes it very difficult to use it through a browser. There is an extension Called Zoom Redirector that will: "Instead of having to search for the hidden "join from your browser" link, this addon will take you there automatically."

Personally, I use Microsoft Teams. There is a free version that is as good as or better than Zoom and I've done a lot of screen and individual window sharing and playing down session audio and never had a problem with audio.

As always, YMMV.

[milet22]

Thanks for responding. I tried the browser option before after reading that but I didn’t anticipate the 48 KHz issue. The issues then is that I’m working on projects that are already mostly finished and they are all 44.1. Does that mean I would need to try to convert every project and audio files to 48?

I’ll check out teams also so thanks for that. Do you think I’d run into the same sample rate issue with Teams?

[The Weed]

Since I had audio issues with Zoom, all my sessions are now 24/48 and my onboard soundcard on both the Playback and Recording tabs is set to 24/48.

Not sure about MS Teams, but you can try it.

Focusrite is not known for their drivers being multi-client. Even though my RME drivers are, I don't usually use Loopback when using a browser-based app like Zoom. I've found it much easier, as mentioned in another of my posts, to use Pre Fader Sends from Pro Tools to one of my interface's outputs, cable that to the Line In on my onboard soundcard, then set that as the input for my browser. So, stereo mini to 2 quarter jack cables from onboard Realtek's to interface for bringing browser audio into Pro Tools and quarter jack cable to mini into the line in on the Realtek. I also go to Control Panel>Sound>Recording>Line In>Properties>Level>Balance and, since I'm going out Left from my interface, setting the right level to zero. This routing works for any browser-based two-way audio/video app and does not require Windows to use my interface.

If you don't need video, want pristine audio and want to collaborate in real-time and you both can understand the routing, look at www.SonoBus.net. And these may help.

SonoBus is free, OS X, Windows, Linux, Android and iOS, multi-client, peer-to-peer rather than browser-based and, in many ways, better than Source-Connect. Did I mention it's free?

[milet22]

It doesn't seem to be the sample rate since a 24/48 session has the same problem. I tried a physical loop like you suggested into my Focusrite and had the same issue so I might try the on-board sound as you suggested.


Sonobus seems really cool. I'm running into a firewall issue but I think I'm going to explore this option more. Having video is nice, but high quality / low latency is better. I appreciate your input.