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Using AUM with a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8

I posted this on the AUM forum but wondered whether anyone here has some experience with this?

TL;DR - I thought I could use AUM as a digital mixer to route audio within the Scarlett interface (take Input 1, route to Output 3 etc) but it appears the Scarlett only routes what MixControl (PC/Mac) app tells it to route...

Hi All, I have a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 interface connected to my iPad and am trying to use AUM to route the audio internal to the interface because I have some different routing requirements depending on what hardware I want to use (looper, real amp, ampsim etc). I got so excited about this and spent ages drawing my routing diagrams to make best use of the inputs/outputs and this morning sat down to connect it all up.
What I've realised is that the interface will only route what it has been configured to route in the MixControl software (PC/Mac only !!!). For example, if I have a stereo input on Scarlett inputs 5/6 but the last MixControl config saved to the Scarlett was with Inputs 5/6 muted, then nothing I can do in AUM will give me audio from those inputs. Conversely, if MixControl is configured to route Input 5/6 to the Main Outputs 1/2, then I can't stop it doing that in AUM.
Have I missed something fundamental? Is there a way to tell the Scarlett not to hard-code the routings?
I was really, really banking on this working so I could use AUM as a digital mixer for my day to day changing needs - I don't want to have to connect the interface to my PC every time I want to change the routing, I mostly use iPad these days...
If this is all correct, then is there another interface, or mixer that doesn't behave like this ?! At one time I was going to get a SoundCraft Signature 12 MTK mixer, I think this would work better but then it kind of makes AUM redundant surely?
Thank you for any advice!
-Durwin

Comments

  • edited January 2017

    I think you are correct about needing to use a computer to affect the hardware routing and to ensure all i/o is unmuted. What are your requirements, though?

    If you enable all of the inputs and outputs from a computer, and just set them to use the DAW output (I think), rather than specific hardware routing, you should be able to use AUM to route specific inputs to outputs dynamically. I have done this with an 18i20 and 18i8 in various setups before, though I'm not by them right now to confirm the exact settings I used. Hope this helps :)

    Just to add, using it this way does introduce latency, since it's passing everything through the iOS software, rather than the 18i8 hardware directly. I haven't found this to be a problem, but it's something to consider.

  • Yes it's related to focusrite more than AUM...

  • @Vecoto - THANK YOU! That was the missing link, I've never really used an interface with a DAW before so I was ignoring those routing options in MixControl thinking they weren't relevant. Really they are more of a "Virtual Route" I guess. I just tried a simple setup, routed DAW1/2 to Monitor Output 1/2 and it works now.

    What I want to do is plug a guitar into a Digitech Trio+ (produces drums & bass + looper), take the FX loop from that into the Scarlett Input 1, return a mono output from Output 5 (with a splitter) back into the Trio and a mono from Output 6 into an external modeler (eg Line6 Pod HD) - then I can use AUM to 1) load an iPad amp sim like ToneStack, routing back to the Trio, 2) just load some FX apps and route to the Trio or 3) skip any FX and route straight to the POD. The Trio has 2 outputs also - Amp (Looper & guitar signal) and Mix (Drums & Bass) and if I'm using an iPad AmpSim I want to selectively disconnect the Amp output if I'm not recording a loop, so prevent multiple copies of the audio.
    I also want to integrate the POD output, maybe swap the POD out for another modeler (would love a Kemper but not yet...) and bring in stereo from an iPhone for backing.

    But I think you've given me hope now!
    Thanks again
    -Durwin

  • edited January 2017

    I was thinking the same thing : why don't you just open all in/out on the scarlett, then apply your diagrams into AUM ?
    I was considering buying one recently, and was exactly planning to do the same thing...(or more or less ;) )
    I don't know if there's a direct monitoring with the Scarlett, but I think it must be the case to use it as a looper.

    Maybe these diagrams might help, and considering an Iconnect Audio 4+
    http://www.matrixsynth.com/2015/09/how-to-setup-iconnectivitys.html

    There's also the K-Mix, that could be more flexible (?)
    https://www.keithmcmillen.com/products/k-mix/

  • I'm a noob with this stuff but from what I now know ... The Scarlett is controlled by the MixControl software which is PC and Mac only (even on the latest Mk2 interfaces) - it doesn't have a Matrix for connections, rather it presents itself like a traditional Mixer. The physical outputs can be taken from either a physical input, a DAW channel (presumably the output from) or a "Mix". There's no obvious "Direct Monitor" option or button but reading the website, I believe sending the physical inputs direct to the outputs achieves this. Taking the outputs from DAW channels instead didn't make sense to me until now, but I think that gives me my AUM control. Regarding the option to send a "Mix" to an output, now that I've started to research hardware mixers more, I think these are analogous to a Bus, so you can have various inputs (& outputs?) enabled in a Mix (ie send them to that Bus) then configure an output to take from that Mix. TBH, I find this Mix option confusing but I'm sure I'll get my head around it!

    My Scarlett config until now was sending Mix1 to the outputs and Mix1 was configured with the physical inputs all on AND DAW1/2 I think. Hence when I sent a guitar signal into Input 1, it was being passed straight through to the monitors along with the output from ToneStack etc. I've now set all the DAW channels direct to the outputs (so no Mix involved) to have full control with AUM - it means no sound if I don't hook up AUM but I can probably fine-tune that later using a properly configured Mix. Baby steps at the moment!!

  • Didnt read all because no time. But you need to cnfigure the interface on computer first to do the routing how you want it and only then plug into ipad.

  • I am actually using two 18i20's. Trick is to configure all the outputs to DAW in the PC editor. If you are using first gen, you must also select "save to hardware". On 2nd gen, saving current state to hardware is the default. The other config you shoukd do is to configue outputs 7&8, and 9&10, and 11&12 (S/PDIF out) to relflect DAW channels 1&2. I have the two ADAT ports cross-connected, with all the ADAT outs on the satellite device configured to be driven from the analog ins so the iPad can listen to all 16 analogs. Beyond that I use AUM for all the routing.

  • Thanks @dwarman - I will spend some time tomorrow sorting out the outputs as you suggest & according to how I need to route things. Once I got a simple setup working with the Scarlett & AUM, I moved on to my other "problem", some new PreSonus Eris E5 monitors that were picking up seriously bad interference from my PC when connected with unbalanced RCA or jack cables. I had to bring the Scarlett over to the PC to check with some balanced cables (no interference). My other "monitors" (Mackie CR5s) had no problem with unbalanced cables... Huh? I finally discovered if I moved the power plug for my PC to a different socket from the monitors, the interference pretty much stopped! Must be a ground/electrical leak issue somewhere - I suspect the PreSonus monitors aren't grounded (they came supplied with a 2-pin plug, I'm in the UK with 3-pin as standard) while the Mackies are...? Anyway, that's more money saved, I was researching a new interface to get around the problem with balanced cables but now I can worry about that later :D And tomorrow I hope to prove I don't need a new hardware mixer either :p (Want but don't need...)

  • Just got one, so I need some help with the software side. How do I set it up so I can use AUM or Auria as the mixer? Basically I want 8 mono channels in, and use the ipad as a mixer. A screenshot of the setup would be really helpfull, before I start on a trial and error session. Thanks in advance if you have the time.

  • I’m away from my music room for a short while, but if you have a mk 1 model, with MixControl, then you should make sure that in MixControl (PC or Mac only) the outputs are configured to come from the “DAW” channels, not the physical inputs. Then you can do the routing you want in AUM or Auria. If you have a mk 2 Scarlett, the control software will be different so you’ll need to figure out how to do it in there. Sorry I can’t be more specific right now...

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