How to route audio through external fx box with my setup

[2pauluzz2]

Hi guys,

I recently purchased a Doepfer Dark Energy synthesizer- a great sounding machine.
One of the interesting features of the DE is its ability to route audio through an external audio input. I can for instance route audio from my ipod through the Doepfer into Ableton.

I haven't been able to get the following setup correct, though:

Ableton live > Desktop Konnekt 6 OUT > Doepfer DE > Desktop Konnekt 6 IN > Ableton Live.

No matter what I try, I always end up with a feedback loop or a "double" signal; I'm never able to listen to the fully affected 'wet' signal post-processing only.
I've tried routing the audio out via the monitor output while listening over the headphones; I thought I might be able to select the 'wet' track as a que track, similar to a DJ setup when I would be listening to the track before mixing it over the system.

I'm wondering whether it's simply impossible with my soundcard. The Desktop Konnekt 6 has:
- Stereo out for monitors
- Headphone out
- Input 1
- Input 2

Is this 'uberhaupt' possible? Am I overlooking something?

[vitalispopoff]

write more about soundcard I/O-s and routing channels You've set. Also: do you use the external instrument device or just route w/ audio tracks?

[2pauluzz2]

The Desktop Konnekt has:
- Stereo out for monitors
- Headphone out
- Input 1 (mic/instrument)
- Input 2 (instrument)

I have the Doepfer routing to the instrument in. I've tried to route the monitor out to the Doepfer, and the headphone out to the Doepfer.
I tried both the External instruments plugin and setting a channel to audio in.

This works well when I'm just playing the synth. It doesn't work well when I need the audio from Ableton > Doepfer > back into Ableton.

I think I would need to have a construction in which the audio goes to Doepfer without it being audible in Ableton. In that way I should only
get the wet signal that comes back into the DAW. The problem is that when I mute the outgoing signal, it is literally not being sent rather than just not audible.

Perhaps I need to mess around with pre/pro mixer settings of the audio channel, though I tried that already.

[Pitch Black]

Investigate the "External Audio Effect" Live plugin. Once you have sorted out your hardware routing, this device handles your Sends and Returns to and from Live seamlessly.

[2pauluzz2]

Oh wow. Do I feel like a fool. I have not been able to test it yet but all the while I was using the "External instrument effect" I didn't even realize that there's also an External Audio effect..

Thanks a lot guys; I'll try it out tonight and will let you know if this did the trick

[2pauluzz2]

Nope.. did't work with the External Audio plugin either. I can put a signal through the Doepfer using eg an iPod, but not via Ableton. I always end up with a feedback loop.

The weird thing is that in the preferences pane, it does say "6 in, 6 out" (see attached).

[2pauluzz2]

Hmm, it looks like it's less obvious to setup than I thought..

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar04/a ... sician.htm

I think I'm simply missing a pair of outputs. I tried to separate the headphone output from the main speakers output by using the Cue functionality, which should give me enough outputs to work with, but this doesn't work for me.

It would be quite a shame not to be able to use the Doepfer as an effect unit, but it looks like that's what I'll have to settle with. I'll try to see if I can use my Macbook's own audio port by using Soundflower. I can't use my DAW directly then, but it might work if I send files from eg Audacity > Macbook Port out > Doepfer > TC Electronics In > Ableton Live > Speakers..

[2pauluzz2]

I finally got it to work using send channels as described here: http://blog.dubspot.com/how-to-route-ex ... o-effects/
Though I don't think it makes a difference using that method vs the External Audio device.

I now send the signal out via my left monitor-out (no real reason to use the left one, but it's a mono device). I then route it back via the instrument in. Then I listen to the wet signal via my headphone, using the Cue functionality as you would do with a DJ mix.

I needed to go into the setup of the Desktop Konnekt to set the headphone to listen to the DAW rather than the monitor mix. That was the missing link.

Now I have a goody analog filter path. Thanks for your help guys.