Ableton Forum

As an owner of a MOTU 828mk2 I'm supporting a feature request for showing CoreAudio I/O names in Live
(see http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=155016).

So I asked myself how much users would benefit of it.

At least from your description, it sounds like a better question would be "how many IO channels do you use of your interface?". I also have an 828mkII and mostly only use 2 of it's inputs (because I generally record one thing at a time & on those 2 channels I've bypassed it's converters & preamp), so I didn't know how to answer the question that it provides you with meaningful info. I could have selected the top answer or the bottom answer which are the extremes....

There likely would be other people who do not use all the channels of their interface too and I am not the only one.

I also use a couple of channels only but which ones is constantly changing. So I keep most of them activated and that's there the confusion starts (e.g. S/PDIF).

Uhm, OK well the Motu 828mkII has 28 channels altogether (more than 16), but I only use 2in 2out, they're always the same (TOSlink). The others aren't used or activated. So how to answer?

Had an Ultralite where I was using every IO except the ADAT's. With the newer FF400 and a studio sell off, only using 2-3 stereo inputs regularly, and 2 outputs at the moment.

MOTU Ultralite + 8pre = 16 channels of digital input lovin via 1/4" and XLR.... And I use 'em all.
It's set up in such a way that I can just leave the drum kit mic'ed all the time. When I need to record guitar or bass, I just move the SM57 where it needs to be. Vocals and the room are recorded through a condenser on a stand to be used as needed. Our studio is a single room, so we can't record more than one thing at a time unfortunately.

The interfaces are daisy chained via Firewire as an Aggregate Device. It would be pretty damn handy to have the ability to name the inputs via CoreAudio.... But I get by OK since I don't change the configuration too often other than moving the instrument and room mic around.

Here's my channel list if you really care that much:

8pre:
1 - Kick
2 - Snare
3 - Hat
4 - H Tom
5 - L Tom
6 - OH L
7 - OH R
8 - Room or Vocal (Condensor)

Ultralite:
1 - Guitar Mic or Bass mic
2 - Bass Direct
3 - Synth A
4 - Synth B
5 - Synth C
6 - Synth D
7 - Mixer Return A
8 - Mixer Return B

Typing in 60 channel names? Ugh!

Results are interesting so far. I expected most users having small interfaces.

phazed wrote:As an owner of a MOTU 828mk2 I'm supporting a feature request for showing CoreAudio I/O names in Live
(see http://forum.ableton.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=155016).

So I asked myself how much users would benefit of it.

+100000

I requested this too. I have an 828mk3. I voted >8, thinking of analogue ones before I read the rest of the post. So if I include the digital I/O which I hardly ever use, but count as inputs that show up in Ableton, and the "reverb/return assign" etc and inputs, That's 22 ins, 22 outs, and a very confused me!

I can disable some, which can make my job easier, but then they all come out as different numbers, and I still can't tell easily! Or if I change the main outs between their own separate out, or mirroring any of the other I/O, they change number again!

Ah, the link goes to my request!

That's the problem; not only are there lots of inputs/outputs, the I/O channel numbers are arbitrary, and also change if you change settings of the Interface. All the names are nicely displayed and editable in Cuemix though (and all other DAWs that support CoreAudio device naming). Currently it's a case of make noise and try to see where it's coming from!

BTW does something similar exist for Win users?