Help With Current Audio Routing / Suggestions

[_paddedcell_]

Hello

My first 'proper' post *voms*...

Hoping somebody could help me with some info/confirmation please?

Right now, I'm feeling my current set-up has too many 'links in the chain', so I've been looking into various bits of gear to minimise it a bit.

My current [convoluted] set-up is:

iMac [2011, 8gb RAM (hoping to upsize in the near-to-mid future), quad core 2.7GHz i5 processors] hosting Logic -> [via USB] Behringer UMC204HD -> [via RCA] Behringer Xenyx 802 -> [via balanced jack-to-XLR from Xenyx 'Main Out'] Behringer Truth 2031A's.

Now, this all works fine. But I can't help thinking that the chain is too long, which might lead to some form of interference? I should also explain that penultimate part of the chain...

I bought the UMC204, for, I guess, a two-fold reason: 1) using an external soundcard would be better than relying upon my Mac's inbuilt one, and 2) I could probably take my Xenyx 802 out of the equation completely. Not sure why, but this didn't work as well as I'd expected. I mean, the UMC204 'works' (going from there, direct to my monitors - with the Xenyx 802 outta the loop), but I noticed a big difference in output volume/clarity: I'd have to have the volume knobs turned all the way up, to get anywhere near the same volume I'd get with the Xenyx 802 in the loop, and that would be at about 25% volume. Any ideas why that might be, why the UMC204 @ 100% is quieter than the Xenyx 802 @ 25%? I've updated drivers for the UMC, no difference. (I should say that this isn't about 'loudness', per se, though I do like to 'whack it up' from time to time, I find I hear 'more'. I mostly play and mix at relatively low volume though.)

The main reason why I'm posting this though is, I'm considering introducing a 2nd pair of monitors into my set-up and have a couple of bits of kit in mind to facilitate this - one I 'know' will work, one I'm not sure about... So, anyway, I thought, whilst looking for this next bit of kit (effectively a 'monitor controller', where I can switch from set A to set B, at the push of a button), why not try'n sort out this chain issue, once and for all?

In an ideal world (note: my ideal world is heavily limited by cost, which you might've guessed by all the Behringer stuff - I don't work for them, btw! haha!), I'd like one unit, that links my Logic output to my current monitors, and has the facility to take another pair, per above. So, it'd have to be a soundcard AND a monitor controller. I contacted Behringer (initially to see if my current set-up would allow a 2nd pair of monitors - they said 'no' :-S) and they suggested a Monitor2USB. I've since found that there's a Xenyx Control2USB, which a) looks nicer and b) seems more 'built' for what I want (not sure why Behringer didn't suggest this?), but I've very recently looked into the NI Komplete Audio 6. Does this have the x2 pairs of monitor A/B switch facility? Looks like it 'should' have? I mean, as well as the 'Main 1/2' outs, there are additional balanced 3/4 outs, though I can see no 'A/B' switch kinda thing? Perhaps it doesn't do what I want, after all? (Shame, coz I'm also after Komplete Select, which I think comes bundled with it nowadays). From what I've been reading/researching on here, the Monitor2USB, whilst doing what I want, might lead to a degradation of sound quality, due to it being a 16bit device - I've looked, but can find nothing re the Control2USB on this front? Is it 16bit? 24bit? Does it really matter?! I've also looked at Big Knobs (not something I ever thought I'd write).

[sub-question: with the 2nd pair of monitors, that I'd like to use as comparative/reference (in addition to 'later down the line' phone, earphones, car stereo etc), I guess the idea is 'difference'? So what should I go for? Ideally, I'm thinking small, 4"-5", but should they be 'proper' studio monitors, or ??? Any suggestions, including 'don't bother!', appreciated. Cost remains a factor though.]

Okey dokes, well, that was a bit more complicated and long-winded than I'd hoped, sorry! Hope I didn't lose you half way through!

Hope to hear from someone who knows more about this than me (not difficult!).

Many thanks in advance.

Signed: Confused of Cardiff

Ade
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[BertKoor]

If you get a Control2Usb or Monitor2Usb, you're replacing both the UMC204 interface and the Xenyx 802 mixer? I suppose you work totally in the box and don't record anything from outside? Like vocals or guitars...

It's a shame that Behringer has decided marketing blah blah is more important than actual technical info. No idea whether it's 16 or 24 bit, whether it has proper ASIO drivers or piggybacks on Asio4All freeware.

With other interfaces that have multiple outputs you'd have to switch the output pair in your DAW. No question that the NI interface is a ste upwards from anything made by Behringer. But you could just skip all that, use the line output of your Mac and use a Mackie Big Knob to control which monitor you'd like to listen to.

[_paddedcell_]

With other interfaces that have multiple outputs you'd have to switch the output pair in your DAW. No question that the NI interface is a step upwards from anything made by Behringer.

Thanks for the reply and advice, Bert

As it happens, I asked a similar question (albeit less long-winded!) in the NI Fourm, and had a similar reply there...

'You'll have to do the switching between output 1/2 and 3/4 inside the sofware/DAW'

As a result of your advice and that received from NI, I'll be going for a Komplete Audio 6 in the near future.

Thanks again.

Ade
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