motu m4 knobs question

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Im considering getting one. Im not sure how good the headphone jack is, but I assume I should keep using my Magni 3 specially for 600 ohm phones. My question is: how do I plug in a Magni 3 in there as well as a pair of monitors, in order to control the monitors with the big MONITORS knob, and the Magni 3 gain with the small "input/playback" one?


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Im just not sure how this works. I don't record or use instruments, I just need headphones and monitors, and be able to A/B on the fly with both. I used to be able to do this with my old NI AK1, but not sure if this is able to do this:

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You see it had 2 separate 1/2 and 3/4 output knobs. So what I did was, have the headphones on 1/2 and the 2/3 would go into the Magni 3, this way I would have a hard cap on how loud would the Magni 3 get for security purposes, and I was able to have sound at the same time coming from headphones and monitors. With the m4 im not sure what that weird input/playback knob does.

Im actually considering finally investing in an RME that allows me to do that while also solving any future driver issues. If this was worth it, which one should I get? I don't like the Babyface, like I said before, I want to have separate knobs for stuff, im too paranoid to rely on software sliders, I blew up my eardrums once trusting that. I also want low ms when using VSTs but im assuming that has more to do with CPU power.

I was looking at the UCX II which while unfortunately only has one knob I think you can set hard caps for each line 1/2, 3/4 etc and are saved inside the internal memory of the thing which I assume I can trust more than software. Not sure how this works in practice.

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Feedback much appreciated.

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Looks like the input/playback knob is for mixing between the input signal and the DAW when recording external instruments, but it does have a button for switching between outputs 1/2 and 3/4. You could connect the line outs to the Magni's line ins and control the headphone volume from there and connect the monitors to the monitor outs. I would also have a look at the manual :)

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thecontrolcentre wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 4:39 am Looks like the input/playback knob is for mixing between the input signal and the DAW when recording external instruments, but it does have a button for switching between outputs 1/2 and 3/4. You could connect the line outs to the Magni's line ins and control the headphone volume from there and connect the monitors to the monitor outs. I would also have a look at the manual :)
Im not sure, here's the manual:

https://cdn-data.motu.com/manuals/usb-c ... _Guide.pdf
8. Engages hardware (direct) monitoring for inputs 3-4 on
the rear panel. See (10) below for more information.
10. Engage the MON (monitor) button to enable hardware
(direct) monitoring, which routes the channel’s input
signal directly to the outputs and pans the mono signal
evenly across both outputs (1-2). A blue box appears
around the input channel number in the LCD to indicate
that hardware monitoring is engage. Press and hold the
MON button to engage stereo monitoring for both inputs.
In this mode, Input 1 is routed to Output 1 and Input 2 is
routed to Output 2, allo
So im going to be using the same big MONITOR knob to control 3/4 when the 3/4 button is pressed? or the small INPUT->PLAYBACK knob? This would be what I want, 2 different knobs, not having to press a button to control 2 things with the same knob.

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I had no problem using 600ohm AKG headphones right out the phones out.
The big knob is your main out volume control - 'OUT 1-2' in the back. Yes, you have two duplicate sets of line outs with independent levels. If you think this is complicated a higher-end interface would be a bad idea.

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Constructed Identity wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 11:14 pm I had no problem using 600ohm AKG headphones right out the phones out.
The big knob is your main out volume control - 'OUT 1-2' in the back. Yes, you have two duplicate sets of line outs with independent levels. If you think this is complicated a higher-end interface would be a bad idea.
So what does control the 3/4's?

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faze123 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 1:35 am
Constructed Identity wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 11:14 pm I had no problem using 600ohm AKG headphones right out the phones out.
The big knob is your main out volume control - 'OUT 1-2' in the back. Yes, you have two duplicate sets of line outs with independent levels. If you think this is complicated a higher-end interface would be a bad idea.
So what does control the 3/4's?
Now I remember, 3-4 is a direct out. No outside control, you would control the output from your DAW after selecting 3-4 for the output.

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Constructed Identity wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 3:46 am
faze123 wrote: Sat May 27, 2023 1:35 am
Constructed Identity wrote: Fri May 26, 2023 11:14 pm I had no problem using 600ohm AKG headphones right out the phones out.
The big knob is your main out volume control - 'OUT 1-2' in the back. Yes, you have two duplicate sets of line outs with independent levels. If you think this is complicated a higher-end interface would be a bad idea.
So what does control the 3/4's?
Now I remember, 3-4 is a direct out. No outside control, you would control the output from your DAW after selecting 3-4 for the output.
So you would need to use the windows mixer for overall 3-4 volume control? wow, that sucks. What other devices that are similar in sound quality could I buy that have control of at least 2 pair of balanced outputs with a hardware knob that has a compact design?

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Your headphone Preamp (Magni 3) has a volume knob too, isn't that suitable for you to control the headphone volume?

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No_Use wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:11 am Your headphone Preamp (Magni 3) has a volume knob too, isn't that suitable for you to control the headphone volume?
Yeah, but the problem is unless im mistaken, you wouldn't get sound from monitors and headphones at the same time.

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faze123 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:15 am
No_Use wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:11 am Your headphone Preamp (Magni 3) has a volume knob too, isn't that suitable for you to control the headphone volume?
Yeah, but the problem is unless im mistaken, you wouldn't get sound from monitors and headphones at the same time.
.

Why do you assume that?

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faze123 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:15 am but the problem is unless im mistaken, you wouldn't get sound from monitors and headphones at the same time.
At least when using it with a DAW adding a hardware send to out 3+4 should work I guess (don't have the device myself but used to use a MOTU 828, that's how I sent out stuff to the line outs other than master).

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No_Use wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:23 am
faze123 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:15 am but the problem is unless im mistaken, you wouldn't get sound from monitors and headphones at the same time.
At least when using it with a DAW adding a hardware send to out 3+4 should work I guess (don't have the device myself but used to use a MOTU 828, that's how I sent out stuff to the line outs other than master).
But when not using a daw just regular sound from windows, games or whatever, will headphones and monitors work at once?

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faze123 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:15 am
No_Use wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:11 am Your headphone Preamp (Magni 3) has a volume knob too, isn't that suitable for you to control the headphone volume?
Yeah, but the problem is unless im mistaken, you wouldn't get sound from monitors and headphones at the same time.
Yes, that is right if you are trying to use both 1+2 and 3+4 outs. The thing is, both of these outs are duplicated in RCA plugs on the back of the M4 and isn't your headphone amp RCA?
I still have my M4, but it is in storage for if I ever play live.

You should just go to MOTU's website and download its manual.

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Constructed Identity wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 2:20 am
faze123 wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:15 am
No_Use wrote: Sun May 28, 2023 12:11 am Your headphone Preamp (Magni 3) has a volume knob too, isn't that suitable for you to control the headphone volume?
Yeah, but the problem is unless im mistaken, you wouldn't get sound from monitors and headphones at the same time.
Yes, that is right if you are trying to use both 1+2 and 3+4 outs. The thing is, both of these outs are duplicated in RCA plugs on the back of the M4 and isn't your headphone amp RCA?
I still have my M4, but it is in storage for if I ever play live.

You should just go to MOTU's website and download its manual.
I've read the manual there but im not sure:
https://cdn-data.motu.com/manuals/usb-c ... _Guide.pdf

Yeah Magni 3 is RCA. So you are saying to plug them on MONITOR RCA 1-2 and so both would be controlled via the big MONITOR knob? that would do assuming sound quality is the same balanced vs unbalanced the eternal debate but from what I remember reading this is irrelevant unless you have super long cables then balanced wins.

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The manual quick reference #13 "These unbalanced RCA analog outputs mirror the signal on their corresponding quarter-inch outputs (14). You can connect them to a second set of speakers or other destinations."

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