FX Monitor 1 and 2 return

[Joseph Hanna]

I have a Model 24 and a Model 16. As far as the interface side they're nicely tucked together as an aggregate device so I have successfully linked them as one, at least as far as Pro Tools and or Studio One is concerned. Essentially it shows up as a 40-channel interface. Plays nicely although Studio One accepts the aggregate begrudgingly.

The actual audio routing becomes a problem and here's the scenario. The Model 24 acts as the main audio out and is routed to the Control room outs. Everything about the Model 24 works as designed. Zero issues. I tie the Model 16 (audio-wise) to the Model 24 via the Sub-Outputs of the 16. The Sub outputs of the Model 16 are routed into a stereo channel back to the Model 24. That works like a charm. I have a coveted series of Strymon ambient hardware effect devices. On Model 24 I use the internal FX send and return (negating the 24's internal FX) for one of the devices and the Monitor 1 send for a second device. Works flawlessly.

However, the same scenario on the Model 16 is a bit more sketchy. As far as just audio and listening in real time it works as it should. The problem arises on layback (bounces) to Pro Tool. The FX's, either the internal or the external (the Strymon devices) on the 16 do not route out the sub mix. Therefore the bounce to Pro Tools is absent of those effects.

I just can't figure out a way to route the FX and Monitor 1 send and returns of the Model 16 back out of the sub-mix to the Model 24 and onward to Pro Tools.

Any thoughts?

 

[Max Relic]

Not sure what you mean with "layback (bounces)", would you explain in simple words? Thanks in advance.
Another thing is you mentioning FX send/return: inserting a jack in the FX output actually disables the internal effects chain. In other words there is no useful signal present at the output of the internal FX processor, apart of the inherent noise floor, and the assign buttons in the relative mixer section are ineffective.

 

[Joseph Hanna]

Thanks for the reply! No that's not correct. Yes of course using FX send/return disables the "internal" FXs but then can be used as a FX send for any outboard insertions. Decidedly not "just" noise floor. Very useful option. It acts just as monitor 1 and or 2. This scenario works just fine in real-time. I can physically hear it working. I can instantiate an outboard Strymon Delay unit in the send/return jacks and that's a FAR superior unit than the internal Tascam FXs. A worthy loss and then gain. In short, if you're willing to forgo the Tascam FXs you have 3 send and returns available.

Bounces in Pro Tools and or Studio One:

As an example, I have a 30-track Pro Tools session finished. If properly setup Pro Tools/Studio One offers a bounce-to-disk option. This bounce-to-disk option runs the entire 30-track project through Models 24 and 16 and accepts anything done "mix-wise" from the Tascams back into Pro Tools as a two-track stereo mix-down. This then is ready to Master and or share as an MP3 file (or WAV/AIFF). The gist of my problem is neither the Tascam FXs nor the replacement Strymon FXs show up in the bounce. The audio does, but not the FXs. Bear in mind the Model 16 feeds the Model 24 using the sub-mix out of the 16 into 2 channels of the 24 as the Model 24 is the Master Audio out to the speakers. This of course can only mean the FXs, Monitor 1 and Monitor 2 are not being routed out of the sub-mix of the 16.

I need a way to route the FXs section out of the sub-mix of the 16, into the 24 and on to the Pro Tools bounce.

Thoughts?

 

[Max Relic]

Sorry I can't help.

 

[Joseph Hanna]

No worries. Thank you for taking a stab! Hopefully, someone can chime in.

 

[Logrinn]

Where are you connecting the Strymon’s outputs? If going into two channel inputs then they surely would be sent to the main / sub out?

 

[Joseph Hanna]

Sub out of the Model 16 into channels 19/20 of the Model 24. As I mentioned the audio gets sent fine, but no FX, Monitor 1, or Monitor 2 devices and or Tascam FXs sneak through on the bounce.

 

[Joseph Hanna]

Bump

 

[Mark Richards]

Hey Joseph, been a while. Have you finally retired as a full time audio engineer?

I don't own any of the Model series, but looking at the Block Diagram, the only option I can come up with is running the Model 16 FX and Monitor busses out to a third analog mixer and bringing that mixer's returns back to two more input channels on the Model 24.

 

[Joseph Hanna]

Ah why yes indeed retired from Hollywood on November 3rd, at 6:00 pm, 30 seconds and 4 nana seconds.

Thanks so much for looking that up for me. It’s certainly not a deal breaker but I get a bit tangled when I can’t find a definitive answer on something I’m working with. I have a heavy, heavy-laden FX library in Pro Tools and Studio One that covers every possible scenario. I have my coveted Strymon line-up so in hindsight why I was concerned with carrying the FX over from the model 16 seems pretty silly.

Thanks again that means a lot that you took the time to look things up!