Setting up Machine CTRL and headphone amp

[551Studios]

Couple questions about setting up Machine CTRL and headphone amp.

Hey, I've since my last thread been able to get my DM 4800 talking to my Mac Pro. I think the only big thing I have left is figuring out how to get machine control/transport or whatever it's called to work with Cubase (I'm running Cubase 7). I'll be honest, I'm kind of an idiot when it comes to manuals and terminology or setting stuff up, so bare with me. I only know what it is because I've used a DM 4800 in another local studio which had everything set up, it was part of the reason that I wanted to buy one for myself because I liked how it worked.

The other thing is I can't figure out how to "properly" connect a headphone amp to the DM 4800. Currently, I have a cable running from one of the headphone jacks on the top of the console to my headphone amp's direct in, and it works... but I'm sure that isn't the right way to do it. One last question... I have 2 sets of monitors... Yamaha HS7's, and NS-10's... I also have a Yamaha HS8 sub. Is there anyway to hook all 3 of these up independently? I noticed that there's a switch next to the headphone jacks (top right corner of the board) that you can push to switch between 2 different sets of monitors... It's not really a huge deal, but currently I have to run my HS7's through my sub, which is then hooked up to the inputs for "Large Monitors" on the back of the board... basically I have to have my sub turned on to use the monitors... I normally turn it all the way down when working but if I want to use it I have to crawl under my desk and turn the volume up on it... it would be way more convenient to just the sub and other 2 monitors run independently of each other or work via a switch. I'm also asking because there seemingly 3 sets of inputs for monitors on the back of the board (large, small, and studio), so it would make sense that 3 different things can plug into this board... Anyhow, thanks in advance for your help!

 

[jamsire]

HI!

Seriously - the documentation for the Cubase setup is EASY and very clearly laid out and "with pictures" only a few pages long. You can find it attached.

You didn't mention what type of headphone amp you have.

I would get something like a Mackie Big Knob for your monitor situation.

 

[Jarno]

I would get something like a Mackie Big Knob for your monitor situation.

Why? DM-4800 has 2 control room monitor output pairs and since OP has 2 sets of monitors this should be a perfect match.

HI!
You didn't mention what type of headphone amp you have.

Indeed! And another question would be: what do you want to hear from headphones?

In general DM is designed to connect headphone amp to STUDIO outputs. Also it's internal routing is designed the way that you should use AUX1/2 as headphone monitoring:
* You can ASSIGN "STEREO" to AUX 1/2
* Then you can send more signal from any channel to AUX 1/2 for "more of me" purpose.
So if you route AUX1/2 to STUDIO output and do the steps in (*) you can handle any single musician recording at one time situations.

For more complicated situations you may have:
1. headphone amp with mixing capabilities (general mix + "more of me" knob, like the one I have)
2. multiple heaphone amps
3. something else
And in these cases all depends on what kind of headphone amp you have AND what are you trying to do.

 

[Drumstruck]

For headphones amp I suggest using a pair of your auxilliary sends - my headphones amp has analog and digital inputs so I use the S/PDIF outputs and have assigned auxilliary 11/12 to the headphones mix.

For your speakers you could connect splitter cables to the main spkr outs and just turn your sub on or off as needed.

 

[551Studios]

This is a bit late but thanks for your responses.

I suppose maybe I should've mentioned I'm running the DM4800 to my Mac Pro through a firewire cable... it's running Cubase 7. I went through all the steps in the tutorial but when I got to the last few where I was adding the Mackie Controls, I wasn't given the option to select Midi ports... The only options that were available were :

-Not Connected
-All Midi inputs
-Tascam IF-FX/DM mkII Midi Port (which I selected for all)
-Waves Rewire

Went with the stated choice and that didn't seem to do anything, at least as far as setting up the board like I was hoping it would be setup (to essentially control cubase from the Machine control area of the board, as well as the faders control track adjustments within cubase...).

As for the monitor thing, you guys are speaking greek to me. I have 2 amps, only 1 connected, it being an Alesis Multimix 6 Cue. I'm essentially just using it for recording/monitoring purposes right now. I was just curious of what the "correct" way to set the amp up for those purposes would be... like I said, right now it's just connected to one of the headphone jacks at the top right hand corner of the board... it's doing it's just fine but I'm sure that's not the "right" way to do it.

Thanks for your help.

 

[551Studios]

I've looked at some other areas on my system...

I went into the apple Audio Midi Setup to look around, I enabled the Tascam Midi driver or whatever...

Then I also went into the Project Synchronization Setup under the Transport Menu in Cubase... There were a bunch of settings that seemed like they might pertain to setting up the board so I messed with them, but still no results. Are either of these things possibly involved with setting the board up accordingly?

 

[Drumstruck]

I can't help you with Cubase but we do have some resident experts who can point you in the right direction - there are a number of other posts related to this btw.

For your speakers - you will see large and small speaker outputs on the rear of your DM - these are TRS sockets. I have the "large" connected to my midfield monitors and the "small" connected to a pair of Bose bookshelf spkrs. The levels of the 2 pairs are balanced using their dedicated level pots on the top right hand side of the DM - switching between speakers is done by using the push button next to the "small" pot.

 

[551Studios]

I've already searched, can't find anything specific to my issue.

I knew that about being able to switch between the monitors. I was asking about if it was possible to hook up my sub independently of either of my monitors... since there are 3 sets of plugs in the back of the board... As it is now I have to run my 2 HS7 monitors off of the sub, which is plugged into one of the 3 slots on the back of the board.

 

[Drumstruck]

There are many ways you could set your monitors up from the DM...... you could even use the aux sends for individual level control if you wanted.

fwiw I keep my setup simple:
1/ my subs (2) have crossovers so I connect them to the "large" outs from the DM and my midfields connect to the subs. The DM controls the overall level and the spkrs control the crossover points and the level balance between sub and main.

2/ my bookshelf spkrs don't have subs - they're just used as aurotones from the DM "small" outputs

3/ my studio monitor system (tube amp and another pair of midfields) sends from the DM's studio outs

4/ Console cans from the DM headphones out

5/ Aux 11/12 is my studio cans mix via the S/PDIF outs

 

[551Studios]

Right, but I want to be able to switch between all 3 types without having to get under my desk to turn the sub on and off and all that... On the back of the mixer there are 3 sets of jacks: large, small and studio. Seeing those 3 made me think I could perhaps hook each set of speakers up to the board and be able to switch back and forth between them. Mostly wanted to be able to switch back and forth from my HS7's and NS10's, with having the option of turning the sub on with either set independently. Not sure if that's too complicated or possible with this board.

I've been doing some more searching, I'm wondering if my transport issue (w/ cubase not seeing the midi ports of my board) is because I don't have a midi cable hooked up from the board to the firewire card? I did not consider that... (the firewire card obviously connects to the computer with its own cable, the midi cable seems to carry over information to the board sort of backwards, with an independent cable. Sound right?

 

[Drumstruck]

I get what you mean about turning the sub on and off - I tried having my subs on a separate power board but I got an unpleasant "thump" when I used that to power them on/off...... having 2 subs I view (hear?) them as an integrated part of the speaker system rather than as a separate monitor.

For ultimate speaker control you could get a surround card - that has a dedicated sub (.1) output.....

I think you're looking for a little more monitor control than the DM offers - unless you want to use some of your aux sends for the subs - then you could solo / mute selected channels to isolate the monitors.

On the transport issue - do you have the USB connection from DM to DAW?

 

[551Studios]

Firewire. Yes I have connection. I have been able to record it and use it how I needed but I've finally tried to setup the machine control/transport so that i can do "hands on" mixing on the board and automation and such but haven't had any luck.

 

[Drumstruck]

Firewire for audio and MIDI tracks (up to 32 channels in each direction), but you also need the USB connection for your MIDI transport communication.

 

[551Studios]

Does Midi have anything to do with what I'm trying to do even? I thought all you had to have was a firewire connection to be able to do what I'm trying to do...

 

[Arjan P]

Not only do you need a USB connection between the board and PC for remote control, it's also very handy to have TMC control available that way. I think you should revisit the tutorial; connecting USB is step 1..

 

[cmaffia]

Mostly wanted to be able to switch back and forth from my HS7's and NS10's, with having the option of turning the sub on with either set independently. Not sure if that's too complicated or possible with this board.

Cubase will be able to facilitate this through the CONTROL ROOM Feature in the monitor section. It would require you to read up on it in the manual and if you have any issues, best to post question in the Steinberg Forum as the expertise would be there rather than here. I recently started using the Control Room feature for sending monitor mixes and it is flipping easier and more flexible than routing through the board.

Here's an explanation of Control Room in 6.5. 7.5 works very much the same way.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may12/articles/cubase-0512.htm

But seriously, before you start delving into this, I'd concentrate on learning your board and just getting the basic connection working with Cubase.

 

[551Studios]

I was under the impression that you could use FireWire or USB to connect to the computer, didn't know it would require both...

I looked on the back of the board last night, where the hell do you even plug a USB in on the board... I didn't see any slots... Or is it a separate card you have to buy, like the FW card?

 

[cmaffia]

I was under the impression that you could use FireWire or USB to connect to the computer, didn't know it would require both...

I looked on the back of the board last night, where the hell do you even plug a USB in on the board... I didn't see any slots... Or is it a separate card you have to buy, like the FW card?

It's quite clear you didn't even glance at your manual. Seriously, these are easy questions that you could answer yourself if you made the effort and read the first 5 pages of your manual. You should learn the basics of your investment first before posting questions...especially rudimentary questions like these. Sorry but not being able to find the USB port on your DM4800 is beyond lazy. Fair warning...there's a steep learning curve to understand this board. Youre going to have to do some homework. If not, you'll probably end up selling it out of frustration.

 

[551Studios]

Wow, quite a prick post.

I have read several sections of my manual in what I thought was pertaining to the issue I'm posting about. I have already confessed to not being gear or lingo savvy. If you're going to be a dick and not even offer anything helpful then don't bother posting in the thread.

It was 4Am when I took a quick glance behind the board (and upon realizing anything about a USB connection), it's a bit of a chore to get behind it the way I have it hooked up, and no, I have honestly not noticed a USB port on it. I honestly dismissed any idea of it thinking that FireWire was all I needed to worry about anyway.

 

[cmaffia]

Oh by all means the feeling is quite mutual. The suggestion to read the manual was for your benefit.... not to be a "prick".

As far as offering you help, I pointed you to an article explaining the Control Room feature in Cubase without acknowledgement that you even read that.

I am also the 3rd person who suggested to:

RTFM

Man the old forum had far more gracious and courteous users. Perhaps because we all had to pay and took our investment seriously?