Motu M4 interface question

[Taupe1]

Hello there super super new to this so bear with me.

I’m grabbing a motu m4 with a separate JDs lavs atom+ amp to drive drop hd6xx ( for recording music and instruments into daw)

When using both monitoring speakers and the headphone amp

I saw this in the manual and wan to make sure I’m setting this up right / won’t mess any equipment up.

3. 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 destina- tions.
14. Connect these balanced, DC-coupled quarter-inch outputs to your studio speakers, PA or other desired audio destina- tion. They can also accept an unbalanced plug. Each output pair is independent and can be found as separate output pairs in your host software.

Note: the analog outputs are not cross-coupled. Therefore, when connecting them to an unbalanced input, use a TRS plug with the ring disconnected. Not floating the negative terminal will short it to the sleeve ground and cause distortion.

I want to monitor the DAW for now. Eventually direct for a keyboard but just the DAW output to start

Am I safe running RCA out of the back of the M4 ( should I use outputs 1/2 or 3/4?)
To the RCA in on the atom+

And running out of the 1/4” outputs (Again does it matter which pair?) With a TRS balanced cable to TRS into the balanced inputs on the studio monitors ?

Does the “NOTE” warning above in regards to not being cross coupled in anyway have bearing on what I’m doing or is it only if connecting the 1/4” outputs to unbalanced inputs and has nothing to do with the RCA or if using balanced connections on the 1/4” or both at the same time ?

Thanks for any insight !

 

[NTK]

...
I want to monitor the DAW for now. Eventually direct for a keyboard but just the DAW output to start

Am I safe running RCA out of the back of the M4 ( should I use outputs 1/2 or 3/4?)
To the RCA in on the atom+

Yes. You are safe to connect to the Atom+ using the RCA outputs.

And running out of the 1/4” outputs (Again does it matter which pair?) With a TRS balanced cable to TRS into the balanced inputs on the studio monitors ?

The RCA channels mirror the balanced (TRS) channels. If you want to independently control the volume of your studio monitors and your headphones connected to the Atom+, you may want to use different output pairs. (Of course you can always adjust your headphone volume using the volume control knob in the Atom+.)

Does the “NOTE” warning above in regards to not being cross coupled in anyway have bearing on what I’m doing or is it only if connecting the 1/4” outputs to unbalanced inputs and has nothing to do with the RCA or if using balanced connections on the 1/4” or both at the same time ?

Thanks for any insight !

Yes. The note is only applicable to connecting the balanced TRS outputs of the Motu M4 to devices with unbalanced inputs. Basically what it means is to use adapter cable configurations 9 & 10 (see below) and not 11 & 12 (which are for cross-coupled outputs). Since the M4 has RCA outputs, use them (and not the TRS outputs) to connect to devices with unbalanced inputs, and you'd have no connection problem to worry about.
Diagram source: https://www.ranecommercial.com/legacy/pdf/ranenotes/Sound_System_Interconnection.pdf

 

[Taupe1]

Yes. You are safe to connect to the Atom+ using the RCA outputs.


The RCA channels mirror the balanced (TRS) channels. If you want to independently control the volume of your studio monitors and your headphones connected to the Atom+, you may want to use different output pairs. (Of course you can always adjust your headphone volume using the volume control knob in the Atom+.)


Yes. The note is only applicable to connecting the balanced TRS outputs of the Motu M4 to devices with unbalanced inputs. Basically what it means is to use adapter cable configurations 9 & 10 (see below) and not 11 & 12 (which are for cross-coupled outputs). Since the M4 has RCA outputs, use them (and not the TRS outputs) to connect to devices with unbalanced inputs, and you'd have no connection problem to worry about.
Diagram source: https://www.ranecommercial.com/legacy/pdf/ranenotes/Sound_System_Interconnection.pdf

View attachment 342044

 

[Taupe1]

Yes. You are safe to connect to the Atom+ using the RCA outputs.


The RCA channels mirror the balanced (TRS) channels. If you want to independently control the volume of your studio monitors and your headphones connected to the Atom+, you may want to use different output pairs. (Of course you can always adjust your headphone volume using the volume control knob in the Atom+.)


Yes. The note is only applicable to connecting the balanced TRS outputs of the Motu M4 to devices with unbalanced inputs. Basically what it means is to use adapter cable configurations 9 & 10 (see below) and not 11 & 12 (which are for cross-coupled outputs). Since the M4 has RCA outputs, use them (and not the TRS outputs) to connect to devices with unbalanced inputs, and you'd have no connection problem to worry about.
Diagram source: https://www.ranecommercial.com/legacy/pdf/ranenotes/Sound_System_Interconnection.pdf

I really appreciate your help with this you guys and gals on this forum are dope, usually people when they educate you talk down elsewhere.

So I’m regards to :

The RCA channels mirror the balanced (TRS) channels. If you want to independently control the volume of your studio monitors and your headphones connected to the Atom+, you may want to use different output pairs. (Of course you can always adjust your headphone volume using the volume control knob in the Atom+.)

So how would I go about that and what would I use to control the volume ? Like I could theoretically leave the volume set on both the monitors and headphones and change the volume via ??? That’s where I get lost. Which output pairs would I use to do that ? Like 1/2 RCA for headphones and then 3/4 monitors ? Then I could control the volume via knobs on the motu ? If I didn’t use the monitor for one I’d have to turn the knob from direct input to monitor input to switch to DAW output on whichever pair isn’t using monitor right ?

Thanks again !

 

[Taupe1]

Yes. You are safe to connect to the Atom+ using the RCA outputs.


The RCA channels mirror the balanced (TRS) channels. If you want to independently control the volume of your studio monitors and your headphones connected to the Atom+, you may want to use different output pairs. (Of course you can always adjust your headphone volume using the volume control knob in the Atom+.)


Yes. The note is only applicable to connecting the balanced TRS outputs of the Motu M4 to devices with unbalanced inputs. Basically what it means is to use adapter cable configurations 9 & 10 (see below) and not 11 & 12 (which are for cross-coupled outputs). Since the M4 has RCA outputs, use them (and not the TRS outputs) to connect to devices with unbalanced inputs, and you'd have no connection problem to worry about.
Diagram source: https://www.ranecommercial.com/legacy/pdf/ranenotes/Sound_System_Interconnection.pdf

View attachment 342044

I think I was confused about

Yes. The note is only applicable to connecting the balanced TRS outputs of the Motu M4 to devices with unbalanced inputs. Basically what it means is to use adapter cable configurations 9 & 10 (see below) and not 11 & 12 (which are for cross-coupled outputs). Since the M4 has RCA outputs, use them (and not the TRS outputs) to connect to devices with unbalanced inputs, and you'd have no connection problem to worry about.

This because of the rca mirroring the 1/4” and worried about interconnections but like you said I’ll just use RCA to RCA for the amp and 1/4” balanced to 1/4” balanced for the monitors

 

[NTK]

So I’m regards to :

The RCA channels mirror the balanced (TRS) channels. If you want to independently control the volume of your studio monitors and your headphones connected to the Atom+, you may want to use different output pairs. (Of course you can always adjust your headphone volume using the volume control knob in the Atom+.)

So how would I go about that and what would I use to control the volume ? Like I could theoretically leave the volume set on both the monitors and headphones and change the volume via ??? That’s where I get lost. Which output pairs would I use to do that ? Like 1/2 RCA for headphones and then 3/4 monitors ? Then I could control the volume via knobs on the motu ? If I didn’t use the monitor for one I’d have to turn the knob from direct input to monitor input to switch to DAW output on whichever pair isn’t using monitor right ?

Thanks again !

The monitor volume control knob in the front controls the volume to the monitor outputs (outputs 1 & 2). It is probably easiest to connect both your monitor speakers and Atom+ to outputs 1 & 2, and adjust the headphone volume using the volume control of the Atom+.

Otherwise, you'll have to set the audio outputs in whatever software you'll be using to send output to both output channel pairs 1/2 (for monitor speakers) and 3/4 (for headphones).

 

[Taupe1]

The monitor volume control knob in the front controls the volume to the monitor outputs (outputs 1 & 2). It is probably easiest to connect both your monitor speakers and Atom+ to outputs 1 & 2, and adjust the headphone volume using the volume control of the Atom+.

Otherwise, you'll have to set the audio outputs in whatever software you'll be using to send output to both output channel pairs 1/2 (for monitor speakers) and 3/4 (for headphones).

Connecting both to 1/2 wouldn't cause any issues with that coupling thing would it since they are mirrored and one is going to A balanced source and one to unbalanced ?

Hmm if I connect both to 1/2 won't it play through the speakers even if I turn the headphone volume up on the amp ?

Is there a way in the software (ableton) to send the output to just 1/2 or just 3/4 and select it when I switch between headphones or monitors if I have them plugged into the separate pairs ?

Thanks again !

 

[Nutul]

Connecting both to 1/2 wouldn't cause any issues with that coupling thing would it since they are mirrored and one is going to A balanced source and one to unbalanced ?

Hmm if I connect both to 1/2 won't it play through the speakers even if I turn the headphone volume up on the amp ?

Is there a way in the software (ableton) to send the output to just 1/2 or just 3/4 and select it when I switch between headphones or monitors if I have them plugged into the separate pairs ?

Thanks again !

Like in every DAW, you can have your L/R channels ALWAYS directed to the first two outputs (1/2) and to the secondary ones (3/4); then mute/un-mute the masters of the two output banks as you need.

 

[Taupe1]

Like in every DAW, you can have your L/R channels ALWAYS directed to the first two outputs (1/2) and to the secondary ones (3/4); then mute/un-mute the masters of the two output banks as you need.

Super new to this so I wasn't sure how it worked so that's probably my best bet to listen to each the monitors and speakers individually is to plug one into 1/2 and the others into 3/4 and send the audio to both and mute and unmute as needed ? I gotta look up how to do that in ableton. Does it matter if one set is "monitor" and the other set is "line" output ?

 

[Taupe1]

The monitor volume control knob in the front controls the volume to the monitor outputs (outputs 1 & 2). It is probably easiest to connect both your monitor speakers and Atom+ to outputs 1 & 2, and adjust the headphone volume using the volume control of the Atom+.

Otherwise, you'll have to set the audio outputs in whatever software you'll be using to send output to both output channel pairs 1/2 (for monitor speakers) and 3/4 (for headphones).

Unfortunately after reading more too it seems that the volume on channel 3/4 isn't adjustable so it may make more sense to use the monitors on those and just set the level low and use the headphones on 1/2 or like you said plug both into 1/2 provided that won't cause issues with the coupling thing with the mirroring since it's connected to both a balanced and unbalanced source.

 

[chuckt62]

Unfortunately after reading more too it seems that the volume on channel 3/4 isn't adjustable so it may make more sense to use the monitors on those and just set the level low and use the headphones on 1/2 or like you said plug both into 1/2 provided that won't cause issues with the coupling thing with the mirroring since it's connected to both a balanced and unbalanced source.

That’s how I do it, speaker amp on 3/4 Bal and the sub on 1/2 RCA.

 

[Taupe1]

That’s how I do it, speaker amp on 3/4 Bal and the sub on 1/2 RCA.

Seems a lot of people have complained about the output of the 3/4 still being too high.... In that case I might be a total boob and use the MoTU just to feed my headphone amp and grab an audient Evo 4 to feed the speakers and just flip between when I went to switch it'll give me independent volume control at least .... And I don't really lose out at that point because of all the inputs I'll have lol.

 

[OCA]

I am trying to mix mic1 and mic2 inputs of a Ultralite mk5 and be able to use the MIX as a single mic input in REW. I have zero experience with audio interfaces but I'd think it must be pretty straight forward to combine two inputs. Turns out I was very wrong. I seem to combine them in the CueMix software supplied with the unit but they are always separated in REW as two different mics. Failing that I installed Voice Meeter and got lost in its ultra complicated user interface. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

[dasdoing]

I am trying to mix mic1 and mic2 inputs of a Ultralite mk5 and be able to use the MIX as a single mic input in REW. I have zero experience with audio interfaces but I'd think it must be pretty straight forward to combine two inputs. Turns out I was very wrong. I seem to combine them in the CueMix software supplied with the unit but they are always separated in REW as two different mics. Failing that I installed Voice Meeter and got lost in its ultra complicated user interface. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

there should be a loopback function where you loop back (mixer) outputs to a (virtual) input.

 

[OCA]

there should be a loopback function where you loop back (mixer) outputs to a (virtual) input.

When I turn on loopback, that also shows up in REW as two different inputs:

Loopback 1-2 1
Loopback 1-2 2

 

[dasdoing]

When I turn on loopback, that also shows up in REW as two different inputs:

Loopback 1-2 1
Loopback 1-2 2

because it stereo right? pan both mono inputs to one side in the mixer

 

[OCA]

How?

 

[dasdoing]

My Motu is older, has another interface. I can have a look at manual later, leaving home right now. There is no pan knob in the mixer? but even if both inputs are centered the two inputs should be a mix of the two external inputs, unless you enabled stereo input.

 

[dasdoing]

you probably figured it out yet, but in case you didn't:

 

[OCA]

you probably figured it out yet, but in case you didn't:

View attachment 360408

Actually, no I didn't but John kindly added an option to sum the mic responses for virtual balanced second mic to REW for me. Still, the results are suboptimal although very close to the actual mix. I will work on your suggestion now. Thank you so much for this.