I am very interested in purchasing the UR44 for my audio needs. I mainly do academic computer music type applications, and am wanting an interface that allows for six outputs. When I would be using the UR44 in the manner I wouldn’t need any monitoring, so having the dedicated stereo out for the full mix wouldn’t be a necessity. Also I would be configuring the outputs with something like PureData or Max/MSP rather than Ableton or Cubase.
Is using the UR44 as a six output interface doable? I am aware of the UR28m, however it has no MIDI built in. If I must, I will get the UR28m but I like the slim design and MIDI outputs of the UR44. Either way I want a Steinberg
The 44 only has 4 outputs, so no.
The UR28 I think will serve you much better all round. True, the lack of a MIDI interface is a pity, but a usb midi interface port is not expensive. You can get an integrated midi-usb(2/1.1) cable (providing MIDI In & Out) (Drivers are standard included in Windows) for under $30.
How does the stereo out work then in relation to the separate outs?
I am under the impression headphone out 1 and 2 correlates to each pair of separate outs. If I was in a situation where I wanted mix 1 and mix 2 outs to both play specific unique mixes of instruments, none of which mirrored by the dedicated stereo out, wouldn’t that be the same as six outputs?
Does the stereo bus force itself to play whatever is in mix 1 and 2?
I could see issues in cubase, but you’d think there would be a workaround in Max/MSP given its nature …
I have an M-Audio usb MIDI device, I was wanting to slim down.
On the UR44 the stereo out or Main Output is the same as the outputs 1 & 2 and is always the Mix 1 bus. The Phones 1 are also hardwired to this bus. The Mix 2 bus outputs on 3 & 4, the phones 2 can be switched between mix 1 and 2.
The UR28m is quite different and this is what makes it so versatile. The 6 analog outputs are separate from the 3 mix buses! This allows one to run in either of two modes - ‘Alternate’, typically used when using multiple monitor pairs, also for example I can make Mix 1 a dedicated artist mix, Mix 2 the Main outs and Mix 3 an effects out. Mix 2 can then be output to any of three monitor pairs without any influence on the other mix buses. In ‘Independent’ mode, I can route to each of the six outputs independently and simultaneously i.e. 6 channel.
Download the PDF manuals for the two URs and compare the Signal flow and Block diagrams of the two devices yourself.
You say you want 6 channel capability. With the motto “Use the right tool for the job” in mind, the UR28m will do the job you want (it was specifically designed to support 6 channel sound), whereas the UR44 will not and will only end in frustration.
Thanks so much for that, Brihar, I always learn so much from your posts!
Re:
… I can make … Mix 3 an effects out.
What is an effects out, and how is it used? Do you mean like an Aux out to hardware, fed by sends then it comes back to an input?
Re:
I can make Mix 1 a dedicated artist mix …
In your scenario, would you typically build/create Mix 1 by combining sends from each of the tracks? For example, each track might be sent to Mix 1 at unity gain, except maybe the artist voice and guitar send levels would have a higher send level? Or maybe using the Control Room, somehow making the headphone feed to the artist as the “Main Mix” in the VST routing page?
Finally (sorry for so many questions!), just as an example, in your scenario, would the engineer have headphones plugged into Headphones 2, which would be assigned to “Mix 2” in the hardware panel?
I would usually use the Control Room and make a dedicated Artist Cue, though the former suggestion using sends would be typical if not using the CR. Since Phones 1 is hardwired to Mix 1, This automatically becomes the headphone feed for the artist. Here’s another tip - you can use the 2TR input feature as a free talkback system without needing to sacrifice valuable outs, as this input is also hardwired to mix 1, and has an enable/disable switch right on the front panel (taking best advantage of given limitations ).
Yes, but I could use the Headphones dialog of the UR hardware to switch between mixes as required (the monitors would of course be muted during tracking - also a HW feature only in the UR28m). Mix 2 would be typical though in the cited case - typically making use of the listen feature.
There are of course many variations possible - tracking 2 artists, or providing stem outs - oh and of course mixing for surround.
Thanks, Brihar! I never have two artists at once, so I won’t need to figure out how to use the UR28M for that, but it’s good to know that it can do that (maybe using Independent mode and an external head phone amp to the 2nd artist?).
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