Basic interface/monitoring question

Well, I think I am settled on usin Logic with my Macbook Pro, a MobilePreUSB as a monitoring interface and for direct-inject (or analog mic) recording and my Yeti as a digital mic.

But I hit a brick wall immediately.

I cannot find any way in the preferences/audio settings to monitor an existing track through headphones plugged into my MobilePre and record another track with the Yeti. The Mac's sound settings allow for different hardware for input and output, but I find nothing in Logic that uses those master settings or allows me to set up the same thing. It wants one or the other.

I know it can be done - it can't be *that* limiting. But I've poured through the manual and searched forums - coming up with no solution.

???

I might try a few steps:

1) Go to the Mac applications and open utilities-->Audio MIDI setup.
2) Check that both the MobilePreUSB and Yeti are there.
3) If so, set the MobilePreUSB to "use this device for sound output."
4) Set the Yeti to "use this device for sound input."
5) In Logic, go to Preferences-->Audio and set the input/output devices the same way.

** Once you set one or the other in Logic, it might automatically set the other to the same device, but you can set it correctly before clicking "Apply Changes." **

Hopefully, that might work. Keep us posted.

Well, in Logic's preference's there is only a single audio interface setting - not separate in/out settings (at least as far as the hardware goes). I found a reference to creating an "aggregate device" that had no explanation of what it actually was (but it's fairly obvious from the name). That had to be set up in the Mac's MIDI setup utility (making even less sense), but I was able to combine the MobilePre as the output device and the Yeti as input.

Then back in Logic, I select that device in preferences as the I/O device, and I can monitor a track I loaded (I'm trying to work on a live track a buddy did, adding other instruments) - but I get zero input signal from the Yeti. It's showing as powered up and Logic regognized that it was connected - but there's zero sound.

I'd just bag the Yeti, set up the MobilePre as th I/O device and plug and SM57 into it - except that much of what I will be recording will be using the bi-directional setting of the Yeti with two people playing on one track "live"; there are other advantages to it as well, and while I'll also use various mics (with and without phantom power) there are many advantages to having a multi-directional USB mic - so I really need to get this working. Thanks!

Well, in Logic's preference's there is only a single audio interface setting - not separate in/out settings (at least as far as the hardware goes)...

Hmmm..I have Logic 9.1.7 and it has separate I/O settings (the Saffire output device is my firewire interface):

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8293/7727875948_7753866b95.jpg

I have version 8.

It has the same window as shown above - but with only a single "device" selection, not seperate ones for input and output.

That seems to make sense with the manuall direction to use te OS X MIDI Utility to combine the two into one aggregate device. The problem is, the manual has you create that device and select it, but there's nothing further about how to make it actually work.

A-ha..I've never used ver. 8.

Hopefully, you can find a workaround to get your multi-pattern mic working. I have one that has omni, cardioid and figure eight. It definitely comes in handy.

I think Geoff has been working in 8 for quite a few years — he might be your go-to guy.

Geoff

???

I'm sorry - I don't know who that is.

Does your MobilePreUSB have a digi input? If so you can send the Yeti into that first and use the USB interface for in and out.

This is why I have a mixing desk....

He's a poster here. Do a search and you should find him. He contributes quite a bit.

Did a quick search but didn't find anything...might be case sensitive, I'll try again later.

As far as the MobilePre, it only has analog inputs. Just like every other interface I've seen. I always thought a USB input would be a great idea (i.e. the POD has one plus MIDI I/O, but has no mic inputs and as such isn't really an interface) but as (decent) USB mics and such haven't been around all that long maybe there's a game of catch-up going on.

Weirdly, I found that selecting just the Yeti sort of worked - the Yeti's headphone jack actually operates as a monitor for the summed output, which I didn't expect. That's sort of nice, but also not very convenient, as it means running daisy-chained headphone cables from the mic to the "studio desk" (i.e. laptop and whatever instrument I'm playing when I'm playing electric). It'd work for acoustic stuff, but for electric...especially things like pedal steel...I need the mic/amp in a different room so I don't pick up mechanical noise.

Odd that the USB mic works both ways bu the MAudio interface does not. I'm sure it's something in the setup. Still at square one, since what I'm doing initially is some electric overdubs for someone.