Two Audio Interfaces (just for playback)

[Video&Music]

Hello,

I have a Motu 4Pre for my main audio interface and am looking at adding a Grace Design M900 headphone amp to use Senn. HD650 headphones.  What would be ideal is if Cakewalk would recognize both audio devices and allow both to be active during mixing.  I use WDM mode for my audio drivers.

Is this possible?  Thanks!

[John Vere]

This video explains everything about audio and Cakewalk. 

 

[Terry Kelley]

No.

Cakewalk can't support it, well rather,  most hardware can't do it. Both interfaces would need to be driven by the same word clock and unless the interfaces have clock in and out (and most don't) it wouldn't work.

If you need more outputs -  get an interface with more outputs. Just be prepared to have a separate volume control for any outputs that aren't the main outputs.  Most interfaces with more than the basic stereo out pair don't provide a hardware knob to change the volume on the other outputs. I wish they did since it would make quad and surround mixing easier.

Edited July 4, 2023 by Terry Kelley

[Lord Tim]

If you use ASIO then no, it's limited to one device (or more specifically one driver) at a time.

WDM *can* (although you'd use WASAPI Shared or Exclusive these days since it's a lot more efficient in Cakewalk than WDM) but you're going to run into issue with sync between each device, and very possibly sample rate mismatches, and you're at the mercy of Windows deciding how it wants to use or update those devices.

The best course of action is definitely to get decent interface with more I/O and good ASIO drivers.

[msmcleod]

If you use either WDM or WASAPI Shared, then Cakewalk will allow input from/output to multiple interfaces.

Don't expect them to play exactly in time though, as only one can be timing master.

If this is just to give you a different headphone out for mixing, that may not be an issue.

For tracking though, you'll get a false set of timing - not completely insurmountable, as you can adjust the recorded audio afterwards by simply moving it, but something to bear in mind.

It is worth mentioning however, that these timing differences could be very small, and in some cases not much different from the latency incurred when using microphones at different distances.  But just as with the microphone case, you should be aware of possible phase issues.

You really have to try it to see if it's suitable or not.

[Larioso]

18 hours ago, Video&Music said:

Hello,

I have a Motu 4Pre for my main audio interface and am looking at adding a Grace Design M900 headphone amp to use Senn. HD650 headphones.  What would be ideal is if Cakewalk would recognize both audio devices and allow both to be active during mixing.  I use WDM mode for my audio drivers.

Is this possible?  Thanks!

Use some digital out from interface, M900 support both coaxial and optical inputs.

- no need to use USB

Edited July 4, 2023 by Larioso

[Video&Music]

Thanks for your replies.  I am not looking for more inputs or outputs, just to use the better headphone preamp as a second "opinion" while I am mixing.  I currently have something in the SPDIF output on the 4Pre, so I am exploring the USB route.  I am unsure if the SPDIF is the exact same quality as the USB on the M900 and if the SPDIF can be split to use two devices AND retain 100% functionality, latency and quality.  I know, everything is complicated!

But, no sense in spending up for a high quality headphone preamp only to connect it in a suboptimal way.

Edited July 6, 2023 by Video&Music