quickest way to switch interfaces?

[white flowers]

I like the stability and features of my RME interface for most purposes, but when I'm overdubbing I like to use a UA Apollo for its no-latency effects and preamp options. At the moment, the way I do this is by going to Preferences, unchecking each RME input and output, and then checking the UA inputs/outputs, reversing the process to continue using the RME. It strikes me that there may be a simpler way to do this, perhaps some sort of workspace preset with an interface preselcted? Not sure, hoping someone else has an idea.

Thanks.

[John Vere]

All I have to do is turn off one interface and turn the other on. Now if it's my Scarlett or Tascam I can even do this with Cakewalk running, But for my Motu I have to close Cakewalk and re open or it doesn't grab the driver. So obviously depends on the ASIO driver involved. 

This is why I like my interfaces to have on off switches. 

[Xoo]

A bit hacky but...

- Set up CbB to use the RME
- Close CbB, and copy your aud.ini file to aud_rme.ini
- Re-open CbB and set it up to use the Apollo
- Close CbB and copy aud.ini file to aud_apollo.ini
- Create 2 batch/cmd files that copy the relevant aud_***.ini over aud.ini and then launch CbB
- Save batch files on desktop and double click to run (obviously with CbB closed!)

[white flowers]

Thanks for the quick replies! Since closing and reopening Cakewalk takes longer than what I'm currently doing (and the RME doesn't have an on/off switch), I think it's probably easier for me to keep going into preferences. Most of the time I only need a couple of ins/outs, so I can just leave the rest blank. Still it's good to think about these alternatives.

[scook]

9 hours ago, white flowers said:

Most of the time I only need a couple of ins/outs, so I can just leave the rest blank

This was what I was going to suggest.

It may be possible to switch Aud.ini files on the fly. I have not experimented with it but here is the test.

While CbB is running

• do some work in a project
• swap out the ini file as mentioned above
• Go to Preferences > Audio > Configuration File and click "Reload Config Settings"
• Check the new setup and continue working on the project 

 

My guess it this will work. If it does, script up the ini swap either as a batch file and manually perform the change in preferences or create an autohotkey script to preform the entire operation.

 

Of course, autohotkey could be used to script the driver changes in preferences instead of messing with the ini file too.

[white flowers]

Changing on-the-fly with "reload config settings" would be a good solution, but while exiting Cakewalk and reopening it after swapping aud.ini files does indeed cause the desired interface-swap, reloading settings doesn't seem to do it. I can see why there'd be an expectation that someone reloading their settings would generally want to keep whatever interface they have set up, though it makes me wonder why this is in the file at all if the file isn't wholly determinative of the results.

Anyway, I can imagine that it would sometimes be useful to save, exit, swap aud.ini files, open Cakewalk, go get a glass of water while I wait for my plugins to load, then get back to work. Less fiddly than clicking on the little check-boxes.

Auto hotkey a good idea as well - I've used it a bit but I'm not sure how I'd set it up to check/uncheck boxes in a window which may be moved/resized from time to time. I'll have to poke around sometime. Thanks

Edited April 25, 2021 by white flowers

[Nick_M]

An idea

Use the output of the UA into a stereo input on the RME, disconnecting UA from CBB; you might be able to use both at the same time (not sure if this is feasible as I do not have a UA).

 

[white flowers]

That could work in some ways - essentially I'd be using the UA interface as a voice/guitar effects processor. The Apollo Twin that I have doesn't have a digital output, and I don't think I can configure it with pre-fader sends, so the input to the RME would go through an extra conversion and the effects I'm monitoring with would print to the DAW... I do have the monitor out of the UA interface going to RME inputs, but this is mostly to avoid repatching the speaker cables. Actually what might work best along these lines would be to switch the roles: send to RME's digital outs to the Apollo, patch the speakers from the Apollo's outputs. Then I'd basically be using the Apollo with Cakewalk/other DAWS, and the RME with everything else - I use its "total mix" software a fair amount to digitally patch different inputs and outputs, for loopback recording, etc. The problem here is that I'd have to leave the Apollo on all the time (it gets hot and seems like the kind of thing that might eventually succumb to heat exhaustion), and I'd be generally relying on it more - the RME has been a rock-solid music tool for years, while the UA seems a bit more temperamental. Still, it might be better to settle on a constant situation instead of switching things around. Now where's that optical cable?

It still seems like there should be some kind of method - or workaround - to switch interfaces on-the-fly... will update if I come across something down the road.

Edited April 26, 2021 by white flowers