Any way to route SONAR's audio output into another DAW's Audio Input without being online/using internet?

[Martin Barret]

I was hoping to use some virtual audio cable to route the sound (Master Bus output) of SONAR into another DAW that has some effects/thingies I want to use (a pseudo-mastering setup) in real-time monitoring. I do not want to 'bounce down' or export the audio of Sonar and then import it into the other DAW, I want it all to happen in real-time. Is that possible with some virtual audio cable setup? Please & Thanks!
Martin 

[Chaps]

I read years ago that ReWire could do that sort of thing but I don't know its status now that Reason Studios has discontinued it.

[rsinger]

Try Blue Cat's Connector - 

https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_Connector/

[Amberwolf]

There are a number of different virtual audio cables out there, some very easy to use, and some very complex. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=virtual+audio+cable

 

If your other DAW is a separate computer that you can't just run audio cables to, some support offboard (networked) computer audio routing, most don't. 

As long as everything is on the same computer, then if you are using the regular Windows type drivers (WDM-KS or WASAPI) there are several possible setups you can use, so that SONAR can have your speakers' hardware out as it's main out, and a separate send or bus with the virtual audio cable as the output, so you don't have to keep switching back and forth in your configurations.  

 

But--if you are using ASIO (where you can only have one audio driver enabled at a time), then AFAIK there is only one that can be used in a way that lets you hear SONAR while piping the audio around (it would also let you hear the other program, and you can also route audio over networks), and it's the most complex:

https://give.academy/ODeusASIOLinkProPatcher/

You'd want to read it's documentation completely before setting it up; it's not super comfusing but it has a "style" to the way it's UI is laid out that takes some getting used to. 

Edited January 22 by Amberwolf

[Sock Monkey]

Most modern interfaces have Loopback. 
You simply play the project in Daw A and then in Daw B you select the Loopback as the input to the track. 
if this is going to be an important part of your workflow then you should consider upgrading your interface to one that has the feature. 
I can’t function without it myself. 
 

[mettelus]

Just bear in mind with a virtual audio cable (or loopback) scenario that two DAWs are going to default to main outs (i.e., hardware) and inherently want to output both there (hearing both the dry and wet signals). If SONAR is the feed, you will need to send the main output to the virtual cable (not the hardware) and use that as the feed to the second DAW to allow the second DAW ownership of the audio interface. In common loopback scenarios the final result is often best muted (will still record) with input echo off to prevent a feedback loop, but in your case that isn't a viable option (or really relevant) since you want to hear the second DAW's FX. Just be mindful of of doubling up the signal at any part of your cabling path (in your case, this isn't a true feedback loop, since the second DAW won't feed back into SONAR, but you would still risk the output being both outputs combined otherwise).

[Sock Monkey]

Good point. I have only used Loopback for recording so input echo is always off. 
There’s also a syncing issue because Loopback has no latency but the ASIO driver might adjust the input amount reported so I tested this and an internal Loopback is actually early by that amount. 
A solution for this is my Motu has the 3/4 output option as well as 3/4 Loopback. 
 

So Daw A Master bus to 3/4. 
Daw B input Loopback 3/4. Output 1/2.  
 

If your Interface doesn’t have internal Loopback but has 3/4 outputs you could hard wire those using short cables. 3/4 out to 3/4 in. . 

 

[Promidi]

Personally, this is how I would do it

I have a 3rd Generation Focusrite 8i6.   The includes a loopback input - This is a signal that is a copy of what ever is being played by the 8i6.

So, in Cakewalk, I select the 8i6 as the ASIO output.

In the DAW I want to record in, I select the ASIO loopback as the input.

As long as sample rate, bit depth and buffer size match, this works.

My real world example is playback via Cakewalk.  Record the audio via OBS Studio or Izotope RX11 (everything in ASIO mode).

Yes, you can have two applications accessing one ASIO device at the same time.

I guess what I am trying to say is that the capabilities of your audio interface plays a part in getting this done.

[Jeremy Oakes]

For those of us with a 1st or 2nd gen Scarlett unit here is the solution :

https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207546775-Does-the-Scarlett-range-have-loopback

J

[Martin Barret]

Wow! Great advice one and all! Thanks so much! Lots of experimenting to try. Much appreciated!