If you use any one of the Saffire audio interfaces from Focusrite and are trying to setup headphone mixes, this video is for you. Coming from the Pro Tools world where we never used an in between software mixer with our interfaces, I was more than confused when I first opened up the Saffire MixControl with my Liquid Saffire 56. I’ve since figured out a solid workflow between the interface and my DAW. This video will explain how to setup zero-latency headphone mixes. Let’s dig in…
Graham Cochrane is a creative and versatile producer, engineer, songwriter, and worship leader based out of Tampa, FL. He provides remote mixing, and mastering services to clients worldwide.
As the founder of The Recording Revolution, Graham's articles and tutorials have been featured worldwide by Avid, PreSonus, Slate Digital, Editors Keys, and Behringer to name a few, reaching readers in over 40 countries.
For more information and samples of Graham's work, please visit www.grahamcochrane.com.
Comments
I think this software is only supported/available for Saffire PRO range of interfaces and not all Saffire interfaces (e.g. USB 6)
Great video graham! The Focusrite Saffire Pro 24 DSP is the first thing on my christmas wishlist so this was awesome to watch!
One question though, are there any effects to use on this saffire mix control, like reverb?
Simon – Only the Pro 24 DSP has the reverb built in. You can control it from that version of the Saffire Mix Control.
Great video, thanks. But I thought by watching it I would discover a way to get for example a reverb on a vocal only for tracking purpose with zero/minimal latency.
Bolenti – Unfortunately only the Saffire PRO 24 DSP has the reverb built in for tracking purposes.
Thanks for another great video! I recently bought a Liquid Saffire 56 (loving it) and took it for its first in-field use at a live gig. It took some getting used to but I think i’m starting to get how to use that SaffireMix. This video is exactly what I needed though and I appreciate you posting this.
I really appreciate you making this video, thanks so much!
Great video… I was always a little intimidated by the safire mix control. How about that main volume knob at the bottom right hand. I’ve been turning it to about 75%, is that too much? What should be the rule of thumb as far as that goes?
Thanks again.
Carlos – I don’t know how much is too much. It depends on how loud your studio monitors are set. Mine is usually at 50% or quieter.
My question actually refers to the Liquid Sapphire 56, I noticed that you had the headphone outputs linked with LO 7/8 and 9/10 respectively, is that the way that the hardware is setup, and cannot be changed, or is that a preferential setup that you have for the way you work?
Thanks for the great blog, I keep coming back and I always end up with a different perspective on things, and this video, and just seeing the capabilities of the software ‘in action’ really helped solidify my choice of what I want to replace my firebox with (love the little thing but the preamps just suck..)
Brooks – From what I understand, those two front headphone outputs mirror outputs 7/8 and 9/10. Now you can send WHATEVER you want to those headphone outs (your DAW 1/2, a custom headphone mix etc,.)
Speaking of preamps.. do you have any experience with the PreSonus BLUETUBE?
Never actually used a Bluetube.
but just to clarify, what gets sent (whatever you choose it to be) to the first headphone out will also be sent to outs 7/8 and same for the 2nd HP out except with outs 9/10.
Correct.
Thank you thank you thank you!!!! Ive had the Saffire DSP 24 for over a year and have ALWAYS struggled with the Mix Control. The RTAS Mix Control plug in just confused me more. What an awesome well thoughyt out, well explained video! One question though…..what if the singer needs reverb to perform? I know the DSP has reverb built in, but for whatever reason, I cant hear it. IS there a way to use an aux track in Pro Tools so as to not print to tape and just for the sake of the performance?
Nevermind, I got the reverb to work on Saffire 24. But what about those that do not have reverb. How do you give the vocalist verb?
Graham – thanks for the video. I recently sold my ProFire 2626 to buy a used Liquid Saffire 56 and was having a hard time getting my arms around the Saffire Mix Control. You did a great job of explaining it and I really appreciate it. By the way, what software do you use to record these tutorials? Thanks again for your time and sharing your expertise.
Hey Graham
Do you have any problems with your MixControl lately? I updated mine(it was beta version for Lion) with the recent stable version and now it’s glitching like hell. The support service said it might occur because I have firewire HDD working in parallel with my Pro40. But I had it like that all along before it started to glitch. Any idea what it might be?
I had problems with my daisy chained FW drive also. Moved to running the USB drive. No more problems.
So I can`t have a FW drive and this interface running at the same time?
I wanted to save my sessions to a external FW drive to run things smoother… I cannot do it?
If you have a second FW port you can. This would be ideal. Or you could use a USB 2.0 hard drive or second internal drive as the audio drive. It just doesn’t daisy chain well from my experience.
Great vid. again Graham, but this time I’m completely lost!!! I have the M- box pro with it’s software and nobody on u-tube or anywhere explains it. The manual is very vague and uncompromising, at least to me. Do ya think you can clear this up for me and others please, whenever u have a moment. I know you’re busy and I’m sorry to hound you but you seem to be ,[ besides Joe Gilger] the only ones I trust in all this web of info. I’m told I have to make a headphone mix in P.T.,or I need a H.P. amp. La di dada, I’m going bananas! Save me from the rubber room.
Thanks and take care,
TOMMY
Dude! GRAHAM! That’s me yelling! lol! I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I sold my Digi 003 after I saw your tutorial on the Saffire 56 and ordered the Saffire on the spot. It arrived today and I have to say that I felt like a pro from the first minute I opened the box! I graduated from SAE in N.Y as a Recording Engineer back in 02′ and I have to say that I have learned more with your tutorials and your vids for sale, which by the way are awesome, than the 18 months I spent there, oh, and all the money I spent on tuition but that’s another story! lol! I almost gave up on the Music Industry after I moved to FL but than I started to google and found your site! Man, you could open up a Recording Engineering school and make tons of cash and also get the satisfaction that I’m sure you get when you teach someone how to Mix, or use Plugins, etc…. You have that teaching ability that many big time Recording Engineers teachers, LACK! I kinda got off topic but yeah, the Saffire 56 rocks and I wanted to thank you for teaching me how to get started!
Miguel Angel
N-Xendio Records
Angel – So glad you found my site and it has helped and encouraged you my friend. Keep making music!
Hey Graham quick question. I have pt10 and a Saffire 56 and seem to always get an ‘asio device properties have been changed’ error. Did you come across this ever? If so, how do I get it to stop?
Haven’t run into this issue Brian. I would post it (or look it up) on the Avid Support forum (duc.avid.com)
Hello,
Is there a way to define and save other routing presets to ease the switching? I haven’t found anything in the manual nor while searching through the interface.
Thanks in advance for response.
Hi Graham !
Great video, clear explanations, but one thing I don’t understand in your setup is how you (or me…), in the control room, can monitor the recording or performance of your, say, singer as you’ve muted it in Pro Tools ? Do you have to build a “speaker Mix” for the control room ?
Thanks in advance for helping again, and thanks a lot for all what you do (and hope my english was correct…)
Yep. In that case what I do is create a mix using sends in Pro Tools. I send a copy of every track (PRE FADER) to the talent’s headphone out, and I would MUTE their vocal track in that Pro Tools SEND.
Hello Graham, can you post a screen shot or better yet a video on that? Thanks in advance, and you do a great service!
Hi Graham. That is one hell of an informative vid. Thank you so much. I am still at entry level and have been using Garageband to record. Do you know if its possible to configure individual DAW channels out and back into Mixcontrol and the Saffire? I only seem to be able to get a composite of all tracks. If I select a DAW other than 1+2 in I don’t get a signal. I assumed that Garageband would return the signal out on the corresponding DAW channel. Do I need to move up to Logic? Thanks
Craig, you would then have to change the output of that individual channel in Garageband to match the output on your Saffire. Not sure if GB lets you do that.
Thanks for the prompt response. I don’t think Garageband will let you route individual outputs. I think its a case of treating the GB stereo output as two monos. By panning hard left and hard right I can get two separate outs. Your neat tip about muting the tracks will then let me get a guitar monitor out that has passed thru the Garageband amp modelling software and back into Mixcontrol. Hope that makes sense? Where theres a will, there’s a way. Really falling in love with my Saffire 56. Cheers Craig
Good video, thank you for that. Several people have saked but I still don’t see an answer: I have a saffire pro 40, how can I add a reverb for a singer in the headphones without recordng it? How could I add a compressor to the input on say a bass guitar track so it WOULD record with that compression on? I haven’t been able to find the answers to this anywhere?
The only Saffire that has built in effects is the Saffire Pro 24 DSP. The others can’t do that. What you CAN do for reverb is have your vocal track in your DAW sent to a bus with a PRE-FADER send to a track with reverb on it. You would hear the reverb even with the vocal track muted in your DAW (since your’e monitoring the zero-latency track from the Saffire Mix Control and not your DAW.
If you want to “record” compression on the way in, you need to use an external compressor. Otherwise just compress in the mix.
*Asked*
Hi Graham, greetings from Scotland!
I’ve had the Saffire 56 for nearly 2 years and never really understood it. Just used it in the most basic way. Your video is excellent, and has made me rethink the way I use the software. I’d always wanted to know if there would be a way to give someone a cue mix with reverb from a plugin; looks like your suggestion on Jan 19 above might do the trick. I’ll get out to my project studio and give it a go! If that fails, I’ll pick up the cheapest hardware reverb and hook up a send / return loop. Your site is excellent. Keep up the good work! 
Hi Graham
Firstly I must also thank you very much for your excellent video.
I am one stage further forward than George in that I have connected an external Quadraverb effects processor to my Safire Pro 24. I used line output 3 to the Quadraverb and looped back into the Safire via line input 3. (I use line 1 in for my mic input.) On routing, if I choose Anig in 1 for Line Output 3 and Anig in 3 for Line Output 4 I get the vocals with Qverb reverb in my headphones. (I have only a single headphone option). But if I then try to add my DAW backing track to the wet vocal to use as a mix for my headphones, I just get a terrible howling feedback noise in my headphones. (If I connect my DAW plus wet vocal mix to monitor 1 and 2 it works OK.)
Two questions
1. How can I get to hear the wet vocals plus the DAW content in a mix for my headphones without the howling?
2. The vocals record dry to my DAW. How could I record wet vocals to my DAW?
Thanks very much.
Have managed to resolve both issues through a process of trial and error. Switching leads around and trying every possible option in Mix Control can eventually bring results…sometimes!
Excellent. Excellent Tutorial on using the Mix Control. It has mind boggled me from day one. Thank you for this!!
Graham,
Great video. But Just curious as to how I would create seperate mixes with the saffire 56(and a OctoPre attached), with the pro tools click track being lower or have no volume at all in one mix and then the click having a lot of metronome in one mix.
For instance, in my main monitors say I want the click track super low, but in the drummers headphones I need it to be high. How would I accomplish that? I know this is a very old post but hope to get an reply back! Thanks.
Greg, You make your headphone mixes via Sends in Pro Tools. So the click track would have a send, the kick drum would have a send, and so on. These come back into your saffire on a stereo bus and then blend with the latency free inputs (if recording vocals for instance).
This video might help: http://therecordingrevolution.com/2010/06/18/setting-up-custom-headphone-mixes-video/
Hello Graham…my name’s Jass .im kantonese and im now living in vietnam….i wacthed ur tutorial and getting interested in the LSF 56…i bought 2 weeks ago…and now i’m really getting trouble on it…the routing mixcontrol is too hard for me to find out the answer =(( .the audio interface i used before was the Motu 828 mk3 …and everything just fine T_T . plz help me !!! i lost my way on connecting the external hard drive to the LSF 56 .
Step by step : here im using cubase/ LSF 56 /lexcicon pcm 91 reverb and tascam cd rw901 .
1st in cubase i set the external effect send bus1 >line out 9 and 10 output and the return signal is 5 and 6 line input.
get on the LSF 56 … line out 9/10 > line in pcm91 and output pcm91 come back to LSF56 in line in 5/6 . i did change the mic signal 5 and 6 to Line singal (turn on those gain on front view) . now i Shift click on 9/10 number on the 5 pairs of out monitoring. this time my pcm91 input singal in getting up but the input gain in line 5/6 i saw nothing,in cubase i did insert the external effect in 0db both in and output .
1 more question . i connect the LSF56 to the Tascam cd rw901 by optical if it right ? cuz i also couldnt get input singal here =(( … Plz help me outttt …. more tutorial abt these trouble to help us out Mr Graham….lookin forward ur reply….thank you so much.
Hey man great video. Just got the pro 40. So interms of reverb for vocal tracking, I tried making an aux track and put a reverb on there and linked it to the vocal track but when I mute the vocal track for 0 latency it mutes the reverb also .
Make your send PRE fader. That way it won’t mute the send when you mute the vocal track.
Bryan,
Set up your vocal track to record, mute the track, then add a send from it to A bus with a reverb on it. You will then here only the zero latency vocal in the cans with the reverb tail from the bus. Problem solved!
Chuck,
I have set it up as you stated as well, but, I do not achieve the zero latency vocal in the headphones. It still ends up having a bit of latency, even when lowering the buffer size in Digital Performer all the way down to 64. It is most noticeable when I snap my fingers into the microphone. Any suggestions?
Also, after updating my Saffire Pro 40′s MixControl to version 3.0 (I’m on Mac OS X 10.7.5), under: Routing Preset> “Zero Latency Tracking” is gone. It has been replaced with “Ultra Low Latency Tracking”. Any guesses?
As to the issue of MixControl 3.0 not having “Zero Latency” anymore, and reading as “Ultra Low”, I did receive a response from Focusrite Tech Support. I will paste in their response in case it helps anyone else experiencing this.
*Response from Focusrite Technical Support:
“The language was changed because the term Zero Latency was not entirely accurate. When using MixControl to monitor, the signal still has to pass through the analog to digital converters before it enters the onboard DSP mixer. This process adds some latency, but it is so little that it is indistinguishable by the human ear. The performance has not changed, ultra low latency is just a better description of what is going on.
Best Regards,
–
// Focusrite Technical Support”
That was the response I received from Focusrite.
Awesome. Thanks!
Graham,
How can I track a guitar player using a software based amp sim(Gtr rig 3 or the Line 6 POD) playing to pre-record tracks without latency issues? I’m using Sonar if that matters. Thanks for your time.
Can’t do it, since you’re recording through a plugin
Hi Graham. Thanks a lot for this video, it clarified much to me the mix control use even to a native spanish speaker. I have a question. I have the PRO 24 DSP. How must I set up mix control and DAW (Pro Tools, Nuendo) for using external FX and return them to other chanel in the DAW, in other words, use the outs 3 to 6 like “SENDS” and the in 3 and 4 like RETURNS. I have lot of feedbak when I try to do that. Again, thank you very much. Sorry for my poor english.
Hi Bernardo. Glad the video helped!
It depends on what you want to do with external effects. Can you explain your setup a bit more? What you’re trying to do?
G
Hi Graham,
I am using the Saffire pro 56 with PT 10.2, I was hoping to add a Buffalo FireWire 400 External HD from the second FireWire port on the back of the unit, so the session is going straight from the pro 56 to the HD, do u know of any known issues doing this.
THANKS, Eck
Hi Alex, even though it is possible to daisy chain like this Focusrite doesn’t recommend it. And I have had issues with it to be honest. I would give it a shot if you can, but sometimes I found MixControl to be delayed and un responsive when running sessions like this.
I followed your video everything worked and I had a nice headphone mix. Then I recorded a bass track listening to existing tracks recorded through guitar rig and studio drummer. But on playback the bass is not in time with other tracks. (pro tools 10.2) The bass was direct in no mic no plugins…just doing a test. Is the bass “off” because of the plugins as you mentioned in an earlier post. I’ll have recorded guitars and bass and will have a real drummer come in to record drums listening with his headphone mix. I will be using the saffire pro 40 and probably 6 mics for the drum tracking. Do I need to record guitars/bass with mics and not use any plugins like guitar rig? I know that will sound better anyway but I want to know if I am just doing something else wrong or if it is a plugin issue with latency. Thanks!
Hi Ed, this is weird. Shouldn’t be off. Perhaps double check that your Delay Compensation in Pro Tools is set to LONG to cover for the guitar rig plugin.
Hi Graham, it’s Alex again. Just having a wee problem with the Saffire in pro tools 10. I have my hw buffer size set to 2048 in mix control, but whenever I enter my playback engine settings in pt10, I get the “unsupported hw buffer size” error message…and can only seem to have my buffer size working at 1024 in pro tools (even though 2048 otherwise appears as an option in my play back engine settings + I used to have my sessions running at 2048 no bother yesterday (at the same samplerate I always use – 48k)…but for some reason it isn’t working today. It’s not that much of an issue at the mo…but when I want to add more plugins to my session for mixing purposes, I can’t get as much out of my CPU at the lower buffer setting (I can’t get as many plugins running simultaneously without receiving the “increase hw buffer size” error message). Are there other settings I might have changed that would interfere with my hw buffer options? (like changing my number of dedicated cpu cores, or enabling adc or anything like that?). Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated – cheers
Hmmm, I normally work with 1024 buffer setting. As far as CPU cores go, Avid suggests you set it to use one less than you have available. That way the OS can use the final core to run stuff in the background.
Hey Graham
That’s fine it does run fine at 1024, I will set my processor to run at 3 cores, I later found that the higher you set your session 88k up you get more buffer up to 4096, again thanks for the help, much appreciated
Hey Graham, THANK YOU BUT NEED HELP! you are doing a wonderful job on this site! as more and more females are trying a hand at the industry i so happen to have a focusrite liquid saffire – the big one with all the “award winning mic pres” Question – how do i select these mic pres? its pretty hard to find any tutorials which teaches this audio interface. please help me
Hi Michelle, glad to have you on the site. You select the liquid preamp emulations from the included software interface called Saffire MixControl. You install it on your computer and have it open in the background alongside your DAW. For more info, check out the support page on Focusrite’s website. Pretty good stuff there.
http://www.focusrite.com/answerbase/en/
Thank you so much for your input BUT i’m familiar with the MixControl but quite not clear on how to exactly trigger the Liquid pre amps ON. This is the issue that im having.
If you don’t see the preamp controls by default, click on the button that says ROUTER on the left middle. This will let you switch from the ROUTER view to the PREAMPS view. There you can trigger the different Liquid Pres.
Brother can you help
i Can’t record the sound when i turn on Loopback in my logic Pro…
in Saffire Mix Control was i set Loop Bac on DAW 1 and DAW 2…
input should I choose in logic pro? output and which one should I choose?
please Help thx GBU
Hi Graham
Thanx for another informative video.
1 question: how is your system set up to give you INPUT from your DAW? How is your computer and Saffire connected via Firewire only?
A hint for you to pass on:
I wrote you a month ago regarding using the Saffire 56 w ProTools going through Digi002 – AND being able to use MixControl for monitoring. You said that you didn’t think it was possible. It is – w an extra computer.
I have my Digi002 (v Saffire 56 via ADAT) connected to an iMac (w Firewire) running ProTools.
The Saffire 56 is then connected via Firewire to a MacBook running the MixControl for latencyfree monitoring.
Keep up all your good work.
Regards
JesperB (DK)
Hi,
I noticed recently that my mix 14 & 15 are always clipping. I’ve set my master output on my computer to my LS56 however, if i’m playing itunes say, every song clips these particular channels. If i turn my itunes down by a single tick, it peaks at -0.3. Is it really clipping? Or is the ‘clip’ actually at 0.0db. I’m scared that i’ve been listening to everything at a clip level now.
Has anybody else had this problem?
Thanks in advanced!
Need some thoughts/guidance about Unity Gain between my external preamp and Focusrite Liquid 56 line input. I’ve struggled a bit to get close to “unity” gain between my external pre and the l56. Finally I just sort of went with “my ears” and settled on a setting of around 5.5 or so. I went through the process of sending a signal into the external pre, out to the line in of the L56 and adjusted the gain on the Input back from the external pre equal to the wave sound that I was sending. (clear as mud)
So with that said , it worked out to a setting of around 3.4 on the gain knob of the L56 seemed to indicate “Unity”. However , what seems to sound more natural is moving the gain on the L56 up to 5.5 or so and reducing the pre a bit to offset. My recordings (of acoustic) peak around -8 to -10 dbfs (either way).
My question – Is it normal to boast the input gain on audio interface (in this case L56) a bit higher than the Unity ? I just find that a couple of “ticks” hotter on L56 (offset by couple of ticks lower on external pre) and everything just gets clearer.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hello, nice video:) I would like to ask you why when I connect fireware to input.1 my Liquid 56 is unlocked and when I connect to input.2 everything is good.
Second problem is when I record vocal I have a delay in headphones its very big delay I dont know what can I do! problem is only when I have more than 10 tracks kick, snare, bass, pads and so on I use cubase 6.5 whith mac lion 10.7.5 2.7 GHz I think PC is ok can be some problem with liquid 56? Thanks for answer.
Hi..wonderful information. I just bought the saffire pro 24 and upgraded to pro tools 10. I mostly use the digital world with only vocals as analogue. In terms of using virtual drums guitars etc, could I assign different outputs on pro tools (my goal) for each instrument as to be able to provide a better head phone mic for the vocalist?
Yes, you do that ideally in Pro Tools via sends. So if the talent needs more kick drum, increase the SEND on the kick drum in Pro Tools which dumps to a stereo track in Saffire Mix Control.
I just watched your vid on using the mix control on saffire pro 24 by focusrite. It was very helpful. However when I’m recording a vocal with the mute button on her track I can’t hear the vocalist! What am I missing here?
thanks
Bruce
Make sure the track in your DAW is muted, not the track in Saffire Mix Control.
Hey Graham! How do you have your LS56 connected to your computer?
I have my LS56 connected straight into my laptop, and I also have an External HD connected to the second firewire port on the LS56. When I am using Pro tools 10, the saffire mix control is very unresponsive and just very slow and doesn’t work at all. Just wondering if you get the same problem! Please let me know!
I’m going to try connecting the External HD, in between the LS56 and my Laptop, I’ll see how that goes!
Hi Eddie. I ran into this exact problem a while back. Focusrite says that MixControl doesn’t like it when multiple devices are running off the same FW bus.
SO… I have my LS56 hooked up via FW and than an external hard drive via USB 2.0 for mobile recording. My desktop computer has two internal drives, so no problems there.
Hi Graham,
cheers for the instruction; I had been twiking with this and what manual says for a bit but couldn’t get the “ultra low latency mode” to work. Could u explain your method for the workaround this solution pls?
As well, Could u just explain a bit more on why u don’t mute the drummer (Kick, Snare,…) like u do for the vocal? Shouldn’t that create a latency in the talent’s headphone?
Brilliant, wish all health.
Hi Manuel, by default if you have the inputs on the MixControl to match where you’ve plugged in your mics they should come up on the faders in that ultra low latency mode, no issues. The only issue is with the track in your DAW so you mute those. I would mute drums as well.
Hi Graham, Excellent! Thanks for the great tutorial. Have a question for you though: How would I route the following. I have a TC Electronics Finalizer and want to use it for my final mix from my DAW and then go back to my DAW to record the output. How do I route that properly? I connected my Finalizer via the TOS Link Out and In on the Saffire Pro 40. I Hope you can help. Thanks
You would then need to route the output of the finalizer into an available pair of Line inputs on the Pro 40 and “record” that signal to a new track.
Thanks Graham,
I tried everything possible to get the digital signal back to my DAW by routing in MixControl but I didn’t have any luck at all. Are you saying that I cannot keep the mix in the digital domain and go back to my DAW?
Here is my setup – Out of DAW (firewire) Stereo – 1 and 2, into Saffire Pro 40, I selected DAW 1 and 2 to SPDIF 1 and 2. I can monitor the SPDIF 1 and 2 or send to Mix 1 and 2 successfully but no matter what I select in my DAW as an input to record this it does not get the signal. I even tried the Loopback feature and Imput 19 and 20 do not have any signal, but I can monitor via the Saffire Pro with no problem.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Ray, you have to use some cables to come OUT of the finalizer and manually BACK IN to the saffire. Do you have that set up? And which inputs are you using to come back in? Physically on the box.
Heh Graham,
I found out how to do it in the digital domain.
You must use the SPDIF out and in to the external processor then setup the routing as follows:
DAW 1 & 2 into SPDIF at the bottom left in MIXControl. Then set the DAW to Saffire Pro40 out 1 and 2 to the input on the DAW. Make sure you mute monitoring or set the output of the recording channels to 3 & 4 or something other or you will get a feedback loop.
Works great!
Hey Ray, just replying as i’m wondering if you can help me – i just got a Finalizer today and am trying to do what you have successfully done…i followed the part about DAW 1 & 2 into SPDIF in MIXcontrol. Then got a bit confused where you said “Then set the DAW to Saffire Pro40 out 1 and 2 to the input on the DAW” – could you elaborate on this a bit? PS i have a Saffire pro 56 but i think it should be a similar setup…
Heh Sam,
You must use the SPDIF out and in from the Saffire to the Finalizer.
(use only the SPDIF RCA connections. Don’t use the optical connection, it won’t work properly)
Setup the routing as follows:
Set DAW 1 & 2 into SPDIF at the bottom left in MIXControl. Then set the DAW (your recording inputs on your DAW) to Saffire Pro40 out 1 and 2 (or whatever out you set as the output) to the input on the DAW channels you want to record to.
Make sure you mute monitoring or set the output of the recording channels in your DAW to 3 & 4 or something other or you will get a feedback loop.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you need more clarification.
Hi Graham,
Great post. All I need to know to start making headphone mixes for the next time I track somebody. There is a little question, in order to have extra stereo mixes will I need an headphones amp? I understand that connecting a pair of headphones directly to one of the line outputs I will just get one channel (mono) mix. Please correct me if I missing something.
Thanks!
Correct.
On the front of your saffire you’ll have at least one headphone output which can be used as a stereo mix. But using the line outs on the back you’ll only get mono mixes unless you take a stereo pair into a headphone amp first.
Any recommendation for HP Amps? Thank again!
I like the ones from Behringer and PreSonus
How about this one http://www.smproaudio.com/index.php/en/products/headphone-amps/hp6e#features from SM? Actually, I’m looking for one that can handle stereo mixes This one looks like I can connect every stereo pair and get the four stereo mixes. Looking some models from PreSonus and Behringer I found that these models have an Aux In. I wonder if there is a way to get the line outputs from the Saffire through a “Y” cable, or something like that, to connect it to this Aux in instead of getting a HP amp like the SMHP6E. Also, I found this one http://www.music123.com/pro-audio/alto-hpa6-6-channel-stereo-headphone-amplifier very insteresting because of the number of HP outputs. I will appreciate any guidance you could give bak to me.
Thanks and sorry for bother you with my questions
Or what if I just use this cable http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/YPP308/ to get the stereo mix on each headphones? It will be the appropriate level or I will be lacking too much power?