Help with MOTU ultralite, cakewalk and external effects

[mlinyhi]

Hello all,

I am trying to get an external reverb to work with my ultralite. I found some info on MOTU’s site about how to get it set up. I tried to follow it but it is not applying any effect. I am running on vista with Sonar 6 pro and the ultralite. I have the 3 out on the ultra going to the input on the effect and the out on the effect going to the 3 in on the ultra. I went into cuemix -bus 1 and set up the output to 3 / 4 and brought up the fader on the analog 1. I can hear the sound in the headphones (with no effect) The sound is recording-not quite loud enough- but it is recording. The signal is making it through to the effect box as I can see an input light but there is no effect that I can hear on the phones or on the recorded track.

I can see on the ultralite front screen input on 1 and 3 and output on 3 and 4. The input on 1 is the mic. The input on 3 must be from the effect but it isn’t being applied anywhere.

It seems like I am just recording the signal straight from the mic . How do I bring the effect into the loop??

Thanks!!

FYI-This is what I got from the MOTU site and I think I followed it correctly:

How do I use an external effects processor with Cuemix?
Cuemix DSP allows for the routing of any input to any output. This allows for easy integration of outboard effects. For instance, here is one way of utilizing Cuemix DSP technology with a reverb unit:
• Set your effects unit to have a 100% wetness/saturation.
• Take your effects unit and plug the output/send of the unit into an unused input, say, Analog 8 (Analog 7/8 if it has a stereo output).
• Pick an unused output on your MOTU interface, say, Analog 8, and plug it into the input/return of your effects unit.
• In Cuemix Console, create a bus that outputs out of Analog 7/8.
• Any input channel whose fader is up will output out of Analog 7 and 8.
• Be sure to hard pan your channel to the far right to have the maximum signal output.
• Analog 8 (or 7/8) will now have your wet signal.
• If you wish to record this, remember to record both your dry signal as well as your wet signal and blend both to get the balance of fundamental and ambience that you desire.

[mlinyhi]

Nobody has any feedback on this issue?

[mlinyhi]

Doesnt anyone use an ultralite with an external effects loop on vocals??

[mlinyhi]

Ok, guess there is no help to be found here...just like motu customer service.

[Fishmed]

One probelm you have with Sonar 6 is going to be delay on the effect coming back into the system, sonar 7 addresses this issue with their External Insert feature.

I use a MOTU 2408 & 1224 along with Sonar 7. I too use extrnal effects untis, but I usually am mixing to an summer/mixer. This is what I do most of the time: I set aux send In Sonar to one of my MOTU outs; connected to those outs is the inputs of the effects unit. The outputs then go to a mixer which is then mixed with the other MOTU outs containing the other audio tracks. If I have to record the effect back into Sonar I would need to make sure that the effect is in sync with the original track so that there is no delay issue. As good as Sonar is, Cakewalk has not mastered that part of the code.

I know that this does not answer your original question, but it could be an option for you.

[mlinyhi]

One probelm you have with Sonar 6 is going to be delay on the effect coming back into the system, sonar 7 addresses this issue with their External Insert feature.

I use a MOTU 2408 & 1224 along with Sonar 7. I too use extrnal effects untis, but I usually am mixing to an summer/mixer. This is what I do most of the time: I set aux send In Sonar to one of my MOTU outs; connected to those outs is the inputs of the effects unit. The outputs then go to a mixer which is then mixed with the other MOTU outs containing the other audio tracks. If I have to record the effect back into Sonar I would need to make sure that the effect is in sync with the original track so that there is no delay issue. As good as Sonar is, Cakewalk has not mastered that part of the code.

I know that this does not answer your original question, but it could be an option for you.

Thanks for replying!!! I was starting to think I wasnt invited to the party.

Anyway, I guess I am giving up on the external effects for now. I have been recording the vocals with Sonars effects. I really like to get the sound right before recording and then play after but it seems too difficult. So far it sounds ok with the effects post -record so I should be all right. I cant understand why this would be difficult though. Its an expensive piece of equipment and it should slice AND dice and it should do it without too much trouble.
By the way, ive had this for a while but due to time and technical issues havent had much time to play..now im finally getting into it and-of course as it always is with tech stuff they came out with the mk3 with the effects built in that I want. Figures. Makes me think I should quit torturing myself and just listen to music instead of trying to create....... Nah.