Motu ultralite AVB + Audiolense for a 2.2 system

[dathzo]

Hi all,

I am currently a Dirac Live user and I am looking forward to moving in the direction of Audiolense. I managed to source a Motu Ultralite AVB and I am trying to make my first Digital XOs for my 2.2 system. I have tried DRC in the past (with REW and minidsp), but the whole audio interface world is new to me, so I will be asking (probably) very basic questions, so please have patience with me .

My system is relatively simple: I want to drive 2 x active speakers + 2 x subs with digital crossovers from Audiolense. I do have Roon, so I can use the Audiolense-generated filters in Roon, but I am also planning to get the Audiolense Convolver.
When I go to the measurement screen below, and try a 2.2 system, all seems to be ok: "Format and Device combination is supported". (I have a cal file for the mic, I just did not load it in the screenshot below)

When I do speaker connection test, I get the following error:

I am sure this is something relatively simple in the routing matrix from the Motu, but has anybody experience with interfaces that can guide me on how to do the routing correctly?
When I choose the Motu from the Sound settings in Windows, I only see the Stereo option.

And finally, this is the routing matrix in the AVB software:

any help is very appreciated,
Best wishes
dathzo.-

 

[jrobbins50]

I do not know my way around the Motu, but I will ask whether your microphone is running through the Motu? When I do ASIO measurements, I have the mic and output DAC both connected through ASIO4all and not showing both input and output as the DAC (or interface) on the measurement screen. Also, may we see the tabs on your speaker setup? I just want to see that it too is set for 4 channels, with crossover, and not two channels. JCR

 

[Omid]

I have a few questions:
Are your subs connected to the Phones L and R output or Analog 1 & 2 (the channel ID in audiolense suggests you're connected to phones)?
Can you show in the routing table the routing for the mic input ?
In windows, have you set the motu to 48,000 samples/sec? on my PC, I get Motu listed twice in playback devices (one is Motu stereo, the other Motu 1-24, mine has 24 channels). If you have both select the one that has more than 2 channels (it doesn't matter what you choose as your pc's output stereo vs 5.1).
In your PC have you chosen Motu as the recording device (with 48,000 sampling)?
in your Motu settings make sure to also set the sampling freq to 48,000.

Cheers.

 

[dathzo]

I do not know my way around the Motu, but I will ask whether your microphone is running through the Motu? When I do ASIO measurements, I have the mic and output DAC both connected through ASIO4all and not showing both input and output as the DAC (or interface) on the measurement screen. Also, may we see the tabs on your speaker setup? I just want to see that it too is set for 4 channels, with crossover, and not two channels. JCR

Hi @jrobbins50. Yes, the mic is connected through the Motu. Here are the tabs as requested (let me know if something is not correct):
Many thanks!

 

[dathzo]

I have a few questions:
Are your subs connected to the Phones L and R output or Analog 1 & 2 (the channel ID in audiolense suggests you're connected to phones)?
Can you show in the routing table the routing for the mic input ?
In windows, have you set the motu to 48,000 samples/sec? on my PC, I get Motu listed twice in playback devices (one is Motu stereo, the other Motu 1-24, mine has 24 channels). If you have both select the one that has more than 2 channels (it doesn't matter what you choose as your pc's output stereo vs 5.1).
In your PC have you chosen Motu as the recording device (with 48,000 sampling)?
in your Motu settings make sure to also set the sampling freq to 48,000.

Cheers.

Thanks Omid for your comments... To your questions:

1. The subs are physically connected to Analog 1 & 2 of the Motu
2. Here is the routing for the mic input

3.Yes, here are the settings for the Motu in Windows

I actually have selected the stereo one. If I select the other one, I am getting a signal!, so thanks for that .

4. For recording, this is what I have selected, and yes, with 48000Hz

Should I select the In 1-24 as per my routing above or this is fine?

5. Check, it is 48000Hz in the motu as well

Thanks for the help

 

[Omid]

Great.
mit doesn’t matter whether you select 2 or 24 channels on recording at this point since you’re only using 1 channel. If you plan on connecting more analog inputs you’ll need 24 channels.
min your routing table you don’t need to send the mic to ‘computer 1’ & ‘computer 2’. It’s a mono signal it just needs to go to ‘computer 1’. No harm to what you did though.
In Audiolense in the measurement window the channel ids need to change to
ID 0 for l main
Id 1 for r main
Id 4 for l sub
Id 5 for r sub

good luck.

 

[jrobbins50]

Omid, I’m surprised that the OP here is not seeing more than two channels in Windows, given that four channels are required here. Why is that not an issue? (And here’s hoping your instructions do the trick anyway!) JCR

 

[Omid]

Omid, I’m surprised that the OP here is not seeing more than two channels in Windows, given that four channels are required here. Why is that not an issue? (And here’s hoping your instructions do the trick anyway!) JCR

Motu offers 2 drivers. A stereo one and a 24 channel one. Now that he has selected the 24 channel driver, he should be able to set windows to play 5.1 if he wants to.

 

[dathzo]

Great.
mit doesn’t matter whether you select 2 or 24 channels on recording at this point since you’re only using 1 channel. If you plan on connecting more analog inputs you’ll need 24 channels.
min your routing table you don’t need to send the mic to ‘computer 1’ & ‘computer 2’. It’s a mono signal it just needs to go to ‘computer 1’. No harm to what you did though.
In Audiolense in the measurement window the channel ids need to change to
ID 0 for l main
Id 1 for r main
Id 4 for l sub
Id 5 for r sub

good luck.

This is great @Omid, thanks for the education and the clear explanation, Will try it out, probably during the long weekend. All the best

 

[dathzo]

Motu offers 2 drivers. A stereo one and a 24 channel one. Now that he has selected the 24 channel driver, he should be able to set windows to play 5.1 if he wants to.

Not that it matters in this case, as I managed to get the routing right with your clear explanation, but I cannot select the Out 1-24 as default in Windows (note the greyed out button), and hence, it doe snot allow me to get the 5.1 sound anywhere. This may eventually be an issue with Roon?

 

[Omid]

Not that it matters in this case, as I managed to get the routing right with your clear explanation, but I cannot select the Out 1-24 as default in Windows (note the greyed out button), and hence, it doe snot allow me to get the 5.1 sound anywhere. This may eventually be an issue with Roon?
View attachment 51089

That’s weird. I don’t know why it’s greyed out. It seems like an issue with Motu Or with windows. I don’t think it’s because of Roon.

I would personally turn off the motu, disconnect the USB, Turn off the PC, and then turn everything back on and reconnect. If that doesn’t work I would uninstall the driver and reinstall it. If that doesn’t work I would ask on this forum from people with more pc expertise to see if they have any other ideas. I have found the technicians for Motu to be very helpful too.

 

[jrobbins50]

What shows up for properties under there? The properties box doesn’t appear to be greyed out. Here’s hoping, though, that the reboots of the Motu and PC will fix that.

I see you must have the Sudio E2 wireless earbuds with Dirac in them. I have them as well and actually think they are great, particularly at the price point. JCR

 

[dathzo]

That’s weird. I don’t know why it’s greyed out. It seems like an issue with Motu Or with windows. I don’t think it’s because of Roon.

I would personally turn off the motu, disconnect the USB, Turn off the PC, and then turn everything back on and reconnect. If that doesn’t work I would uninstall the driver and reinstall it. If that doesn’t work I would ask on this forum from people with more pc expertise to see if they have any other ideas. I have found the technicians for Motu to be very helpful too.

Thanks! I tried as suggested but no changes. I can try a different computer or ask in their forum as you suggest...

 

[dathzo]

What shows up for properties under there? The properties box doesn’t appear to be greyed out. Here’s hoping, though, that the reboots of the Motu and PC will fix that.

I see you must have the Sudio E2 wireless earbuds with Dirac in them. I have them as well and actually think they are great, particularly at the price point. JCR

Here it is, nothing out of the ordinary:

And yes, I am very satiesfied with the Sudio E2. I am very picky when it comes to earbuds and these ones just do the trick and sound great. A bit too dark, but nothing that EQ cannot fix. I prefer dark instead of bright in any case...

 

[jrobbins50]

I take it when you press Test for the 24 channel output, you get nothing.

This has got to be some Windows/Motu issue. Does the Motu look correct in Device Manager? JCR

 

[dathzo]

I actually do: I get sounds for each of the channels defined in the routing matrix sequentially (Mains -1 and 2-, Phones -3 and 4- and AO 1 and 2 -5 and 6-)

 

[jrobbins50]

Stranger yet.

On the input side, you have the 2-channel selected. Can you select the 24 channel? Just wondering if it is greyed out as well. JCR

 

[dathzo]

It is greyed out, same situation. Weird indeed...

 

[jrobbins50]

Do you have a different PC that you could load Audiolense on to and connect your Motu and mic? Now wondering if this is specific to this PC. JCR

 

[Omid]

My default is also the stereo output, and Audiolense and Roon work perfectly fine for a 2.2 stereo setup.
It’s only if I want to play something on windows In multi channel that I would have to switch to the other driver for 5.1 listening.

 

[jrobbins50]

Omid, I don’t understand how that can work. A 2.2 arrangement would require 4 DAC channels, yes? Or are you measuring as left main + subs and right main + subs and using a crossover in the Motu rather than in Audiolense? JCR

 

[Omid]

The default setting only determines what the windows operating system uses. Roon is free to use another driver. A 2.2 system does indeed require 4 channels.

Roon uses the multichannel driver in my case and windows the 2 channel one.

 

[dathzo]

Do you have a different PC that you could load Audiolense on to and connect your Motu and mic? Now wondering if this is specific to this PC. JCR

Just tried another pc and the same behavior is encountered. In any case, not a problem for Audiolense as Omid reported. @Omid, another basic question. How do you do the routing in the Motu matrix for getting both L and R channels into each of the subs? (Outputs 5 and 6 in my case). Thanks!

 

[Omid]

The way you’ve set it up gives you a right sub and a left sub, which is fine.

if you want both subs to play in unison (r+l), there are several ways to do it.

I would recommend leaving the routing table unchanged, and instead setting up as a 2.1 system in Audiolense. You the double click on the sub to get driver 0 and driver 1 (each sub becomes an independent driver of the same virtual sub) . In the measurement window you choose one driver as id 4 the other as id 5.

This allows Audiolense to first correct each subwoofer’s response and then correct the sum of the two subwoofers and integrate that with your main speakers.

That’s how I’ve chosen to do it. The idea being that two subwoofers playing the same signal should be less prone to room modes, and have less distortion. In reality there’s probably not a huge difference because (From what I read) most recordings are more or less mono under 100 Hertz.

 

[Omid]

See pics