Send all Maschine Plus audio channels to computer via USB.

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Answers

  • slowgaffle
    slowgaffle Member Posts: 3 Member
    Answer ✓


    I was confused about this for a while myself because I was able to use a specific sound card, the iConnectAudio4+, to essentially connect the M+ directly to the computer without using analog audio.

    I know that just saying it should work is one thing, so I took the time to test out all 16 individual channels.

    First of all, to be clear, there is no concept of "Master"/"Slave" on this interface. Both devices you connect to it think that they are the "Master" device. It is up to the user to then route different tracks between them.

    Each device gets i think 20 channels on this interface, so I gave the M+ 16 out channels (confusingly, thought of as "In Channels" from the perspective of the interface) and the computer 16 inputs:

    CleanShot 2022-02-03 at 23.25.43.png

    I then routed them all together.

    CleanShot 2022-02-03 at 23.25.30.png

    And here is how it is in ableton:

    CleanShot 2022-02-03 at 23.27.08.png

    I then painstakingly went through the Maschine Output routings and naively assigned each slot a numbered output and put a pad on each one.

    CleanShot 2022-02-03 at 23.49.24.png
    CleanShot 2022-02-03 at 23.51.37.png


    Now ready to record:

    CleanShot 2022-02-03 at 23.30.58.png

    I know some readers might already see the mistake i made here.

    CleanShot 2022-02-03 at 23.30.44.png

    Right so obviously I didn't take stereo into consideration. As you can see, only pads 1-8 played anything, each taking up two channels. Finally, I did 8 stereo pairs:

    CleanShot 2022-02-03 at 23.39.28.png

    And that worked well. If you need 16 mono outputs you can pan each to the left or right on maschine. I confirm this works as well.

  • Kubrak
    Kubrak Member Posts: 3,067 Expert

    I thought (and wrote earlier) that iConnectivity audio interfaces might work well as they are built to connect two computers.

    Thanks for confirmation. I wonder if current iConnectivity audio interfaces also work that way. They allow connection of two computers, but there is no information whether they allow sending audiodata from one device/PC to another.

  • TheLoudest
    TheLoudest Member Posts: 110 Advisor
    edited February 2022

    personally I managed to have all independent outputs with my external audio interface (MIDAS MR18)

    but unfortunately the issue is the inputs... I only have 8 inputs! (instead of 18 mono inputs)

    Honestly I would have preferred the opposite...

    Does anyone know why we have this limitation in terms of INPUTS?

    (there is the same feature on the MPC and I believe the limit is 32 inputs/outputs with an external audio interface ..)

    is it a software limitation? (and therefore could be improved via an update) or it's a hardware problem (Maschine+ can't handle all these incoming streams... which would be weird because, again, MPCs seem to be able to do that, and I think that they are less powerful in terms of CPU/RAM resources)

    Of course all these inputs will not be used to record all the tracks simultaneously, but just for "monitoring".

    In particular, this would make it possible to take advantage of Maschine's FXs on all external devices. Then the possibility of recording/sampling them one by one.

  • skrutiny
    skrutiny Member Posts: 23 Member
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/4158#Comment_4158

    Thank you greatly for posting slowgaffle! I really appreciate the detail and trouble you have gone to! From reading the manual for the latest version of this device which is the 4c model, it can connect upto 8 usb audio devices!

    I'm just wondering if there is any indication within your devices software about how much ms of latency the iconnect adds?

    This might even solve Rhythm Droid 's presonus issue!!

  • darkwaves
    darkwaves Member Posts: 433 Guru


    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/3316#Comment_3316

    My motu 8a kind of works. Audio input glitches out after a while (no issues with the outputs). It's limited to 12 stereo outs from M+, though I could technically do a lot more over AVB (hardware going straight through the motu instead of maschine). Probably worth testing if one of the RME AVB interfaces has class compliant drivers.

    I can understand NI not wanting to get their hands dirty here. I do wish one of the big stores (sweetwater, musiciansfriend, etc) would do the tests for us.

  • slowgaffle
    slowgaffle Member Posts: 3 Member
    edited February 2022
    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/4186#Comment_4186

    I had seen you post that, and wanted to confirm it. The current equivalent version is the iConnect Audio 4c, which has the same functionality but usb-c instead of A/B. This is a mean little box and yes you can route audio between two computers no problem (in my screenshots, the maschine +, in standalone mode, was being seen by the interface as if Maschine+ were a computer), in addition to the analog inputs and outputs, in any combination.

    Another real killer feature of these interfaces is that one of the two hosts can be an iOS/Ipad, which is why I got it. For example, I can run my guitar into the interfaces' analog in, route it to my ipad over usb to use it as an effects processor, then into ableton and then for whatever reason I could send it to the iphone from there (using analog audio and an iRig Duo Pro), or out for another effect loop.

    Another use is if you want to record Maschine+ directly into your ipad, or if you wanted to sample your ipad into maschine (with the same setup, and all digital path).

    I currently have my Maschine plugged into the iConnect4+. I have my Maschine+ also plugged into my computer. I also have my computer plugged into the iConnect4+. So I have audio going both ways between computer and Maschine+ with the option to jump to controller mode or storage mode without changing cables.

    If you use a program like loopback or gig performer for Mac then you can get even more complex. Also, the midi is pretty nuts too. The iConnect4+ has a usb host port that supports usb hubs, so you can plug up to eight more usb midi devices, or if you have the blokas midi hub, more dins. Also the iConnect4+ has a midi din in and out.

    Regarding the latency, I dug this up from another forum posted by someone who worked for iConnectivity on these specific devices (the one I have, the 4+).

    MIDI latency is 1.4 ms (worst case).


    Propagation delay from analogue input to analogue output is now FIXED at 1.7 ms (it will not get any longer regardless of how user has system set in iConfig).


    Propagation delay from USB ports can vary between 1.5 ms to 3.0 ms in 0.5 ms intervals (which user can customize using iConfig).


    I can’t measure these directly, but I can estimate these using my crystal ball.


    Propagation delay from USB in to analogue out is 2.2 ms to 3.7 ms in 0.5 ms intervals (which user can customize using iConfig).


    Propagation delay from analogue in to USB out is 1.7 ms to 3.2 ms in 0.5 ms intervals (which user can customize using iConfig).

    Source: https://vi-control.net/community/threads/any-experience-with-the-iconnect-4.50281/post-3918285

  • jgraham12345
    jgraham12345 Member Posts: 10 Member

    NI could make this happen if they wanted to. Look at what Elektron has done with their groove boxes. They have overbridge which allows you to send audio over usb to your daw and send all 16 audio tracks out. Don’t know why NI can’t do this as well if Elektron can.

  • Kubrak
    Kubrak Member Posts: 3,067 Expert

    Maybe, when Apple Silicon and VST3 transition ends, NI might add USB Audio functionality to M+. It might please many M+ users...

  • Magicwill
    Magicwill Member Posts: 5 Member

    Hey ! I tried to figure out how to make this work properly : Maschine+ -> Audio4C -> Ableton (PC). With 16 channels from maschine+ to Ableton.

    I succeed to setup the Audio4C properly but i have many noise glitches when i press play on Maschine+.

    How do you guys proceed to have a clean sound ?

    Thanks

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