latency problem with X1222/UR22

I'm sorry to say it's one of the known problems with the X1222 and it also crops up with several other products from that manufacturer. I guess it must save manufacturing cost not to put proper USB noise filters in.

I would use the X1222 as an analog mixer, ignoring its USB capability, and do the computer I/O using the UR22 instead. You are not really losing any I/O capability as both devices have only 2-channel (stereo) interfaces. Using only the one I/O device should mean you can tune your DAW latency to zero, as long as Ableton Live 9 has that facility.

I didn't fully understand your question about routing between the two boxes, but there should not be any problem in sending the audio outputs from the interface to both devices. You could, for example, route the outputs of the UR22 into a pair of input channels of the X1222 and then feed your monitors from the main outputs of the X1222, headphones from the phones jack and the auxiliary outputs (FX sends) for other functions. If the X1222 is used just for monitoring during tracking and is not in the record chain, you don't have to worry too much about loss of audio quality when stringing these devices together. Re-connect your speakers directly to the UR22 when it comes to mixing.

Latency during tracking is a real problem and can lead to smearing and lack of "tightness" in a track, not to mention false high frequency echoes from headphones. You are much better off running analog interconnections (giving zero delay at audio frequencies) than relying on digital routing via two USB devices where the combined random latencies can be many tens of milliseconds.

Regarding your block diagram, if your monitoring/control station is acoustically isolated from your tracking room, you could get away with the setup you sketched, at least from a routing perspective and leaving aside any sonic quality issues. However, I see this configuration as a recipe for constant niggling problems, and my advice is strongly against trying to run two independent USB audio devices that compete for CPU resources.

TommyM, post: 426660, member: 48971 wrote: This makes sense to me, better have clear analog than messy digital.

Can't have one without the other. Digital captures whatever you feed it.

Bos is here, you are in good hands!

Bos is here, you are in good hands!

TommyM, post: 426660, member: 48971 wrote: So what you suggest is putting the line-out of X1222 to the two ins (L/R) of the UR22, right?
But how do I then set-up a seperate monitor channel for the vocals?
Oh god... I am so confused about ins and outs...

Yes, send the L and R main outputs of the X1222 to the L and R line inputs of the UR-22.

It's straightforward to set up a mono monitoring mix on the X1222 by using the Mon level control on each channel that you want represented in the monitor mix. The Mon Send fader determines the level that is sent to the Mon Send jack.

If some of the tracks needed in your headphone monitor are already recorded and are coming from the computer, simply treat the analog outputs from the UR-22 as through they were an additional stereo instrument to be fed into the X1222. Take them into one of the 4 stereo input channels (5/6 to 11/12) of the X1222 and use the Aux Mon control for that stereo channel to adjust the level in the monitor. It is important to ensure that the main fader for that stereo channel is kept fully at minimum, otherwise you will mix already recorded material into what you are currently tracking. As I mentioned previously, set up Ableton Live 9 to [[url=http://[/URL]="http://www.macablet…"]compensate for tracking latency[/]="http://www.macablet…"]compensate for tracking latency[/].

I've just had a look at the X1222 manual, and I can't see where it says what can be sent to the mixer's phones output. It doesn't make sense to have a phones output that is permanently the main mix and can't be switched to solo a particular channel or set of channels or to check what is going out of the monitor sends, so there must be a way of listening to the monitor mix on the phones. If it turns out that there isn't, you will have to use a simple external headphone amplifier fed from the Mon Send. While you are out getting one of those, post your letter of incredulous complaint to the manufacturer of the mixer.

You are hitting limitation after limitation of the X1222 mixer.

Unless you decide that in any one pass you are only going to record a mono signal and take that out of the Aux and in to one channel of the UR-22 instead of the main L-R ouputs, you are not going to get a stereo output from the mixer for your monitoring. At least if you did this you would get a stereo phones feed and you would not need a separate headphone amp.

An enhancement would be to use the FX-send on the mixer for a second channel into the other input of the UR-22, but it's a bit dicey as the FX-send is post-fader and so would get any level adjustments that were needed for the phones monitoring.

No, not really. However, consoles of this type come up regularly second-hand as their owners go fully ITB, so it's worth keeping your eyes on local music shops that pass on used gear that they get as trade-ins. I would be a bit cautious of boards of this type on Ebay, as judging by the number I get asked if I would repair, they have often been misused before being put up for sale.

As you have seen, a console that is primarily intended for live sound often does not fit too well for recording/tracking, so something like a Mackie or a Soundcraft could well be better specified for the sort of work you want to do. Come back to us here with a model number if you spot something interesting and we can give you an opinion.

The Yamaha MG16XU is one of many mixers in that price range, which is a fair way above the X1222 you already have. The MG16XU is reasonable sonically, has average functionality, and it would probably work for what you need to do. It has PFL (pre-fade listen) buttons for each channel, so you can route selected raw channels to the phones output. Have you seen one at a really good price?

If that's a new unit, it's a fair but not spectacular price. If it's second-hand, it's expensive.