Audio Routing before Channel Strip

Cubase
1

Following setup:
Behringer X32 mixer with the outputs routed into separate channels in Cubase.
The signal in the X32 is being taken directly after the gain adjust - the console’s channel strips and inserts do not affect the signal that’s routed to Cubase!

Mix (for the X32 Main outs) is done initially on the X32, but a separate mix is being created in Cubase (for demo tapes, etc.).

I want to create a setup that allows me to compare the Cubase mix with the mix I created on the Behringer X32. The output signal has to be routed to both the Cubase main out (containing the Cubase mix) and to each separate channel’s out (from there routed to each channel of the X32).

The easiest way would be to take the Cubase signal directly after the gain adjustment and route it back to the X32 (just like in the X32 allow me to). But as far as I know, no such possibility exists?! The earliest “pickup-point” for sends in Cubase is prefader - which is behind the channel strip.
Even direct routing or CR won’t solve my problem.

There are three (not very pro workarounds) that I figured out:

1.) create two different mixer setups (one with all faders at 0 and no channel strip, inserts, etc.), save them and switch between both. Not very practical and high chance of missing a save…

2.) Create the double amount of tracks and record the incoming signals from the X32 on two tracks instead of one, do the mixing on one, leave the second one untouched and use mute groups . No - not very pro…

3.) Use key commands to switch off channel strip, EQ and inserts and use prefader sends to the X32 channels. However, there is no possibility to switch off all pres with one keycommand… :frowning:

Any ideas, how I can get the signal completely unprocessed (“pre-pre” so to say) back to the X32 but at the same time be able to create a Cubase Mix?

Thanks

2

Hi and welcome to the forum,

You can do this by using Macro in Cubase.

3

I don’t understand your description…
The mix in the X32 is already present on the monitoring out, you just need to route the Cubase mix without any processing to the same out. You can use an Aux input to do this.

To disable processing in Cubase you can use “snapshots”.

Just copy the tracks?

4

Thanks Martin!
Yes, but there is no option for bypassing the pre in the Mixer macro menu. You only can bypass strip, EQ, inserts.

5

Okay - maybe the description is a bit confusing. I’ll try to clarify by explaining my process step by step:

1.) In the rehearsal room I record multiple tracks via the X32 inputs into Cubase, where each input channel has its own track. These tracks are unprocessed by the X32 - so I have the raw tracks inside Cubase.

2.) At the same time, the X32 main output is routed to speakers inside the rehearsal room - but this of course contains the X32 complete mix (including pre, EQ, CS, Inserts ,etc. from the console).

3.) When the band has left, I still can adjust the X32 mix by routing back the unprocessed Cubase tracks into each corresponding channel of the X32, thereby processing the signal inside the console.

4.) Apart from the X32 mix, I want to create a separate mix inside Cubase (offering more options and inserts than the X32).

5.) I want to compare both mixes by the push of one button (e.g. solo the Cubase main output).

The problem is, that - as soon as I have created a mix inside Cubase, I can no longer route the unprocessed tracks from Cubase back into the X32. Every track contains a processed signal!

The easiest thing would be, to tap the signal inside Cubase in front of the pre, reroute (or send) it to the X32, thereby leaving the processed signal chain inside Cubase untouched.
All other three solutions that I offered, seem not very pro and not really elegant.

So the main question is:
Is there a way, to get the signal in front of the pre?
Even the X32 allows routing to outputs in front of the pre (well, after the gain…) and I would be surprised, if a sophisticated system like Cubase would not offer the same functions.

PS: Of course I could copy the tracks, but that would double the required disk space - and one rehearsal is already around 10GB of data…

6

It doesn’t double the space, the doubled tracks are just virtual copied… new clips that use the same audio files as the other tracks.

This is not possible in Cubase.

7

All right! Thanks! Looks like that should work for me…