AudioRoute app vs MixKey - looks interesting

MixKey
1

Just been pointed to this app by a friend.

How to Record System Audio in Cubase — Step-by-Step Guide

It lives as an Insert FX or Instrument on an Instrument Track, capturing system audio (Spotify, Browser tab, OBS stream, Zoom session etc..) right within Cubase straight onto an Audio Track. Very convenient workflow.!

Although MixKey is designed for live streaming/content creator types, it can capture system audio as well, through it’s Recorder facility. Resulting audio files, can then be imported or dragged into Cubase for further processing, as a secondary step.

Ok, MixKey is free, different market. And is very flexible. :wink:

AudioRoute is a 29 Euro one-off Lifetime License.

So just wondered if this ‘added convenience’ AudioRoute offers is food-for-thought the MixKey devs (@JuFa @Alex_Bruehl) might consider incorporating in some way - i.e. the direct injection of MixKey output to a Cubase audio track.? Can the two currently even live side-by-side.?

Or maybe, take this as ideas for future demos/presentations of use-cases for MixKey, showing off it’s flexibility and how a user might attempt achieving similar to AudioRoute.?

I’ll leave it there.

[Sidenote - read the detail at the link I posted; I didn’t realise Cubase handles it’s audio routing in a particular fashion (Cubase ‘quirk’) unlike Logic Pro or Ableton for example - hence the need for this added ‘Group Track’ go-between for successful system recordings]

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Hey @Puma0382,

thanks for your insights. It’s really a question of what you want to achieve. If you are a cubase user and need system-input into cubase, then you might ask yourself if you rather use MixKey or AudioRoute. Of course both have their pros and cons.
However, MixKey’s main focus is not to send Audio to cubase as a audio-production workflow. But of course you can, also without the record function:

If you use the Steinberg built-in ASIO driver in cubase and in the control panel select MixKey’s stream virtual device as input, you can just add an audio-track and record your MixKey-Mix directly in Cubase through this device. (Please make sure to check if your audio-connections are set up correctly after configuring the driver first)

We might think of making this audio-production way easier, but I believe the focus on MixKey is still the other way around: Get Cubase sound to MixKey, so you can show your current status in a company meeting or even in your livestreams. (Which is already possible of course, but we want to make everything even better and easier)

If you want, I can also make a video depecting how this works. But I believe the given description might aswell be enough already.

In any way, thank you :slight_smile: Do you think the way I described is what you were looking for?

Best regards,
Alex

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Hello @Alex_Bruehl - thank you for your response.!

What you outline sounds indeed like the solution I’m after… Although, this bit is not quite clear for me…

Would you mind posting a couple of screenshots illustrating this process please.?

I (exclusively) use my Yamaha Steinberg UR44 ASIO driver to go with my hardware. It has its own, separate User Control Panel that you can launch from the desktop.

I have not tried the built-in SB ASIO driver on anything as yet… thus, I’m not familiar with its ‘control panel’.

Yes, that was one of my reasons for posting. Of course, if you have your own ideas how this might work better in future, then do go for it.!

And I understand MixKey’s purpose is aimed more as you say - Cubase sound to MixKey for playback along with livestreams etc…

However, it just struck me what I suggest could be legitimate ‘expansion’ of current capabilities. Maybe the workaround you describe (using the multiclient(?) SB ASIO driver) will suffice for now.

I will have to examine any differences in sound quality/reliability, low latency performance etc., of that driver, when pairing it with the Yamaha hardware - versus using the dedicated/optimised YUSB driver.

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Hey Puma,

sure. Beware, some of the dialogs might look a bit different, because I am recording this on Cubase 13.
I open the Studio Setup (Taskbar “Studio” → “Studio Setup”) and check out “Audio System” on the left. There you select the driver Steinberg built-in ASIO Driver like this:

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Then you switch on the left side to the given driver and open the control panel for the driver like so:

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The control Panel offers you to choose any Device as Input and Output. So in the lower part of the driver, you just select “Stream (Steinberg MixKey)” as the inputdevice.

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Now you can check the Audio Connections (Taskbar “Studio” → “Audio Connections”) if the inputs and outputs have valid entries.

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Afterwards just add a track and use Stream (MixKey Steinberg) as Inputdevice.
Now you can record.

But as you can see this brings limitations with it, because you cannot use your Yamaha Hardware at the same time. So you will switch between this driver and the yamaha driver, if you are done recording your Application sound.
The driver should be preinstalled with Cubase/MixKey.

And yes you are totally right. Enhancing the experience between our product is never bad and if this is quick and easy for everyone, it’s also another place to help people reach their goals. I will bring your argument into the internal discussions.

Thank you for your valuable feedback and please report of you got it working (or not) using the description above.

Best Regards,
Alex

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Many thanks.! That’s clearer @Alex_Bruehl, I see.

Ok, seems this will work - but then, it could be awkward considering how to monitor.? I use Control Room in Cubase and set ‘no output’ for the driver in devices. As such, seems it’ll mean a good deal of reconfiguring devices/connections etc, each time I want to make a quick recording of a web browser audio stream, direct to a track inside Cubase…

Hmm…

Honestly, not sure I’d be any better off.

Current workflow is - I leave Cubase closed, open MixKey, I have my Yamaha driver as output to hardware, select Microsoft Edge as system input source, and record. No driver changes needed anywhere.

Next stage, open Cubase and drag in/import all said recordings in one go. Again, no driver changes needed.

I guess I could make a dedicated Cubase Template for all this… but then, I don’t know if device settings and/or audio connections are saved per project - they are global, aren’t they.?

So again, the upshot is more faffing about. I’m looking for something all together more elegant.!

And by the way, I don’t think that ‘elegance’ automatically comes with turning to the AudioRoute app ‘solution’ either. I will download the demo at some point to try it out, satisfy my curiosity… :wink:

Anyway, thanks again for now. Lets see… Happy to hear you’ll discuss a little of my ideas internally when you get the chance.

Bob (the puma)