New Steinberg UR24C, no sound coming from Cubase

Sebastian_Alvarez · April 4, 2023, 11:24pm

I did everything I could think of and followed the manual, downloaded the latest drivers and tools, but I still can’t get any sound if I turn the MIX knob to DAW in Cubase Pro 12.

In Logic Pro X, it works perfectly fine. If I turn the knob to the left, I can hear the direct input, if I turn it to the right, I can hear the trip around because I play with the high frequencies and hear the results of that.

So what else needs to be configured in Cubase so I can use it? It’s weird because I can see the meters moving up and down, but I checked everything I could think of, and nothing:

Sebastian_Alvarez · April 5, 2023, 1:47am

I think this thing thing is going back to uncle Jeff. This is what happens after you installed the dspMixFx UR-C app and you want to open Native Instruments Maschine 2. Beyond unacceptable. One time maybe. Every time I open it? No way. The Behringer interface doesn’t come with extra software but works and sounds great. No weird no sound issues, and monitoring works like any other interface.

Martin.Jirsak · April 5, 2023, 5:23am

Hi,

Install the latest eLCC version, start it as administrator and run the Maintenance, please.

In Cubase you can also deactivate the Rev-X plug-in on the tracks, just test if this is the problematic one.

How does the Studio > Audio Connections > Outputs look like, please?

Sebastian_Alvarez · April 5, 2023, 5:53pm

I think I kind of figured it out. It depends on which output bus you send the track to. There’s 4 outputs, two are labeled out and two are labeled mix.

When you set the track to the Stereo Mix outputs, the knob behaves like a regular interface, meaning if you turn it all the way to DAW, it will give you the output from it. And the switch has to be set to the left.

When you set the track to the Stereo Outputs, you have to invert that. The knob has to be all the way to the left, and the switch has to be turned to the right to hear anything from the DAW.

This seems to be the way it works, which to me makes no freaking sense.

Also, I don’t know what Steinberg and Yamaha were thinking in the way they published these drivers. When you install the mandatory dspMixFx_UR-C app, it installs these 8 plugins that can’t be opened by any DAW or software that uses VST or AU plugins:

Including Cubase!!!

And yes, I did open the e Licenser and ran the maintenance successfully.

And since they don’t open in Cubase as VSTs, I would think you can use them inside the UR24C panel in the inspector. And you can open them, but they won’t change the audio one bit:

I mean, why would they have these 8 plugins that no program can open, and as far as I can tell, the only way to use them is to open their app and use them with an input like an instrument directly? Did I miss something?

So this thing looks more and more like it’s going back. There’s no way I can have something installed that makes Maschine take minutes to open after having to click on dialogs 32 times, while also making my system less secure.

Martin.Jirsak · April 5, 2023, 6:01pm

Hi,

The Mix control controls the ratio of the direct signal (going just thru the Audio Device, not thru Cubase) and the signal from your DAW (Cubase).

I would recommend to use Control Room and set the Monitor Bus.

Have you activated the plug-ins in the eLCC, please? Can you see the license in the eLCC?

Sebastian_Alvarez · April 5, 2023, 6:13pm

Right, that’s the logical way, the way most interfaces have it. But in this case it behaves differently depending on which output you set in Cubase. And that’s not really a problem, I guess, now that I know which one to set it to.

All I see when I open that eLicenser is this:

And if I click on the “My licenses” tab, it’s the same thing on the right pane. Which is weird, because I think this is something that Cubase installed, and it’s a similar think to iLok, but when I open iLok, I see all the products that use it.

So I guess this is not the way it should be?

Martin.Jirsak · April 5, 2023, 6:17pm

Hi,

Did you activate it in the past already? If yes, go thru the Reactivation process, please. If not, activate it, please.

Sebastian_Alvarez · April 5, 2023, 6:47pm

Honestly I don’t remember, but Cubase wouldn’t open if it wasn’t licensed, right?

I see all these options in the eLicenser, which one should I do?

Martin.Jirsak · April 6, 2023, 3:13am

Hi,

Try to click the Enter Activation Code button and enter your Activation Code there. If eLCC shows this Activation Code had been used already, go for the Reactivation in your MySteinberg account, as described (linked) above.

Sebastian_Alvarez · April 6, 2023, 4:00am

Are you referring to the code that I received in an email from Steinberg when I purchased Cubase? That won’t work because that code has 5 groups of 5 characters each. But the eLicenser activation code expects this (with only four characters in each group):

Now, there’s a chance that the code is in the paperwork that came with the unit, but if that’s the case I rather not enter it because I’ll probably end up returning it, the Behringer seems much better overall, with more inputs and outputs. The only thing I have yet to do because I’ve had all this setbacks with the Steinberg is to compare the sound quality for vinyl capture and microphone and electric guitar.

Martin.Jirsak · April 6, 2023, 5:58am

Hi,

No, these plug-ins are not part of Cubase license. These plug-ins are part of UR. You for a paper with the Activation Code (or Download Access Code) and the instructions in the UR box.

Sebastian_Alvarez · April 6, 2023, 10:35pm

Right, that’s what I was saying. I’d rather not register the licenses because I don’t think I’m going to keep it. I still have to do some sound comparisons, but right off the bat, I can hear no difference between this one and the Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD, which has 4 inputs, lots of outputs including XLR, and works more like a usual interface, one side for direct monitoring, and the other side for USB trip.

The Steinberg seems unnecessarily complicated, doesn’t come with its own power supply even though it has a jack for it (the Behringer does), and to have its drivers installed, I have to reduce macOS security, so it doesn’t look like I’m going to keep it.

Martin.Jirsak · April 7, 2023, 8:33am

Hi,

You can use UR also in the Class Compliant mode workout the driver.

From my point of view, Steinberg is much better than Behringer from the sound point of view.

Sebastian_Alvarez · April 7, 2023, 3:27pm

How do I do that?

Honestly, I don’t hear any difference between one and the other. And the Behringer has several outputs, including XLR for studio monitors, plus it doesn’t depend on special drivers for functionality, like for example I couldn’t make a mic connected to input 1 come out as L/R mono until I opened the app to set it that way in there.

And the power supply is a big letdown for me. One thing is the little Scarlett 2i2 sucking power from my computer, but this thing is bigger, has internal DSPs and I just don’t feel comfortable with it getting power from my Mac. But it has a weird USB mini something jack for power that I can’t find any power supply for, and I don’t want to buy some no brand power supply for it on Amazon. It should come with its own power supply, like the Behringer.

Martin.Jirsak · April 7, 2023, 3:51pm

Hi,

Uninstall the driver.