Recording setup question

Steinberg Lounge
1

Hi,

Normally on the back of your computer there is a place to connect your speakers (it’s marked green) for regular computer audio. If I get an audio interface to use with Cubase, how can I get the regular computer audio AND the output from the audio interface to go to the same speakers?

Thanks,
Rob

2

Could you be a bit more specific on what you are doing here?

  1. Do you have a set of speakers for cubase and a set for the internal soundcard?
  2. Do you want to use the same speakers you use for Cubase with windows?
  3. You should not use your internal soundcard on the computer as audio interface for Cubase.
3

Usually an OS allows you to choose your default interface for sound output. So you should be able to connect your new audio interface and then tell Windows or OSX to use that as an output. Now both Cubase and the OS will output through that and all you have to do is connect your speakers to the interface.

The only ‘niggle’ is that a lot of interface drivers won’t share resources nicely, so you might not be able to have Cubase open at the same time as you’re playing something back in your OS. I think it’s all dependent on the driver and OS.

If you want to do this in the analog domain outside of your computer you’ll need a switcher to switch between the two. A monitor controller with at least two inputs would work assuming it’s the connection types you need.

4
  1. I only have 1 set of speakers
  2. yes
  3. ok
5

Wow, I didn’t even think about using the interface in that manner. That means I’d have to always have the interface on… not really a big deal. I don’t think I’d care about playing stuff in Cubase and also in Windows at the same time.

But if there is a line switcher I think that might work better for me.

I found this one but it seems a bit expensive - https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LS3--coleman-audio-ls3-line-selector

Wonder if there is a cheaper one around. Only thing that’s a bit different between the audio interface and the back of my computer is the audio out is an unbalanced stereo mini jack, the audio interface uses I’m assuming 2 balanced TRS outputs. I guess I could use the 1/4" headphones which I assume is stereo TRS unbalanced.

Rob

6

Well, yes, you’d have to pay attention to level differences. A “consumer level” device will output less hot signals, so there may be either inconvenience or maybe a loss of quality switching between the two. You’d just have to read up on it I guess (i.e. manuals).

Another potential option, still using an interface, is IF your computer has for example spdif out and your interface has spdif in you can route your audio digitally from the computer output straight into your interface, and using the interface software that’s included (?) you can then route that to your outputs. This is how I used to have it set up at home and at work.

At work using a mac tower the digital optical spdif output went to the Pro Tools HD interface spdif input. That’s how we got audio through from the computer when we needed hi quality signals. At home I used spdif out of my motherboard’s rca connector, and then via an adapter to my Lynx TWO-B’s spdif bnc input. In both cases though I ran audio through software to route it, which wasn’t always convenient. But you can check with your interface’s software if there’s an easy way to set it up.

What computer do you have?

7

hey… I updated my signature with system stats.

My MB just has 6 1/8" plugs on the back, including the speaker out.