In my setup, I interface the Tascam DM-3200 to the PC with its firewire card; 32 channels in and 32 out. This is mainly in use for recordings in Cubase, which I mix on the DM. Now from this mixer, I preferebly want to use the digital S/PDIF in- and output to get in and out of the PC on an E-mu 0404 PCI card - to be used exclusively by Wavelab. Problem is, that I can select the E-mu for use in WL, but the ASIO channels that show are the ones from the Tascam interface card (1-32). Is this a problem with the E-mu driver, or a limitation in Windows? Only one ASIO controller can be in use? Does anyone have a similar (multiple ASIO interfaces) and functioning setup?
I have a Focusrite Safire by firewire and an internal Blackmagic Intensity. It seems I can choose between one or the other but can’t find a way to use both.
Thanks, Donx. So you seem to experience the same behaviour, although I can’t get the E-mu working in ASIO, with the Tascam firewire card enabled. Not sure I tested it with Cubase not running though. Anyone else that can share any more info on this?
If all you are doing is recording, and latency isn’t an issue, there’s no compelling reason to use the ASIO drivers. The WDM drivers will show all inputs simultaneously and if you are running S/PDIF in then they should be in sync. If you have Cubase running with Wavelab you need to tell both applications to release the driver when in the background. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to use the E-MU drivers together with other drivers.
Interestingly, I can use Cubase and Wavelab simultaneously over the same firewire card without releasing the driver - and I was surprised but also very pleased with that. Now, I did want to try the WDM drivers for the E-mu, but they don’t appear in the dropdown box in WL. It may be the driver for this card and Win7-64 (the latest is from 2008 and for Vista), or I should take another look into that awful Patchmix program…
This is of interest to me as I am about to instal another RME card (so that there will be two in the same machine).
Is it the case that it is not possible to launch a second instance of WL and assign a different ASIO device to that instance? So that you cannot playback from one and capture on the other?
Using ASIO does avoid the not insignificant danger of having your audio mangled by an unintended sample rate conversion in Windows.
You realise you have to select “Windows MME”, and then select the actual device in another dropdown? All channels of my E-MU device (and the rest!) appear there as expected. PatchMix isn’t the issue, as the Windows channels always exist once the driver is loaded, and PatchMix is simply used to specify connections between software channels and hardware devices.
Yes, you´re right. I did select this, but I wanted something that´s not possible: Having Windows sounds go analog out to the desk, and WL playback digital out through S/PDIF. I´m now using the firewire card for WL and Cubase both - it just means a slight reroute when channels 31/32 are needed.
My two cents: for non-laptop users, rather than messing about with individual manufacturers and wondering about compatibility, ASIO multi-client capabilities (or not) and the fear of having to dump everything with the next hardware or OS release – all of which I’ve experienced over the years – I eventually decided to spend the money and go with an RME RayDAT and I haven’t looked back.
The PCIe interface is likely to be around for another few years, and with 4x ADAT, S/PDIF and AES to the analogue world I can chop and change I/O flexibly because nothing needs to change on the computer. I also benefit from what are widely regarded as the very best drivers in the business. True, I couldn’t afford RME at the start, but if I add up all the money I’ve spent on various other interfaces over the years, not to mention the frustration and wasted time (am I a musician or a bloody computer technician?) then the cost of the RME seems a no-brainer bargain in hindsight.
Yes, I’m a complete and unapologetic fan, but there’s a lot of sense in seperating the digital from the analogue frontend(s).
