Hello. I have a question about the Steinberg UR242.
Imagine I have a MIDI track in Cubase. When I play back Cubase, this MIDI data goes to a synthesizer. And then two TRS audio cables go from the synthesizer outputs to the two line inputs at the back of the UR242.
So when we play back the Cubase song, we can hear the synthesizer sounds on the audio monitors connected to the UR242. Is this correct?
When I play back Cubase, does the UR242 mix every audio signal that is connected to the four inputs with the audio tracks of the Cubase song (coming from the USB cable)? (whether you record the audio coming into the inputs or not). That is, does the UR242 work as a mixer?
So, I would like to know, if I record let’s say a guitar and a voice in the two front inputs, can I listen simultaneously to the synthesizer sounds? (while playing back the Cubase song and recording the guitar and the voice, the synthesizer receives the MIDI data from Cubase and plays back its sounds through the line inputs at the back of the UR242, even if I don’t record this synthesizer audio on a separate Cubase audio track).
It’s not a yes or no, since the UR242 has some limitations compared to a mixer.
You can’t adjust the levels of the mixed inputs without the dspMixFx software,
since the interface has no controls for the internal mixer.
But with the software you can do what you need. It’s a matter of configuration.
I know the question might sound silly. I asked because I have never used an audio interface like this and I want to be sure before buying one.
Last time I recorded some music I had a sound card with one input and MIDI. I had a mixer which mixed the output from the sound card and the output from the keyboard.
So, basically, with the UR242 I don’t need a mixer, right? I can listen to a keyboard or drum machine or whatever sequenced by MIDI (and connected to the line input of the UR242) when I record something (a guitar, a voice or whatever).
Hmm… yeah it will work, but I would suggest a mixer. needs no software and the access to the signals is much faster.
Something like the Allen & Heath ZEDi series.
They connect to the PC too.
The ZED i10FX is a beautiful package. 4x4 interface and a 10 channel mixer.
I see. Yes, a mixer like this would be a good tool to have, especially if you record in more simultaneous channels or if you have more MIDI instruments.
But this mixer apparently doesn’t have MIDI ports. So you will need a separate MIDI controller, which I don’t know if it will keep the sync.
Anyway, to be honest, I already bought the UR242, before writing my first post. But I haven’t opened the box, just in case. It was easier to tell that I wanted to buy it. And I bought it because the price was very convenient.
So… if you say the UR242 will work for my needs, I will try it.
The mixer you mentioned is sold in my country twice as much than what I paid for the UR242. But anyway, it is good to know that these mixers exist, in case I keep recording music and need more channels.
In principle, I need this UR242 to have better sound than with my motherboard sound chip (which has a 3.5mm stereo output, when I have studio monitors). And also to record some music and experiment.
I opened the box, installed the software and tried to figure it out in some minutes, and what I found is this:
I can monitor the synthesizer sounds if in Cubase I create an audio track only to monitor inputs 3 and 4 of the UR242. That is, I have to select the “monitor” button of that track. If I want to record the audio, for example when I don’t want to make more editing to the MIDI sequence and I want to edit the track as audio, I just press the “record enable” button and record.
I don’t know if it is possible to do this without having a track only for monitoring.