User Manual-for Windows

CONFIGURING HOST AUDIO SOFTWARE
58
If you do not have any digital audio connections to
your 896mk3 (you are using the analog inputs and
outputs only), and you will not be slaving your host
software to external SMPTE time code, choose
Internal.
If you have digital audio devices connected to the
896mk3, or if you are not sure about the clock
source of your setup, be sure to read “Making sync
connections” on page 28 and “Master Clock
Source” on page 41.
If you are slaving the 896mk3 and your host
software to SMPTE time code, follow the
directions in “Syncing to SMPTE time code” on
page 34.
☛ In order to use the 896mk3’s direct SMPTE
sync (and sample-accurate sync) feature, the host
audio software must support the ASIO 2.0 sample-
accurate positioning protocol. Cubase and Nuendo
support this protocol; for other software, check
with its documentation.
Samples Per Buffer
The Samples Per Buffer setting can be used to
reduce the delay — or monitoring latency — that
you hear when live audio is patched through your
896mk3 hardware and host audio software. For
example, you might have MIDI instruments,
samplers, microphones, and so on connected to
the analog inputs of the 896mk3. If so, you will
often be mixing their live input with audio material
recorded in your audio software. See chapter 8,
“Reducing Monitoring Latency” (page 65) for
complete details.
Phones Assign
This 896mk3 setting lets you choose what you’ll
hear from the headphone jack. For example, if you
choose Main Out 1-2, the headphones will
duplicate the main outs. Or you can choose any
other output pair. If you choose Phones 1-2, this
setting makes the headphone jack serve as its own
independent output pair. As a result, you’ll see
Phones 1-2 as an additional audio destination in
your host’s audio output menus. When operating at
high sample rates, the phones must mirror one of
the other output pairs.
Optical input and output
To make a 896mk3 optical input or output available
in your host software, choose the appropriate
format (ADAT optical or TOSLINK) from the
optical input and/or output menu. If you won’t be
using the optical connectors, turn them off.
Main Outs Assign
Use the Main Outs Assign setting to determine
what audio you will hear on the XLR main outs of
the 896mk3. If you would like to treat them as their
own separate output pair, choose Main Outs.
Return Assign
In your host audio software audio input menus,
you’ll see an 896mk3 input called Return 1-2. This
is a stereo feed from the 896mk3 that matches the
signal of one of its output pairs. Use the Return
Assign menu in MOTU Audio Console to choose
which output pair you would like to hear on this
return. This can be used, for example, to record
back a final stereo mix that includes effects
processing from the 896mk3 DSP (such as the
Leveler) for reference and archiving purposes.
☛ Warning: the Return inputs can cause
feedback loops! D
O NOT assign this input to a
track that shares the same 896mk3 output pair as
the returns.
Reverb return
The 896mk3 also supplies a return to your host
software that carries the output of its reverb
processor. This return can be used for any purpose
you wish.
896mk3 Hybrid book Page 58 Friday, August 19, 2011 2:04 PM