Alesis io 26 questions

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Alesis io 26 questions

Just got this new interface and I'm already confused. I hooked up my drums to it and found that on the interface and Logic channel strips the levels are fine, but on the Hardware Direct Monitoring thing that comes with it it's peaking on the louder parts. I set the gain knobs all the way down but it still peaks. How can I fix this?
When I recorded something there were one or two unwanted sounds so I thought the above was the problem, but I've read it might be to do with buffering. In preferences>core audio I once messed about with the 'recording delay' level, does that have something to do with it?
Finally, I'm not getting any playback from the interface's headphone output, although if I turn a channel's gain all the way up I can hear the hum from it. ?.
Sweeties and other yummy treats for anyone who helps out ; )

iMac 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM, Mac OS X (10.5.3)

Posted on Sep 19, 2008 10:15 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 19, 2008 10:58 AM in response to juisthelaw

I have used the io14 for a year and a half and have been very happy with it. It's essentially the same as the io26, but with fewer inputs, outputs, and no phono preamp.

Some dumb questions -- slightly more useless than usual, since I don't have my system in front of me as I type:

Not clear if you're using XLR cables or 1/4". If 1/4", are you plugging into the center of the hybrid XLR jacks, or the 1/4" insert jacks on the front panel of the io26? I believe the gain knobs are pre-effects-loop, so they will have no effect if you are plugging directly into the insert jacks. Depending on at what point the signals route to the headphone mix, that may explain why you are not hearing anything in the headphones also. Not sure though...

I think the level indicators on the Hardware Direct Monitoring app are more responsive than those in Logic (or just look that way since they are taller on the screen and the dB scales can be different). I've generally found that if the HDM indicators show you are clipping, you probably are in Logic.

Headphone routing is controlled by the HDM app, so make sure that's set up right.

There's a lot of other threads on this board that will guide you on the buffering question better than I can. That said, I have never had any buffering problems with my io14 and MacBook Pro.

Hope this helps.

gb

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Answer 2

juisthelaw Author

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Sep 20, 2008 12:53 AM in response to Greggy_SD

Thanks for the quick reply. I'm using XLR's so the gain does work, but I can hardly use it cause otherwise HDM levels are too high, even if in Logic they are really low. How exactly do you set up the headphone routing? Oh and those unwanted sounds I mentioned, I soloed each track to see which mic was getting interference and it turned out that it was always audible on more than one, if not all. Surely this has something to do with buffering or connection problems instead of peaking on the HDM?
Thanks again.

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