Luna II + Firewire interface

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 9:25 pm

I currently use a Presonus Firebox firewire interface for all my audio needs, and I picked up a Luna II from a friend so I could access plugins like PSY-Q and Optimaster. I don't want to use the card for my normal audio stuff - just XTC plugin mode, basically. How can I set up a routing so the card will process audio and then send it back to the Firebox (which has its own ASIO drivers)? My host is FLStudio 7.

H-Rave · Post by **H-Rave** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 8:47 am

You can't use a luna 2 in accelerator mode only scope project and professional do that.

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 12:56 pm

What is "accelerator" mode? XTC? If that's what you're saying, that can't be right - the guy I bought it from was using it like that, and he told me exactly how to do it (and it SEEMS to work, I just need to get the audio to route thru my firebox).

Post by **garyb** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 2:01 pm

you can't have 2 asio hosts running at the same time.

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 2:44 pm

So, in other words, it's impossible to use the Creamware card with any other interface? You HAVE to use it for EVERYTHING or you can't use it at all?

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 3:07 pm

why so upset ?
you cannot use any audio interface with together with another one (from a different brand) under ASIO.
That is a feature of Asio (which isn't designed multiclient friendly), and not the card's fault

if now some memory tells you that infact you read about multiclient ..., wait a minute, they call it multiclient if one app uses Asio and the other WDM and the 3rd Multimedia drivers ... but not 2 versions of Asio in one program.

cheers, Tom

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 3:22 pm

Yes but this card is not JUST an interface, right? I thought I could use it like one uses a PowerCore or UAD card - instantiated in VST form (via XTC, in this case). It shouldn't have anything to do with ASIO if I'm not using it as my interface. I just want to use the DSP power within my sequencer.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 3:34 pm

maybe, but your question was ... it's impossible to use the Creamware card with any other interface?...
I have no idea about the 3 DSP cards compatibility with XTC mode - all other cards can do it, but I'm not sure that Psy-q and Optimaster together will even fit on a 3 DSP card. I have the STW Mastering Comp and it does not

cheers, Tom

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Sun Feb 18, 2007 6:24 pm

Well, my original question still stands... am I to understand that to use plugins in XTC mode, I must also use the card's ASIO in my sequencer? This is where I am a little confused. If this is NOT the case then great. If it is, then I'd like to find a way to send the card's ASIO to my Firebox where my headphones are connected, so I can hear the output!

Also, yes, I'm sure PSY-Q and Optimaster both work. I bought this from someone who was using it exactly in the way I described (XTC mode in his sequencer) with the same plugins. The difference is that he used the card AS his interface, whereas I only want to use it for the plugins.

Post by **garyb** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 1:05 am

change the firebox for a small mixer(phonic, mackie, alesis, etc) and don't look back.

or, maybe you can send the analog outs from the luna into the inputs of the firebox and monitor the signal. if you had a 6 or 14 dsp card, you could remove the i/o plate and install a backplane(obtained from CWA) and just use the card as you intended. an xtc card is a 6 dsp card configured as described. i don't think the luna works any other way. why worry anyway? as far as sound quality, the firebox is a toy compared to the luna.....

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 4:31 am

garyb wrote:change the firebox for a small mixer(phonic, mackie, alesis, etc) and don't look back.

or, maybe you can send the analog outs from the luna into the inputs of the firebox and monitor the signal. if you had a 6 or 14 dsp card, you could remove the i/o plate and install a backplane(obtained from CWA) and just use the card as you intended. an xtc card is a 6 dsp card configured as described. i don't think the luna works any other way. why worry anyway? as far as sound quality, the firebox is a toy compared to the luna.....

Changing the interface is not an option.

When you say sending the analog outs from the luna to the inputs of the Firebox, do you mean connect them physically, or use the Scope platform to route it this way?

Post by **hubird** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:21 am

both, you have to load the Analog Destination module, there is no other way to get the hardware working before loading their soft representation in the DSP's...you think VST/XTC, Scope however is DSP to be programmed

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:08 am

Is there something wrong with thinking about it that way? Isn't that the whole point of XTC?

Anyway a more detailed explanation of how to rig it so I can actually use the XTC versions of the plugins would be appreciated.

Post by **hubird** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 8:44 am

zircon wrote:Is there something wrong with thinking about it that way? Isn't that the whole point of XTC?

not really wrong, but it could lead to not understanding the basics of your card, in casu loading I/O modules to get the hardware I/O to work

This is your desired 'detailed explanation' btw.

Post by **garyb** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:23 am

no, the luna card won't work that way. a 6 dsp card, modified the way i described or an xtc card will. why so stuck on the toy interface?

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:13 pm

Among other reasons, driver stability. I did a decent amount of research comparing different cards and interfaces, and the Firebox came out on top in terms of ASIO driver stability and low latency. Nothing under $500 beats it. It is rock solid, sounds great, and I can physically position it so my instruments and headphones are within reach. As my computer is out of the way, a PCI interface would be out of the question. Already, from what I have used of the C/W card, it is significantly less stable with higher latency than my Firebox. No, buying another C/W card is not an option either.

Anyway, you're saying the Luna II cannot in fact be used in XTC mode within FLStudio? Or it can't be used in any way w/ another interface? Two separate questions, I suppose. I will say again however that I KNOW for a fact this card can be used in XTC mode with Optimaster and PSY-Q. The person who I purchased it from used it as such with no problems. If he were online more often I would ask him exactly how he did it (he uses Cubase however, not FL).

Post by **garyb** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:33 pm

the CWA card's asio drivers are very stable and low latency. no loss there. i've left open work unsaved for as long as a week with no instability.

xtc mode should be no problem. you must use the card's i/o in xtc mode. as i said, there can be only one asio host, period.

zircon · Post by **zircon** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:03 pm

Ok, thank you - a straight up simple answer

Getting back to an earlier question, what would be the method for sending the C/W ASIO output to my Firebox? Let's assume the C/W is going to be the only ASIO host here, and I'm just monitoring through the Firebox.

Here is what I'm envisioning a workflow to be like. FL as the host using Firebox ASIO *first*, write the song, then at the end switch to C/W ASIO, insert mastering plugins in XTC mode, master, render, done.

Post by **garyb** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:43 pm

that should work.
you can send the analog output from the card to the firebox inputs, you might even want to just use scope mode. theoretically, you should be able to monitor there, depending on how the firebox works. there's no real way to make them connect virtually that i know.

valis · Post by **valis** » Tue Feb 20, 2007 3:44 am

Zircon I don't think that you can't render offline using XTC plugins (XTC users confrim?). Just something to be aware of.