Stereo Interface Help?

Need a helping hand to make sure you do it right, first time? Got some good advice to pass on, so no-one makes the same mistakes you did? This is your forum.
Post Reply
JohnnyAmato
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:17 am
Location: Darien, IL
Contact:

Stereo Interface Help?

Post by JohnnyAmato »

I recently purchased ProTools and entered the world of PC recording, been using stand-alone's for years, a Tascam 2488neo and an old-school Boss BR-8 before that. With the BR-8, I would record "finished" songs through a old-school stereo interface onto my computer for "mastering" with Sound Forge- an old Lexicon Core-2 interface when I had Windows 98, then up-graded to an M-Audio Delta Series interface when I got XP. When I got the Tascam, I only used the interface for monitoring, since the Tascam could simply import finished songs onto the PC.

Pretty cut and dry stuff. So here's my issue;

A few years ago, I got Windows 7, and needed a new interface for monitoring again. Picked up a Steinberg UR22, and it works great for monitoring. But now that I've moved on to ProTools, I'm back to having to use the inputs on the interface, for recording and tracking, obviously. Picked up a new, stronger/faster PC for ProTools, Windows 7 again, and still use the Steinberg UR22 since it is fairly new.

Occasionally, I like to record lead guitar in stereo. After fumbling around a bit and doing some research, it seems the UR22 does not record in stereo. Even though it has two inputs, it only uses them as two separate mono sources. So I'm doing more research on what interfaces actually have two inputs act as a stereo inputs like my two old-school ones did. I do my guitar tracks with an effects board (Digitech) and it has stereo outs (R & L). Again, this is only for the occasional stereo lead track, my rhythms are always mono.

After doing research online, I'm not getting definitive answers on whether or not the interfaces I'm looking at can record in stereo. I'm actually looking at the Tascam US-16x8, as I will be recording some live drums soon. But the main concern is if it, or any other interface, can record in stereo, as my UR22 does not.

Any help? And thanks for reading :)
Pro Tools 12.7
Superior Drummer 2.0
Sound Forge Pro 10
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: Stereo Interface Help?

Post by Greg_L »

First off, two mono tracks can in fact be used as stereo. No problem. If you're recording stereo effects into two mono inputs, just track them and pan them apart. The L and R will naturally separate. If you just must have it as one stereo track, then bounce it out as a single track or collapse the two monos to single stereo if your DAW allows it.

If you want to record to a single stereo track, then yes, the US-16x8 will do it. You plug into two inputs, assign the track in PT to those two inputs as stereo, hit record, bam, done. Single stereo track.
Rebel Yell
User avatar
ido1957
Posts: 932
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 7:45 pm
Location: Edmonton. Alberta

Re: Stereo Interface Help?

Post by ido1957 »

I already answered at the other place, but in addition, I record the stereo out of my keyboard into two separate tracks in Sonar.
People want something for nothing, they want it right now. Either they can't tell quality or don't care but feel it is important that everyone agrees with them.
JohnnyAmato
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:17 am
Location: Darien, IL
Contact:

Re: Stereo Interface Help?

Post by JohnnyAmato »

Awesome, thanks guys. I just replied at the other place also, did some tests recordings and it does record in stereo. It monitors in mono, though. You don't hear the stereo effect until listening to the recorded track. That must've been what I read in the past about the UR22 and misunderstood.

With the US-16x8, will it monitor in mono also, or will I hear the stereo effect as I'm tracking?
Ido, when you record the stereo out from your keys, do you hear the stereo as you're tracking, or only after you've recorded a track? What interface do you use?
Pro Tools 12.7
Superior Drummer 2.0
Sound Forge Pro 10
User avatar
Greg_L
Posts: 20629
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:07 pm
Location: Where the knuckle meets the poophole

Re: Stereo Interface Help?

Post by Greg_L »

The US-1800 can monitor in stereo, so I assume the upgrade 16x8 will too.
Rebel Yell
JohnnyAmato
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:17 am
Location: Darien, IL
Contact:

Re: Stereo Interface Help?

Post by JohnnyAmato »

Awesome, thanks Greg!
Pro Tools 12.7
Superior Drummer 2.0
Sound Forge Pro 10
User avatar
Tadpui
Posts: 3358
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 3:50 pm

Re: Stereo Interface Help?

Post by Tadpui »

If you're monitoring direct off of the UR22, I don't see a way in the control panel software to pan the inputs so you can hear a stereo image of 2 inputs. But if you're monitoring via software in your DAW, you should be able to just pan the 2 tracks apart from each other. Or assign the inputs as a single stereo source, and it should take care of it for you. Pro Tools always seemed to make this more difficult than it needed to be, but I've never spent much time with it.
JohnnyAmato
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2017 3:17 am
Location: Darien, IL
Contact:

Re: Stereo Interface Help?

Post by JohnnyAmato »

Thanks for the input, Tadpui. The UR22 has a dial on front, for how much input vs DAW you want to monitor, and I learned you can monitor in stereo if it's rolled all the way to the DAW side. Only problem is there seems to be a hint of lag, like a millisecond or two. When I'm laying a track in ProTools, say a rhythm guitar that's only on the left, I like to have the track already panned as I'm tracking, just gives me a better feel for what I'm doing. When doing that with this particular interface, I'm hearing the panned PT side, along with the centered input signal from the UR22. Strange, but not that bad.
Pro Tools 12.7
Superior Drummer 2.0
Sound Forge Pro 10
Post Reply