Hey guys long question here. Im using an Apollo Twin interface, with a subpac coming out of the headphone out, and i have a headphone amp connected as well. I also have monitors hooked up. So basically i have 3 independent volume controls i need to adjust, whenever i want to turn up or down the volume. Im wondering, instead of having to adjust all 3 volumes, can i just slap a utility on my master and turn up or down the volume through that? I obviously won't touch the master fader, Im using Ableton live. The problem with 3 independent volume controls, if i turn up my headphone volume, i then have to turn up my sub volume, and its impossible to get it matched right every time, meaning this isnt the most accurate way to go about this. In ableton all of my groups are set to -5, and all my tracks usually start at -5 as well, so clipping shouldnt be an issue as long as i initially set my 3 volumes loud enough to begin with. So i could slap a utility on the master, and when i need more volume just turn it up on that, rather than fiddling with 3 volume controls. I would take the utility off when im ready to export my stems for mix/master. Is this an okay practice?

 

yes

 

You could also route all the signals/subgroups into a final subgroup and use this to adjust the playback volume.

 

True! I just wanted to make sure doing stuff like this is okay to do instead of using interface volumes!

 

I'm not sure about Ableton Live and Apollo Twin... in Studio One and Audient ID22, I can make a cue mix with dedicated output assign. Maybe your DAW and interface could do the same.

Monitor control would be an option, but it is costly.

 

Could you elaborate on that? I believe this is what I do, I have a cue mix sending my monitor mix, to outputs 3/4 (my external headphone amp), but I still change volume on the amp itself, and the volumes on the headphone out(sub). So I want to somehow be able to turn up the external amps volume up, as well as the subwoofer volume (separate volume knob) at the same time, so the volumes stay constant with each other. All I can think of is using a utility on the master, I just want to make sure this is a safe practice.

 

yes you can do this without problems. it might not be ideal, but it is certainly better than trying to balance 3 levels perfectly every time you want to adjust your monitor level.

im curious, how is the subpack working out for you for monitoring? i have wondered about that for a long time. i didnt think it would be worth using but would love to hear your views on it.

 

I am an RME user but I am pretty sure UADs driver/console is pretty powerful. I would use total mix and route the outputs in it. Maybe it is worth taking a look at the UAD consol and route and controle your setup volume through it rather than Ableton. Then you do not have to touch the master in your daw and control the volume with the UAD software.

 

Honestly the subpac is amazing. When we moved into an apartment my monitors sounded so bad (i have nothing treated), like even professional songs just sounded horrible i guess because of room acoustics. So i ended up getting a good pair of headphones and started doing most of my producing/mixing on them, while only using monitors to check stereo imaging and stuff. I was having problems with getting bass right with headphones as well, and i couldnt use my sub with my monitors because of neighbors. Ending up getting the subpac and was immediately shocked, it is amazing. It helped in a huge way with my mixes, and also it added a whole new enjoyment to it. Now if you have a treated room and a sub, i would say dont get it. But if your producing in an untreated room or on headphones, i couldnt recommend it enough. The only thing i see wrong with it is setting it up with other professional gear, it gets a little more complicated to setup with high impedance headphones. Its supposed to be plugged into the headphone out of any interface or anything. I wish it could just hook up like my normal sub and have it share my master signal, so i dont have the problem i do now, which is having to change both speaker/headphone volume and subpac volume independently. This might only be because of my interface though, but more options for connections on subpac would deff be a plus.

 

You mean like routing my headphone volume output and sub volume to one channel in the uads console? Il have to look into that, sounds like a much better option.

 

Yes, in totalmix you can make cuemixes super easy and route everything to everywhere. I would be surprised if that would not work in the UAD software too.

 

i am also in a similar situation with my gear (forced into a horrible room), as are a lot of people, which is the kind of scenario i was curious about. great to hear its working out for you. i would love to try one out. i can definitely imagine it would help manage the low end when you have no option for a sub.