How are people using their outputs?

Elektron Gear Analog Keys/Four
#1

Who is using only the stereo outputs, and who is using the individual outputs. Those of you using the individual outputs, who is taking advantage of the stereo possibilities. Pros/Cons?

I have a unit on the way and am trying to figure out how I’m going to use this and if I need to buy something with more inputs. I would imagine running the individual outputs in stereo via Y cable could get muddy in the mix? Also using the individual outputs eliminates the on-board effects if I’m understanding correctly, which seems pretty unfortunate (but of course allows more customized effects per channel.

#2

I have been wondering this.

Presumably, some people are taking the stereo signal and putting it into a mono input?..

With a Keys on the way I’m currently sizing up mixers that could take the 4 Keys outs as well as 3 MnM outs.

#3

I started using the individual outs, but I like the FX, so switched to using the main Stereo out.

I was taking the stereo outputs and feeding them into mono inputs, as I didn’t actually realise at the time they were stereo outputs!

I moved all my kit around, and if I want to go back to individual outs, I’ll need to buy a lot of new, longer leads - So, I’ll wait for Overbridge which is (maybe) due some time in the next few months.

#4

My AK is on the way and among needing a proper controller, the individual outputs was a major decision points over the a4.

That’s said, curious to know if you route a voice to 1 of the 4 outputs, does it remove it from the stereo output? Also, can you pan a voice to only output either l/r and do the fx applied to that voice follow or do they continue to output stereo?

Apologize if this is in the manual, slowly getting through it but haven’t seen it yet…

#5

Look at ‘Voice Routing’ in the Global Menu on page 58 and the voice architecture schematic in Appendix E of the manual.

#6

Just to build on what Nymphomation wrote I had a similar learning. Initially I thought since one output was left and one was right I could use a TS cable for each and enter them into a single input on my extermal audio device with a TRS cable - my thinking was left TS + right TS = one stereo TRS input (with this specific cable http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-Cable-STP203-Dual-Insert/dp/B000068O1P/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425072173&sr=8-1&keywords=TS+to+TRS).

After a short time I realized the sound in my headphones for some patches was nothing like what was being output to my external audio device. After reading what Nymphomation wrote I changed my cables to two separate TRS cables for left and right into two separate inputs in my external audio device and that resolved the issue.

#7

The synths 4 voices are always hardwired to the individual outs, i.e. you don’t have to instruct the synth to route them, they’re just there.

And yes, you can remove them individually (or not) from the main outs, from the FX bus, or both. So you can route them simultaneously to the main outs dry, wet only or both or neither.

Weird things can happen with voice sharing though if you’re using the individual outs while tracks/patches are sharing polyphony. (See ozfeldt’s post)

If you set up each track as a mono voice with no poly sharing, those individual outs work exactly as expected. No FX on those indy outs though, they’re totally separate from the main/FX busses.

And yeah, the indy outs are all stereo, but on single jacks (use a y cable, stereo trs to 2 monojack). You can hard pan them and just use mono jacks if you don’t need/want them in stereo though.

In absence of proper cables I’ve used 3.5mm headphone jack with adaptor - 2 mono jack cable and its worked fine.

This sounds complex but in practice its dead easy to set up and pretty flexible.

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#8

Only used mono outs so far - I use the the indiv outs to tap for running through some external fx before routing back in the ext ins for the gourgeous reverb. Especially like to return it and use as an osc source on the sending track, things can go nicely crazy quite quick :slight_smile:
My default setup sends track 4 (my usual drum/perc track) to a fm/freq shift/distortion/bitcrush chain, and I setup others as needed.

#9

Wish you’d have the option to use the outputs in mono. Even if you wanted to do the workaround, you’d need 8 inputs to make four mono voices unless I’m missing something (maybe so).

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#10

What kind of cable did you use to connect an individual out to the fx pedal chain (are it mono or stereo pedals)

#11

I wish this too, is there a solution for this?