Motu UltraLite MK3 Help

Mystic38 · 2014-05-24T12:14:40.000Z

one truly irritating thing about the motu interfaces is that the computer mains out does not appear as an input to the mixer…Therefore its not easy to re-use this signal for other mixes/outputs…

HOWEVER, if you cable up spdif out>spdif in and set your computer audio default to spdif out, then you can assign spdif in (computer audio) to multiple buses.

of course if you have an 828mkIII you can use toslink for this instead.

regards,

strawberry · 2014-05-24T18:52:06.000Z

Thanks Mystic, now I understand why I'm having so much trouble with this. To be honest I'm not really enjoying this at all, the case gets so hot, the output levels seem dangerously loud ,and  CueMix seems pretty inflexible. I think i'll send it back on Monday.

Will try the Focusrite 18i20, don’t really want to pay out for a UCX.

Mystic38 · 2014-05-24T19:57:54.000Z

""strawberry"":

Thanks Mystic, now I understand why I'm having so much trouble with this. To be honest I'm not really enjoying this at all, the case gets so hot, the output levels seem dangerously loud ,and  CueMix seems pretty inflexible. I think i'll send it back on Monday.

Will try the Focusrite 18i20, don’t really want to pay out for a UCX.

it really is worth persevering as Cuemix is actually very flexible, other than the one restriction I stated earlier… and fwiw, its light years ahead in capability compared to the 18i20 (which I also have).
Once you have your mixes setup (essentially one mix per set of outputs) there is little to be done in the software, and from the front panel of the motu you get access to everything, in particular I find ch mutes to be real handy when used standalone, but you can access everything… also for standalone use, the fx are very well done.
in the focusrite, you cannot control anything without mixcontrol (which makes cuemix look simple and elegant) . The only control you have from the box is the ch trim/gain knobs which are very sensitive and so you are unable to accurately reset to the right level if you use these as volume knobs. (given there is no mutes)…
just my 2c
I had bought the 18i20 to use as an ADAT mux into my 828, but I think I will sell it on and save up for another 828… they are just in a different class.

strawberry · 2014-05-24T21:27:12.000Z

If that’s the case with mix control, then maybe i’ll give it another go, thanks for the insight.
I’m trying to set things up so that I can process a vst with an external fx unit (eg KP3), and to process hardware instruments with vst effects, (which works fine now). I think I understand the theory of the mixer, but get lost in the practice.
Anyway, back to the manual…thanks again for the help.

One last thing , is it usual for the unit to get so hot?
I could probably cook on egg on it!!

Mystic38 · 2014-05-24T22:37:52.000Z

I have the 828 so cannot comment directly on the Ultralite, but it (the 828) does run warm.

Cuemix has three tabs…
use the input tab to set the trim level for your inputs, and to join/separate adjacent channels as stereo pairs.
use the mix tabs to set your mixes… I set mine up so that mix 1 is mains out, mix2 is analog 1/2, mix3 is analog 3/4 etc… in each mix you can mute/unmute each input and set relative levels using the faders.

Note that if you use a DAW, you predominantly record inputs… and this is post trim and pre-mix…ie an input could be muted in all mixes yet you can record from it… think of it like recording from the inputs tab, not the mix tab

yup…i probably confused you more

sorry!

dimi3 · 2014-05-25T03:00:37.000Z

""strawberry"":

One last thing , is it usual for the unit to get so hot?
I could probably cook on egg on it!!

As I ask previously are you running the box at 24bit 192k? how many analog ports are you using? try running a test where you set it 16bit 44.1k my guess is it will run less hot.

strawberry · 2014-05-25T08:59:49.000Z

[quote="“dimi3"”]

strawberry:

One last thing , is it usual for the unit to get so hot?
I could probably cook on egg on it!!

As I ask previously are you running the box at 24bit 192k? how many analog ports are you using? try running a test where you set it 16bit 44.1k my guess is it will run less hot.[/quote]
I’m only running @ 44.1.

I moved it away from my computer screens today, and its now running at normal temperature.
   What am I gonna cook my eggs on now I wonder?

bozobreak · 2014-05-25T14:03:11.000Z

I have a Motu Hybrid Mk3, since the day one they appeared.
In the beginning there were some issues, the PC didn’t saw the Motu, there were some scratching noises, but since a while all these issues were solved in the updates.
So you should check if you have the latest firmware on the Motu, not just the latest CueFx program.
It is a bit hot, but nowhere egg cooking hot.

strawberry · 2014-05-25T14:45:56.000Z

Since I moved it away from my monitors(screens) its running a lot cooler now.

All my problems are user error/ignorance, not the unit. I’ve spent most of today with it ,and have made good progress I think. I’ve only ever used DAW mixers before, so having another “mixer” between my DAW and interface has been confusing.

Thanks again to everyone who has helped with this, much appreciated.

I’m sure to have a few more dumb questions soon, watch this space!!

dimi3 · 2014-05-25T14:49:11.000Z

""strawberry"":

I moved it away from my computer screens today, and its now running at normal temperature.
   What am I gonna cook my eggs on now I wonder?

cool i have mine in a stack i’ll try moving iy away.

dimi3 · 2014-05-31T18:29:40.000Z

Unstacked it is cool as I would have expected!

dimi3 · 2014-05-31T18:34:06.000Z

""bozobreak"":

I have a Motu Hybrid Mk3, since the day one they appeared.
In the beginning there were some issues, the PC didn’t saw the Motu, there were some scratching noises, but since a while all these issues were solved in the updates.
So you should check if you have the latest firmware on the Motu, not just the latest CueFx program.
It is a bit hot, but nowhere egg cooking hot.

Hey bozobreak, I want to send audio input A to an output for hardware filtering and return it to an input B.

In the end I want only input B to play over the master.

What’s the best way to set it up?

bozobreak · 2014-06-10T21:32:37.000Z

Sorry for the late answer but here it comes:

I plug the OT main out to In 3-4
In CueMix I set up Bus 2 with Out Analog 1-2, mute all the ins but the Analog 3-4.
Now What comes from the OT through In 3-4 goes out on Out 1-2 to the FMR RNC.

The out of the RNC goes to In 5-6.
I set up the Bus 8 to go to the Main 1-2.
Mute all the ins but the In 5-6.
Now what comes back from the RNC goes to the Main 1-2.

If I unmute the In 3-4 on bus 8 I even can play with parallel compression. Mix the direct OT signal with the compressed one, set the mix etcetc

dimi3 · 2014-06-11T03:29:21.000Z

Thanks I’ll give this a try!

Cepheid · 2019-12-11T04:28:26.445Z

Reviving this thread because I’m racking my brain here with this audio interface. I’ve got everything setup perfect until I tried adding a Subpac S2 into the mix. I’m simply trying to send audio from the OUT 1 on the back of the unit into the line in on the Subpac S2 but don’t hear or feel anything. I’ve looked at the settings in cuemix and can’t seem to get audio from the OUT 1. What am I missing here?

Used multiple cables and also tested to make sure unit works with Bluetooth. It is something with the Motu that is preventing audio coming from the output 1 and I’m convinced it’s a setting somewhere in Cuemix FX.

taxhaven · 2019-12-11T05:11:44.630Z

First, take the S2 out of the chain and send the signal to a monitor of some sort to see that it’s not being routed improperly. Next try sending the signal to one of the non-main outputs, I’m having vague memories that their numbering scheme is off and that what’s labelled as output 3/4 is actually output 1/2 from the software side of things. I believe it differentiates Main Out from Out 1/2.

Hope that helps.

PS Do you ever have the problem where all sound/midi cuts out and is replaced by a high pitched whine for a few seconds?

Cepheid · 2019-12-11T05:34:56.085Z

Upon further inspection it seems I just can’t output the MAIN 1-2 output while also outputting the output 1 at the same time. In this case I tried using the rear MAIN output, left channel, for the Subpac S2 and the rest of the audio streaming through my Headphones, but the Subpac gets constantly overloaded (red light blinking)

I’m starting to think subpac is not going to work unless my interface has 2 headphone outputs. 1 for headphones, 1 for Subpac.

I will try to run this through output 3 or 4 and hopefully that will work.

Edit - I just read this on the Subpac Website. “The best way to use the SUBPAC in the studio is to connect it to a separate output from your mains and headphones. Use an extra output pair and assign to it routing that shares the master signal.”

If I can figure out how to assign the output 1 to the master signal, I’m in business. Not sure how to do that I Cuemix though.

Cepheid · 2019-12-11T17:21:02.656Z

Fixed my issue with a simple solution, using a headphone splitter (Y-Adapter) , duh…

Inakito · 2022-04-20T00:43:18.371Z

I just recently got an hybrid MK3 second hand. It is getting hot, apparently normal, after some hours of use, but probably didn’t help that I put it just so close to the part of the laptop that frees up the heat from inside (fan?) Something to watch out next time

In any case, I tried duplicating the main out and routed it to the headphones out with no troubles, just using the menu from the front panel of the sound card, and I guess any other channel or channels can also be routed in the same way… I need testing more options but so far it’s been a massive improve in sound quality for me. So far, can be any happier. I also test it as external mixer without computer and I was also pretty impressed.

Great device that needs a good read and test on the manual. Looking forward to discover more stuff and try the different software and effects that includes with it. Apparently reverb, eq and compressor are pretty good.

vasidudu · 2022-04-20T08:06:16.486Z

I have been using the same one for nearly 6 years now. Never had any issue with it.
It may look outdated but it is a solid soundcard.
Will most likely buy MOTU again when this one gives up on me.