Octa MK2 cue out analog outboard processing

Elektron Gear Octatrack
#1

Hey all. I am torn between two possible paths. One would be to get 2x 2nd unit (comp, tube eq) + a stereo bus comp to complete the stereo analog signal processing path before it hits A/D or I was looking into Octatrack MK2 as a possible mixing solution… now I wonder if there is some trick with cue out… that you would send it via a mono channel to mono comp, eq, etc… and receive it back but possibly could make it stereo inside the machines routing? I presume there is no such way of operation but maybe I am wrong. Let’s say I would send my synth through some stuff, then via balanced I/O to Octa MK2 and from there I would process stuff via 1 cue out and 1 mono in… then via balanced stereo output from Octa MK2 to the audio interface.

Any suggestions are welcome and thank you for any hints!

#2

Well, I’m not 100% sure I follow what you’re asking, but I use the OT cue outs as sends a lot. It’s not crazy flexible, but it works.

When you cue a track, it sends stereo out both cue outs – it sounds like you want to send mono. I’m not sure you can send mono, but nothing prevents you from only connecting one of the cue outs (left or right) to whatever you’re sending it to… That’s not exactly “mono”, as it will be the left or right channel, and not left+right summed.

For the return part of the question, maybe you can use a Thru machine where you receive a single channel (mono) and turn it into stereo. See thru machines in the manual, specifically the difference between “A B” and “A+B” (or “C D” vs. “C+D”.

I think this thread touches on some of what you’re asking:

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#3

I got you. Yeah I thought to “fake” it and basically get my stuff summed in stereo inside Octatrack MK2 then send it to WA76, tube EQ, Pro Channel 2 and some, etc… via 1 mono cue out and get it back via 1 stereo (mono in) back and apply it to the full stereo mix. I will opt to get pairs of the units then. I need to stay in stereo to not mess up with my signal path and phase among many other things. I thought it was possible on Octa… thank you. :slight_smile:. I will look into the thread too. Maybe it’s possible.

#4

In the studio I pretty much always use studio mode (shocking, I know!) and I generally keep it simple and send my synths and harmonic content to the main outs where they get processed with reverb, delays, etc, and the cue outs for drums that will get compression etc. i send them to a 16 channel mixer and generally don’t do panning but sometimes I’ll hard pan a kick and hats so I can get different compression, EQ, etc.

In a live setting, I work two different ways: I have two octatracks and my most common setup is to have one octatrack work as the “track” and the second octatrack works as a hybrid looper / fx processor.

#5

Yeah. So is it possible to use just one mono cue out and use just 1 input on the stereo in to create either a send/return that can be applied in stereo to the track contents in Octa mk2 or used as an insert in mono configuration again to apply it in full stereo? I think I’ll just get pairs as the possible problems arising from phase and panning etc… would just ruin everything…

Octa mk2 will go probably into setup maybe though at a later date.

#6

If I’m reading you correctly yes you can do that. The cue outs will be stereo so you just need to hard pan to get a mono send and then on your return you will do a thru machine with just a singular input

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#7

I won’t be getting any phasing, weird artifacts, or instabilities that way? I would save some money that way meaning the Octa mk2 route with Warm Audio balanced cables (they are good). What I need to do is that I will be having a 30 minutes long “free from impro thingy” recorded. Actually 2x 30 min roughly. It’s two tracks. That will already be processed through outboard and other things, in full stereo but in my tower rack, I only have everything in mono apart from Pro VLA II comp. I was thinking I could record in the highest possible quality that Octa mk2 accepts (not sure which that is) and then add some extra processing from Octa mk2 on top live but also processing that streamed audio from the CF card via cue outs through my tower outboard rack. But I need to stay in the full stereo image. Now to get a full stereo processing in my tower outboard rack… there I would have to get extra EQP, WA76, Pro Channel 2 and I was thinking about BUS-COMP too to finish it off which is doable truly and the cost/effect ratio would be quite good on that.

So your take is that I could use 1/2 of the 2/2 cue outs (balanced TRS out), bounce that through Pro Channel 2, WA76, EQP, and then back via balanced TRS to Octa mk2 stereo pair input (only 1/2 out of the 2/2 on one stereo pair) and I will achieve what I need? I believe it should be possible to use it both as either send/return configuration or straight insert operation?

I just need to wrap my head around this. So let’s say I would be sending a vintage synth through pedals, euro, and then into VLA 2 in stereo, which would get sent to Octa mk2… cue out send/return or insert if it’s possible (more desirable for me) to Pro Channel 2, EQP, WA76 in mono… I would send this back to Octa mk2 and then stereo outs from Octa mk2 through let’s say BUS-COMP into A/D conversion. I would be able to achieve more processing before 1 A/D conversion that way. Then I could get that exported to CF and do it once again completely to add a second run of processing on top of that.

#8

If you want to avoid phasing, just turn your outboard FX to 100% wet. You have the dry signal in the Octatrack anyway if you need it.

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