Logic Pro 8 Question about hooking up external reverbs to Logic 8

[JuanTahnahmahrah]

Have not been able to successfully use Logic 8's I/O insert (under Utilities) and wonder if maybe I am obtuse, or Logic is recalcitrant. My workaround works, but I wonder if the I/O insert utility is junk. I can hear my external reverb by creating a "send" in a rhythm guitar track, which creates an aux channel in the mixer. It works when I cable an output to the external reverb "in", and then bring the reverb's output back to my audio interface's in. In this case, I am using my output 49 and returning to input 49 (most of the first 48 interface channels are ADATs, 49 is my analog-in of choice). I set the Aux input to the bus where I sent the signal from the rhythm guitar track, and then set the Aux output to the 49-50 output pair. 49-50 get mirrored to the main outputs by the hardware. So these connections are active and functional. Alternatively, I can install one of Logic's software reverbs into the Aux insert slots and that works okay, with the Aux output set to either 1-2 or 49-50. I can even hear both internal and external reverbs with the output set to 49-50. But I can only hear the internal reverb with the output set to 1-2. I have been unable to get the Utility > I/O plug-in/insert to work following the instructions in the manual. So I have a work-around, but now I wonder if this is a bug, or if I misunderstood the manual. Any help from users of the I/O plug-in most welcome.

 

[Doug Zangar]

The I/O plug-in for me has always been a no-brainer and just worked. I doubt the plug-in is buggy. It is probably a routing issue. Have you tried inserting it in the channel strip you want to effect?

Remember also there are at least 4 points of possible signal adjustment. I/O in and out levels and your external verb in and outs. Something may not be right in the audio path.

 

[JuanTahnahmahrah]

Thanks...

Good to know the I/O plug-in does work. The levels must be okay because my workaround works fine. And I can patch a headphone amp into the patchbay points and hear the signal all along the way. I did try inserting it directly into the channel, instead of sending it to a bus/aux. Nada. But, you are probably right, it is most likely a routing problem. I use a MOTU PCIx card with its own cuemix layer, and it is necessary to unmute/mute its buses to get the signal through.

 

[Doug Zangar]

You probably will have one of those moments of enlightenment at some point where the obvious just jumps out at you (well, obvious once you focus on the right part of the problem). It can be frustrating for sure. I trust you've tried this in other projects to insure it's not a corrupt project....

 

[JuanTahnahmahrah]

Moments of enlightenment...

Ah, to be at one with one's interface. I moved from 5.5 for the PC to Logic 8 for the Mac. Must say, Logic 8 feels like cheating. My entry point was actually 4.8, which is like plugging a plate of spaghetti into a patch bay compared to 8. And I just found out 9 (still universal binary, apparently) will run on a G5, and will try that, even though it is not supported by Apple. FWIW, I prefer the spinning rainbow cartwheel to a PC's dreaded blue screen "STOP" messages.