Ok, i have to admit, i’m pretty new to the world of QC - nevertheless i had other gear like Helix LT, Kemper, FM3, etc…
So i plugged my new QC into my Apollo x8 and additional on Out 3/4 to some Yamaha Monitor Speakers - and after adjusting Gain on both units and playing there was a huge difference between the sound that came out of the yamahas and the sound that came out on my HEDD via the UAD apollo x8. The UAD sounded terrible and muffled, nearly nasal
Then i figured out, that there is a global eq here i can adjust the output settings - sounded much better.
My question if some pros here have an equivalent setup, any suggestions on the EQ settings?
Yes i did. When i used the QC as audio interface it sounded - at least for my ears - damn good. When i used the Apollo - mhmmm - not so brilliant, even it’s a great interface.
Only problem with the QC was, i was not able to listen to e.g. YT oder recordings from Logic Pro, Ableton, etc.
Tomorrow i’ll check how to setup the QC as an audio interface to see if i’m able to make it work.
QC into audio interface sounds very different to QC on the same studio monitors when connected direct.
I’m not sure if the UAD Apollo x8 “colorizes” the incoming audio, but there is definitely a difference.
I would like to know how other users run their QC into their audio interface for recording. Why do i ask that? Well the UAD Interface is my main interface for recording and playback, but as well just for watching some YT videos, etc. and needs not to be shut down…where as i’m not sure if the QC likes to be “always” on.
For recording, you’re probably better off using the QC as the interface, right? Otherwise you’re doing another round of DA/AD conversion. That’ll add latency at least, not to mention potential artifacts etc…
You didn’t happen to have any processing going on in the console app did you? (i.e. unison pres, eq plugin, etc.) My QC sounds great through my Apollo interface.
No, there was no processing, no eq, no pre-amp, no unison, nothing.
When the QC (output 1 & 2) was plugged in the Apollo (Line 5&6) the signal was really weak. So i changed to Line input 3 & 4 where you can adjust the gain…was better. Finally changed the Input to 3 & 4 but this time XLR to XLR - was very much better BUT not the same as if the QC is used as an audio interface.
For whatever reason the Apollo sounds a bit different, whereas the QC sounds brighter - if i may say so.
I know the Apollo is a really great piece of gear so i was wondering why the relationship to the QC is a bit tricky
…and thank you very much for your reply, appreciate it.
Best regards
T.
The QC USB sends signal to outputs 1 & 2 exclusively. I haven"t seen a way to change this. I bought XLR female to 1/4" trs cables to connect to my monitor controller so I could have this functionality.
QC Out 1/2 into my HEDD Studio Monitors
QC Our 3/4 into my Yamaha Studio Monitors
USB into my iMac
Guitar into Input 1
When recording in my DAW i have to choose Input 3/4 there, otherwise - if i choose 1/2 - i get a Left Channel signal only.
Some of the presets i have to change the Output to be Output 3/4 USB in order to get recorded correctly.
Well, maybe it is cause i’m used to the Apollo Interface, but it takes some time to understand how the QC routing works. According to page 86 of the manual i supposed it’s the way it has to be
What do the meters show on the QC when you select Outputs 1 & 2. If only the left meter shows signal, then it’s probably a routing issue in your daw. If left and right meters both show signal, then it could be a bad cable or something.
What you’re noticing sound wise is the pre amp of the Apollo changing the sound of the QC. It’s going to sound different if the QC is connected directly to your DAW, vs going through the Apollo preamps + conversion. That’s the nature of various preamps/convertors, especially when it’s a mid level interface with built in pre’s + conversion.
With this feature Support USB Audio Interfaces, one could hook up QC via an interface to the Apollo 8 ADAT input, so no additional DA / AD conversion would be needed.
I run my QC into a UAD Arrow. You need to make sure if you are using XLR cables into the UAD then you need to add a preamp (select the mic input) in the UAD. I use the API console and there you can further design you sound to fit in the mix.
@bluzdog: at the very beginning on Out 1 & 2 only the left channel was working. If i choose Input 1 - 2 on my daw. only one channel is recorded. When i change this to input 3 -4 i have both channels and it’s working fine. It’s true i had 1 broken cable, changed it but no difference. What i do no (while using QC as an audio interface) i change the output settings of a preset to Multi Out, so i get the hot signal into my daw and can record in a pretty insane quality.
@cmsabalos: Many thanks. I tried that last time and the sound was really a bit different only using the Apollo built-in preamp. i’ll give it a try with an other UAD preamp, wanna see if the tome changes and - most important - how latency changes.
Many thanks for your help and advices. I came to a solution that is perfect for me. The QC runs from output 1 /2 direct into pre-amp input 3 /4 of the Apollo x8 audio interface. There i use one of the preamps i own to alter the sound to my taste and it works perfect. Nevertheless it is a lot of adjustment to make to get the sound exactly as when you use the QC as an audio intercase.
Why don’t i use the QC as an audio interface? For me it’s more convenient to turn the QC on or off when i need it and the Apollo on the other hand provides more inputs, where i have other gear connected.
You should consider getting a monitor controller which accepts two sources. There are more pricey to quite cheap ones but this is how I run my setup which gives flexibility for recording through each of the devices, re-amping, switching between the devices easily and monitoring.
Gtr > Active DI Box (splits signal) to Path 1 (Balanced) and Path 2 (Thru signal).
Path 1: Balanced signal > mic pre 1 of Audient interface > Output 1&2 > Monitor controller (Big Knob) > Monitor Speakers
Path 2: Thru signal > QC Input 1 > QC Output 1&2 > Monitor controller (Bigknob) > Monitor Speakers
Also QC Output 3 > FRFR Speaker, QC output 4 > mic pre 2 of Audient interface.
Main benefits - You can record DIs through either of the devices by changing the applicable interface in your DAW and without switching over cables, etc. On the monitor controller you can switch which device is used as outputs which you can do if you want to for example re-amp through the QC from the original DI recorded from the interface and lastly you can monitor through an FRFR while recording rather than through your daw which typically has latency. Without the monitor controller and/or splitting the signal, this setup is near impossible but it’s a relatively cheap option. I would also suggest for mixing, etc. you use your interface. Regardless of the quality of the QC for recording I think the outs on most decent audio interfaces are better quality and I certainly get a crisper sound from the outs of my audient over the QC.
Curious…stumbled onto this post and also use the QC with an x8p. You never really specified how you are connecting the outputs of the QC to the x8p. Are you using line in’s on the x8p? If using line inputs, I would definitely recommend going to UA Console settings and from Hardware, bypass line input gain for the analog inputs your QC is connected to. You really don’t want the xp8 (unless you do) coloring the output of the QC.
On a side note…found a really cool way to use the QC with the x8p and a Captor X. Goes something like this:
Output from QC goes directly to a power AMP. In my case a Freyette PowerStation.
Speaker out from the PowerStation to the amp in of the Captor X.
Captor X XLR out Left and Right back to the x8p on XLR input pair of your choice.
x8p line input gain set to bypass (like mentioned above) for the linked stereo pair XLR’s the Captor is coming in on.
x8p console is set to mic for the inputs from the Captor X
Now open the Captor X Torpedo Remote editor on the mac and have at it.
In this setup, I find it is super cool to turn on twin tracker from Torpedo Remote, and then on the UA console add an AUX with your favorite UA reverb. The stereo spread is amazing, and it can all be played back through your studio monitors (or recorded) and it sounds “way better” than the QC by itself.
Taking this approach you can also disable the cab block in the QC and experiment with either your own IR’s or with the cab setups in Torpedo Remote. Or, the reverse, or mix and match. For recording it is just a fantastic setup, especially if you want to record say a rhythm guitar and have it sound like its double tracked.
The QC with the Captor X is so much better than either one of them on their own!!
@ndallago: Output 1 and 2 (XLR) from QC into (1/4") Line - Input 3 & 4 of the Apollo x8. In the Apollo x8 the Line Input is not bypassed, cause if i do, the signal is way too low.
Many thanks for your kind help!
Out of curiosity, if you set bypass, and then also the UA console settings → display → metering to pre-fader, what are your levels coming into the x8 from the QC? I’m assuming that the main round volume knob on the QC is at 100? Another area to check may be the input level and impedance level on your QC instrument input , as well as the output levels – accessed by touching top of screen in the preset and sliding down to open IO settings.
I just tried a few tests. Taking this approach:
Instrument into line 1 on the QC.
Open IO Settings on the QC
Adjust IN 1 Level until it was showing up around -18db
Having done that, and with the QC Output levels for my chosen outputs (3/4) set to 0.0db, and with the Input Gain bypassed on the x8, and the metering set to pre-fader, the input levels on my x8 matched the -18db I was seeing on the QC.
I think the key is going to be in gain staging it from QC input → QC → QC Outs so you end up getting the level you want on the x8. I believe if you are trying to correct this over at the x8, the gain staging on the QC was on the low end of the db scale, and can be increased somewhere in the chain on the QC.
