How To Use Outboard Gear With A DAW | Patchbay Setup & Signal Flow

How do you set up and use outboard audio gear for mixing music? In this video, you'll find out. We'll look at using outboard microphone preamps, compressors, analog summing mixers, and more!

Cranborne Audio 500ADAT 8-slot 500 Series Chassis

Cranborne Audio Camden 500 Series Microphone Preamp

dbx 560a 500 Series Compressor/Limiter

Radial EXTC 500 Series Guitar Effects Interface

Cranborne Audio N22H Headphone Amp & C.A.S.T. Breakout Box

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 Audio Interface

Samson S-Patch Plus 48-point Balanced Patchbay

Strymon blueSky Reverberator Pedal

Waves NLS Non-Linear Summer Plugin

00:00 - Introduction
00:25 - Microphone Preamps
02:21 - Input Signal Chain
03:34 - Inserts
05:30 - FX Sends & Returns
07:30 - Analog Summing
09:33 - Cables & Patchbays

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Disclaimer: This video is sponsored by Sweetwater. This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click them, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

[AudioUniversity]

Question: What gear would you have in your dream outboard rack?

Leave a comment below!

[imdanfm]

This is so insanely informative. Been a software only guy for the past 12 years but been considering incorporating a hybrid workflow. This video made it make sense. Thanks for the knowledge and time taken to share it!

[shanesawproductions]

Some new guys may not appreciate this as they should. You are spitting MAD FIRE! with this information.

[joelglaser]

Found your video and the timing couldn't have been better! Getting ready to re-do the hardware in my studio (and I'm adding additional gear, including a 500 series rack). So now I'm in the process of laying out my 2 patch bays. Your video is giving me some ideas of where to start.
Thank you!!

[blessedheavyelements]

Huge contribution to everyone! Thank You Very Much for all the huge amount of work that went into making this video! Best Regards and Best Wishes!

[keefroc]

I really appreciate and enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and techniques. Keep up the great work!

[rafphiano]

Excellent Tutorial!! Clear and Direct explanation without all the jibber jabber. Thank You.

[korkenknopfus]

Very informative video. You have a nice setup there.
Last week, for a mix challenge with already recorded tracks, I used external effects from my pedalboard: an envelope filter for a guitar and a preamp/overdrive for the bass (don’t have a patch bay, though, as my number of outputs is low). It makes a lot of fun having these possibilities.

[JMLRecording]

Wow that cranborne rack is dope. Wish my API’s had a chain switch.

[chrisbistrishki]

Exceptional video once again, great explanation and practical examples!

One question that always seemed to be left unanswered in my head is what about latency? Does all that A/D-D/A conversion back and fourth introduce noticeable latency/delay at some point that should be adjusted for when recorded back into the DAW or is there another way to mitigate that? I'm asking about both the analog and ADAT connection methods with outboard gear. Cheers!

[simonjli]

Thanks for the clear explanations! If you have a condenser microphone and the 500 series preamp provides phantom power, is it safe to pass phantom power through a patch bay?

[joshuadelaughter]

After finally understanding this, I think I'll stick with emulations. 😂 Great video though. Was hard to find something that covered this thoroughly.

[teashea]

Another good video Reaper interface looks so clean compared to so many DAW's which look so crowded and junky.

[BritoWorx]

Absolutely wonderful content. You’re a great teacher. Subbed!!!

[XtnInsecticide]

I really appreciate your videos mate, f&$&in great work

[mr.k-lon]

Good video thank you I have a question where did you get those blank panels for the Cranborne audio, And will there be any more videos on the Cranborne.

[chrisbistrishki]

One more question that keeps poping up and I still can't seem to wrap my head around is the whole XLR-TRS cableing and connceting thing when using the 1/4'' patchbays when it comes to microphone signals. So in the first example you showed where you have your mics pre-connected (normalled) to the mic inputs of the focusrite via the patchbay how does this work cable-wise?

XLR to TRS cable from the mic into the back of patchbay and then TRS to XLR cable from the patchbay's back into the mic input of the focusrite? Does that also work for condenser mics that require Phantom Power?

Also, does the same apply the external mic-pre? Meaning, the output of the patchbay's back goes from TRS to XLR to be able to plug into the mic inputs of your external gear?

Sorry if that doesn't make sense, I can't seem to find info on this anywhere and sinse everybody is using TRS patchbays for mic signals too, the only logical way I can think of (besides using DSUB25 snake connections) is this. I'd really love some insight into the cable aspect and correct me if I'm wrong with the observations I made.

Cheers Kyle! :)

[victorbernardo]

Hello! Great Video! Keep up the great work! Quick question: I have an Apollo X6 and am trying to connect an outboard Warm Audio WA73-eq Pream. When I open Reaper and Insert the Reainsert, the plugin only identifies "Mon Left" and "Mon Right" (Hardware Sends) and "Mic/Line/HiZ 1" and "Mic/line/HiZ 2" (Hardware Returns). So, I can not "turn on" the channels I've connected the Outboard Gear to (Input 3 and Output 3). But in the Options/Preferences Tab in Reaper, the Enabled Inputs and Output Range identifies all my channels (including the ones I've connected the outboard gear to). What am I missing Here?... Thanks in advance! Cheers from Portugal!

[robertw]

Crazy, I literally started with the exact same cards for my 500R8…

[itsjshua]

Hi, thanks for this video! This might be a beginner’s question, but if the preamp is a part of the patch bay, how would you use the preamp’s phantom power to power to a condenser microphone?