Your Vinyl Transfer Workflow (sharing best needledrop practices)*

bummer. Now I'm 0 for 2. Tried another USB mic input device, this time a CalDigit USB-C hub. RX5 does not recognize it either, even though macOS sees it as a generic USB mic input device.

What is the secret code that iZotope RX5 needs for a device driver? Now I'm scared to actually buy any ADC for fear that iZotope just won't even recognize it.

 

For RX, it may actually need to 'see' an actual specific audio driver, to test this theory Reaper is available for Mac also, it has a full working trial
REAPER | Download »

 

So it looks like Reaper is a competing/alternation solution to RX5? I still don't understand exactly what driver requirements RX5 needs to interact with the capture hardware.

 

Have to tried shooting the developers an email Sam? Reaper is just another option for trial and error purposes, you could try it and see if it 'sees' your driver. It does good at recording also. A bit overkill however
I can confirm RX does see my Focusrite driver as does Reaper

 

RX is not the same as Reaper. RX offers deliberate mastering and restoration tools that can be used inside a host program or by itself.

It's all in how computers work. Programs or hardware need drivers to operate.

I am a Windows person, but RZ is serious stuff, very unlike something like the free Audacity.

 

Hi Sam

I can perhaps provide a little insight.

In my experience, the ideal input device is one that also works as an output device. If not, I've found you have to configure with only an input device (not output) for capture. Then, after the capture is done, do the reverse: no input device but either the system output or if you have an external USB DAC, select that. There is a relationship between what sample rates are available on the input device and what sample rates the output device can be driven by RX.

Hope this helps.

 

I've used an older M-Audio Profire 610 (firewire) ADC, an Apogee Duet, and recently an Antelope Audio Pure2 ADC. Generally speaking, if there is a mac driver for the ADC, RX will "see" it. I don't think you have any worries here.

 

Yes, both of the devices I used are input/output. Are you seeing your ADC/device in the RX5 drop down screen?

Well, I'm 0 for 2 with hardware I have in-hand, so yes I'm a bit worried

Yeah, I'll try to send them an email. Or take a closer look at the (200+ pages) RX5 user manual.

 

Good luck Sam, if you find a solution report back

 

Yes, I'm seeing the ADC as an input device option when I pull down the input device menu. Do you have "CoreAudio" selected as "driver type"?

I had a somewhat similar problem with RX5 on a mac. I typically capture with one machine and edit with another. On the editing machine, there is no ADC, only a DAC. With no prompting from me, RX5 selected my mac monitor (built in mic through USB) as the input device. That caused RX5 to not play back the material at the correct sampling rate. After some investigation, it seemed to have something to do with the max sample rate of the USB input device (the mic on the monitor tops out at 48000). After I set the input device to "No Audio Device", the playback worked at the correct rate (had to quit and restart RX5).

I'm thinking your situation might be inverted. That's why I suggested (just as a troubleshooting exercise) selecting "No Audio Device" for the output device when attempting a capture. In a nutshell, I don't think RX "likes" having different equipment as input and output. Better to set the one you don't need to "No Audio Device".

Something to try: Select "No Audio Device" for both input and output, close RX5, reboot, then launch RX5, see what you see in the input and output pulldowns.

 

Just a thought - does the RX5 have a default resolution setting for a project? If it's higher than 16/48 (which is probably the max that USB dongle supports) then RX5 would probably ignore the device. In that case, simply changing the project defaults to 16/44 or 16/48 should help?

 

Getting closer! You're right, I was always selecting 96kHz, now selecting 44.1kHz, I at least get the "C-Media USB Audio" as an Output device option.

Getting closer! Per above, I can see the output option only. Selecting Core Audio as the driver type, my only two options for input device are "No audio device" or "Built-in Microphone". For output device, I do get the (correct) 3rd choice of "C-Media USB Audio". But no combination will allow it to be an input device, in addition to output device. When/if I select "No Audio Device" for capture, it won't even let me start the recording head, i.e. "Recording is disabled because no audio input devices has been selected..."

On the Mac, System Preferences->Sound has the C-Media USB device selected for both input and output.

 

How about no output device, quit, launch, then what do you see in the input device pulldown?

 

Still no output device listed.

 

You mean input device?

 

Yes, my mistake. No input device.

 

My new theory: I only have USB "mic" input devices connected to the MacBook, not "line in" USB type devices. Would that explain why RX5 does not see an input device? Obviously, I need "line in" ADC device, not a mic input device, for needle drops.

 

My theory was correct, I didn't initially have a proper line-level USB input device.

So, Amazon dropped off a Behringer U-Phono UFO202 today, and it was recognized by RX 5 as an input device, whew!

I'm just playing around right now, which is why I didn't want to invest a lot in a proper ADC. Basically I'm just trying to learn how RX 5 works. Dropped my first side, a "worst case scenario" - side A of LZII RL-mastered. It was very hot! I dropped the gain on RX 5 to -12dB and will try it again.

 

Can you adjust the recording level via RX5?
Sam I've got a UFO also, does a descent job but I was never able to figure out how to adjust via software on a PC

 

Yeah, I dunno. I'm very confused at this point. My phono pre was overloading the level into the UFO->RX 5. The waveforms looked like a modern remaster. I'm lucky that my phono pre has a volume knob, as I was able to drop it about 6dB, then the capture looked good. You might assume I was always listening too hot from the phono pre, but that is not the case. It sounds fine and the level is in line (lower actually) than my other sources.

I can post some screen shots later.

 

Oh, good! Looks like your all set then with your Pre being adjustable

 

Well, yes and no.

I'd like to know why the capture levels are so much hotter than I would expect, given the volume is matched to my other sources.

And if I update my phono pre to one without a volume control or this much gain flexibility, what happens if it overloads RX 5?

 

One of the reasons why I went with a Focusrite 2i2. I had quite a few 12 incher's (Singles) cut hot by nature. They would overload. I couldn't figure out how to adjust the level via software. Most outboard ADC's have adjustable line level input. Overloading on RX5 or any other recording software will just result in clipping, peaks maxed to 0

 

Can anyone translate these settings into RX5? Thanks!

 

the same settings exist in RX5 when you click on the Advanced button in the Denoise module.