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VO Tool in FCP and APOGEE Duet – only one Input Channel?
I would love some advice on this one…
I am setting up an ability to commentate (Voice Over) motorsport vision remotely (to avoid travel to the main production house) at home.
Now, I have two headsets with XLR inputs and immediately liked the look of the Apogee DUET as a great quality Audio Interface.
Because there are TWO of us commentating the vision, this looked to be the perfect fit.
I have set it up and I can see in the Apogee Maestro mixer software, it can see both Mic 1 & 2 inputs and I get a nice monitored signal back into my headphones.
THE PROBLEM IS HOWEVER:
When I use FCP’s VO tool, it only pics up MIC1!!
Surely there is a way for both inputs to be recorded into FCP?
I tested in Garageband and it sees and records both fine.
So my question is what’s the best option here?
I don’t think a XLR Y cable will cut it as I need to manage each commentator’s level separately.
So, the only other way I can deal with this is a small Mixer on the two Microphone inputs, that then are connected to the single Mic1 input on the Apogee? That really annoys me, a production software package with Apple Core Audio support should be able to handle TWO inputs for VO work!
I can’t see how Soundtrack Pro will work either, as we need to see the vision as we commentate over it.
Please let me know what you guys suggest.
Dean…
Dean Neal…
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6 Replies
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I think you need to combine the two outputs from the Apogee with a combiner cable… There’s one that will end up being a stereo mini I’d think, and then you’d plug that into the mic input on the Mac. If that fails, you could combine the two mic’s with a mixer for a mono out.
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer, Producer, Writer, Director Editor, Gun for Hire and other things. I ski. My Blog: https://blogs.creativecow.net/Jerry-Hofmann
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Thanks for the reply Jerry.
I can’t see how a combiner cable would work as it’s a Firewire interface to the MBP.
That’s the bottom line with my frustrations – it should be able to combine via Software!
The Apogee software in OSX is great… it’s crazy for this to not be able to handle two-inputs into the VO Tool. Ugh.
The Apogee is such a beautiful bit of hardware, I get annoyed thinking I have to find something external to combine audio.
I guess I have to look at a Mixer as you say… or can anyone give me sage but simple advice on how to commentate over vision using Soundtrack Pro for VO purposes?
Also – any recommendations on a nice, simple (cheap) mixer that would work well into one of Apogee’s XLR Mic Inputs?
Dean…
Dean Neal…
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Hi Dean
When I use FCP’s VO tool, it only pics up MIC1!!
That’s correct. Final Cut Pro’s Voice Over Tool is by design only a single channel recording device. From the manual:
“When recording, the Voice Over tool works with the Sound Manager to record in mono mode. When you choose the audio interface input for a stereo input device, the Voice Over tool uses only the left input channel (channel 1) of a stereo input device when recording; the right channel is ignored.”Surely there is a way for both inputs to be recorded into FCP?
Nope, not as separate channels .. at least not using the VO Tool … you could record both channels using Log and Capture but then you would not get the simultaneous timeline audio/video playback. But if you’re willing to combine the two audio inputs and record them via the VO Tool as a single channel then you might want to have a look and see if your Apogee Maestro software can combine the two channels … at the very least I would expect you could take a center panned output from the device’s headphone out and run that into your Mac’s Line In (Built-in Input). Not a perfect solution but it may work nonetheless.
Hope it helps
Andy -
Thanks for all the replies guys…
Andy – I like your lateral thinking, but I just can’t justify in my mind using a $700 (AUD) Device that has beautiful Mic Pre-Amps… Core Apple Audio Support and then using the headphone outs…
I guess I either trust Garageband for VO creation or SoundTrack Pro (even though I have hardly used it before)…
The best option for me I think is buying a simple Microphone Mixer that I can XLR Mono Output to the Duet… Any suggestions on which one to get?
Dean…
Dean Neal…
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Hi Dean
Our boys in the field use 3 channel Shure FP33 mixers (overkill for what you need) … a Glensound GS-CU005 would be more suitable for you but they’re a UK based company and I don’t know price or availability details for that one.
But before you take out a second mortgage, perhaps a simple Y split cable solution (usually for splitting a single channel rather than joining two disparate ones) is worth a try :
https://www.seismicaudiospeakers.com/Set-of-2-XLR-Y-Cables-p/2-xlry.htmHope it helps
Andy -
Thanks again Andy for getting back to us with some great ideas…
The other guy who does VO with me is softer so it would be a real pain to have to adjust levels like mad in POST (Software).
I ended buying a simple 10-track Xenyx 1002 mixer, using a mono XLR Send to the Apogee. Sounds great and clean thankfully and I can ride levels fine.
A bit of overkill agreed and I hope Apple get the FCP VO Tool to support multiple inputs in future. Just silly the way it is now.
Dean Neal…
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