Questions & Answers

How do I setup an extra headphone mix from line outputs 3/4 on a Quantum 2 interface?

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asked Nov 27, 2017 in Thunderbolt - Quantum by toddchristopher1 (120 points)

I recently purchased a new Quantum 2 interface. I'm looking to setup an alternate headphone mix from the Line Outputs on the back (3/4) to my headphone amp. I want to keep the headphone mix on the front as well. On my previous interface, I would setup this via the Digital Mixer; however, routing is limited in this model. I'm using PreSonus Studio One Pro, but it would be nice for a mixer setting that will work in any DAW (i.e. Logic Pro X as well). The headphone amp I am trying to drive with the alternate mix is a ********* HA400 headphone amplifier that only has a single TRS input (not separate L/R input channel inputs). What are my options on doing this? I'm new to Studio One. Thanks!

Here's is my current setup:

  • Apple MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)
  • OS X 10.12.6
  • PreSonus Studio One Pro 3.5.2.44603
  • PreSonus Quantum 2 (Firmware 1.1-11)
  • PreSonus Universal Control 2.4 for Mac
  • ********* HA400 headphone amplifer

2 Answers

–1 vote
answered Nov 27, 2017 by brockstallworth (3,120 points)
edited Nov 27, 2017 by brockstallworth

Check out the video. It goes in depth on it but you will be going to 5:57 where the breakdown for what the function does. You can easily see where you have to route the channel(s). Once you get it figured out, it's a piece of cake. For the headphone amp, you will need a Y Cable, 1/4" TS Male-Dual 1/4" TS Male or a Y Cable (tip sleeve) or a 1/4" TRS Male-Dual 1/4" TRS Male (tip ring sleeve) That will solve your issue.

0 votes
answered Apr 15, 2018 by nathanimal (410 points)

I have a Quantum, but not the full version of Studio One. I use it primarily with Logic Pro X. The overriding principle is that ALL audio routing has to be done in the DAW. This requires a change in workflow, and is a little wonky feeling at first if you’re used to a separate DSP mixer app or digital mixer, but actually makes lots of sense when you get used to it. Especially since all routing can be restored in one shot without having to deal with two completely separate mixers and programs. It saves quite a bit of time when recalling a session. 

So in Logic, if I wanted to make a separate headphone mix, I would do it with an auxiliary channel, controlling levels with sends, and then I would set the output of the aux channel to the desired pair of hardware outputs. 

When I want to send the main DAW output audio to my dedicated artist headphone amp(s) (by far the easiest way to monitor while recording), I use the Logic I/O insert plugin at the end of the master bus to route audio to the outputs feeding the headphone amp. The I/O plugin allows a wet/dry mix, so I don’t have to silence the main output (1-2) that feeds my monitors. Of course, using a dedicated monitoring controller would render this software workaround unnecessary.

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