Qu-16 w/ OBS – USB Audio Issues?

[bagels]

Hi all,

FYI I tend to type a bit so feel free to skip down to a TLDR, thanks.

I’m new here and fairly new to the Qu, though I had a Zed prior so I’ve long liked AH products. Definitely has been a steep learning curve switching to such a far more capable digital mixer, but I’m getting the hang of it and able to fulfill a lot of functions that were difficult or impossible on the Zed.

One strange thing has popped up and I haven’t seen a solution through searching, though searches here did help me with my initial questions when it came to the USB stereo mixdown / main out (which shows as “Line (Qu-16)” under inputs to PC), as I originally didn’t quite get why I could multitrack in a DAW but not get a simple mix in Audacity.

So I learned to turn channel 1 and 2 under the USB send panel to LR L / LR R and I can record a stereo mixdown fine in audacity. I have to change this it I want to multitrack in Pro Tools or something but that’s fine.

Strangely, this doesn’t work for OBS Studio though. It recognizes the input – the Line (Qu-16) – but the signal is really weak. It’s only OBS as I can do the same in Audacity or a DAW (if I set it up to just record two, L/R tracks), and haven’t experienced the issue elsewhere.

I did have some of the USB noise issues like described in the pinned thread that’s a known issue, but switching to a real sturdy USB cable seemed to solve that for me. I’ve also hooked up to two desktops and a laptop. all PCs, so it doesn’t seem computer specific. I currently just have a Mogami XLR L/R to 1/8” TRS as a front line input to the PC for OBS, but it seems silly that I wouldn’t be able to use USB.

TL;DR::: With channels 1/2 on USB sends set to LR L and LR R, and mixing on the main LR mix, I get an extremely weak / almost inaudible (or completely inaudible) signal on my USB mixdown line in while using OBS Studio. The USB line itself is fine as I can stereo mixdown record in Audacity or a DAW or multitrack just fine, but OBS has issues. Currently it’s forcing me to connect the main out to an 1/8” input, which isn’t ideal.

May be as simple as OBS looks for different channels, but I’ve been stumped, any help is much appreciated.

[DavidCo]

The Qu is normalised to -18dBFS. The OBS metering is in dBFS, so -18 dB on that meter should correspond to 0 dB on your Qu.

DC

[bagels]

Thanks for the reply,

I didn’t realize that was why but I’d noticed the difference between the two, however I don’t think that’s the issue, since it works fine with the main output from the Qu (XLR L/R) going as a line in to the pc. Since that’s what USB 1/2 out is set to, it seems weird that they’d be at different levels, since both would be subject to an 18 dB gap. But only with USB set do I not really get a signal.

Since literally everything else works, I feel like it’s something about OBS, the Qu, and my PC if others don’t have the issue. I’ll try it out on a laptop when I get the chance and maybe try different USB out channels (maybe it’s looking for LR on a single channel?), I haven’t had much time of late and the line in is fine if non ideal. I’ll update if I have luck in case anyone later finds themselves with a similar issue.

Appreciate the help.

[djam]

Was there an answer to this problem. I’m experiencing the same thing.

Thanks.

[Author]

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