Qu-24, mapping to USB "Line in"

[Salem874Participant]

Hi,

We have a QU-24 in a “House of Worship” setting, connected to a Windows 10 PC via USB.

When doing this, Windows sees a Qu input audio device called “Line” (or similar).

I’ve tried using this, and it seems to only contain the mixer output from Channel 1.

Is it possible to map other channels to output to this also? I’ve seen on the Qu pages there’s also a suggestion you can feed a stereo input (via USB) to a PC for use with streaming. So I’m assuming it must be possible (rather than using the ASIO multitrack feed?)

Can anyone advise

[volounteerParticipant]

How are you connecting to win10? usb , audio interface, ESP, sneakernet, other ???
What is it you think you need to send to win10? Wouldn’t one stereo pair work fine for streaming?

You can send everything to the PC from the Qu. I vaguely recall the max is 20 or 22 channels.
Whether the PC can receive andor use it is up to billyg and his whims. And possibly your DAW or OBS.

If you want to stream, the best way is to set up mix78 on the Qu and then send it via an audio interface to the PC and onto OBS which merges the video and does its thing before sending to your CDN(s).
You may still have to diddle some things in the pc like the driver or other settings to make anything work on win10.
I suspect you need ASIO for the driver unless AH has a custom driver for win10.

Most people have problems with the USB going to PC from the Qu.
So while that might work (some folks had success with it) your best approach is to use the audio interface.

[Salem874Participant]

As stated in my original post, the Windows 10 PC is connected via USB.

One stereo pair would work, but We would obviously need output from more than just one channel on the Qu (currently only channel 1 is sent). Something like a L+R Stereo mix could work?

Yes you can send channels via UsB to the but until now, I believe these send as individual multitrack channels. This works for multitrack recording in a DAW but not really when you need the “FOH” mix, if you get what I mean.
I already have the ASIO drivers and have that working. As stated, I’m not after the ASIO, my question is different..

[Mike CParticipant]

In the IO set up menu under the USB tab you can assign any of the mix outputs to any of USB output tracks.
Select the track and use the rotary input knob to scroll through the choices.

[volounteerParticipant]

FOH mix goes out LR to live speakers.

Send custom mix out mix78 to go into the PC (via either usb or audio interface) with OBS to merge with video for livestreaming.

USB in theory can have up to 20 or 22 different channels from Qu if you really want to mix in the PC and then process again for adding the video and sending to livestream. As I noted, many people have problems with usb from the Qu. It is far easier all around to mix in the Qu and send the stereo mix to an audio interface then into the win10 PC. It will be more reliable to mix in the Qu and not have to add that burden on OBS or whatever software you use.

If you send mono you only get one channel. If you send stereo you send two channels.
And you might get 2 if the win10 will do it.

As I noted how much you can receive is up to billyg and you may need to tweak settings or change drivers.
Did you assign anything else to the usb? If you dont assign it you wont get it although it might default to one channel.
Still I thought you had to assign everything in the Qu else it would not go out via the usb.
Did you think you would get stereo by assigning one channel of a stereo pair? Guy on our video team at church thought just that.
Blamed us and the Qu for not sending him two channels when he only hooked up one to his audio interface (we had said no to usb).

[Mike CParticipant]

If you send mono you only get one channel. If you send stereo you send two channels.
And you might get 2 if the win10 will do it.

You do have the option in OBS to create dual channel mono from a single channel audio input, audio set up menu option.

[volounteerParticipant]

true but I was talking about into the PC before it got to OBS

Our video guys like to listen to the audio interface thinking they can set levels that way
the two honchos think they have calibrated ears and dont need no stinking LUFs meter to set them properly
also they prefer to hear both channels not just one in the interface monitor port

[KeithJ A&HModerator]

@salem874 –

With the latest driver (V4.86+), the stereo ‘line’ input in Windows you mention is sourced from Qu USB output channels 17&18.
As @mike C says, you can switch what is being sent to these channels in the ‘Setup > I/O Patch > USB Audio’ screen – by default you’ll notice that these are being fed by the LR Mix, as these are also the channels used by Qu-Drive for stereo recording.

At a guess then, you’re running an older driver which required a bit more setting up, so please download and install the most recent (https://www.allen-heath.com/qu-series/qu-24/#software) and hopefully it will all ‘just work’.

As a quick aside, this stereo WDM input device is sourced from USB Audio channels 17&18, but you can access all/any channels with any application that supports ASIO, such as a DAW or OBS with an ASIO add-on/plugin.

Cheers,
Keith.

[Salem874Participant]

Thanks @keithjah,

I think this is exactly what i was looking for.

From the above we’d need to map L+R Mix to USB Qu output channels 17 & 18, and ensure i update the Qu WDM drivers to v4.86 (looking at the Zip file, it looks like this was released in Late 2020, which would explain why we may not have seen it.

Is the WDM input devise USB audio channels configurable at all, so that we can map it from another channel? If not, thats ok…it just means we’ll have to reorganise our channels as we do also use ASIO for multitrack recording as well.

[Mike CParticipant]

By default OBS will take audio from tracks 1&2 from the USB audio feed.

[Salem874Participant]

Thanks @keithjah.

Updating the drivers worked a dream. The only thing is the Stereo Line in is really low. I’m assuming there’s no way to adjust these within the Qu?

[Salem874Participant]

So, i’ve been looking through the “manual”, and had a thought…I hope someone could advise…

If i was to create an additional mix/group/matrix, which included the L+R Mix. Then mapped this mix/group/matrix the USB Ch 17 & 18, with an additional gain applied, this should work right?

So, in summary, routing as follows:

L+R Mix > Mix/Group/Matrix > Gain applied > USB Ch 17 & 18

Now, i don’t know if i need to add an additional Mix/Group/Matrix into the routing, but it looked (to me) as if this is the only way i could add a gain prior to the USB Ch 17 & 18 out?

Am i on the right track?

Similar, I MAY need to do the same wither on 2trk out or an additional set of two XLR outs, so I’m assuming the same theory as above would apply?

Thanks in advance.

[volounteerParticipant]

@salem874

Just what is it you are really trying to accomplish ?
What is your real problem?

If the signal is low to the PC, via the usb do’H!, then amplify in the DAW or OBS.
You would find it easier to not use the USB and send the mix to an audio interface via xlr and increase gain there.

Unfortunately the QU is lacking the needed final gain stage amplifier before sending things out whether LR or via USB.

[Mike CParticipant]

So, i’ve been looking through the “manual”, and had a thought…I hope someone could advise…

If i was to create an additional mix/group/matrix, which included the L+R Mix. Then mapped this mix/group/matrix the USB Ch 17 & 18, with an additional gain applied, this should work right?

So, in summary, routing as follows:

L+R Mix > Mix/Group/Matrix > Gain applied > USB Ch 17 & 18

Yes that will work as a way to apply more level to the OBS audio feed via USB.
You can also apply some heavier compression and EQ as well to live stream audio, you do want to at least apply some compression.
If needed you can also apply some more gain in the compressor.
Also in the matrix mix set up select PRE on the LR mix.

I do the same routing set up when recording a stereo board mix to the USB stick.

In general to have a decent broadcast audio level using OBS you need to be hitting
in the yellow on the OBS audio meter.

[volounteerParticipant]

@salem874

You said earlier you only need one stereo pair.
Do the mixing in the Qu and send it out via mix78.
You can have as many channels in that mix as you want.
Whether you just need the singer or the preacher man or the choir they will be there when they are making sound.
Send that to an audio interface easier and better than fooling with usb.
We do that and have to turn our signals down to stay in the yellow for OSB.

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