PreSonus Forums

I'm confused about the basic setup of Capture, which I'm using with a Presonus AR12 and trying to get going in the simplest possible configuration.

I can successfully record AR12 tracks with Capture. When I playback via digital return, I can only hear a return mix on my AR12 headphones via USB 3/4, which I get by setting its channels 11/12 to use USB 3/4. However I can't get anything on USB 1/2 (on the AR12 Super Channel). Presumably I should be able to get something via 1/2 on the Super Channel with the USB return selected.

I also don't see any way to configure the USB output in Capture, and what it sends to each of the four (i.e. two stereo) return channels. This is under Windows. I have AR12 1/2 selected in the Windows audio output settings.

So where is Capture's USB output being sent? -- what is going by default to each of the four return channels?

Sorry if I'm being dense. I have read the various manuals and explanations but don't yet understand how Capture interacts with USB returns. The Capture manual describes a Digital Return button, but that does not appear on my GUI; I think that is only enabled with certain mixers. Thanks for any further clues.

Returning Capture tracks straight back to the AR mixers is very limited, as you found out. The way I remember it only tracks 1&2 and the stereo main track can be returned to the mixer that way (with the stereo track going to usb 1&2). Don’t expect much more as for the AR mixers Capture is mostly just for recording.

Your options are
- to open the Capture session in Studio One, create a mix, and return that mix to the mixer, or
- to do the recording straight into Studio One, set up a mix, and return that to the mixer.

Capture is easier to work with, especially live, and demands less of your computer. Studio One is the option with the options, way more actually...

Right, I understand this, but what I’m not getting is what is sent to each stereo pair, and how to control it. I seem to be receiving only USB 3/4, not 1/2. This is just for convenience, to run the stereo Capture output back through the mixer to the monitors. (I use Studio One for actual mixing, but am planning just to use Capture for direct recording to minimize latency and fan noise issues. I’m recording onto a quiet laptop; then transferring the tracks to a larger system in another room for mixing.)

It used to be possible to move events around in Capture, by pulling them onto empty tracks. That way you should be able to figure out what goes where on the mixer. Note that usb/sd-card is or/or on the super channel so check the button.

Here's an update: on a hunch I used this mixer with Studio One, and magic! the playback comes through USB 1/2 and the Super Channel, as expected. So there is something odd about Capture 3 running in this configuration causing it to send output to USB 3/4; perhaps it was misconfigured by me or who knows why? I tried a range of different Windows sound configurations and other adjustments, but as I say it worked seamlessly and as expected with Studio One.