Today we will be looking at the Audio Loop-back feature on the Audient iD4 audio interface,
when you’d use it, and how it works.
Audio Loop-back enables you to record your computer audio
alongside your microphone in your audio software.
Imagine plugging a cable from one of the outputs and bringing it straight back into the input
so you could record the audio from your computer.
This is exactly what Audio Loop-back is doing, but it all happens internally,
without the need for cables, and while still allowing you to use your mic input for recording.
Using Audio Loop-back, you can record your computer's audio on separate channels to your
microphone, or alternatively you can combine your computer audio with your mic audio into a
single channel to send to a stream, or software that only accepts one audio input at a time.
So how does it work on iD4? When you select your inputs in your audio software,
you will actually notice that there are four inputs listed
instead of the two you would expect for your mic and instrument input.
Channels 3+4 are actually your Loop-back inputs,
virtual inputs that we use to record your computer audio.
You are able to control exactly what is sent to the Loop-back
inputs using the dedicated Audio Loop-back Mixer.
To access the Loop-back Mixer, make sure the iD app is running,
then press the iD logo in the menu bar on a Mac, or right click on the iD
icon in the System tray on Windows. Find the Show Loop-back Mixer menu item and click it.
Here is the Audio Loop-back Mixer. Essentially, when you turn up any of the channels, it will
be sent through to the Loop-back inputs, and you will be able to access the audio from software.
First, you have the input channels, which control the level of your microphone or instrument inputs,
these are the physical inputs on your audio interface.
Next you have the Main Outputs, this is the default output of your computer,
any audio coming through the computer will appear here.
Then you have Loop-back 1+2. These are virtual outputs that you can send audio to.
To send audio to this output, you either do it in the specific application
by selecting iD4 Outputs 3+4 or Loop-back 1+2 as the outputs.
Or alternatively, you need to change your computer’s default audio output
to the iD4 loop-back outputs so that everything on your computer
is sent to these. I’ll show you how to do this in a second.
So let’s look at how you can use the Loop-back mixer in a few different examples.
Firstly lets look at how you would use it to record some computer audio alongside
your microphone on separate channels in some audio software. This would work whether trying
to record game or video audio for commentary, or for recording conversations for remote interviews.
Lets go into the audio software and get that set up.
In this example we are using Cubase LE which comes free with iD4 when you register it,
however other audio software will have a similar setup process.
Create a mono track for your microphone, making sure to set the input to Input 1,
then create a stereo channel for your computer audio, setting the inputs to input 3+4.
This channel will now pick up anything on the Loop-back Inputs,
and anything that is turned up in the Loop-back Mixer.
As you can see in the Loop-back mixer, we have audio visible on the Mic input,
and the Main Outputs.
In this example we want to make sure the Mic and computer audio are recorded separately,
so we ensure that the mic channels are turned down, and that the computer audio channel
is turned up. You can Hold Alt or Option and click on the fader to easily bring it up to 0.
Now you can see that we have signal in the Computer Audio channel in Cubase,
and we can go ahead and record it alongside our microphone.
In this example however, you will need to ensure that you aren’t listening back to your audio in
your audio software, as currently the output of Cubase is being sent your main computer outputs,
which is being looped back into Cubase, therefore creating a feedback loop.
So your options here are to either just ensure that you aren’t monitoring any channels in the DAW
and make sure you use the direct monitoring on iD4 to listen to your mic,
or alternatively, by sending audio to the loop-back outputs,
or even setting your computer’s default output to the Loop-back channels,
you can have your DAW send audio to your regular outputs, and listen as normal.
Some applications will let you change the audio output, if you have this option, then change the
output to iD4 output 3+4. This might be displayed as iD4 Loop-back 1+2 depending on the software.
Now any audio from that application will come into the Loop-back 1+2 channels in the Loop-back Mixer,
so just ensure that is turned up, and Computer 1+2 is turned down, and you are ready to go.
If you can’t change the audio output of the application individually,
then you can just change the default audio output of your whole computer to the Loop-back Output.
On a Mac, you need to open Audio MIDI Setup, so go to finder and click Applications,
go to Utilities, and then Audio MIDI Setup. Select iD4 from the list of devices and select Configure
Speakers, and then set your left and right output to Loop-back 1 (L) and Loop-back 2 (R).
If you’re on Windows, go to Settings,
then System, then go to the Sound tab and change your output settings to Loop-back 1+2.
So now any audio from your computer will be sent to the Loop-back 1+2 channels in the
Loop-back mixer, so again, you can ensure the Loop-back 1+2 channel is turned up,
and record it into your DAW, without worrying about feedback if you want to monitor your audio.
The second example for using Loop-back is combining your mic and computer audio into a
single stereo feed, perfect for sending out to a stream, or recording audio on software that only
allows one audio input. This is done, simply by turning up both the mic fader and computer
or loop-back channel fader, and balancing them until you are happy with the way they sound.
You will then be able to access the combined audio by selecting iD4 inputs 3+4
in your audio or streaming software. It is worth noting that not all streaming software
allows you to select different inputs so please check in your software’s manual.
Hopefully this has given you an idea of what is possible with the Audio Loop-back feature on iD4
and that you will enjoy using it for whatever you are working on.
If you have any questions about how Audio Loop-back works or about iD4
in general then please leave a comment or get in touch with our support team,
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