Using Apollo Twin as a System Mic While Hi-Z Input is Occupying Line 1

[sawyers]

Hi there,

I've been using my studio space as my workstation space for a while now, and my mic (routed through my apollo) has been a key pillar for conference calls, etc.

Now have recently bought an electric guitar, and keep it plugged in to the hi-z input slot for most of the day (overriding the line 1 channel).

Unfortunately, MacOS distills the entire apollo input structure down to line 1, and can't be budged. Meaning it is feeding in the overrided hi-z signal from my guitar into my system mic if i select the apollo (not ideal for calls haha).

I've seen some people routing the output to be the line 1 input, and all of this funky I/O stuff which doesn't really feel like an ideal solution to me. I also don't think I/O routing settings do anything for line 1 when there is an actual hi-z input plugged in there. Seems to override that section.

What I would see as an elegant solution is to permanently have my mic situated on Line 2, and leave Line 1 clear for Hi-Z instrumentation or another mic if needed. I just need to figure out how to route that to my computer's system audio. I'm thinking maybe there is some ASIO driver or something that I can add to my mac, that essentially just takes the Line 2 signal from my mic and makes that another virtual "mic" that is passing that signal through? That must be a thing right?

Thanks for your help!

 

[sawyers]

Solved:

Plugged this forum post into chatgpt and got this response... now using loopback seamlessly. Long live the internet.

"It sounds like you're facing a common issue with the Universal Audio Apollo Twin, where the Hi-Z input on Line 1 is automatically assigned as the default input when an instrument is plugged in, and this is causing conflicts when you want to use your microphone for calls or other purposes. You're looking for a way to permanently have your microphone on Line 2 and find a solution to route that to your computer's system audio.

Here are a few potential solutions you can consider:

1. ASIO Driver (macOS Equivalent): While ASIO is primarily a Windows technology, macOS has its own low-latency audio framework called Core Audio. You can explore using a third-party virtual audio routing application like Soundflower or Loopback to create a virtual audio device that combines Line 2 (your microphone input) with your computer's system audio. This way, you can route your microphone to Line 2 and still have it accessible for calls and other applications.
2. Console Software Routing: Universal Audio's Console software, which comes with your Apollo Twin, allows for extensive routing capabilities. You can try configuring the routing within the Console software itself. For example, you can set up a mixer channel that combines Line 2 (your microphone) with the Hi-Z input (guitar) and then route this combined signal to your computer. It might take some experimentation, but it could be a more elegant solution without the need for additional software.
3. Dedicated Preamp: Another option is to use a dedicated microphone preamp connected to Line 2. This way, you can leave Line 1 exclusively for your guitar and Line 2 for your microphone. The preamp would handle your microphone input, and you can route the output of the preamp to your computer as needed. This can provide more control and flexibility in managing your inputs.
4. Contact Universal Audio Support: Reach out to Universal Audio's customer support for guidance. They might have specific recommendations or firmware/software updates that can help address your issue. They could also provide insights into any recent developments or solutions that could resolve the problem.

Remember that software and hardware configurations can vary, so it might take some trial and error to find the best solution for your specific setup. Always make sure to back up your settings and configurations before making significant changes to avoid any unexpected issues."