Tell me your experiences with 11 Rack as recording interface

[Gasp100]

Not many people discuss the 11 Rack as their primary recording interface (for audio and midi). If I recall the 11 Rack only has one xlr input (for a mic), has phantom power and also allows line input? My question is:
How do you setup the "patch" if you want to record a straight up mic or line inputs?
Say for example I have a guitar patch setup and I want guitar to record directly into Reaper on Track #1. It has an amp/cab, FX, etc...
At the SAME TIME I want to record live vocals OR a synth OR even another guitarist coming in from a POD or something?
Is this possible?
If not, do you have to have a patch selected and just blank it out (no amp/cab/sims/FX) just to get direct feed from your mic or your line inputs?
I feel like when I had my 11 Rack(s) the direct guitar tones were pretty good and of course, it was utterly simple to record guitar through the device.
HOWEVER, I remember testing some stuff connected line in and my results were not good at all.
Please explain!

[mouzer]

I user my 11r as an interface all the time, and it's awesome. I do use ProTools so the interface is integrated a bit better than Reaper, but I assume the I/O shows up all the same.

The interface has separate inputs for the dry guitar in, XLR in, Rig L/R, Line in L/R, and Digital L/R...so it would be extremely easy to record DI guitar (both dry and Rig'd), XLR in, and another stereo or two mono sources.

I use my XLR and the Line Ins in on a pretty regular basis and have gotten really good results.

[Gasp100]

Okay cool, but do you need to do ANYTHING on the 11 Rack interface itself when you are prepping to record XLR or other sources like change the RIG settings?
If not maybe it's a little different in Reaper than using Pro Tools. Might have to scope that out.

[mouzer]

Nope! It's extremely easy with ProTools, give it a try!

[pulverizer]

Woops sorry I mis-read.

[Chris Beaver]

i have a few issues using eleven rack with cubase. Ive set up all the in and outputs ok no problems there however if i use the line in/mic,, well,, anything other than eleven rack wet guitar out. the only way i can hear the source signal is by engaging the monitor button on cubase. this is kinda bad because if you monitor like that it passes through the buffer and unless your buffer is low there will be lag. Now the way i run my projects i have different buffers sizes for different tasks. source signals should not work this way no other soundcard ive had works like this. this seems crazy as i merely want to hear the source signal I'm putting through the line input without having to engage the cubase monitor.

it would be nice if avid made a simple mixer app to set different things up as you need them like most if not all other soundcards have already, or at least put a mixer into the rack itself. i doubt its like this in protools but ive no interest in protools. i love the product don't get me wrong I'm just unhappy with its usefulness for anything other than guitars

[Gasp100]

Argh.... well, I might have a hard time accepting PTLE as my recording software. And I don't want to have to keep my existing audio interface (Focusrite Saffire Pro 24, really nice unit) if I'm investing back into an Eleven Rack (mainly for home recording usage).
So basically you are saying to monitoring doesn't work as expected unless you are using PTLE?

[Chris Beaver]

.
So basically you are saying to monitoring doesn't work as expected unless you are using PTLE?

yes that's exactly my problem with it. lets say you want to record keys from a hardware keyboard. yet you need a big buffer because your running around 100 tracks with loads of plugs and need the cpu power, well you simply cant monitor it directly like you could with any other soundcard its a pain in the arse. you would have to hear it through the buffer which will obviously have lagg which for me makes it a poor sound card that's fantastic at tracking guitars and playing back projects only

[frankencat]

"100 tracks with loads of plugs". :huh

[Chadley]

I wouldn't recommend the 11R as an interface for anyone who is wanting to do anything serious with a DAW unless you only used Pro Tools. For the guitar hobbyist it is great. I use it to track guitar stuff in pro tools and it is awesome for that. I have been running into issues when I want to use it with Logic or Digital Performer though. The issue is mostly because the only way to monitor without latency is using the Low Latency Mode in Pro Tools. Most other interfaces (like my MOTU 896mk3) have their own mix engine built into the card that allows for latency free monitored independent of whichever DAW you are using.

[lspaulsp]

OK, 11-R $800 with PTLE.
The rest gets expensive unless you have the funds. Just getting mine sorted out.
I like it after I got it lined out on my Windows 7 machine. People at GP helped a lot. Sweetwater and Avid too. Read everything you can find. The GearSluts page helped too.
Get a new USB cable I'm the third person I've found that got a bad cable that came with the 11R.
It's worth it for me as a simple project tool that sounds good live too.

[vinceh]

Didn't you already own an Eleven Rack and about 2 or 3 Axe-Fx's? Or am I mixing you up with someone else?

[mouzer]

yes that's exactly my problem with it. lets say you want to record keys from a hardware keyboard. yet you need a big buffer because your running around 100 tracks with loads of plugs and need the cpu power, well you simply cant monitor it directly

Chris-

Are you using PT? Have you tried using Low Latency Monitoring? I think that may do the trick for you...