Hi,

I’d like to know if it is possible to use another audio interface with MLan successfully.

Currently, I am using DSP based software instruments and was thinking of integrating a tone generator but not the old fashioned type that make you have an audio interface; rather I like the idea of MLan but need to know exactly how flexible it is in terms of routing.

From other posts I gather that regarding XS Rack, you can have up to 14 mono + 2 stereo all going to the assignable outputs and main stereo outs respectively, or all going to stereo, however another combination exists I believe and that is to send back 3x stereo/mono combination (6 mono in total) back to the computer, which I am hoping I can then go to another interface, ie does MLan ASIO take over the whole system?

Thank you

From other posts I gather that regarding XS Rack, you can have up to 14 mono + 2 stereo all going to the assignable outputs and main stereo outs respectively, or all going to stereo, however another combination exists I believe and that is to send back 3x stereo/mono combination (6 mono in total) back to the computer, which I am hoping I can then go to another interface, ie does MLan ASIO take over the whole system?

No… you have the routing thing a bit confused.

If you add an mLAN16E2 to your Motif-Rack XS, what you are doing is making available digital audio transfers from the Rack XS to your computer. There are 16 Output buses on which to send audio to the computer: The Main stereo output (L/R) plus 14 assignable outputs… which can be configured, as necessary, in odd/even pairings or as mono sends. A total of 16 simultaneous outputs.

For example, you might want to send your drums to individual outputs when doing a recording session in your computer:
Kick = 1
Snare = 2
Toms = 3/4
Cymbals = 5/6
Hihat = 7
Cowbell = 8

You might also want to isolate your other rhythm section instruments:
Bass = 9
Guitar = 10
Piano = 11/12

You might want to have separate tracks on your sweetening:
Strings 13/14
Brass 13/14
Pads 13/14

The rest of the PARTS might simply be fine in the main L/R outputs:
Percussion = L/R
Miscellaneous = L/R

The routing of Instruments to individual outputs means you can isolate them in your DAW and further process them with VST Effects, etc. You have the flexibility, as outlined above, to completely isolate PARTS or combine them as they make sense for your particular project. Clock synchronization, means you do not have to do everything in one pass, you can do as many passes as your creativity requires. So if you want to build up scores and scores of tracks, reusing your synthesizer, of course, you can.

The thing to realize is you do not HAVE to isolate every PART on its own audio track when working with an external DAW, but you can, if you wish. Generally, you isolate a PART when you wish to process it outside of the Motif-Rack XS - perhaps you have some special VST plug-in Effect you want to use to enhance the sound beyond what you can do just in the Motif-Rack XS.

You have great flexibility when it comes to routing either individual drums, or instrument PARTS to outputs using this system.

The Motif-Rack XS does not have an analog audio in (as the Motif XS keyboard version does) so if you have a requirement where you need to use an additional audio interface to plug in analog gear you can get a compatible rack mount I/O - you need one that can operate on the same driver - one that uses the same driver as your Motif-Rack XS… namely the Steinberg MR816X or the MR816CSX.

Motif-Rack XS + MR816: This combination would give you 32 audio buses. The MR816 provides 8 analog inputs plus 8 ADAT inputs (you can also reallocate 2 of the ADAT channels as SP/DIF, if required)… Both units use the same Yamaha Steinberg FW Driver and can co-exist on the same computer at the same time. (in fact you even add a third device… a second Motif XS, if you require more simultaneous synth power; or a second MR816, if you require more audio inputs.

The driver is not “mLAN ASIO” - which was for the ES-series synthesizers, i88X, 0-series (01X, 01V96, 02R96) and DM-series (DM1000/2000) mixing consoles - The driver to run the Motif-Rack XS w/mLAN16E2 and the Steinberg MR-series I/O’s is called the Yamaha Steinberg Firewire Driver.

Using the Steinberg MR816CSX + Motif XS/Motif-Rack XS with mLAN16E2

With such a system - either the Motif-Rack XS and/or the MR816 can act as the audio interface - meaning you can connect speakers to either or both. In fact the MR816 is fully capable of doing a surround sound setting.

You can setup multiple monitors (if you have that type of studio) so you can mix through different pairs of monitors when required.

The DAW output (basically, the audio being sent back from the computer) can be routed to multiple destinations, you can select which ones you wish to monitor. The Motif-Rack XS has 3 pair of audio returns:
send signal to the MAIN L/R outputs
send signal to the ASSIGNABLE L/R outputs
send signal to the internal Rack XS mixer

The MR816 has 16 audio returns
8 send to analog outputs (and can feed pairs of speakers or a 5.1 Surround Sound situation)
8 send to ADAT (two of these can reallocated to accommodate SP/DIF output)

Steinberg MR816X (includes Yamaha REV-X reverb)
Steinberg MR816CSX (includes Yamaha Channel Strip (Digital EQ/SweetSpot Morphing Compressors + REV-X reverb)

A great response and great info!  I’m still a bit confused...does this mean that if I’m currently using my Motif as my interface that I can ONLY use a Steinberg MR816 at the same time?  I’m wanting to buy an interface for additional audio inputs and mic preamps that the XS does not have.

Is this the only option that will work with the YSFW?  I was hoping I could buy something from Presonus or M-audio that would work with my setup.  How about adding a USB interface instead of another Firewire connection?

Thanks

A great response and great info!  I’m still a bit confused...does this mean that if I’m currently using my Motif as my interface that I can ONLY use a Steinberg MR816 at the same time?  I’m wanting to buy an interface for additional audio inputs and mic preamps that the XS does not have.
Is this the only option that will work with the YSFW?  I was hoping I could buy something from Presonus or M-audio that would work with my setup.  How about adding a USB interface instead of another Firewire connection?

No, the Steinberg MR units are not the only option. Current situation is that computer software doing audio recording likes to use a single driver - so that you get consistent results. Most DAW software requires you select a single driver for this purpose.

The Motif-Rack XS w/mLAN16E2 uses the Yamaha Steinberg FW driver, the other audio devices that do include the two Steinberg MR816 units, and the two Yamaha Digital Mixing Studio consoles (n8/n12).

The MR are rack mount units while the N-Series are mixing desks

Using a USB connection for audio certainly is a possibility but again it comes down to having to select one or the other within the DAW application. Most USB-to-computer audio connections are stereo only (be forewarned) and may not be what you are looking for. The YSFW driver is multiple channel audio interface… this means you can send up to 16 discreet audio buses at a time.

To break that down further: USB-AUDIO typically is a 2 bus connection. 2 buses can handle a maximum stereo signal. The MR-units for example, are 16-in/16-out. They have 8 analog inputs and 8 ADAT inputs (two of the ADAT inputs can be reallocated for SP/DIF)… so you can send 16 discreet audio channels OUT to your DAW.
The n8 has 8 analog inputs: 4 mono and 2 stereo channels
the n12 has 12 analog inputs: 8 mono and 2 stereo channels

They both feature (2) stereo 2 Track inputs… making the n8 a 12-in/12-out mixer and making the n12 a 16-in/16-out mixer.

USB-AUDIO connections (as far as I know) are basically going to be: everything coming in goes out in stereo… so if multiple tracking to discreet (individual) audio tracks is your goal, you will probably want to avoid USB-AUDIO

Don’t feel defeated (necessarily) you have to really sit and think about how you are going to record… that is, what items are you going to be recording at the same time.

Multi-track recording (let’s all thank Mr. Les Paul) allows you to record some things and then overdub others. So for example, if you are using your Motif-Rack XS to generate your basic music tracks, you can record and commit them to audio tracks in your DAW using the YSFW driver, then you can switch drivers when you need to add inputs from another source.

If you do require everything at the same time, it is simply wise to use solutions that let you access the same driver simultaneously.

Hope that helps.

Yes, that helps a lot!

Thanks again for your input.