How to set up a live synth multitrack recording session with the Steinberg AXR4

Steinberg isn’t messing about with its new AXR4 audio interface: it’s a 28-in/24-out Thunderbolt device that offers latency-free DSP-powered monitoring and effects, stacks of I/O and plenty of routing flexibility.

To demonstrate the power and flexibility of the AXR4 in a practical studio scenario, we’re going to hook up and record a live studio jam session using a multi-output drum machine and hardware synths, all running in real-time.

In this five-part series, we explore the I/O, routing options, onboard DSP and Rupert Neve Designs-powered Silk preamps.

Chapter 1: Basic setup

Chapter 2: Hybrid mic preamps

Cpater 3: dspMixFX AXR DSP mixing

Chapter 4: Yamaha DSP effects

Chapter 5: Live jam session

Steinberg AXR4 specs

• 12 physical inputs – four Neutrik combo inputs on the front, featuring Rupert Neve Designs-powered SILK preamps; and eight TRS line inputs on the rear  
• Eight physical TRS line outputs
• Two independent headphone outputs
• Two pairs of ADAT I/O doubling as S/PDIF for 16 additional channels of connectivity; the second also handling AES/SBU Sub-D
• Word clock, introducing SSPLL, Steinberg’s latest jitter-reduction technology 
• MIDI In and Out
• 32-bit integer resolution and up to 384 kHz recording and playback
• dspMixFX AXR software with 28x24 matrix mixer
• Latency-free DSP-powered monitoring with high-quality Yamaha plugins for real-time monitoring and processing 
• Daisy-chaining of up to three devices
• And Steinberg’s Cubase AI DAW, which is capable of 32-bit integer recording

Find out more about the AXR audio interface on the Steinberg website now.