USB recording without sound from the Spark amp?
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When playing or recording using a USB connection, is there any way to make the Spark amp quiet and get the sound only from the computer's speakers? I haven't found a way so far.
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@bjornlq put a headphone plug into the headphone jack on the Spark. Don't wear the headphones. Or simply plug a headphone extension cable in that's not attached to any headphones.
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@bjornlq The USB level is independent of the Spark's own local volume, so if you don't want the Spark itself to make any noise, then simply turn-down both the "Output" and "Music Volume" knobs. The USB level to your computer will remain the same, although you can affect the preset's overall level fed to USB with the "Master" knob, since this is part of the virtual/mod amp. But as long as you don't touch the "Master" knob, the USB level to your computer should remain the same. The three volume/level knobs basically act like this:
- Output: Affects the physical Spark amp level, acting as the direct monitor (pre-USB/computer loop).
- Music Volume: Affects the physical Spark amp level, acting as the return monitor (post-USB/computer loop).
- Master: Affects the virtual/mod amp preset level, and thus affects all outputs the preset is fed to, whether the Spark's physical speakers/headphones or the USB/computer.
Incidentally, understanding this is relevant if you want to use your Spark as a makeshift, generic audio device (like PreSonus or Focusrite) for effects driven by DAW plugins, which can come-in handy if you don't have a regular audio device on-hand. I made a sort of "mock-FRFR" preset, in which I simply disabled everything in the preset, including the amp. Then while using this preset with the USB plugged-in, I started the BIAS-FX plugin inside my DAW, in which on the Spark:
- The "Output" knob is the direct/local monitor, and is thus completely clean/dry, and not as useful in this case (unless dealing with latency issues on the return monitor).
- The "Music Volume" knob is the return monitor, giving the full post-BIAS-FX tone, and effectively becomes the Spark's main volume.
- The "Master" knob (along with all the tone/effects knobs) is irrelevant, since the virtual/mod amp is disabled.
Even if you do have another audio device, I've found it kind of cool to be able to fairly seamlessly switch between the Spark's builtin tones/effects and desktop tones/effects like BIAS-FX2 and S-GEAR simply by hitting the first hardware preset (which I've changed to my "mock-FRFR" preset), and swapping the Output knob and Music Volume knob levels.
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Wow! Very interesting information.