Sonarworks Systemwide Takes Control over complete Interface?

Steffen Flach

Updated July 03, 2020 13:14

May 05, 2020 13:43

Hello,

couldn't find a good answer on the forums so I thought I try to describe it here:

I recently switched to a MOTU 896mk3 interface and am shocked that if I use the Sonarworks Systemwide Software (ref 4) I can not use any of my digital outputs anymore. I have routed my audio-stream coming from the MAC to my digital input, so I can monitor and adjust volume via the cuemix software. The problem is, reference 4 disables all outputs and takes over control so I can neither send the audio stream to headphone out, nor control the volume or see it among the meters anymore. I thought of reference 4 to be a "plugin" that sits on the main two output channels, not dictating how I have to route my system?

I am really not trying to go around anything here and I reckon the software is 2 channel only and stuff. But I need to be able to use my interface normally and listen to the browser/system sounds without having to disable reference software systemwide, right?

Looking forward for an answer since this is really limiting my capabilites to only using reference 4 within a daw and this makes it complete useless for checking referential mixes from online or hard disk...

Best regards
Steffen

Kristiāns July 03, 2020 13:14

Hey Steffen,

The Reference 4 software consists of two main elements - Systemwide and the plug-in.
While the plug-in would only apply calibration to the track it has been inserted on, Systemwide works as a virtual output device and will generally process all other system audio unless it is routed to a different device.

The default output takeover feature can be disabled in the Systemwide audio settings.
This article explains how Reference 4 Systemwide default output takeover and output device switching works -
https://support.sonarworks.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007795280-Default-Output-Device-output-selection-logic-in-Systemwide-app

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