Hello Dan,
[Topic moved here.]
To add to Grant's reply (thanks, Grant), in order to have the choice of routing any given rank either to a 'front' stereo pair of speakers, or to a 'rear' stereo pair of speakers (which is how surround sample sets would usually be configured), first of all you need to have an audio interface that has at least four independently-routable analogue audio output channels (two to connect to your 'front' pair of speakers, and two to connect to your 'rear' pair).
Your M-Audio 2496 interface only has two analogue output channels (
http://www.m-audio.com/products/view/audiophile-2496 ), but it does also have a digital output, which I think I recall can be routed independently, so you could potentially buy a small DAC to convert its digital output to an extra pair of analogue output channels. However, the simpler alternative might be to get a new audio interface that has at least four analogue outputs. For example, M-Audio's 1010LT had eight analogue outputs and worked well (I used to have one), but M-Audio no longer officially support either the 2496 or the 1010LT for current operating systems. There are plenty of current audio interface models that have at least four independent analogue outputs from companies such as MOTU, RME, Focusrite, Presonus and M-Audio.
Once you have a suitable audio interface:
Have a read through the '
Audio routing and multi-channel audio' section in the guide (pages 164-168 in the current v4.2.1 version) for an overview of how audio is routed within Hauptwerk. Basically (with the Hauptwerk Advanced Edition), you would just need to:
- Make sure that the amplifier(s)/speakers for your front stereo pair of speakers are connected to analogue outputs 1+2 on your audio interface, and that those for your rear stereo pair of speakers are connected to analogue outputs 3+4 on your audio interface.
- Go to the '
General settings | Audio output groups' screen. Insert a new entry named (for example) '
Rear stereo output'. OK the screen, and just acknowledge the warning about the group being empty currently.
- Go to the '
General settings | Audio outputs' screen. Make sure that your audio interface's ASIO driver is selected as the audio output device for the existing entry, with its analogue output 1+2 device channels selected. Insert a new entry named (for example) '
Rear stereo output', select your audio interface's ASIO driver as the audio device for it, with its analogue output 3+4 device channels selected. Keep all of the outputs set to stereo (not mono). On the 'Routing' tab, select '
Rear stereo output' as the audio output group for the '
Rear stereo output' entry, and '
Main output' as the group for the '
Main output' entry. Doing so places the outputs in their appropriate groups. OK the screen. You shouldn't get any warning this time, if the settings have been configured correctly.
- Load the organ using '
Organ | Load organ, adjusting rank audio/memory options/routing'. Highlight all of the 'rear' ranks in the left-hand browse list, then select '
Rear stereo output' as the their audio output group. Doing so routes them to that group, and thus also to the (only) audio output which is within it, i.e. the '
Rear stereo output' audio output (configured above as audio interface channels 3+4). Check that your 'front' ranks are (still) routed to the '
Main output' group (for audio interface channels 1+2). OK the screen.
Best regards, Martin.
Hauptwerk software designer/developer, Milan Digital Audio.