Getting Started in the Grad Immersive Studio

This page will guide you through:

Setting up the mixer for listening
Setting up inputs for recording with the mixer
Opening quickstart templates for immersive listening.

Setting Up the Yamaha TF1 Mixer for Listening

Connecting Devices

Power on and connect to the mixer: Ensure the mixer is powered on. The power switch is located on the rear right side of the console.
Plug into your device: Connect the USB cable from the back of the mixer to your laptop or the studio Mac.
Configure audio settings: In your DAW or system audio settings, select Yamaha TF1 for input and output.
- No drivers are necessary - your device should automatically detect the mixer.
- Ensure your project is set to 48 kHz sample rate
  - In most DAWs, this is under your general audio settings. For Logic, you can find this under File > Project Settings > Audio
  - The console runs at a 48 kHz sample rate, so having a different setting can lead to audio glitching.

Choosing Your Speaker Setup (fig 1.1)

Select scene: On the mixer, click on the top right corner to see the scenes menu. Select your scene based on your desired listening setup. In general:
- For Stereo, select "stereo"
- For Ambisonics, select "ambi2try-withDCA"
- For 7.1.4 Atmos, select "7.1.4 atmos-itu"
- For 5.1 Atmos, select "5.1LRC LFE LS RS"
Recall scene: Click on "Recall" to load the scene onto the mixer.

Setting Up Faders to Control Volume (fig 1.2)

Load the custom fader bank: Under the "Fader Bank" panel, click on both "INPUT 2" and "OUTPUT" simultaneously.
- This should load a custom configuration for the faders designed to make it easier to adjust volumes of each channel:
  - Faders 1-12 correspond to each speaker. These faders are best left alone as these preset levels have been already calibrated.
  - Fader 16 is labelled "DCA 8". Use this to control overall volume.
You are ready to set up your DAW for listening!
- If you're just looking to listen to a single stereo track in surround sound, see quickstart templates below.

Fig 1.1 Configuring scenes on the mixer

Fig 1.2 Example custom fader bank.
Use the fader under channel 16 to adjust listening volume.

Setting Up Inputs for Recording

Connecting Inputs

Load input faders: Under the "Fader Bank" panel, click on the "INPUT 2" button.
- This will show channels 17-32, which correspond to inputs 1-16 on the back of the console.
Connect inputs: Plug your mic/instrument into the input ports in the back of the console.

Adjusting Inputs

Select input: Press a "SEL" button to select your desired input.

- For example, if you connect a microphone to input 1 on the back of the console, press "SEL" on channel 17.

Configure input: On the touch panel, press the top square (fig 2.1) to open your input settings.
- Adjust input volume by using the "A.Gain" slider, or turning the "TOUCH AND TURN" knob.
- Add phantom power by toggling the "+48V" button.
- You are ready to record!

Notes:

- The input channels will show up in your DAW as inputs 17-32.
- If you need to save new scenes, do so in an open, unlabeled slot. Do not overwrite any locked scenes.

Fig 2.1 Selecting your input

Fig 2.2 Input configuration menu

QuickStart Templates for Immersive Audio in Reaper, Logic and Ableton

If you'd simply like to listen to a stereo track in immersive audio...

We've saved templates for Reaper, Logic and Ableton to encode stereo tracks for listening in Ambisonics or 7.1.4.
These templates are saved on the studio Mac.

If you'd like to set your own encoder and decoder up, or set up your personal laptop, a more comprehensive guide for each DAW can be found here.

Reaper

Once you've opened Reaper, click on:
- File > Project Templates > Ambisonics Listening (Stereo Encoder)
Replace the track in "Audio Source" with a track of your choosing.
Use the Stereo Encoder popup to pan your track around in 3D (fig 3.1). If it doesn't appear automatically, navigate to the "FX" button for "Audio Source" on the track control panel (left pane).
Happy listening!

Fig 3.1 Stereo Encoder

Logic

For Logic, navigate to the "My Templates" on the sidebar of the "Choose a Project" page (fig 3.2)
Select and open "7.1.4 Listening".
- Ensure the following settings are automatically selected under the "Details" menu
- "Yamaha TF" is selected as the input/output device
- "Dolby Atmos" is selected as Spatial Audio setting
- Surround format is 7.1 or 7.1.2
Replace the track in "Audio Source" with a track of your choosing.
Use the 3D Object Panner popup to pan in 3D. If it doesn't appear automatically, double click on the panning square next the the track's fader.
Happy listening!

Fig 3.2 Project Menu

Ableton

For Ableton, navigate to the Places > User Library > Templates and open "7.1.4 Listening.als" (fig 3.3)
Replace the track in "Audio Source" with a track of your choosing.
Use the E4L Stereo Panner on the Audio Source track to pan.
Happy listening!

Fig 3.3 Finding the template

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