How to optimize workflow for VSX and Speakers in Ableton Live

How to optimize workflow for VSX and Speakers in Ableton Live



1. Add an "Audio Effect Rack" plugin to the Master track. 
2. Drag VSX into the Audio Effect Rack.
3. Right click the Effect Rack and create a blank "Chain" for the Main output to pass through. 

4. Add "External FX" plugin onto the VSX plugin and route the audio to the Headphone Mix Input of the users Audio Interface. 
5. Mute the VSX output in the Effect Rack. 
6. Save the Plugin as Default preset so it can easily be added onto more sessions next time.  

7. Set Headphone input of Audio Interface application to listen to the dedicated VSX send from the DAW. 

Here is another way to create a Mix Bus Headphone Send with a Group Fader. 

1. Create an Audio Track for the Master FX return and send all FX to that audio track. Then set the Monitor setting to "IN" and turn up the send A for the VSX.
   
2. Create a Group Track "Mix Bus" of all the Audio Tracks and the master FX.
   
   
   
3. Create a Return track called "VSX" and instantiate VSX on this return track then send the output of this return to Output 3-4 or whatever input the Audio Interface uses for the Headphone Mix
   next turn up the send on the Mix Bus Group to this "VSX" Return track. Users will also need to set this send to "pre" fader so the master volume of the group/bus doesn't effect the volume going to the headphones. 
   
   
   
   
4. Route Output to the Headphone output of the Audio Interface. 
5. VRS8: https://slatedigital.com/vrs-support/
   Apollo:  https://www.sweetwater.com/sweetcare/articles/universal-audio-sending-audio-to-apollo-headphones-with-console/
   Focusrite: https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207546805-How-do-the-headphone-outputs-work-on-the-Scarlett-18i20-
   Apogee: https://knowledgebase.apogeedigital.com/ensemble/ensemble-routing/
   Presonus: https://answers.presonus.com/22686/setup-extra-headphone-from-line-outputs-quantum-interface
6. Now the speaker outputs will be "clean" and not have the VSX room models on it while the headphones will always have VSX sounds making it very easy to switch between Speakers and Headphones. All mastering effects should be done on the MixBus/Group track so that the users are hearing the final master through the VSX plugin. If more plugins are added to the Master fader then these will not be heard through the VSX plugin return track.