UA Ox Box: Playing silently with headphones and backing track

slawler · December 2022

I am contemplating picking up a UA Ox Box and UA Apollo Twin Audio Interface.

My main reason is to play silently with headphones over backing tracks from YouTube/music on Spotify etc from my computer.

My question is:

Is this possible through headphones - I.e hear the backing track in headphones and then be able to hear the guitar at the same time?

Appreciate any help!

Musicwolf · December 2022

The short answer is Yes.

The long answer is to download the manual for both units, which should explain things better than I can, and come back if you have specific questions. I practice with backing tracks all of the time. In my case it's a Kemper or Helix into a Steinberg UR824 interface and the backing tracks are my own creation done in Cubase, but the principle is the same.

slawler · December 2022

Thank you.

I had a look at the manual and did a few Google searches but it wasn’t clear at all.

Some posts stated that you needed a mixer but others didn’t but I am sure some people on the forum must use a UA Box and UA Apollo Twin Audio Interface in this way.

I don’t want to go through the efforts of buying it to find out it’s not possible without further equipment.

Ideally I just want to fire up YouTube on my computer, put a backing track on and then be able to hear it through headphones plugged into the UA Ox Box with the guitar to play over it as well, which is connected to my tube amp.

If anyone has any specific experience using it in this way it would be very much appreciated.

Gilly · December 2022

slawler said:

Ideally I just want to fire up YouTube on my computer, put a backing track on and then be able to hear it through headphones plugged into the UA Ox Box with the guitar to play over it as well, which is connected to my tube amp.

I don’t think you can do this just with the Ox. If you plug the headphones into the Ox you will only hear the amp. From what I understand there is no aux in on the Ox. This is probably why some people suggest using a mixer.

However, if you’re also getting an Apollo Twin then you just connect the Ox to your computer using that and the headphones to the Apollo and then you’ll then be able to do what you’re wanting.

Musicwolf · December 2022

Gilly said:

However, if you’re also getting an Apollo Twin then you just connect the Ox to your computer using that and the headphones to the Apollo and then you’ll then be able to do what you’re wanting.

Yes, this exactly. The 'mixing' is all done within software.

lukedlb · December 2022

Yes, you can. I have the ox and an audio interface. The mixer is the interface in the computer so I balance my music app with the guitar input and play with my headphones.

Technically, you don’t need the ox. Instead, you can plug your guitar into your interface and use plug ins to get the sound you’re after. However, it won’t match the audio potential of the ox. If it’s just for practice, then it’s probably acceptable.
I would try with that first. Not happy, then get the ox. But the ox requires compromise too. You will never get close to the sound in the room. That said, my ox just impressed by 100% analogue mate who collects 60s Marshalls.
an extra step is get an app that splits your favourite songs into five tracks so that you can effectively eliminate the guitar and instead play it yourself. I did it with Red house by Hendrix and I sounded great.
Mac or pc?

slawler · December 2022

Great thank you.

I will be using with a mac.

TimmyO · December 2022

That’s a very expensive way to play to backing tracks in headphones.

Do you need hardware acceleration of UAD plugins?

slawler · December 2022

Well I want to use my tube amp in the house but also have the ability to silently, which I don’t have with the tube amp at the moment.

I currently have a Tone King Ironman Mini II and Apogee Duet 3 Audio Interface.

So I would likely sell these and pick up a UA Ox Box and UA Apollo Twin Audio Interface.

This setup will then allow me to attenuate the tube amp when not using headphones but also gives the flexibility for silent playing with headphones.

This seems to be the best option after researching online but I just wanted to make sure the use of backing tracks/songs from the computer work in the headphones when using the guitar through the UA Ox Box was an option with the setup.

joeW · December 2022

As mentioned before - this is pretty straight forward with the Ox and Apollo - just use your headphones as monitors from the Apollo and that's about it. I have a twin, X8 and an Ox and its super easy.

Personally, I love the OX for its ease of use without getting bogged down in the world of Vst's etc, and the reverb / compressor / delay that are on the OX are excellent.

Could you not achieve what you want with just the OX and your Duet - am not familiar with that interface

slawler · December 2022

I am not actually sure if this would work with the OX and Duet - if anyone knows that would be very much appreciated!

Winny_Pooh · December 2022

It's a lot of faff changing all that stuff around.

Have you considered using a modeller when it's time for headphones? You can also move around the house more easily. I hate having to switch on a laptop when doing practice so have a hardware modeller for night time and valve amps for the day.

To do what you want it's much simpler, you just need a modeller with 2 hardware loops and a phone/tablet for audio tracks eg:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/239333/jamming-along-to-tracks-with-headphones-on-a-gt-1000-core#latest

Boromedic · December 2022

Why not just buy a Suhr Reactive Load IR then you don't need an interface or computer? Can plug straight into that and use backing tracks via 3.5mm.

slawler · December 2022

I quite like the Ox for replacing the Ironman as it has the attenuator and the ability to play silently (although I appreciate the attenuator is not as good).

If I can keep the Apogee Duet 3 as the Audio Interface and replace the Ironman for the Ox Box that would be ideal.

the only question now is whether I could link the Ox to the Apogee Duet 3 and plug headphones into the Apogee Duet 3 for silent playing?

I already have the Apogee Duet connected to two studio monitors so I am not sure if this is possible.

lukedlb · December 2022

Does Apogee have an S/pdif input? Or two Line inputs is fine.

Seziertisch · December 2022

slawler said:

Well I want to use my tube amp in the house but also have the ability to silently, which I don’t have with the tube amp at the moment.

I currently have a Tone King Ironman Mini II and Apogee Duet 3 Audio Interface.

So I would likely sell these and pick up a UA Ox Box and UA Apollo Twin Audio Interface.

This setup will then allow me to attenuate the tube amp when not using headphones but also gives the flexibility for silent playing with headphones.

This seems to be the best option after researching online but I just wanted to make sure the use of backing tracks/songs from the computer work in the headphones when using the guitar through the UA Ox Box was an option with the setup.

Boss Waza Air plugged into the line output of the Tone King attenuator, using the Waza as an IR host and for streaming. For playing along with tracks the Waza Air is the best I have encountered, so much less faff than using an interface. Not having your head tethered to something makes for a much more enjoyable experience.

Musicwolf · December 2022

slawler said:

the only question now is whether I could link the Ox to the Apogee Duet 3 and plug headphones into the Apogee Duet 3 for silent playing?

Yes. Ox line out to Duet line in

I already have the Apogee Duet connected to two studio monitors so I am not sure if this is possible.

The monitors should be connected to the Duet's line outs. There is a seperate headphone socket on the Duet.

maharg101 · December 2022

You can certainly do this with the Ox, plus any audio interface and DAW software - I use Reaper. You'll have your backing track being played out through the interface plus the output from the Ox, having been mixed together in the DAW.

The beauty of the Ox for me lies in the massive number of great-sounding speaker cabinet / mic / eq-compressor-delay-mod-verb combinations that Just Work(TM). The same amp and guitar can sound quite different through different speaker / cabs. The philosophy seems to me to result in it being nigh on impossible to find a bad sound.

slawler · January 2023

What would the Ox be like compared to the Fryette Power Station2?

I understand that the attenuator is much better on the Fryette so would this be a better choice if I am not as interested in actually recording?

I also assume that I could use headphones still in the Apogee Duet 3 with the Fryette connected between the amp and Apogee Duet 3?

Squareheadedfreak · January 2023

slawler said:

Thank you.

I had a look at the manual and did a few Google searches but it wasn’t clear at all.

Some posts stated that you needed a mixer but others didn’t but I am sure some people on the forum must use a UA Box and UA Apollo Twin Audio Interface in this way.

I don’t want to go through the efforts of buying it to find out it’s not possible without further equipment.

Ideally I just want to fire up YouTube on my computer, put a backing track on and then be able to hear it through headphones plugged into the UA Ox Box with the guitar to play over it as well, which is connected to my tube amp.

If anyone has any specific experience using it in this way it would be very much appreciated.

I do the above just using a TAE waza, which has USB out to computer, then play along to yousician or youtubes using headphones, routing mu tube amps either through cabs, monitors or headphones, it does the job of a DAW too, wo you dont need that either.

Also has post power amp fx loop, so i have 4 tube amps and 4 heads routed inti a switcher into the TAE waza, then to computer. can have any amp/cab/combo I want then

slawler · January 2023

Musicwolf said:

slawler said:

the only question now is whether I could link the Ox to the Apogee Duet 3 and plug headphones into the Apogee Duet 3 for silent playing?

Yes. Ox line out to Duet line in

I already have the Apogee Duet connected to two studio monitors so I am not sure if this is possible.
The monitors should be connected to the Duet's line outs. There is a seperate headphone socket on the Duet.

Thanks for this.

I just picked up an Ox today off the forum and trying to wire it up.

So the monitors are currently connected to the two ‘line out’ ports on the Apogee Duet 3 breakout cable.

When you say connect the Ox line out to the Duet line in, do you mean to one of the two available ‘instrument in’ ports which accept a 1/4 cable or one of the mic/line in ports which only accept an xlr connection as I don’t have a 1/4 to xlr cable but can pick one up if needed?

I have attached links below to pictures showing the Ox connections and one showing the Apogee Duet 3 cable ports available:

Ox connections: https://imgur.com/a/wVIA7Ep

Apogee Duet 3 ports: https://imgur.com/a/rk9tass

Appreciate any help!

lukedlb · January 2023

Line in, I believe.

Musicwolf · January 2023

I'd agree, Line-in

slawler · January 2023

Musicwolf said:

I'd agree, Line-in

Apologies I might not have been clear…

The picture you have attached shows the ox to the Instrument in (which is an 1/4 port) and the two on the left of that are the Mic/Line in (which is an xlr port)

Wouldn’t the ox go into the xlr port as a line in rather than the instrument in?

I feel like a bit of a simpleton asking this but I am stumped!

lukedlb · January 2023

Instrument in.
being paranoid, I keep my ox hooked up to a cabinet just in case a family member twiddles with the output, even if I use it just for headphones.

lukedlb · January 2023

Next step is getting your head around the ox mixer. Just remember that you’re an engineer at a mixing desk, not a guitarist looking to get started and you might come out on top. This is not a plug and play affair but we can get you there together!

slawler · January 2023

Finally got my Ox set up but for some reason I can't get the line out to work with the Apogee Duet 3.

The wires are all set up correctly so I am not sure what I am doing wrong?

The speaker cabinet seems to work fine and the headphones also seem to work fine when plugged directly into the Ox.

However, I want to use my headphones plugged into the audio interface so I can hear backing tracks at the same time as the guitar. I also understood that I would be able to hear the sound through studio monitors if desired.

Anyone got any tips on what I could be doing incorrectly...

slawler · January 2023

Ignore me all sorted!

maharg101 · January 2023

slawler said:

Ignore me all sorted!

Nice - my main tip for Ox - keep the line out set under six. Have fun !

slawler · January 2023

maharg101 said:

slawler said:

Ignore me all sorted!

Nice - my main tip for Ox - keep the line out set under six. Have fun !

Thanks!

Do you know why this is?

Looks like I need to try and properly work out the audio interface mixer for the Apogee.

maharg101 · January 2023

Just that it tends to clip if you don't.

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UA Ox Box: Playing silently with headphones and backing track

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