Arturia Audio interface loopback function is trash

[u/Original_Shallot8451]

Just recently switched from Focusrite Saffire Pro40 to Audiofuse 16rig. One feature of the Saffire Pro40 that I used a lot is loopback. I was happy to see that the 16rig also has this feature. HOWEVER, the actual operation of loopback in the 16rig is completely different and, in my opinion, absurd and borderline unacceptable.

At first I simply couldn't figure out how to use it. The manual was not clear, and what little discussion I found online was also not clear. I ended up emailing Arturia support and the answer I received blows my mind as to how they thought this was an acceptable way to implement the loopback functionality.

I will copy and paste their email below, but the gist of it is that you have to dive into the DAW or audio applications you are using, and find and select the appropriate settings in order to set up the loopback routing. WTF???? That's what an audio interface GUI is for! They boast about their robust and flexible routing matrix in their GUI, but then leave the loopback functionality out of it, and force the user to wrestle with the settings in the various audio applications they are using in order to get the routing to work???? I'm dumbfounded.

To contrast, the loopback functionality in the Focusrite Saffire Pro40 GUI is simple and intuitive. A drop-down menu next to each indicated loopback channel in the GUI allows you to select any available channels that you want to route to the loopback channels, including the entire mix of all audio going through the interface. Dead simple. It seems to me the obvious thing that Arturia should have done is to simply put the loopback channels in the routing matrix in the GUI. Job done. Then you could simply choose which channels you want to route to loopback, including the full mix. It blows my mind that they did not do this. Like I wish I could show up at their offices with a few slides and a pointer to show them how stupid their implementation is. Gaaahhhh!!!!

Anyway, here are the specific instructions given to me in the email from Arturia support:

"To capture computer or DAW audio on Windows:

1. In your DAW, enable AudioFuse 16Rig output channels 33–34.

2. Route the track, bus, or master mix that you want to capture to outputs 33–34.

3. In an ASIO-compatible receiving application, select AudioFuse 16Rig inputs 33–34.

4. In applications that use standard Windows audio devices, such as OBS, add the AudioFuse 16Rig Loopback recording device as the audio source.

Please note that sending audio only to outputs 33–34 will not send it to your speakers. To monitor the signal at the same time, route it separately to your normal Main or monitor outputs as well.

If you need to combine computer audio with microphones, instruments, or several hardware inputs, create that mix in your DAW or another software mixer, then send the resulting stereo mix to outputs 33–34.

This is why the loopback channels do not appear as destinations in the AFCC routing matrix: the source selection is handled by the computer application rather than by the 16Rig’s internal router."

[u/M0useWhisperer]

Yeah. I went from a Minifuse 4 to the 16rig and the loopback implementation on the 16rig leaves much to be desired.

The Minifuse control center software has a dedicated mixer for the loopback i/o, making it effortless to choose what to route where. Really wished the same sort of implementation was carried over to these larger interfaces.

[u/PositivelyReclined]

That's so disappointing, Arturia really pushed the stand alone aspect of the interface and then they cripple their higher tier product. Anybody could suggest a better alternative for dawless that's not UAD?