Using VCV Plugin in Ableton with ES-9

Sorry if this has been covered before, but is this even possible? In stand alone mode it’s so easy but when using VCV rack in Ableton you can only use DAW audio as if you change to “core audio” you don’t get any sound and Ableton crashes after a few seconds.

I’ve tried every routing possibility in terms of trying work arounds but I just can’t figure it out. Has anybody successfully managed this?

I’m using an M2 Max Studio for all it’s worth but I don’t think that’s anything to do with it.

Thanks in advance to any kind soul who can help!!

Are you using the VST or AU plugin? I’m mainly working in Bitwig these days, but in my experience VST works as expected while AU has issues with selecting multiple sound cards.

Are you saying that it’s possible to use 2 different sound cards in VCV-2 (pro)? I am having a hard time using VCV rack in Studio-One and trying to use my ExpertSleepers ES-9. It’s very confusing to me; I saw so many conflicting posts about this.

Thanks, Robert

For me personally on Mac using Bitwig / Ableton VST, I can have my DAW address my UAD Apollo and have the audio device inside the VCV plugin address the ES-9.

Which is usually my preferred way of doing things, basically treating VCV and the hardware modular as one entity within my DAW project. I will sometimes switch to an aggregate device for convenience when recording from the modular, but you can just as easily route the audio from the plugin.

As far as I know the standalone vcv app can also address different sound cards by adding multiple audio devices.

The main thing to watch out for in my experience is that you’re using the VST or CLAP plugin and not the AU, which doesn’t support this to the same extent.

I hope that makes sense - not pretending to be any kind of expert, just my own experience.

For me it works on Windows. I can route a VCV rack VST in Ableton to my external ASIO using WASAPI or DirectSound and it works OK. I can also create a second VCV rack VST instrument and have it route to DAW and both work simultaneously.

I know it’s not super helpful, but I was trying to see if I could reproduce the issue and I figured any data is better than no data… maybe?

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Yes VCV isn’t like Ableton. You may use multiple different audio interfaces without a problem. I use 3 sometimes.

Hi Robert,

I’m in Studio One as well. I’ve manged to get the VCV vst to output a signal to my ES9 but I can’t get a signal from my rack/ES9 into the VCV vst via the Audio 16 “from device” outputs. I’m about to start a thread explaining how its done if you are still looking for a soultion

Apologies, I hadn’t realised there had been replies to this question!

So, basically if I choose the ES-9 as the main interface in Ableton and then open the VCV plug-in, open the Audio Module and then select core audio/ ES-9 so I can send things to my rack via VCV rack, Ableton crashes.

My question is basically if there’s any way to use the ES-9 as the main interface in the DAW (in this case Ableton) and also in VCV Rack?

Has this ever been resolved? I’m now on VCV 2.5.1 pro using ES-9 on a Mac and ES-9 does not show up ion the device list on Audio 16 when using Ableton Live, but is there on standalone version. What can i do?? thanks

EDIT: Nevermind, found somewhere you need to create an extra audio channel to route the CV from ES-9 into VCV. Works