Hello Cakers,
I recently bought an "ART Head Amp 6", (a 6 channel rackmount headphone amp) and I'm a little confused regarding setting up the routing. I'd like to be able to increase or decrease the overall volume of the backing mix in the headphones independent of the track I'm recording. If possible I'd like to do this without altering my main out signal flow. My M-Audio Profire has several outputs besides the main outs, so I'm sure this is possible somehow. Any input on the subject would be most appreciated.
 
My current setup is as follows: an ART Voice Channel preamp into a M-Audio Profire via SPDIF, Main outs from the Profire go into the "DAW mix" of a Mackie Big Knob, and then straight into my monitors.
 
Thanks in advance,
 
Ryan

Basically you need to put sends on tracks or buses to the alternate hardware outputs on your Profire and from there to the Headphone amp. Depending on what you already have for buses and what you want in the way of mixes, you may need to create some new buses with sends from the tracks you want included. In that case, the dedicated headphone mix buses can output directly to alternate interface outs.  If you just want copies of the Master bus signal to go to multiple headphone outs at different levels, you can just put the send(s) on the Master.
 
The exact arrangement of sends and buses and where you make level/mix adjustments depends on the architecture of the project, but basically you'll use sends to create copies of signals without affecting the signal flow to your Master bus and Main Outs.

Connect your audio interface's secondary outputs (e.g. 3 & 4) to you headphone amp's inputs (e.g. 1 & 2).
 
In Sonar, the routing is flexible, but in the end you need your headphone mix going to outs 3 & 4 (in this case).
 
As an example, create "Sends" from tracks/buses to outputs 3/4 (or to a bus outputting to 3/4, rather than master).  You then mix the headphone mix with those Send levels.  The Send levels only affect outputs 3/4, so your main monitor mix is unaffected.
 
You can even repeat this process on outputs 5 & 6 (to inputs 3 & 4 on the headphone amp) to have a completely different headphone mix playing simultaneously (guitar player can have loud guitar/drums/vocals, while drummer can have loud bass, etc...)

Sweet!!! Got it figured out!! Thanks guys. I only wish there were faders to manipulate for all the sends instead of the little gain knobs...

YES faders would be much better.
 
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
A copy fader levels to send feature like that other 800 pound gorilla DAW has.
Having to remix the rough mix with the gain knobs is counter productive and so NOT fun.
A simple "copy faders to send X" would be fantastic.
 

+1, but usually with a dedicated headphone amp you can give them a copy of your main mix and then only add some extra level for whatever they need, and use the balance control. Not the same thing really, but usually quicker.

Yes! Yes! To the "copy fader levels to send" idea!!! Genius! Please, please, Cakewalk, make it happen!!!!

mcmasters
YES faders would be much better.
 
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
A copy fader levels to send feature like that other 800 pound gorilla DAW has.
Having to remix the rough mix with the gain knobs is counter productive and so NOT fun.
A simple "copy faders to send X" would be fantastic.
 

Sorry if I misunderstand this.
 
If you ctrl+click the tracks you want to go to your new bus (e.g. Headphone buss), then hover mouse over send module, right click and choose "Insert Send Assistant", it brings up a window where you can create a new bus, or use an existing one, and can also check "Match Track's Pan and Gain".  You can also check "Pre Fade (defaults to post)".
 
Don't know if that helps.
 
edited to replace "knob" with "module".

rodreb
Yes! Yes! To the "copy fader levels to send" idea!!! Genius! Please, please, Cakewalk, make it happen!!!!

Again, sorry if I misunderstand this.
 
If you ctrl+click the tracks you want to go to your new bus (e.g. Headphone buss), then hover mouse over send module, right click and choose "Insert Send Assistant", it brings up a window where you can create a new bus, or use an existing one, and can also check "Match Track's Pan and Gain".  You can also check "Pre Fade (defaults to post)".
 
Don't know if that helps.
 
edited to replace "knob" with "module".

mcmasters
YES faders would be much better.
 
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
A copy fader levels to send feature like that other 800 pound gorilla DAW has.
Having to remix the rough mix with the gain knobs is counter productive and so NOT fun.
A simple "copy faders to send X" would be fantastic.
 

Hahaha! Looks like I stumbled on a sore spot! Having spent the afternoon twiddling tiny gain knobs, I have to agree most emphatically with McMasters; NOT fun. However, it is worth it in the end!