Guitar Rig 6 — input/output from different devices

Guitar Rig 6 is an incredible software for audio effects. However, it has a limitation: it only allows the same device for both “Input” and “Output”. This works well when you plug your guitar and headset to one interface, like the Scarlet 2i2, but what if you want the input via an audio interface and the output via a different device, like an Arctis headset?

Guitar Rig 6 with Input and Output set to the same device

There’s a workaround involving VoiceMeeter Banana or Potato (donation-ware) with an “Insert Driver”. Here’s the basic idea:

VoiceMeeter routing from input to output through Guitar Rig 6 using Insert Virtual ASIO device

Here’s how you can set it up:

1. Set your output device (e.g., Arctis 7+ headset) as the Hardware Out in VoiceMeeter (A1 in this example).
2. Select your interface as the Hardware Input in VoiceMeeter. Enable output to A1.

Line6 Pod Go set as input, routing sound to A1

3. In VoiceMeeter, navigate to “Menu” -> “System Settings/Options”. Here, select a patch insert for the Input you’ve chosen (Hardware Input 2 in this example). After activating the patch inserts, the sound from your guitar should be muted. Don’t worry, this is expected. The sound will resume once we connect Guitar Rig 6.

• The Patch Insert might look a bit different for Voicemeeter Potato (which is where the screenshot is from) and Banana (which is a version with less channels)
• You can alternatively use the “I” icon near the input name. This becomes visible once Guitar Rig 6 is set to listen on that Patch insert. The Patch mode should be Pre-FX, which means that the stream is routed to Guitar Rig 6 before any effects from VoiceMeeter are applied

Activating Patch Insert for Hardware Input 2

Alternative method

PRE-FX option selected

4. Now we’re connecting the Guitar Rig 6 to that channel! Open audio preferences, select ASIO and choose “Voicemeeter Potato Insert Virtual…” device. Voicemeeter Banana would probably have slightly different naming. Set the Inputs and Outputs accordingly:

Guitar Rig 6 Input settings with Insert Virtual ASIO driver configuration

Guitar Rig 6 Output settings

At this stage, everything should work correctly if you’re using a straightforward audio interface, like the Scarlet 2i2.

However,

Multi-effects units usually provide several channels. Some carry an effects-processed sound, others a clean signal. Utilizing the ASIO driver usually lets you choose the channels you want to route. Specifically, the Pod Go delivers an effects-processed signal on channels 1 (Left) and 2 (Right), and a clean signal on channels 3 (Left) and 4 (Right).

You generally want to only send the clean channels to Guitar Rig to apply the effects and so the way to do that would be:

1. Set up Pod Go as an ASIO device on A1 within VoiceMeeter — this is the way to setup in/out ASIO configurations in Voicemeeter. The real Output will be on A2 — marked as pink on image below.
2. Navigate to VoiceMeeter’s “System settings/Options” and assign “3 4” to In2. This tells VoiceMeeter to treat channel 3 and channel 4 as Left and Right for Hardware Input 2 — marked as green.
3. Route the output of Input 2 to A2 and designate A2 as your output device — marked as light blue.
4. Same “Patch insert” as previously for Input 2 will do the same trick! — marked as yellow.

ASIO routing with Patch on IN2 activated

With this setup, Guitar Rig 6 will process the clean signal from your interface, and you’ll hear the resulting output through your other device!

Enjoy!