MOTU Track16 - Desktop Studio FireWire/USB 2.0 Interface - Manual (Page 55)

R E D U C I N G M O N I T O R I N G L A T E N C Y
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Effects processing and automated mixing
Reducing latency with the buffer size setting has
another benefit: it lets you route live inputs through
the real-time effects processing and mix
automation of your audio software.
CUEMIX FX HARDWARE MONITORING
The Track16 has a more direct method of patching
audio through the system:
CueMix FX . CueMix FX
is a digital mixer in the Track16 hardware itself.
CueMix FX has two important benefits:
■ First, it completely eliminates the patch thru
delay (reducing it to a small number of samples —
the same amount as any digital mixer).
■ Secondly, CueMix FX imposes no strain on the
computer.
The trade-off, however, is that CueMix FX
bypasses your host audio software. Instead, live
audio inputs are patched directly through to
outputs in the Track16 itself and are mixed with
disk tracks playing back from your audio software.
This means that you cannot apply host-based
plug-ins, mix automation, or other real-time
effects that your audio software provides. But for
inputs that don’t need these types of features,
CueMix FX is the way to go.
On the other hand, if you really need to use the
mixing and processing provided by your audio
software, you should not use CueMix FX. Instead,
reduce latency with the buffer setting (as explained
earlier in this chapter).
TWO METHODS FOR CONTROLLING
CUEMIX FX
There are two ways to control CueMix FX:
■
With the Track16’s CueMix FX software
■
From within your host audio software (if it
supports direct hardware monitoring)
You can even use both methods simultaneously.
Using the CueMix FX app
If your host audio software does not support direct
hardware monitoring, you can run the CueMix FX
software side-by-side with your audio software and
manage your monitor mix in CueMix FX.
CueMix FX allows you to create up to eight
separate Track16 stereo mixes, or any other desired
routing configurations. These routings are
independent of your host audio software. For
complete details, see chapter 9, “CueMix FX”
(page 57).
Controlling CueMix FX from your audio
software
Some audio applications allow you to control
CueMix FX monitoring from within the
application (without the need to use CueMix FX).
In most cases, this support consists of patching an
Track16 input directly to an output when you
record-arm a track. Exactly how this is handled
depends on the application.
The following applications are among those that
support direct control over CueMix FX:
■
Digital Performer
■ AudioDesk
CueMix FX routings that are made via host
applications are made “under the hood”, which
means that you won’t see them in CueMix FX.
However, CueMix FX connections made inside
your host audio software dovetail with any other
mixes you’ve set up in CueMix FX. For example, if
your host application routes audio to an output
pair that is already being used in CueMix FX for an
entirely separate mix bus, both audio streams will
simply be merged to the output.