User`s guide
APOGEE ELECTRONICS
24
Ensemble – User’s Guide
Maestro 2
Working with the Maestro Mixer
Do I need the Maestro Mixer?
The Maestro mixer serves to provide a low latency listening mix while recording. Therefore if you’re using Ensemble
to listen to iTunes or audio from another program, there’s no need to use the mixer.
It’s also possible that the latency of your particular recording system is low enough to be unnoticeable by you or other
performers. If you’ve set your audio software’s input/output buffers according to the guidelines below and latency
doesn’t bother you or other performers, there’s no need to use the Maestro mixer.
How do I set my software’s I/O Buffer?
The I/O Buffer setting found in most audio software is one of the most crucial, but often ignored, settings in a Mac-
based recording system.
When choosing a buffer setting, a compromise between the latency through the application and the amount of com-
puter processor power accessible to the application must be made.
A lower Buffer setting results in lower latency but less available processing power. If the application can’t access
enough processor power, processor overruns may occur, resulting in audible clicks and pops or error messages
that interrupt playback and recording.
A higher Buffer setting, on the other hand, results in greater amount of accessible processor power (i.e. less
chance of overruns) but increases the latency. Determining the best setting requires some trial-and-error in order
to nd the best compromise.
Keep in mind that as tracks and plug-ins are added to a software session, processor requirements increase. Thus,
the buffer setting that works during the early stages of a session might result in processor overruns during later
stages.
The best strategy is to set the buffer to a lower setting during recording and accept certain limitations on plug-in us-
age, and then raise the buffer during mixing to utilize the computer’s full processor power when latency isn’t an issue.
With the processing power of today’s Macs, you may nd that adjustment of the Buffer isn’t necessary, and you can
leave it at a setting for low latency and still access a sufcient amount of processing power when adding tracks and
plug-ins. If you do encounter clicks, pops or software errors, don’t hesitate to experiment with the Buffer setting.
Recording software settings
Before using the Maestro mixer, it’s necessary to change a few settings in your recording software.
Software monitoring
Because the signal to be recorded is monitored through the Maestro mixer, the outputs of software tracks actively
recording should be muted - after all, that’s the source of the latency. Most software applications provide an option to
turn off software monitoring of recording tracks. In Logic Pro, for example, the software monitoring option is found in
the same Audio preferences window used to select Ensemble as the hardware device (Logic Pro menu > Preferences
> Audio). Uncheck the Software Monitoring box.