User Manual

REDUCING MONITORING LATENCY
49
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 DSP HARDWARE MONITORING
The 8pre has a more direct method of patching
audio through the system. This method is called
CueMix DSP. When enabled, CueMix activates
hardware patch-thru in the 8pre itself. CueMix
DSP has two important benefits:
■ First, it completely eliminates the patch thru
delay (reducing it to a small number of samples —
about the same amount as one of today’s digital
mixers).
■ Secondly, CueMix DSP imposes no strain on the
computer.
The trade-off, however, is that CueMix DSP
bypasses your host audio software. Instead, live
audio inputs are patched directly through to
outputs in the 8pre itself and are mixed with disk
tracks playing back from your audio software. This
means that you cannot apply 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 DSP 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 DSP. Instead,
reduce latency with the buffer setting (as explained
earlier in this chapter).
TWO METHODS FOR CONTROLLING
CUEMIX DSP
There are two ways to control CueMix DSP:
■ With MOTU CueMix Console
■ From within your host audio software (if it
supports direct hardware monitoring)
You can even use both methods simultaneously.
Using MOTU CueMix Console
If your host audio software does not support direct
hardware monitoring, you run CueMix Console
side-by-side with your audio software and manage
your monitor mix in CueMix Console.
CueMix Console allows you to create up to four
separate 8pre monitor mixes, or any other desired
routing configurations. These routings are
independent of your host audio software. For
complete details, see chapter 11, “MOTU CueMix
Console” (page 51).
Controlling CueMix DSP from your audio
software
Some audio applications allow you to control
CueMix DSP monitoring from within the
application (without the need to use CueMix
Console). In most cases, this support consists of
patching an 8pre 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 DSP:
■ Digital Performer
■ AudioDesk
CueMix DSP routings that are made via host
applications are made “under the hood”, which
means that you won’t see them in CueMix Console.
However, CueMix DSP connections made inside
your host audio software dovetail with any other
mixes you’ve set up in CueMix Console. For
example, if your host application routes audio to an
output pair that is already being used in CueMix
Console for an entirely separate mix bus, both
audio streams will simply be merged to the output.
!8pre Manual/Mac Page 49 Tuesday, October 12, 2010 5:52 PM