understanding the mix engine

i have realized that what i think i knew was not really enough, could someone please explain to me what is the mix engine and how it works with the software , thank you for your time

maybe the cylons knows how it works

I would like to see the audio mix engine be "replaceable" so developers could fashion
new engines the maybe emulate old hardware like SSL.

The audio engine is not really a trade secret or even anyone's claim to fame.
I say let developers tinker with it. Look at, no, listen to the URS EQ stuff. Wow!

And I'll say it again, the per track EQ should be a chosen plug-in. One EQ
doesn't fit all. And the per track EQ in Sonar is kinda blah

I'm off the stump now.

Well, let's see. I used to be a programmer so I will take a stab at this.

The Mix Engine is the code which scans all of the wave files i.e tracks you have recorded (lets stick with audio for a second, midi later) and then, because these are just digital bits of 1, and 0s, it adds them together into a two sided audio image, left and right. This left and right image is sent to your soundcard driver (another piece of software) which takes this stereo information and routes it into the chips of the card and ultimately to the output jacks and thus to your speakers.

The mix engine is a multiported environment with alternate inputs on each track for plug ins and midi input, as well as multiple output ports to other bussing groups or the main buss which once again sends things to the speakers.

The mix engine also has to take midi data and route it through software synths, an input output process and then combines this non-wave-file based data with the audio data, once again summing the whole thing and creating the final audio image.

So think of the Mix Engine as this multi armed creature taking input from all over the place, routing it and then sending to other input ports or output ports, then adding everything together in memory and creating a final stereo sound.

The Mix Engine then, is the code inside your sequencing software that does all this.

ORIGINAL: bitman

Sonar's mixing engine is supposed to add the numbers without error.

That's a secret they can live without don't you think?

How 'bout some good ole channel crosstalk. emulate 10k summing resistors.
Analog summing boxes are a tragedy. The prices of them are outrageous.

And shipping 48 channels(L/R) to an analog box to sum 24 is just wrong (To keep the panorama in the DAW file you see).

I was gonna DIY a summing box 'till I discovered the panorama issue.

Good for you, analog sum boxes are just the latest attempt to sell hardware in a world that no longer needs it. It's a way for snooty "buy my services or your songs will suck because you don't have one of these ______" guys to scare folks into using their studio. It's odd that studios and mastering houses still think the gear is what makes sales and there is hardly a peep in the ad about the real service they do have to offer. If they were to say something like..

"..look.. buy my service because I know what sounds good and if you don't the most powerful member of the band, or worse some manager, is going to make you the laughing stock of the entire world.. You don't need to know how I do it".

Now that would scare me into parting with some money.