From the X2 manual (sorry for the formatting but this is from page 936 so you can read it there):
Exporting OMF files
OMF (Open Media Format) files are designed for cross-platform compatibility. For more information
about the OMF format, see “Importing OMF projects” on page 304.
If you plan to export a SONAR project to another program that can read OMF files, it pays to
consider three things before you start your SONAR project:
• Sample rate and audio bit depth of the target system
• Number of tracks the target system can handle
• SONAR and most other audio programs do not include video in the OMF file
To export a project as an OMF file
1. Select File > Export > OMF.
The Export OMF dialog box appears.
2. Enter a File Name (maximum 64 characters—SONAR limits name length for ISO CDR
compatibility), and in the Save As Type field, choose OMF Version 1 or 2. Most applications
expect Version 2, but check with your engineer.
3. Audio Packaging: usually you should choose Embed Audio Within OMF, which includes the
audio data in the OMF file. But you should check with your engineer.
4. Split Stereo Tracks Into Dual Mono. See what your engineer wants. If exporting a 24-bit
project to a Pro Tools system, enable Split Stereo Tracks Into Dual Mono, as some Pro Tools
systems do not support 24-bit interleaved stereo files.
5. Include Archived Tracks. You can choose to include archived tracks in your exported file.
6. Mix Each Groove Clip As A Separate Clip. If you have several Groove Clips in a track
SONAR exports them as one clip unless you check this option. If you check this option, SONAR
936 Mixing
Preparing audio for distribution
has to do a separate export operation for each Groove Clip in the track, which is very timeconsuming.
If you only have one Groove Clip in a track, and you have rolled out numerous
repetitions of the clip, SONAR exports a single clip that is the length of the original clip and all the
repetitions, which is not a time-consuming operation.
7. Audio Format. Ask your engineer what format the studio uses, Windows (RIFF Wave) or Mac
(AIFC).
8. Click the Save button.
9. SONAR exports the project as an OMF file. In the Save as Type field, select the OMF version
you want to save the project as. Version 1 is compatible with older applications. See your target
application’s documentation for information on which version it supports.
Dithering
Dithering. Whenever an audio signal is converted from a higher-bit resolution to a lower
resolution, it is necessary to apply dither to avoid introducing undesirable quantization noise or
harmonic distortion into the signal. The purpose of dither is to reduce the resulting distortion by
adding low-level random noise or “dither” to the audio signal. Different mathematical calculations are
used to generate dither, each method has advantages and disadvantages depending on the
particular operation. SONAR features the Pow-r dithering process, short for Psycho-acoustically
Optimized Wordlength Reduction, which can produce lower-bit files that sound indistinguishable
from higher-bit source files. When this option is turned on, SONAR uses dithering when you export a
higher-bit file at a lower resolution, or lower the bit depth of a project’s audio files by using the
Utilities > Change Audio Format command, or when you “render” audio (bounce, freeze, or apply
effects).
SONAR Producer offers five kinds of dithering:
• Rectangular. Essentially white noise, no noise shaping. Advantages: least CPU-intensive,
lowest signal-to-noise ratio, preferable to shaped dither when successive dithering can occur
(e.g. bouncing, freezing). Disadvantages: suffers from intermodulation distortion, higher
perceived loudness than Pow-r dither.
Note: OMF files save the following:
• Tracks
• Clip positions
• Slip edits
• Fades and crossfades (as destructive edits)
• The following information is discarded:
• Volume
• Pan
• Automation