With Pro Tools 2022.9’s Aux I/O feature bringing support for multiple simultaneous audio devices, we take a look at what this feature means for music mixers monitoring multiple hardware and software audio sources.
Once upon a time, handling multiple audio sources in the studio used to involve a button press or two with the odd patch lead pressed into service for anything out of the ordinary. Fast forward to the modern DAW-centric environment, and engineers can expect to handle an almost equal number of both software and hardware audio streams across various devices. While this brings complexity, once set up it can also afford more streamlined ways of working that would be otherwise impossible.
On Listen Busses
Traditionally, any standalone or console-based monitor control unit provides a way to switch or sum inputs, and to select and route these to destination loudspeakers and/or headphones. Certainly the main monitor path as relied on by the engineer can be thought of as a Listen Bus that happens downstream of the DAW’s main outputs.
Even those engineers working entirely in the box will be familiar with the need for a listen bus of some kind. A familiar scenario is the mix playing through bus processing across the DAW’s main outputs. To bounce the mix, and to re-import for checks listening through the same bus would require the engineer to bypass any audio plugins to avoid double-processing. An alternative is to set up a dedicated bus or aux track for the mix with processing across it. This is then routed to the main outputs which act as a listen bus. Bounces continue to come from the main outputs, with imports bypassing the mix bus by default.
Aux I/O For Listen Busses In PT
The recent 2022.9 update sees Pro Tools users on Mac able to address multiple hardware audio interfaces as well as multiple virtual drivers following the introduction of Aux I/O. The new Pro Tools Audio Bridge comes in different channel width flavours for the task in hand, opening up some new monitoring and listen bus possibilities whether using a hardware or software monitor controller.
You can read more on creating listen busses for Pro Tools here in our in-depth guide.
Aux I/O For Software Monitor Controllers
Aux I/O affords extra options for those using a software monitor controller. By supporting multiple audio devices, the engineer can decide whether to bring various inputs directly into Pro Tools, or to pick them up further downstream in the monitor controller. While Aux I/O provides several different drivers supporting varying channel counts, users of Ground Control ROOM PRO from GingerAudio have the ability to name and create their own. This offers an advantage over the Avid drivers as users have the ability to set names and channel counts, and add as many as required. GingerAudio also claim zero latency performance with their Audio Devices.
Best Friends?
Viewed by some as a limitation, Pro Tools’ previous handling of audio devices has given way to a new MO that fully exploits Core Audio for users on Mac, finally affording them the Listen and monitoring capabilities of other DAWs such as Steinberg Cubase and PreSonus Studio One.
Some might ask whether using the DAW as a monitoring hub will render any controller solution redundant, however the question is really one of ergonomics. While implementing the familiar level controls and dedicated monitoring ‘buttons’ inside the DAW can be done, using a dedicated monitor controller is the obvious choice. With a tool such as GroundControl ROOM PRO not only can these facilities be controlled via MIDI, but also different instances of loudspeaker correction software can be used across different speaker pairs.
Whether using hardware or software monitor control, Aux I/O provides the final piece in the jigsaw for users to stream virtual or hardware sources via Pro Tools or straight to the controller.