[LAU] About Algorithms

lorenzo cecchi cecchilorenzo at gmail.com
Mon Jul 18 10:40:06 UTC 2011


2011/7/17 Moshe Werner <moshwe at gmail.com>

> Hi to all,
>
> I'm an audio engineer in my day (and night) work, but definitely not a
> programmer.
> Yet there is one endless discussion between friends and colleges of mine
> that I usually do not participate in due to the lack of knowledge.
> The topic is algorithms of software (DAW) mixers. Some people say that they
> can hear a sound difference between several kinds of software mixers (e.g.
> Cubase, Protools etc.).
> I must say that I never made any serious A\B testing but I didn't notice
> that there is any difference. Although I do work with Pro-tools and Cubase
> (in other studios), most of the time I'm actually using Ardour (and I'm
> loving it).
>
> My questions would be:
> 1. Is it only me that can't here a difference between different DAWs mixing
> algorithms?
>

Hi all, i think that the reason why different DAWs may sounds in a little
different ways, is because of the so called "Pan Law", before than the
summing algorithms.
A mono sound, middle panned, is 3dB more powerful than the same sound panned
all L or R.
For a stereo sound the gap is 6dB.
Different DAWs face that "issue" in different ways: i don't know it
personally but i found on the web that Pro Tools HD give a -4.5 dB to the
sound in center, Cubase SX has -3dB by default but let you choose if -3,
-4.5, -6 or 0dB, etc...
I don't know the Ardour behaviour now, but i think it's equal power (without
decreases in the centre).
Those differences in panning may influence a little bit the "sound" of a
DAW, especially if you are mixing sounds panned close to the centre.

Bona!
Lorenzo





2. To the developers out there, what is your opinion? Is there a
> better/worse algorithm, or is the whole thing another "pay 600$ for this
> software - it has great algorithms!!!" hype?
> 3. If there is a difference what's the explanation?
> 4. Analog emulation plugins. How does one "emulate" analog waveforms in a
> digital world? That sounds like a paradox to me.
>
> Hope that's not to many questions in one mail.
>
> Thanks for your time
> Moshe
>
>
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>
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