Use CueMix with M4

[Laimon]

Hi,

I am considering purchasing an M4 (to be used in Windows), but I see no reference to the ability to use CueMix, which would be great to add some eq'ing to my speakers that have some heavy spots on the mids. Is this possible? If not, is it possible in any other way?

[bayswater]

Hi,

I am considering purchasing an M4 (to be used in Windows), but I see no reference to the ability to use CueMix, which would be great to add some eq'ing to my speakers that have some heavy spots on the mids. Is this possible? If not, is it possible in any other way?

Cuemix is dependent on DSP hardware built into some MOTU interfaces. The software is just an interface to control it. Cuemix references are notably absent from the M2/4 descriptions, so unless there is some huge mistake in advertising, you can assume Cuemix is not included with these model (and this is perhaps reflected in the price).

Cuemix is in part a way to get around latency by letting you process the input signal and monitor it directly. Perhaps MOTU thinks they addressed latency sufficiently with M2/4 without including Cuemix.

You can still get it with M16.

As for alternatives, is there any reason not to put the necessary filters as plugins on your final output channel on your mixer? (I'm assuming you use a DAW). In DP, you would set it up the way you want, then save it in a project template.

[mikehalloran]

I don't own an M4 (yet?) but do own a new Mackie ProFx12v3 with the same core technology.

Like all such "high-speed USB 2" interfaces released since August 2019 with a blend/mix control, the round trip is so fast that the only way to really hear any latency is to put the control in the middle and hear the phase distortion caused by mixing the input and output — less than the SimulSync on a TASCAM multitrack tape machine.

Buffer size still has an effect, of course, but I don't miss CueMix.