User`s guide

Pro Tools Reference Guide284
◆ More mixing channels (On TDM sys-
tems, 36 x 2 mixing channels can be cre-
ated per DSP)
◆ 18 dB of mix headroom
◆ Output clip indication: Master Fader
meters indicate clipping at the input sum-
ming stage only.
Choosing a Mixer Plug-In
Pro Tools 24 MIX and Pro Tools 24 Always
use the 24-bit Optimized Plug-In with
Pro Tools 24 MIX systems, regardless of the
bit depth of your session.
Pro Tools III In most cases, use the 24-bit
Optimized Plug-In when working with 24-
bit audio and the 16-bit Optimized Plug-In
when working with 16-bit audio.
Using the 16-Bit Optimized Mixer for
24-bit Recording or Mixing
(Pro Tools III Systems Only)
In cases where you want to maximize the
channel capacity of in a Pro Tools III ses-
sion, you can use the 16-bit Optimized
Plug-In for mixing 20- or 24-bit audio.
Every mixer connection in a Pro Tools ses-
sion, including internal bussing and sends,
uses processing capacity. Since the 16-bit
Optimized Mixer uses less processing
power per mixing channel, you can use it
to maximize the number of mixer channels
in your session.
If the 16-bit Optimized Mixer receives an
input signal with greater than 20-bit reso-
lution from an Audio Interface, its input
level scaling processes only the most-sig-
nificant 20 bits, and ignores the bottom
four bits.
However, the 16-bit Optimized Mixer in-
ternal mix bus still processes signals with
24-bit precision, and can produce a 24-bit
digital output mix result from an Audio In-
terface digital output or when bouncing to
disk.
Switching TDM Mixer Plug-Ins
To Switch TDM mixer Plug-Ins:
1 Quit Pro Tools.
2 Open the DAE Folder. The DAE folder is
installed at the root level of the System
Folder.
3 Open the “Plug-Ins (Unused)” folder, lo-
cate the Mixer Plug-In that is not in use,
and drag it to the Plug-Ins folder.
4 Open the Plug-Ins folder, locate the other
mixer Plug-In, and drag it to the “Plug-Ins
(Unused)” folder.
5 Launch Pro Tools.
Preventing Clipping
The 24-bit Optimized and the 16-bit Opti-
mized Mixer Plug-Ins indicate clipping dif-
ferently.
24-bit Optimized Mixer With the 24-bit Op-
timized mixer, the Master Fader meters in-
dicate clipping at both the input summing
stage and the output level stage at all times.
With this mixer, you could lower the Mas-
ter Fader to reduce your output level, but
the Master Fader meters could still indicate
clipping at the input stage.
16-bit Optimized Mixer With the 16-bit Op-
timized Mixer, the Master Fader meters in-
dicate clipping only for the output level
stage of the mixer. With this mixer, you