Reference Guide

926 Mixing
External Insert plug-in
External Insert plug-in
The purpose of the External Insert plug-in is to route audio to and from existing I/O ports in SONAR,
allowing an external audio device to be effectively patched into any effects bin. This allows you to
seamlessly incorporate your favorite outboard gear in a SONAR project.
The External Insert plug-in is able to measure and automatically compensate for the round-trip delay
through your audio hardware (the time it takes for the audio to exit you computer, be processed by
your external audio hardware and finally returned to the computer).
External Insert interface
The left-hand side contains the hardware/external Send controls and the right-hand side contains
the hardware/external Return controls.
Send Stereo Mode buttons:
• L (Left). This toggle enables/disables the left channel send output (enabled by default).
• R (Right). This toggle enables/disables the right channel send output (enabled by default).
• Mono. This toggle sums the stereo signal to make it dual-mono so the send output has the
same audio on the left and right channels.
Send Level. This is a +/- 24dB trim to the level that is passed to the external send. This parameter
is automatable.
Send VU Meter. This meter shows the signal level being delivered to the external send. Since this
is feeding a sound card output, it is important to avoid clipping at this stage.
Send Port Picker. This control lets you choose an audio output that currently has nothing routed
to it. This is the port that you should connect to the input(s) of your external gear. All output ports that
are already used in the project are excluded (except for master buses that have other instances of
the External Insert plug-in routed to them).
Return Phase Control. This control flips the phase of the signal being returned to the external
return input. This parameter is automatable.
Return Level. This is a +/- 24dB trim to the level that is passed from the external send. This
parameter is automatable.
Return VU Meter. This meter shows the signal level entering the external return.
Return Port Picker. This control lets you choose any available hardware input. This is the port you
that you should connect to the output(s) of your external gear. All input ports that are already used in
the project are excluded
Note: Output ports that are used by the External Insert plug-in are excluded from all track and
bus Output controls.
Note: Input ports that are used by the External Insert plug-in are excluded from all track and bus
Input controls.