Do You Need Mix Minus ? What?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by obanta

Hi Paul,

I haven't had the same experience with the Onyx Mixer, Skype, and the Main Mix. When I tried using a microphone connected to channel 2 or 3, as an example, the DAW saw the audio fine on those channels but the person on the other end of Skype never heard me. My understanding was that Skype only sent channel 1, even though it doesn't provide any UI visibility into the firewire channels.

If I'm not using the Main Mix correctly, please let know. I've setup my mixer similar to how you explained, but what channel(s) would the main mix be presented to the DAW through the firewire interface?

One solution I considered, but haven't needed and therefore tested, is using a virtual audio device that takes multiple firewire channels for its input and outputs a single channel that Skype would use for its input.

---

Hi,

Few things:

Can you get it to work using the setup that I documented with a single mic plugged into Channel 1? I can confirm that it works.

Also - I've never tried this using the mic plugged into anything other than Channel 1. I did check around - and you are correct. What you point out regarding the single channel limitation to Skype is documented.

However there is a workaround ...

If Skype only recognizes Channel 1 as a suitable input, we need to take advantage of the flexibility of the mixer. Remember the Alt 3-4 Bus can be set up as a sub-mix. You can use it's output to feed an Input on the mixer.

For example lets say you need to send three mics to Skype via Firewire. You would plug the mics into Channels 2 + 3 + 4. Then assign the outputs to those channels to the Alt 3-4 Bus. Now take the Alt 3-4 Output on the mixer and use it to feed the Channel 1 Line Input. Since Skype hears Channel 1 - it will hear all three mics. The Channel 1 fader will control the relative mix level of what ever sources you patch into it.

One word of caution - if you do this - NEVER assign Channel 1 to the Alt 3-4 Bus!

Let me know how it works out.

-paul.

Yes, I had my setup the same way you suggested and it worked great if the microphone is on channel 1.

I like your workaround solution as it doesn't require any additional software on the computer. I'll give it a try the next time I have a need to Skype with multiple local microphones.

Thanks.