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setting up summing mixer

How to connect a Summing Mixer ? Setting up a summing box  for OTB mix.

Analogue – analog summing boxes have their uses beyond simply combining (sum) signals.

That’s great but what is OTB?

Basically, instead of having your tracks merged digitally into a stereo mix in your DAW – ITB (in the box), you run each track individually out to the analog summing mixer OTB (out of box) and do it all there, then bring it back into your DAW

THE FACTS
1. Your mix will NEVER collapse (like digital bounce)
2. Instruments are high-separated, creating a wide and deep 3D sound.
3. WARM HARMONICS: increase your DAW output level, you’ll get a pleasing distortion by pushing the SUMMING INPUTS

Signal flow in order: DAW OUT – SUMMING – DAW  REC

  1. DAW stems
  2. DA converter (outputs)
  3. Summing mixer (inputs)
  4. Stereo mix from the summing mixer (outputs)
  5. AD converter (inputs)
  6. DAW (rec)

See example

  1. DAW out 1Left /2Right —- SUM input 1Left /2Right
  2. DAW out 3Left /4Right —- SUM input 3Left /4Right
  3. DAW out 5Left /6Right —- SUM input 5Left /6Right
  4. DAW out 7Left /8Right —- SUM input 7Left /8Right

 

Basic simple setup (example) for stereo instruments

  • 1/2: Bass/Drums
  • 3/4: Vocals
  • 5/6: Guitars
  • 7/8: Keys/Effects
basic example daw summing
connect mixer to computer main rec and monitor out

Youtube quick signal routing 

Example for a Summing Mixer with Stereo to Mono input conversion switch: 

1: Mono Kick
2: Mono Bass
3/4: Snare, hats some percs > stereo
5/6: Percs\toms\synth blips etc. > stereo
7/8: Synths\Effects\pads\Guitars\Piano\Vocals etc > stereo 

Read more about: https://vintagemaker.net/documentation/#stm

analog mono switch
8 x Stereo to 16 Mono option on LittleOne 16 input passive summing mixer

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best diy cheap studio controller mixer

stereo mono switch studio mixer
stereo to mono summing conversion switch

Customer example: Pro Tools HD Native with Avid HD 16×16 converter

Read more: customer feedback

 
Channel
Signal
Analog Processing
Subgroup
1
Kick
 
A
2
Snare
 
A
3 – 4
Drumset
 
A
5 – 6
Instruments
 
B
7 – 8
Instruments
 
B
9 – 10
Backing Vox
 
C
11
Lead Vox
API 525
C
12
 
C
13
Bass
DBX 160A
D
14
Solo Guitar
 
D
15 – 16
Guitars
 
D
Channel
Signal
Analog Processing
Subgroup A
Drum-Bus
TK Audio BC 501
Subgroup B
Instrumenten-Bus
Subgroup C
Vocal-Bus
Wes Audio Mimas
Subgroup D
Guitar-Bus
Elysia Xpressor
L/R
Master
Wes Audio Dione 
SPL Tube Vitalizer

Features like Mono option per channel for mono instruments like kick bass and master‑bus insert send return points, for example, can be extremely useful, as they provide an easy way to incorporate outboard hardware (EQs, compressors and the like) into your rig.

Going a little further and let’s insert an external EQ or Compressor to our master stereo chain for signal process.

Master Insert Send/Return by switch control

Roughly this function allows to SEND master signal to external processors like EQ, Comp, Limiter, then RETURN to master out (print / record)

That’s great but what is an insert?

An insert is used when you want to process a signal directly. You can insert an effect, such as a compressor or EQ directly onto the master summed stereo chain. This is when you want to change the loudness balance of ranges of frequencies by an Equalizer (EQ) or you want to add a compressor to change the dynamic range of your master stereo before Main  Rec. (DAW record)

  • allows to switch between processed or unprocessed signals (comparison purposes)
  • Master SND/RET placed before master out
  • 100% of the signal routed to SEND
  • 1st switch: enable Send to external
  • 2nd switch: enable Return from external

Multibus Group Send with fixed inputs

subgroup bus summing mixer
aux group, aux track, aux bus, sub sum bus Group Channel

Let’s jump a big one to see there are large opportunities for a more complex signal processing by a Matrix Summing mixer

Multi-bus compression routing Matrix

Bus A, Bus B, Bus C and Bus D you can use the matrix switch to access to the MULTIBUS  compression / external routing process. 

You can route your inputs to desired sub group for external process, then return the processed BUS signals for master summig.

  • A – Instruments that are in the upper midrange of a song, such as vocals or keyboards, synths, percussion. 
  • B – Instruments that anchor the song such as drums, bass, maybe cello, congas, choose instruments that will compliment each other.
  • C – Instruments that create transient midrange power and will have a lot of rides, such as guitars.
  • D – Instruments that need the warmth of tube and are not played staccato. To be used in combination with other categories for glue factor. 

What’s important is that you try every combination and see which sounds the best. Eventually, you’ll know the sound of the different combinations in your head at which point it becomes instinctual read more about : www.mbrauer.com/q-a