WTF is an audioengine? (experts?)

enfant · Post by **enfant** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:33 pm

i dunnow what's really meant when someone is talking about
differences between audioengines of several DAWs... anyone?

flateric · Post by **flateric** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:09 pm

Think of an audio engine like the engine in a car and the music you produce is the fuel. If you're particularly good at production then your DAW runs better and makes your music sound better. Last time I checked Ejay had the best audio engine going and if you've got the skills it will make your tunes sound better than anything else out there. All of the big heads use Ejay, honest.

Brisance · Post by **Brisance** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:15 pm

big up for ejay. Also songsmith.

spencertron · Post by **spencertron** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:56 pm

Audio processing code that is in your music making software is what makes up the "audio engine", the better the programming, supposedly the better the sound (engine). But better "audio engines" come at a cost of CPU usage...this is why more commercial and accessible audio software products are often slated in "audio Engine" competitions that people bring up...generally in order for some software to work more efficiently, a lower audio engine will mean lower CPU and higher efficiency...This is why, for example, people will say a software package like Reason will have a lower audio engine, against single synth packages like FM8 or Massive...the latter are believed to have better audio processing capabilities as they are built to perform a single task...and will probably have better 'performing' filters, oscillators due to their optimized audio processing code...so i have learnt

this is just a general idea...i'm sure there are more specific examples and explanations

decklyn · Post by **decklyn** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:35 pm

I don't know why but for some reason I find everything out of reason sounds sub par.

I just started using Logic and I find my tunes sound really really great.
Here is a sample of something I just started working on - very very young and I need to work out the ideas (specifically the bass) but judge for yourself.
It's partially learning etc - It's not like your daw makes your tunes sound better. But I find logic and cubase I produce my best works through process and for some reason logic seems to sound tremendous when I put things together. Maybe I'm just getting better.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?mtzmyndl1md

enfant · Post by **enfant** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:47 pm

thanks guys, keep the info coming. im learning here.

Pallms · Post by **Pallms** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:58 pm

spencerTron wrote:Audio processing code that is in your music making software is what makes up the "audio engine", the better the programming, supposedly the better the sound (engine). But better "audio engines" come at a cost of CPU usage...this is why more commercial and accessible audio software products are often slated in "audio Engine" competitions that people bring up...generally in order for some software to work more efficiently, a lower audio engine will mean lower CPU and higher efficiency...This is why, for example, people will say a software package like Reason will have a lower audio engine, against single synth packages like FM8 or Massive...the latter are believed to have better audio processing capabilities as they are built to perform a single task...and will probably have better 'performing' filters, oscillators due to their optimized audio processing code...so i have learnt

this is just a general idea...i'm sure there are more specific examples and explanations

Great post! That really cleared a lot up.

decklyn wrote:I don't know why but for some reason I find everything out of reason sounds sub par.

Same. Out of Reason alone at least. If it's rewired it has the potential to sound great.

8bit · Post by **8bit** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:02 pm

decklyn wrote:I don't know why but for some reason I find everything out of reason sounds sub par.

I just started using Logic and I find my tunes sound really really great.
Here is a sample of something I just started working on - very very young and I need to work out the ideas (specifically the bass) but judge for yourself.
It's partially learning etc - It's not like your daw makes your tunes sound better. But I find logic and cubase I produce my best works through process and for some reason logic seems to sound tremendous when I put things together. Maybe I'm just getting better.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?mtzmyndl1md

yh logic tunes always sound shiny and slick

slothrop · Post by **slothrop** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:57 pm

In a synth or an effect, the audio engine is the code that actually decides how noises are produced and processed, eg how the waveforms are generated, what the filters and EQs do to the sound, that sort of stuff. This is pretty important and has lots of subtle traps and arcane techniques that can make a lot of difference to why eg one synth sounds like god blowing a trumpet directly into your synapses and another sounds like a tramp farting into a paper bag.

In a DAW, the "audio engine" is the bit that a) multiplies one number by another number when you change the gain on something and b) adds numbers together when you run stuff into a mixer, and apparently some ways of multiplying numbers together and adding them up have a "rich oaky timbre" that mysteriously fails to show up whenever anyone actually does an empirical test.

simonsuspect · Post by **simonsuspect** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:20 am

I would second this, I really think def DAWs can sound completely different to each other, even if you are using the same synths and samples, mixing down drums I find to be easier in fl whilst synths seem to sound best in Ableton. This is just an opinion and obviously you should find what works for you.

Id be interested to see if anyone one else has come to this conclusion, try opening up a synth (say massive) in stand alone mode, then through acid or cubase, the differences are subtle but there none the less.

rendr · Post by **rendr** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 11:27 am

In my experience when rendering tunes:

Logic Pro 8 = Crisp, loud & same quality as is heard in DAW.

Pro Tools 8 = Same as above.

Acid Pro 6 = Dull & muddy compared to what's heard in DAW.

Reason 4 = Same as Acid Pro but not as bad quality.

lowpass · Post by **lowpass** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:49 pm

Rendr wrote:In my experience when rendering tunes:

Logic Pro 8 = Crisp, loud & same quality as is heard in DAW.

Pro Tools 8 = Same as above.

Acid Pro 6 = Dull & muddy compared to what's heard in DAW.

Reason 4 = Same as Acid Pro but not as bad quality.

Hi I moved to acid 7 a few months ago and I found what you said here about the mixdowns being duller than what I hear in the DAW, is there anyway to get around this?

rynke · Post by **rynke** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 5:56 pm

Depone wrote:Mario paint has an amazing soundengine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uZr3JWYdy8

best one out there

lowpass · Post by **lowpass** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:14 pm

Hi I moved to acid 7 a few months ago and I found what you said here about the mixdowns being duller than what I hear in the DAW, is there anyway to get around this?

WTF is an audioengine? (experts?)

WTF is an audioengine? (experts?)

Diff DAWs audio engines

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