Traveler-Mk3 User Guide Win PDF

Traveler-mk3 ™
User Guide for Windows
1280 Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02138
Business voice: (617) 576-2760
Business fax: (617) 576-3609
Web site: www.motu.com
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SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR OTHER MOISTURE.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER. NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
WARNING: DO NOT PERMIT FINGERSTOTOUCHTHETERMINALS OF POWER PLUGS WHEN INSTALLING OR REMOVINGTHE PLUGTO OR FROM
A POWER SOURCE.
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
1. Read instructions - All the safety and operating instructions should be read before operating the MOTU Traveler-mk3.
2. Retain instructions - The safety instructions and owner's manual should be retained for future reference.
3. Heed Warnings - All warnings on the MOTU Traveler-mk3 and in the owner's manual should be adhered to.
4. Follow Instructions - All operating and use instructions should be followed.
5. Cleaning - Unplug the MOTU Traveler-mk3 from the computer before cleaning and use a damp cloth. Do not use liquid or aerosol cleaners.
6. Power Sources - This MOTU Traveler-mk3 should be operated only from the type of power source indicated on the marking label.
7. Power-Cord Protection - Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them. Pay particular attention to cords and plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit from the MOTU Traveler-mk3.
8. Lightning - For added protection for the MOTU Traveler-mk3 during a lightning storm, unplug its power supply from any wall outlets.This will prevent damage to the MOTU Traveler-mk3 due to lightning and power line
surges.
9. Servicing - Do not attempt to service this MOTU Traveler-mk3 yourself as opening or removing covers will expose you to dangerous voltage and other hazards. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
10. Damage Requiring Service - Unplug the MOTU Traveler-mk3 from the computer and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions.
a. When the power supply cord or plug is damaged.
b. If liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the MOTU Traveler-mk3.
c. If the MOTU Traveler-mk3 has been exposed to rain or water.
d. If the MOTU Traveler-mk3 does not operate normally by following the operating instructions in the owner's manual.
e. If the MOTU Traveler-mk3 has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged.
f. When the MOTU Traveler-mk3 exhibits a distinct change in performance, this indicates a need for service.
11. Replacement Parts - When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or have the same characteristics as the original part. Unauthorized
substitutions may result in fire, electric shock or other hazards.
12. Safety Check - Upon completion of any service or repairs to this MOTU Traveler-mk3, ask the service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the product is in safe operating conditions.
ENVIRONMENT
Operating Temperature: 10°C to 40°C (50°F to 104°)
AVOID THE HAZARDS OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK AND FIRE

Do not handle the power supply, or power cables with wet hands.
DC INPUT
10-18V, 12 watts
CAUTION: DANGER OF EXPLOSION IF BATTERY IS REPLACED. REPLACE ONLY WITH THE SAME OR EQUIVALENT TYPE RECOMMENDED
BYMANUFACTURER. DISPOSE OF USED BATTERY ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER’S INSTRUCTIONS.
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Contents
5 Quick Reference: Traveler-mk3 Front Panel
6 Quick Reference: Traveler-mk3 Rear & Side Panels
7 Quick Reference: MOTU Audio Console
9 About the Traveler-mk3
15 Packing List and Windows System Requirements
17 IMPORTANT! Run the Traveler-mk3 Software Installer First
19 Installing the Traveler-mk3 Hardware
37 MOTU Audio Console
43 Traveler-mk3 Front Panel Operation
55 Cubase, Nuendo and Other ASIO Software
61 Sonar and other WDM Software
67 Reducing Monitoring Latency
71 CueMix FX
101 MOTU SMPTE Console
105 Performance Tips & Troubleshooting
107 Index
III
Quick Reference: Traveler-mk3 Front Panel
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12
1. These four detented digital trim knobs provide 53dB of Monitor group is programmed to not include the main 11. When the Traveler-mk3 is resolving to SMPTE time code, 16. The multi-purpose backlit LCD shows system settings,
pre-amp gain for the four preamp inputs (analog 1-4) outs, the MASTER VOL knob will no longer control the the LOCK light glows green when lockup has been CueMix FX settings or metering, depending on which
which provide low-impedance XLR mic input or volume of the main outs. achieved. The TACH light blinks once per second when knobs you turn.The labels above and below the LCD refer
high-impedance TRS guitar/instrument input.The knobs the Traveler-mk3 is successfully reading address (time to the four digital rotary encoders to the left of the LCD.
also function as pad switches (when pushed) for a 20 dB 4. This section controls the Traveler-mk3’s built-in code) information. The channel numbers indicate individual channels when
pad. When you turn or push the knobs, you’ll see CueMix FX mixer and effects. There are eight stereo mix viewing level meters for banks of 8 channels.
dynamic feedback of your adjustment in the LCD display. busses: each bus mixes all inputs (or any subset you 12. The Traveler-mk3 is powered by its FireWire connection
The total gain range — from when pad is enabled and wish) to a stereo output of your choice. You can apply EQ, to the computer. Use this power switch to turn it on and 17. Push the CHANNEL knob repeatedly to cycle among the
the trim is turned all the way down to when the pad compression and/or reverb to inputs and outputs. The off. It is recommended that you always power off the four main sections of the mixer: mix busses, inputs,
disabled and trim is turned all the way up — is 73 dB. four knobs to the left of the LCD correspond directly to Traveler-mk3 before unplugging the FireWire cable. outputs and the reverb module. Push the PARAM knob to
Use the trim knob and the LCD metering for individual the four labeled sections of the LCD. Use the CHANNEL enter the SETUP menu, which provides global
channels (via the METERS knob) to calibrate the input knob to choose the input, output or mix you wish to edit. 13. These lights indicate the global sample rate at which the Traveler-mk3 settings, such as the global sample rate,
signal level. These mic inputs are also equipped with the Push it to switch among inputs, outputs and busses, Traveler-mk3 is operating. Use MOTU Audio Console to etc.
Traveler-mk3’s V-Limit™ hardware limiter, which then turn it to choose the desired channel or bus. Use the set the sample rate or to choose an external clock source,
provides an additional +12 dB of headroom above zero PAGE, PARAM and VALUE knobs to access the mix from which the sample rate will be derived. When no 18. Push the METERS knob to cycle among three meter
with no clipping or digital distortion. See “Overload settings for the chosen channel. clock signal is currently present, one of these LEDs display modes in the LCD: 1) vertical multi-channel
protection (mic/guitar inputs only)” on page 81 for flashes rapidly. For example, if you’ve set the meters, 2) horizontal long-throw metering for individual
details. 5. These four 4-segment meters show input signal level for Traveler-mk3 to slave to an external clock, such as channels, and 3) CueMix FX/Setup. In either meter mode
the mic/instrument XLR/combo inputs on the rear panel. optical, but there is no clock signal currently being (1 or 2), turn it to choose the banks and/or channels you
2. Turn the VOL knob to control the headphone volume.The detected, it flashes. wish to view in the LCD.
LCD provides visual feedback for the headphone volume 6. These four 4-segment meters show input signal level for
setting as you turn the knob. Push the knob once to view the analog TRS input jacks on the rear panel. 14. These four round “L/R” LEDs indicate signal presence on 19. This is a standard quarter-inch stereo headphone jack.
the current volume setting in the LCD display. the stereo S/PDIF and AES/EBU digital outputs. From the factory, it serves as its own independent
7. 4-segment metering for AES/EBU input. output. But it can be programmed to mirror any other
3. From the factory, the MASTER VOL knob controls the 15. These round LEDs indicate signal presence on the eight output pair (digital or analog). Use the volume knob
main outs (Analog 1-2), but MASTER VOL can be 8. MIDI activity LEDs for MIDI input and output. rear-panel TRS analog outputs. Their threshold is around above to control its level.
programmed to control any combination of outputs. See -42 dB.They do not indicate clipping in any way; use your
“The Monitor Group” on page 94 for details. Push the 9. 4-segment metering for S/PDIF input. host audio software level meters to calibrate output 20. These switches provide phantom power for their respec-
knob once to view the current volume setting in the LCD levels. Outputs 1-2 serve as the main outs. Push and tive microphone input. Left is off; right is on. (Right on!)
display; push it again to mute the monitor group; push a 10. Optical digital I/O signal present LEDs for each bank. then turn the front-panel volume knob for volume
third time to return to the previous volume. Note: if the control.
Quick Reference: Traveler-mk3 Rear & Side Panels
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13
1. These jacks provide stereo, 24-bit AES/EBU digital input 4. These optical digital I/O connectors can be connected To hear disk tracks in your audio software on these main 10. Connect a MIDI device here using standard MIDI cables.
and output at any sample rate up to 96kHz. They are either to an ADAT-compatible “lightpipe” device (such as outs, assign the disk tracks (and master fader) to these Connect the Traveler-mk3’s MIDI OUT port to the MIDI IN
disabled at the 4x rates (176.4 and 192kHz). a digital mixer) or to a S/PDIF optical (“TOSLink”) main outs (Analog 1-2). You can also use CueMix FX to port on the other device. Conversely, connect the
compatible device, such as an effects processor or DAT monitor live Traveler-mk3 inputs here as well. Traveler-mk3’s MIDI IN port to the MIDI OUT port on the
2. Connect the Traveler-mk3 to the computer here using machine. Be sure to set the format in the MOTU Audio other device. You can connect different devices to each
the standard 1394 FireWire A cable provided with your Console software (or from the front panel LCD). See 8. These 4 analog inputs are gold-plated, balanced TRS (tip/ port, such as a controller device to the IN port and a
Traveler-mk3. Important note: it is best to turn off the “Optical input/output” on page 41 for details. ADAT ring/sleeve) quarter-inch connectors that can also sound module to the OUT port. You can also daisy-chain
Traveler-mk3 when plugging in the FireWire cable, optical supplies eight channels of 24-bit digital I/O per accept an unbalanced plug. The front panel LCD and MIDI devices, but be sure to manage their MIDI channels
as this avoids the possibility of static discharge, bank (4 channels per bank at 96 kHz).TOSLink is stereo at Cuemix FX software let you adjust them for either +4dBu (so that they don’t receive or transmit on the same
which can harm the electrical components in the sample rates up to 96 kHz. One special note: you can or -10dBV input signals. They have 24-bit 192 kHz channel).
Traveler-mk3 or your computer. Use the second choose independent formats for each bank, A and B, as converters. These inputs (5 through 8) do not have mic
FireWire port to daisy-chain up to four MOTU FireWire well as IN and OUT within each bank. For example, you pre-amps, so they are best used for synthesizers, drum 11. For bus-powered operation, turn on the Bus Power
audio interfaces to a single FireWire bus. You can also could choose ADAT for the optical A IN (for, say, eight machines, effects processors, and other instruments Enable switch. For battery operation (i.e. powering the
connect other FireWire devices. For details, see channels of input from your digital mixer) and stereo with line level signals (either -10 or +4). These inputs Traveler-mk3 from a battery pack via the 4-in XLR jack),
“Connecting multiple MOTU FireWire interfaces” on TOSLink for the optical A OUT (for, say, your DAT are also equipped with the Traveler-mk3’s Precision turn this switch to the OFF position.
page 33. machine). Digital Trim™ feature: digitally controlled analog trims
that let you adjust input level in 1 dB increments from 12. Connect a 10-24V battery pack or other DC power supply
3. These are standard word clock jacks. Use them for a 5. These jacks provide stereo, 24-bit S/PDIF digital input either front panel LCD or the included CueMix FX here via a 4-in XLR cable. Remember to also turn off the
variety of applications, such as for digital transfers with and output at any sample rate up to 96kHz. They are software. The trim can be adjusted over a range of 0 to bus power switch to the left.
devices that cannot slave to the clock supplied by their disabled at the 4x rates (176.4 and 192kHz). +12 dB.
digital I/O connection with the Traveler-mk3. When the 13. This jack accepts any standard 10-24V DC power supply
Traveler-mk3 is operating at a 2x sample rate (88.2 or 96 6. The Traveler-mk3’s eight analog outputs are gold-plated, 9. These four XLR/TRS combo jacks accept either a mic with either tip-positive or tip-negative polarity. Remem-
kHz) or 4x sample rate (176.4 or 192kHz), the word clock balanced +4dB TRS (tip/ring/sleeve) quarter-inch cable or a quarter-inch guitar cable. Both the low- ber to also turn the BUS POWER switch to the OFF
output can either match the Traveler-mk3’s sample rate connectors that can also accept an unbalanced plug. impedance XLR jack and the high-impedance TRS jack position.
or be reduced to the equivalent 1x rate (either 44.1 or 48 They are equipped with 24-bit 192 kHz converters. are equipped with a pre-amp (so don’t connect a +4 line
kHz). This setting is made via MOTU Audio Console. See level XLR cable!) 48V phantom power can be applied via
“Word Out” on page 42. 7. These two balanced, quarter-inch jacks serve as the front panel toggle switches. A 20 dB pad can be applied
Traveler-mk3’s main outputs. You can connect them to a by pushing the front panel Precision Digital Trim™ knob.
set of powered studio monitors and then control the When turned, this knob provides 53 dB of gain.
volume from the front panel MASTER VOL volume knob.
Quick Reference: MOTU Audio Console
CHAPTER
Click the tabs to access general

Determines the clock source for your MOTU interface settings or settings
Traveler-mk3. If you’re just using the analog ins specific to the Traveler-mk3 (or other
and outs, set this to Internal. The other settings connected interface.)
are for digital transfers via AES/EBU, S/PDIF or Choose the global sample rate for the
optical ports, or for slaving the Traveler-mk3 to system here.
word clock, time code or other sources.
Choosing a smaller setting here reduces
the delay you may hear when listening to
The Traveler-mk3 Wave drivers (WaveRT, WDM live input that you are running through
and MME) have the ability to provide audio effects plug-ins in your software. But
streams to host applications in banks with more lower settings also increase the strain on
than two channels (e.g. an 8-channel stream of your computer. For details, see “Samples
analog output). If your audio software requires Per Buffer” on page 40.
this for some reason (such as for surround
support), uncheck this box. Otherwise, leave it
checked, which forces all streams to be stereo Check this option if you are running
pairs instead (the grouping many Windows Windows Vista and the audio software you
audio applications prefer). are using with the Traveler-mk3 supports
Windows Vista WaveRT drivers. If you
uncheck this box, Traveler-mk3 WaveRT
support is disabled, and legacy WDM
driver support is provided instead.
This menu lets you choose what you will hear

from the PHONES jack. To mirror the main Click the Traveler-mk3 tab to
outs, choose Analog 1-2. Or you can mirror any access these settings.
other output pair. To hear the phones as their
own independent output, choose Phones 1-2.
The Traveler-mk3 driver provides a stereo Each optical bank can be configured
return back to the computer. This return independently: ADAT or TOSLink. Disable
feeds the signal on any Traveler-mk3 output them when not in use to conserve DSP
pair or CueMix FX mix bus directly back to and bus bandwidth.
the computer, where you can record, Choose the output pair you would like the
process, monitor or otherwise use it.This is a main outs to mirror, or choose Analog 1-2
great way to “bounce” full mixes, complete to operate them as an independent pair.
with live audio routed through the
Traveler-mk3 only, back into the computer.
If you are running an Traveler-mk3 interface
at a high sample rate (96, 88.2, 176.4 or 192 The Clip Hold Time controls how long the
kHz), this option appears in the interface tab. top-most red LED remains illuminated
It lets you choose a word clock output rate after clipping. The Peak Hold Time controls
that either matches the global sample rate how long the highest illuminated LED
(e.g. 96kHz) or reduces it to the correspond- remains lit before going dark.
ing 1x rate (e.g. 48kHz instead of 192 kHz).
How to access these settings Device Setup in Cubase

There are several ways to access these settings:
■ From the Windows Start menu, choose
Programs>MOTU>MOTU Audio Console.
■ From within Cubase, go to the Device Setup
window, click the MOTU Audio ASIO list
item and and click the Control Panel button.
■ From within other applications, refer to
their documentation.
7
8
CHAPTER 1 About the Traveler-mk3
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ■ Two banks of optical digital I/O that provide 16
The Traveler-mk3 Rear Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 channels of ADAT optical at 48 kHz, 8 channels of

The Traveler-mk3 Front Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 S/MUX optical I/O at 96 kHz or two banks of
Traveler-mk3 side panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 stereo TOSLink at rates up to 96 kHz
16-bit and 24-bit recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
■ RCA S/PDIF at sample rates up to 96 kHz
CueMix FX 32-bit floating point mixing and effects. . 13
Host Audio Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 ■ AES/EBU digital I/O at rates up to 96 kHz
OVERVIEW ■ Word clock I/O

The Traveler-mk3 is a FireWire audio interface for
■ MIDI I/O
Mac and Windows with on-board effects and
mixing that offers 28 inputs and 30 outputs at 44.1 ■ On-board SMPTE synchronization
or 48 kHz. Both analog and digital I/O are offered
■ Headphone jack with independent volume
at sample rates up to 96 kHz, and analog recording
control
and playback is offered at rates up to 192 kHz. All
inputs and outputs can be accessed simultaneously. ■ Programmable master volume knob
The Traveler-mk3 consists of a light (3.8 pounds) ■ CueMix™ FX no-latency mixing, monitoring
and small (14.75 x 9 inches) aluminum alloy- and effects processing
encased interface that connects directly to a
computer via a standard IEEE 1394 FireWire™ ■ Front-panel LCD programming for the mixer
cable. and all other settings

■ Extensive front panel metering and status LEDs
The Traveler-mk3 offers the following main
features: ■ Stand-alone operation
■ Mac and Windows drivers for across-the-board
■ Bus-powered and battery-powered operation
compatibility with any audio software on current
■ Four combo XLR/TRS mic/guitar inputs with
Mac and Windows systems
preamps, 48V phantom power, 20 dB pad,
Precision Digital Trim™ and V-Limit™ overload With a variety of I/O formats, mic preamps, no-
protection latency mixing and processing of live input and
synchronization capabilities, the Traveler-mk3 is a
■ Four 24-bit analog quarter-inch (TRS) inputs complete, portable “studio in a box” when used
■ Eight 24-bit analog quarter-inch (TRS) outputs with a Mac or Windows computer.
■ Operation on all analog I/O at standard sample THE TRAVELER-MK3 REAR PANEL
rates up to 192 kHz The Traveler-mk3 rear panel has the following
connectors:
■ Digitally controlled analog trim for all analog
inputs ■ Eight gold-plated, balanced quarter-inch (TRS)
analog outputs (with 24-bit 192 kHz converters)
9
■ Four gold-plated, balanced quarter-inch (TRS) All inputs and outputs are discrete. For example,
analog inputs (with 24-bit 192 kHz converters) using a mic input does not “steal” an input from the
TRS analog I/O bank.
■ Four combo XLR/TRS mic/guitar inputs with
preamps All digital I/O is disabled for 192kHz operation.

■ Two sets of optical connectors (in and out),
individually switchable among ADAT optical Mic/instrument inputs with preamps

The four mic/instrument inputs are equipped with
“lightpipe”, 96 kHz S/MUX optical or S/PDIF
preamps and “combo” XLR/TRS jacks, which
“TOSLink”
accept low-impedance XLR microphone inputs or
■ RCA S/PDIF in/out high-impedance quarter-inch guitar/instruments
inputs. The total gain range for these preamps,
■ XLR AES/EBU in/out
including the 20dB pad, is 73dB, allowing you to
■ Word clock in/out connect any type of guitar or microphone. Preamp
■ Two 1394 FireWire jacks gain and pad can be controlled from the front
panel digital rotary encoders/switches or the
28 inputs and 30 outputs included CueMix FX™ software.
All Traveler-mk3 inputs and outputs can be used
simultaneously, for a total of 28 inputs and 30 Mic/guitar input overload protection
outputs when operating at 44.1 or 48 kHz: All four mic/guitar inputs are equipped with
V-Limit™, a hardware limiter that helps prevent
Connection Input Output digital clipping from overloaded input signals.
Analog 24-bit 192 kHz on bal/unbal TRS 4 8 With V-Limit enabled, signals can go above zero
dB (with limiting applied) to as high as +12 dB
Mic/guitar 24-bit 192 kHz on XLR/TRS combo 4 -
above zero with no distortion due to digital
Headphone output* - stereo clipping.
ADAT optical digital† 16 16
Additional or alternative protection can be applied
AES/EBU 24-bit 96 kHz digital stereo stereo
to the mic/guitar inputs by enabling the
RCA S/PDIF 24-bit 96 kHz digital stereo stereo Traveler-mk3’s Soft Clip feature, which engages
just before clipping occurs and helps reduce
Total 28 30
perceptible distortion.
* The PHONES output can operate as an Analog

independent output pair, or it can mirror any other All analog inputs are equipped with 24-bit 192 kHz
Traveler-mk3 output pair, such as the main outs A/D converters. All analog outputs have 24-bit
(Analog 1-2). 192 kHz D/A converters. All audio is transferred to
and from the computer in a 24-bit data stream.
† The Traveler-mk3 optical connectors support
several standard optical I/O formats, which All quarter-inch analog inputs can accept either a
provide varying channel counts. See “Optical” on balanced or unbalanced plug. They are equipped
page 11 for details about optical bank operation. with a -10 dBV / +4 dBu reference level switch, plus
up to +12 dB of digital trim boost.
10
ABOUT THE TRAVELER-MK3
The quarter-inch outputs are referenced to a +4 dedicated to the S/PDIF format. The TOSLink
dBu line level output signal. jacks can be used either for either TOSLink or
ADAT optical, as discussed earlier.
Precision Digital Trim™
The Traveler-mk3’s mic/guitar inputs are equipped Word clock
with digitally controlled analog trims that allow The Traveler-mk3 provides standard word clock
adjustments in 1 dB increments. The mic/guitar that can slave to any supported sample rate. In
input trims can be adjusted using front-panel addition, word clock can resolve to and generate
digital rotary encoders that provide feedback in the “high” and “low” sample rates. For example, if the
front panel LCD with up to 53 dB of boost. All Traveler-mk3 global sample rate is set to 96 kHz,
analog inputs, including four rear-panel TRS the word clock input can resolve to a “low” rate of
analog inputs, can be trimmed using the front 48 kHz. Similarly, when the Traveler-mk3 is
panel LCD or using the Traveler-mk3’s included operating at 96 kHz, Console lets you choose a
CueMix FX control software for Mac and word clock output rate of 48 kHz.
Windows. This allows you to fine-tune trim
settings for synths, effects modules and a wide 1394 FireWire
variety of analog inputs for optimum levels. The two 1394 FireWire jacks accept a standard
Different trim configurations can then be saved as IEEE 1394 FireWire cable to connect the
files on disk for instant recall. Traveler-mk3 to a FireWire-equipped Mac or
Windows computer. The second jack can be used
Optical to daisy chain multiple interfaces — up to four
The two optical banks provide 16 channels of MOTU FireWire interfaces on a single FireWire
ADAT optical at 44.1 or 48 kHz, 8 channels of bus. It can also be used to connect other FireWire
S/MUX optical I/O at 96 kHz or two banks of devices without the need for a FireWire hub. Keep
stereo TOSLink at rates up to 96 kHz. The banks in mind, however, that the Traveler-mk3 uses more
operate independently, including input and output, FireWire bus bandwidth when one or both optical
allowing you to mix and match any optical formats. banks are enabled, or when it operates at higher
For example, you could receive 4 channels of sample rates. These operating configurations will
96 kHz S/MUX input on Bank A while at the same limit the number of devices you can daisy chain on
time sending 96 kHz stereo optical S/PDIF a single FireWire bus.
(“TOSLink”) from the Bank A output.
On-board SMPTE synchronization
AES/EBU The Traveler-mk3 can resolve directly to SMPTE
The Traveler rear panel provides a standard time code via any analog input, without a separate
AES/EBU digital input and output that supports synchronizer. It can also generate time code via any
digital I/O at 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96 kHz. The analog output. The Traveler-mk3 provides a DSP-
AES/EBU jacks are disabled at the 4x sample rates driven phase-lock engine with sophisticated
(176.4 and 192kHz). filtering that provides fast lockup times and sub-
frame accuracy.
S/PDIF
The Traveler-mk3 rear panel provides S/PDIF The included MOTU SMPTE Console™ software
input and output in two different formats: RCA provides a complete set of tools for generating and
“coax” and optical “TOSLink”. The RCA jacks are regenerating SMPTE time code, which allows you
to slave other devices to the computer. Like
11
CueMix FX, the synchronization features are In either meter mode (1 or 2), turn it to choose the
cross-platform and compatible with all audio banks and/or channels you wish to view in the
sequencer software that supports the ASIO2 LCD.
sample-accurate sync protocol.
Metering section
THE TRAVELER-MK3 FRONT PANEL The front panel of the Traveler-mk3 displays
several banks of input metering and output activity
Digital Precision Trim™ rotary encoders LEDs. The round analog, SPDIF and AES/EBU
The four Digital Precision Trim™ detented rotary
output activity LEDs, as well as the ADAT optical
encoders provide preamp gain adjustment and also
in/out activity LEDs, display signal presence. The
serve as 20dB pad switches when pushed. When
threshold for these lights is approximately -42 dB.
you turn these trim knobs, input gain can be
The four-segment input meters provide dedicated
adjusted in 1dB increments, and the LCD display
multi-segment metering for their respective inputs.
provides active numeric feedback as the
adjustment is made. The Clock lights indicate the global sample rate (as
chosen in the Console software). The LOCK and
Phantom power
TACH LEDs provide feedback for the
Individual 48V phantom power can be enabled for
Traveler-mk3’s on-board SMPTE synchronization
each preamp with the four front panel switches.
features. The ADAT and MIDI LEDs indicate audio
Headphone output and main volume control and MIDI activity, respectively.
The Traveler front panel includes a quarter-inch
TRAVELER-MK3 SIDE PANEL
stereo headphone output jack and volume knob.
MIDI I/O
Dedicated MASTER VOLUME knob The Traveler-mk3’s standard MIDI IN and MIDI
From the factory, the MASTER VOL knob controls OUT jacks supply 16 channels of MIDI I/O to and
the main outs (Analog 1-2), but MASTER VOL can from the computer via the Traveler-mk3’s FireWire
be programmed to control any combination of connection.
outputs. See “The Monitor Group” on page 94 for
details. Bus power
The Traveler-mk3 can draw power from three
Programmable backlit LCD display possible sources:
Any Traveler-mk3 setting, including the powerful
CueMix FX on-board 16-bus mixer with effects, 1. the computer (via the FireWire cable connection
can be accessed directly from the front panel using between the Traveler-mk3 and the computer)
the four rotary encoders and the 2x16 backlit LCD
display. 2. an external battery pack (purchased separately)
3. a DC power supply
Programmable LCD metering
Push the METERS knob to cycle among three Bus power provides convenient portability with
meter display modes in the LCD: 1) vertical multi- laptop computers. An external battery pack
channel meters, 2) horizontal long-throw metering provides both portability and extended operation,
for individual channels, and 3) CueMix FX/Setup. even in remote locations. The included DC power
12
supply allows for stand-alone operation as a mixer, Effects include reverb, parametric EQ and
without a computer. (The Traveler-mk3 can also compression/limiting. The Traveler-mk3’s Classic
run stand-alone with a battery pack.) Reverb™ provides five different room types, three
frequency bands with adjustable crossover points,
Battery power shelf filtering and reverb lengths up to 60-seconds.
The 4-pin XLR battery power jack allows you to
connect a standard DC battery pack for extended Two forms of compression are supplied: a standard
remote recording. The battery pack must supply a compressor with conventional threshold/ratio/
minimum of 10-18 volts and 12 watts. For further attack/release/gain controls and the Leveler™, an
details, contact your preferred supplier of accurate model of the legendary LA-2A optical
professional audio/video equipment. compressor, which provides vintage, musical
automatic gain control.
Power supply
If you do not want the Traveler-mk3 to draw power CueMix FX also provides 7-band parametric EQ
from the computer, and AC power is available, you modeled after British analog console EQs,
can power the Traveler-mk3 from any standard featuring 4 filter styles (gain/Q profiles) to
10-18V, 12 watt DC power supply with any polarity effectively cover a wide range of audio material.
(tip positive or negative). Low-pass and high-pass filters are also supplied
with slopes that range from 6 to 36 dB. The EQ
16-BIT AND 24-BIT RECORDING employs extremely high precision 64-bit floating
The Traveler-mk3 system handles all data with a
point processing.
24-bit signal path, regardless of the I/O format. You
can record and play back 16-bit or 24-bit audio files The Traveler-mk3’s flexible effects architecture
at any supported sample rate via any of the allows you to apply EQ and compression on every
Traveler-mk3’s analog or digital inputs and input and output (a total of 58 channels), with
outputs. 24-bit audio files can be recorded with any enough DSP resources for at least one band of
compatible host application that supports 24-bit parametric EQ and compression on every channel
recording. at 48 kHz. However, DSP resources are allocated
dynamically and a DSP meter in the CueMix FX
CUEMIX FX 32-BIT FLOATING POINT software (included) allows you to keep tabs on the
MIXING AND EFFECTS
Traveler-mk3’s processing resources. Each input,
All Traveler-mk3 inputs and outputs can be routed
output and mix bus provides a send to the Classic
to the on-board CueMix FX 16-bus (8 stereo)
Reverb processor, which then feeds reverb returns
digital mixer driven by hardware-based DSP with
to mix busses and outputs, with a selectable split
32-bit floating point precision. The mixer allows
point between them to prevent send/return
you to apply no-latency effects processing to
feedback loops.
inputs, outputs or busses directly in the
Traveler-mk3 hardware, independent of the
HOST AUDIO SOFTWARE
computer. Effects can even be applied when the The Traveler-mk3 ships with standard Windows
Traveler-mk3 is operating stand-alone (without a drivers that allow you to record, edit, play back and
computer) as a complete rack-mounted mixer. mix your Traveler-mk3 projects using your favorite
Input signals to the computer can be recorded wet, Windows audio software.
dry, or dry with a wet monitor mix (for musicians
during recording, for example).
13
14
CHAPTER 2 Packing List and
Windows System Requirements
PACKING LIST PLEASE REGISTER TODAY!
The Traveler-mk3 ships with the items listed below. Please register your Traveler-mk3 today. There are
If any of these items are not present in your two ways to register.
Traveler-mk3 box when you first open it, please
immediately contact your dealer or MOTU. ■ Visit www.motu.com to register online
OR
■ One Traveler-mk3 I/O rack unit
■ Fill out and mail the included product
■ One set of removable rack ears
registration card
■ One 6-pin to 6-pin IEEE 1394 “FireWire” cable
As a registered user, you will be eligible to receive
■ One DC power adapter technical support and announcements about
■ One Traveler-mk3 Mac/Windows manual product enhancements as soon as they become
available. Only registered users receive these
■ One cross-platform Universal Audio Installer CD special update notices, so please register today.
■ One Mac OS X AudioDesk installer CD with
PDF manual Thank you for taking the time to register your new
MOTU products!
■ Traveler-mk3 product registration card
WINDOWS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

The Traveler-mk3 system requires the following
Windows system:
■ A 1 GHz Pentium-based PC compatible or faster
equipped with at least one FireWire port

■ A Pentium III processor or faster is
recommended
■ At least 256 MB (megabytes) of RAM (512 MB
or more is recommended)
■ Windows XP or Vista
■ A large hard drive (preferably at least 100 GB)
15
16
PACKING LIST AND WINDOWS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
CHAPTER 3 IMPORTANT! Run the Traveler-mk3
Software Installer First
OVERVIEW INSTALLING THE TRAVELER-MK3
Install the Traveler-mk3 software first! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 SOFTWARE
Installing the Traveler-mk3 software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 To install the Traveler-mk3 software, insert the
MOTU Audio Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 MOTU Audio CD-ROM and follow the directions
CueMix FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 it gives you on your computer screen. Also be sure
MOTU SMPTE Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 to read the Read Me file for installation assistance.
MOTU ASIO Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Traveler-mk3 ships with the following
The MOTU WDM audio driver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 software and drivers for Windows XP and Vista:
MOTU MIDI Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Software
component Purpose
INSTALL THE TRAVELER-MK3 SOFTWARE
FIRST! MOTU Audio
Console
Provides access to all of the settings in
the Traveler-mk3 hardware.
Before you connect the Traveler-mk3 audio
interface to your computer and turn it on, insert CueMix FX Gives you complete control over the
Traveler-mk3’s CueMix FX on-board
the Traveler-mk3 software CD and run the mixer, which provides no-latency mon-
itoring, mixing and processing of live
Traveler-mk3 Software Installer. This ensures that inputs through your Traveler-mk3.
all the Traveler-mk3 components are properly
MOTU SMPTE Provides access to the Traveler-mk3’s
installed in your system. Console SMPTE time code and video sync fea-
tures.
If Windows asks you to locate the drivers MOTU ASIO Driver Allows Cubase or other ASIO-compli-
If you’ve already connected the Traveler-mk3 to ant software to do multi-channel input
and output with the Traveler-mk3. Only
your computer and switched it on, Windows required if you are using Cubase or
another ASIO-dependent program.
probably issued an alert notifying you that the
Traveler-mk3 requires drivers, followed by another MOTU WDM Driver Allows any WDM-driver compatible
audio software to do multichannel input
window asking you to locate the drivers on disk. If and output with the Traveler-mk3.
this happens: MOTU MIDI Driver Provides MIDI input and output via the
Traveler-mk3 MIDI ports.
1 Cancel the driver search.
2 Switch off the Traveler-mk3.
3 Run the Traveler-mk3 Software Installer as

instructed in the next section.
17
MOTU AUDIO CONSOLE MOTU ASIO DRIVER
MOTU Audio Console (available in the Start ASIO stands for Audio Streaming Input and Output.
menu) gives you access to all of the settings in the The MOTU ASIO audio driver allows
Traveler-mk3, such as the clock source and sample Traveler-mk3 to provide multi-channel input and
rate. For complete details, see chapter 5, “MOTU output for Steinberg’s Cubase software, or any
Audio Console” (page 37). other audio application that supports ASIO
drivers.
The MOTU ASIO audio driver is only required if

you are using Cubase (or another audio program
that relies on the ASIO driver to support multi-
channel I/O with the Traveler-mk3).
The MOTU ASIO audio driver is installed by the

Traveler-mk3 Software Installer and properly
registered with Windows, so you don’t need to be
concerned about its installation or location.
For details about using Cubase with the

Traveler-mk3, see chapter 7, “Cubase, Nuendo and
Other ASIO Software” (page 55).
THE MOTU WDM AUDIO DRIVER

The MOTU WDM audio driver provides standard
multi-channel input and output for audio
applications running under Windows XP and
Vista. See chapter 8, “Sonar and other WDM
Figure 3-1: MOTU Audio Console gives you access to all of the settings
in the Traveler-mk3 hardware. Software” (page 61) for details.
CUEMIX FX The MOTU Universal Audio Installer CD installs

This program provides a mixing console that gives the MOTU WDM audio driver into Windows for
you control over the Traveler-mk3’s no-latency you.
CueMix FX on-board mixing and effects
processing. For details, see chapter 10, “CueMix MOTU MIDI DRIVER
FX” (page 71). This driver allows you to access the Traveler-mk3’s
MIDI input and output ports. The ports are
MOTU SMPTE CONSOLE published in Windows and are available to all MIDI
The MOTU SMPTE Console software provides a software.
complete set of tools for resolving the Traveler-mk3
to SMPTE time code, and to generate SMPTE for
striping, regenerating or slaving other devices to
the computer. For details, see chapter 11, “MOTU
SMPTE Console” (page 101).
18
IMPORTANT! RUN THE TRAVELER-MK3 SOFTWARE INSTALLER FIRST
CHAPTER 4 Installing the Traveler-mk3
Hardware
OVERVIEW IMPORTANT NOTE BEFORE YOU BEGIN!
Here’s an overview for installing the Traveler-mk3: Before you begin installing the Traveler-mk3 (or
any bus-powered device), take these important
Connect the Traveler-mk3 interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 precautionary measures to avoid damaging the
Connect the Traveler-mk3 to the computer. sensitive electrical components in your computer,
the Traveler-mk3 or other devices being
Connect audio inputs and outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
connected:
Make optical and analog connections as desired.
■ Turn off the computer.
Connect MIDI gear. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Connect a controller, synth or control surface. ■ Turn off the Traveler-mk3’s front panel power
switch.
A typical Traveler-mk3 setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
■ Turn off the power of any other devices.
An example setup for computer-based mixing/FX.
■ Touch the metal casing of the Traveler-mk3 to
Operating the Traveler-mk3 as a converter . . . . . . . . . . 28 discharge any static electricity that you may be
An example of using the Traveler-mk3 as an carrying just before the installation.
expander.
After you have made all of the necessary
Making sync connections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 connections, as described in this chapter, turn on
If you need to resolve the Traveler-mk3 with other the devices in this sequence:
devices, make the necessary sync connections.
1. Turn on the computer.
Syncing to SMPTE time code directly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
2. Turn on the Traveler-mk3.
Syncing to video and/or SMPTE time code using a
synchronizer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 3. Turn on other devices connected to the
Syncing AES/EBU and S/PDIF devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Traveler-mk3.
Syncing word clock devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Connecting multiple MOTU FireWire interfaces . . . . . 33
19
CONNECT THE TRAVELER-MK3 INTERFACE CONNECT AUDIO INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
1 Plug one end of the Traveler-mk3 FireWire cable The Traveler-mk3 audio interface has the following
(included) into the FireWire socket on the audio input and output connectors:
computer as shown below in Figure 4-1.
■ 8 balanced, +4 dB quarter-inch analog outputs
2 Plug the other end of the FireWire cable into the
■ 4 balanced +4 dB quarter-inch analog inputs
Traveler-mk3 I/O as shown below in Figure 4-1.
■ 4 mic/guitar combo jack inputs with preamps
■ 2 pair of optical in/out switchable between
ADAT (“Lightpipe”) or optical S/PDIF (TOSLink)

■ 1 pair of AES/EBU in and out
■ 1 pair of RCA S/PDIF in and out
Here are a few things you should keep in mind as
you are making these connections to other devices.
Mic/guitar inputs with preamps

Connect a microphone, guitar, instrument or other
analog input to the back panel XLR/quarter-inch
combo jack (Figure 4-4) with either a standard mic
cable or a balanced cable with a quarter-inch plug.
☛ Do not connect a +4 (line level) XLR cable to

the mic/guitar inputs (because of the preamps).
Phantom power
If you are connecting a condenser microphone or
other device that requires phantom power, move
the corresponding 48V phantom power switch on
the front panel (Figure 4-2) to the right (enabled).
Figure 4-1: Connecting the Traveler-mk3 to the computer.
Trim
Both the low-impedance XLR mic input and the
high-impedance quarter-inch guitar input are
equipped with 53 dB of digitally controlled analog
trim. Use the detented trim knobs on the front
Figure 4-2: Traveler-mk3 front panel
20
INSTALLING THE TRAVELER-MK3 HARDWARE
panel (Figure 4-2) to adjust the input level as Quarter-inch analog input trims
needed for each input. The LCD provides visual The quarter-inch inputs are calibrated to
feedback as you turn the trim knob (Figure 4-3). accommodate either +4 dBu or -10 dBV signals
and are equipped with digital trims that provide up
to +12 dB of boost. You can use either the front
panel LCD or the included CueMix FX software to
adjust both the reference level and the input trim.
To do so using CueMix FX, see “Pad and reference
level” on page 80 and “Input trim” on page 77. To
adjust the trims using the front panel LCD:
1 Push the CHANNEL knob repeatedly until you

Figure 4-3: The LCD gives you feedback as you turn the TRIM knobs for
the four mic/guitar inputs.
see “I:” (which stands for Input) in the CHANNEL
section of the LCD (Figure 4-5).
The Traveler-mk3’s input trims are digitally
controlled, so they allow you to make fine-tuned 2 Turn the CHANNEL KNOB until you see the
adjustments in 1dB increments. Use the four input desired analog input or input pair. For example,
level meters on the front panel (labeled ANALOG analog inputs 1-2 appear as “I:An 1-2”
1-4) to calibrate the level. You can also use a long- (Figure 4-5), which means Input analog 1-2.
throw horizontal meter in the LCD. See “Meters
knob” on page 44. You can also adjust trim in the 3 From the factory, TRS analog inputs are
MOTU CueMix FX software. See “Input trim” on grouped in stereo pairs (5-6 and 7-8) If you need to
page 77. split a pair to deal with it as two individual mono
inputs, turn the PARAMETER knob until you see
20 dB pad PAIR in the parameter section of the LCD
If the input signal is still too hot with the trim (Figure 4-5). Turn the VALUE knob to choose
turned all the way down, engage the 20dB pad by MONO. Then turn the CHANNEL knob again to
pushing the Trim rotary encoder (Figure 4-2). The select the desired input you are adjusting.
LCD provides feedback for the current pad setting.
Quarter-inch analog
The quarter-inch analog inputs (5-8) and outputs
(1-8) shown in Figure 4-4 are balanced (TRS)
connectors that can also accept an unbalanced
plug.
The quarter-inch outputs are calibrated to produce

a +4 dBu line level output signal. Figure 4-5: The settings for analog inputs 1 and 2 (as a pair).
Figure 4-4: Traveler-mk3 back panel
21
4 After splitting the stereo pair, if necessary, turn The Traveler-mk3 supplies +12dB of digital trim
the PARAM knob until you see the TRIM (boost) for each optical input, which can be
parameter in the LCD (Figure 4-6): adjusted from CueMix FX (“Input trim” on
page 77) or the front panel (“The IN (inputs)
menu” on page 49).
Optical operation at 44.1 or 48 kHz

When configured for ADAT “lightpipe”, an optical
connector provides 8 channels at 44.1 and 48 kHz.
ADAT optical operation at 88.2 or 96 kHz

When configured for ADAT “lightpipe”, an optical
Figure 4-6: Setting the input trim for a TRS analog input. connector provides four channels at 88.2 or 96 kHz
5 Turn the VALUE knob to adjust the trim. (2x sample rates). When using the ADAT lightpipe
format at a 2x rate, be sure to choose either Type I
6 Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the REF LEVEL setting or Type II operation, as explained in “ADAT SMUX
(+4 or -10). Type” on page 48.
Main outs Below is a summary of optical formats:

Analog outputs 1-2 can serve as main outputs.
From the factory, the volume for the TRS main Format 44.1 or 48 kHz 88.2 or 96 kHz
outputs is controlled by the MASTER VOL knob ADAT optical 8 channels 4 channels
on the front panel, although this knob can be TOSLink stereo stereo
programmed to control any combination of
outputs. For details, see “The Monitor Group” on Optical is disabled at 4x sample rates
page 94. In a standard studio configuration, the The optical banks are disabled at the 4x sample
main outs are intended for a pair of studio rates (176.4 and 192kHz).
monitors, but they can also be used as additional
outputs for any purpose. Using optical I/O to operate the Traveler-mk3 as a
16-channel expander
Optical When the Traveler-mk3 is not connected directly
The Traveler-mk3 rear panel provides two sets of to a computer via FireWire, the sixteen optical
ADAT optical (“lightpipe”) connectors: Bank A output channels can be programmed (via the
and B (Figure 4-4). Each bank provides an input CueMix FX mixer) to mirror the incoming signal
and output connector. All four connectors can on any combination of the Traveler-mk3’s inputs.
operate independently and offer two different By connecting the Traveler-mk3 optical outputs to
optical formats: ADAT optical or TOSLink (optical another device, such as another ADAT-optical
S/PDIF). For example, you could connect equipped interface or a digital mixer, you add up to
8-channel ADAT optical input from your digital sixteen additional inputs to your system (or eight
mixer and stereo TOSLink output to an effects inputs at the 2x sample rates).
processor.
22
To learn how to program the Traveler-mk3 when it Using word clock to resolve optical devices
is operating as a stand-alone expander in this If the optical device you are connecting to the
fashion, see chapter 6, “Traveler-mk3 Front Panel Traveler-mk3 has word clock connectors on it, you
Operation” (page 43). can use them to resolve the device to the
Traveler-mk3, similar to the diagram shown in
Choosing a clock source for optical connections Figure 4-19 on page 32 for S/PDIF devices with
When connecting an optical device, make sure that word clock. Also see “Syncing word clock devices”
its digital audio clock is phase-locked (in sync on page 33.
with) the Traveler-mk3, as explained in “Making
sync connections” on page 28. There are two ways S/PDIF
to do this: If you make a S/PDIF digital audio connection to
another device, be sure to review the digital audio
1. Resolve the optical device to the Traveler-mk3 clocking issues, as explained in “Syncing AES/EBU
2. Resolve the Traveler-mk3 to the optical device and S/PDIF devices” on page 32. The Traveler-mk3
supplies +12dB of digital trim (boost) for the
For 1), choose Internal (or any other clock source S/PDIF input pair, which can be adjusted from
except ADAT optical) as the clock source for the CueMix FX (“Input trim” on page 77) or the front
Traveler-mk3 in MOTU Audio Console. panel (“The IN (inputs) menu” on page 49).
For 2), choose either ADAT Optical A or ADAT AES/EBU

Optical B as the Traveler-mk3’s clock source Connect standard AES/EBU input and output.
(Figure 4-7). Be sure to choose the optical port that 2x sample rates (88.2 & 96 kHz) are supported; 4x
the device is connected to. samples rates (176.4 or 192kHz) are not supported.
Be sure to review the digital audio clocking issues,
as explained in “Syncing AES/EBU and S/PDIF
devices” on page 32.
The Traveler-mk3 supplies +12dB of digital trim

(boost) for the AES/EBU input pair, which can be
adjusted from CueMix FX (“Input trim” on
page 79) or the front panel (“The IN (inputs)
Figure 4-7: Resolving the Traveler-mk3 to an optical device. menu” on page 46).
For details about using the clock source setting and
the MOTU Audio Console software in general, see
chapter 5, “MOTU Audio Console” (page 37).
23
CONNECT MIDI GEAR Connecting additional gear with MIDI THRUs
Connect your MIDI device’s MIDI IN jack to the If you need to connect several pieces of MIDI gear,
Traveler-mk3’s MIDI OUT jack (Connection A run a MIDI cable from the MIDI THRU of a device
below). Connect the MIDI device’s MIDI OUT already connected to the Traveler-mk3 to the MIDI
jack to the MIDI IN jack (Connection B). IN on the additional device as shown below in
Figure 4-9. The two devices then share the
Traveler-mk3’s MIDI OUT port. This means that
Traveler-mk3
they share the same set of 16 MIDI channels, too,
rear panel so try to do this with devices that receive on only
one MIDI channel (such as effects modules) so
MIDI MIDI their receive channels don’t conflict with one
OUT MIDI IN
cables another.
Connection A
MIDI MIDI Connection B

MIDI Device IN OUT Traveler-mk3
rear panel
MIDI
OUT
Figure 4-8: Connecting a MIDI device to the Traveler-mk3. MIDI
MIDI Device IN
One-way MIDI connections MIDI MIDI
MIDI devices that do not receive MIDI data, such THRU cable
as a dedicated keyboard controller, guitar
controller, or drum pad, only need Connection B MIDI IN
shown in Figure 4-8. Similarly, devices that never
send data, such as a sound module, only need Figure 4-9: Connecting additional devices with MIDI THRU ports.
Connection A. Make both connections for any
device that needs to both send and receive MIDI
data.
24
POWER OPTIONS When operating under bus power, daisy-chaining
The Traveler-mk3 can draw power from three is not recommended
possible sources: The Traveler-mk3 can be daisy-chained with other
FireWire devices from a single FireWire
1. the computer (via FireWire) connection to the computer. However, if the
Traveler-mk3 is operating under bus power, this is
2. an external battery pack
not recommended. If you need to daisy chain the
3. a DC power supply Traveler-mk3 with other devices on the same
FireWire bus, power the Traveler-mk3 with a DC
power supply (or battery), and turn off the Bus
Power switch on the side panel. The other devices
on the chain should also have their own power
supply. In general, bus-powered FireWire devices
should not be daisy-chained.
Figure 4-10: The Traveler-mk3’s battery and power supply options. FireWire adapter products must be powered
If you are using a FireWire adapter (a third-party
Bus power requirements product that supplies one or more FireWire ports
The Traveler-mk3 draws all the power it needs
to your computer), it must have direct access to a
from the FireWire bus connection to the computer.
power supply:
However, the FireWire connection to the computer
must meet all of the requirements discussed below. ■ PCI FireWire cards — If you plan to connect the
Traveler-mk3 to a PCI card and run the

6-pin FireWire connectors
Traveler-mk3 under bus power, the PCI card must
The Traveler-mk3 can only draw power over the
have a direct connection to the power supply
FireWire bus from a 6-pin to 6-pin cable, or a 6-pin
harness inside your computer. This is the same
to 9-pin (FireWire B) cable. It cannot draw power
power supply harness to which you connect
from a FireWire cable with a 4-pin connector, as
internal hard drives, CD/DVD drives, etc.
shown below:
■ PCMCIA, Cardbus or ExpressCard slot adapters
— If you plan to connect the Traveler-mk3 to a PC
✓
card, Cardbus or ExpressCard FireWire adapter
✗
(inserted in the card slot in your laptop), it must
YES provide a 6-pin connection and it must also have
NO its own power supply. Most commonly, these types
of products have a DC power adapter that plugs
into an AC wall outlet. As you can see, however, this
situation does not allow for remote battery
6-pin FireWire operation, as the card adapter requires AC.
4-pin FireWire
Figure 4-11: 4-pin FireWire connectors cannot be used for bus power.
25
Examples of bus- powered operation DC power supply
Here are a few typical examples of bus-powered If you do not want the Traveler-mk3 to draw power
Traveler-mk3 operation: from the computer, and AC power is available, you
can power the Traveler-mk3 from any standard
Bus power from a desktop computer 8-18 volt, 12 watt DC power supply with any
Your desktop computer is running off of its usual polarity (tip positive or negative) and amperage as
AC power connection, and the Traveler-mk3 draws shown below. To prevent the Traveler-mk3 from
power from the FireWire cable connected to the drawing power from the computer, turn off the Bus
computer. There are no limits to running time. Power switch.
Bus power from an AC-powered laptop Voltage Amperage
This scenario is identical to the desktop situation 9 volts 1.33 amps
described above: the laptop is powered by AC, the
12 volts 1 amp
Traveler-mk3 is powered via the FireWire bus and
there are no limits to running time. 18 volts 0.66 amps
Bus power from a battery-powered laptop

The Bus Power Enable/Disable switch
The laptop is being powered by its own battery, and
The Bus Power Enable/Disable switch on the side
the Traveler-mk3 is being powered by its FireWire
panel of the Traveler-mk3 lets you control whether
connection to the computer. So the laptop battery
or not the Traveler-mk3 draws power from the
is supplying power to both the laptop and the
computer via FireWire.
Traveler-mk3. This is the most compact and
portable operating scenario. Running time is For example, when battery or DC power supply
determined by the capacity of the laptop battery. options are not being used, and FireWire is the
For extended recording sessions, bring extra, fully only available power source, turn on the Bus Power
charged laptop batteries. switch.
Powering the Traveler-mk3 from a battery pack If you are powering the Traveler-mk3 via battery or
The 4-pin XLR battery jack on the Traveler-mk3 DC power supply, and you do not want it to draw
side panel allows you to connect a standard DC power from the computer (perhaps because it is a
battery pack, which is ideal for extended remote laptop running under its own battery, and you
recording. These products can provide multiple don’t want the Traveler-mk3 to run down the
hours of operation, depending on their capacity. laptop’s battery unnecessarily), turn off the Bus
The battery pack should supply 10-18 volts and 12 Power switch.
watts. A typical application would employ a 12 volt
battery, therefore requiring 1 amp. In this scenario,
a 1 amp-hour battery will power the unit for
1 hour. A 10 amp-hour battery will power the unit
for 10 hours. Follow the manufacturer’s recom-
mendations for battery discharge for proper
battery maintenance. For further details, contact
your preferred supplier of professional audio/video
equipment.
26
A TYPICAL TRAVELER-MK3 SETUP the Traveler-mk3’s CueMix™ FX mixer to apply
Here is a typical Traveler-mk3 studio setup. This reverb, EQ and compression to what you are
rig can be operated without an external mixer. All recording and monitor it via the main outs,
mixing and processing can be done either in the headphone outs, or any other output pair. You can
Traveler-mk3, in the computer with audio control everything from the included CueMix
software, or both. During recording, you can use Console software.
synthesizer
Traveler-mk3 side panel
MIDI IN
MIDI OUT
MOTU 8pre or other optical 8-channel quarter-inch

mic input expander ADAT optical analog outs
monitors
guitars (with or
without an amp)
PC Analog
sends
FireWire
Traveler-mk3
back panel
Analog
returns
ADAT optical Analog outputs (stage

monitors, surround
monitors, etc.)
AES/EBU Digital processor or mics
other outboard gear
Digital reverb or other S/PDIF

outboard gear
Compressor, reverb or other

DAT deck analog outboard gear
headphones
Traveler
front panel
headphone
jack
Figure 4-12: A typical Traveler studio setup.
27
OPERATING THE TRAVELER-MK3 AS A latency CueMix monitor mixing in the interface,
CONVERTER since the Traveler-mk3’s inputs are fed into
As explained earlier in “Using optical I/O to CueMix via the interface’s optical inputs.
operate the Traveler-mk3 as a 16-channel
expander” on page 22, the Traveler-mk3 can serve If the device to which you are connecting the
as a multi-channel analog-to-digital converter Traveler-mk3 supports 2x optical sample rates
when disconnected from the computer and instead (88.2 or 96 kHz), you can also use both banks of
connected to another device equipped with an connectors as discussed in “ADAT optical
ADAT optical input. For example, you could operation at 88.2 or 96 kHz” on page 22.
connect the Traveler-mk3 optical output to the
optical input on another MOTU audio interface, MAKING SYNC CONNECTIONS
such as a Traveler, 896mk3 or even another If you connect devices digitally to the
Traveler-mk3. The Traveler-mk3 then serves as a Traveler-mk3, or if you need to synchronize the
multi-channel expander that adds additional mic, Traveler-mk3 with an outside time reference such
analog TRS and digital inputs to the interface. The as SMPTE time code, you must pay careful
benefit of connecting the Traveler-mk3 in this attention to the synchronization connections and
manner (instead of as another FireWire interface) clock source issues discussed in the next few
is that you can seamlessly integrate the sections.
Traveler-mk3’s inputs into the on-board no-
PC
FireWire
Base
Traveler-mk3
ADAT optical In
ADAT optical Out
Expander
Traveler-mk3
Figure 4-13: Using the Traveler-mk3 as an optical expander. In this example, it is connected to another Traveler-mk3.
28
Do you need to synchronize the Traveler-mk3? Be sure to choose a digital audio clock master
If you will be using only the Traveler-mk3’s analog When you transfer digital audio between two
inputs and outputs (and none of its digital I/O), devices, their audio clocks must be in phase with
and you have no plans to synchronize your one another — or phase-locked. Otherwise, you’ll
Traveler-mk3 system to SMPTE time code, you hear clicks, pops, and distortion in the audio — or
don’t need to make any sync connections. You can perhaps no audio at all.
skip this section and proceed to “MOTU Audio
Console” on page 37,where you’ll open MOTU Not phase-locked Phase-locked
Audio Console to confirm that the Clock Source Device A
setting is Internal as shown below.
Device B
Figure 4-15: When transferring audio, two devices must have phase-
locked audio clocks to prevent clicks, pops or other artifacts.
There are two ways to achieve phase lock: slave one

device to the other, or slave both devices to a third
master clock. If you have three or more digital
audio devices, you need to slave them all to a single
master audio clock.
Figure 4-14: You can run the Traveler-mk3 under its own internal
clock when it has no digital audio connections and you are not
synchronizing the Traveler-mk3 system to an external time reference
such as time code. Master Master
Situations that require synchronization

There are three general cases in which you will
need to resolve the Traveler-mk3 with other
Slave Slave Slave
devices:
Figure 4-16: To keep the Traveler-mk3 phased-locked with other
■ Synchronizing the Traveler-mk3 with other digital audio devices connected to it, choose a clock master.
digital audio devices so that their digital audio
Also remember that audio phase lock can be
clocks are phase-locked (as shown in Figure 4-15)
achieved independently of time code (location).
■ Resolving the Traveler-mk3 system to SMPTE For example, one device can be the time code
time code from a video deck, analog multi-track, master while another is the audio clock master. But
etc. only one device can be the audio clock master. If
you set things up with this rule in mind, you’ll have
■ Both of the above
trouble-free audio transfers with the Traveler-mk3.
Synchronization is critical for clean digital I/O
Synchronization is critical in any audio system, but
it is especially important when you are transferring
audio between digital audio devices. Your success
in using the Traveler-mk3’s digital I/O features
depends almost entirely on proper synchroni-
zation. The following sections guide you through
several recommended scenarios.
29
SYNCING TO SMPTE TIME CODE DIRECTLY Use this setup if you have:
The Traveler-mk3 system can resolve directly to ✓ A SMPTE time code source, such as a multitrack tape deck.
SMPTE time code. It can also generate time code
✓ A Traveler-mk3 by itself, OR with another slaved device (such
and word clock, under its own clock or while as a digital mixer).
slaving to time code. Therefore, the Traveler-mk3
✓ Host software that supports sample-accurate sync.
can act both as an audio interface and as a digital
audio synchronizer to which you can slave other This setup provides:
digital audio devices. You can use the Traveler-mk3 ✓ Continuous sync to SMPTE time code.
to slave your audio software to time code as well, as ✓ Sub-frame timing accuracy.
long as your software supports ASIO2 sample-
✓ Transport control from the SMPTE time code source.
accurate sync, which is the means by which the
software follows the Traveler-mk3.
Choose SMPTE as the clock source in MOTU

Audio Console.This setting can also be made in
the MOTU SMPTE Console (shown below).
SMPTE time code
source
audio cable bearing LTC When lockup is achieved, the LOCK

(Longitudinal Time Code) light illuminates and the TACH light
blinks once per second.
Analog
quarter-inch jack
Traveler-mk3 interface
In Cubase, go to the Synchronization window and
Analog Word choose ASIO Audio Device as the Timecode Base.
out Out
audio video FireWire cable

cable cable
Other digital audio device Windows computer running Cubase or Launch the MOTU SMPTE Console and specify the SMPTE Source,
slaved to the Traveler-mk3 other sample-accurate ASIO software which is the interface receiving the SMPTE time code. Also, confirm
that the Clock Source/Address is SMPTE/SMPTE. For details about the
other settings, see chapter 11,“MOTU SMPTE Console” (page 101).
Figure 4-17: Connections for synchronizing the
Traveler-mk3 directly to SMPTE time code.
30
SYNCING TO VIDEO AND/OR SMPTE TIME Use this setup if you have:
CODE USING A SYNCHRONIZER ✓ Video and/or a SMPTE time code source.
If your host audio software does not support the
Traveler-mk3’s on-board SMPTE sync features ✓ A Digital Timepiece, MIDI Timepiece AV or other synchro-
nizer.
(because your software does not support ASIO2
sample-accurate sync), you need a universal ✓ Host software that does not support ASIO2 sample-accurate
sync (although you can use this setup even if it does).
synchronizer, such as a MOTU MIDI Timepiece.
This setup provides:
These dedicated sync boxes can read video and
✓ Continuous sync to SMPTE time code.
SMPTE time code and then convert it into word
clock and MIDI Time Code (MTC). The word ✓ Sub-frame timing accuracy.
clock goes to the Traveler-mk3 to resolve the audio ✓ Transport control from the SMPTE time code source.
hardware, and MIDI Time Code is fed to your host
audio software, which locks to it, as shown below
in Figure 4-18.
Video deck
or other source for video and/or SMPTE time code
Audio cable bearing LTC

(Longitudinal Time Code)
MOTU MIDI Timepiece AV or Digital Timepiece

slaving to video and/or SMPTE time code
Word OUT MIDI OUT
word clock MIDI time code
Word IN MIDI IN
Traveler-mk3
MIDI Time Code

(Via FireWire)
Set up your audio software to

slave to MIDI Time Code.
Choose Word Clock In as the clock source in MOTU Audio

Console. If you have multiple interfaces connected, be
sure to choose the Word Clock In option that corre- PC running any audio software
sponds to the interface receiving the clock signal.
Figure 4-18: If your host audio software does not support sample-accurate sync and the Traveler-mk3’s built-in
SMPTE sync features, use a universal synchronizer such as the MOTU MIDI Timepiece AV or Digital Timepiece.
31
SYNCING AES/EBU AND S/PDIF DEVICES On the other hand, when you transfer audio from
DAT decks and other devices with S/PDIF and/or the S/PDIF or AES/EBU device into the
AES/EBU digital I/O will sync to the Traveler-mk3 Traveler-mk3, you’ll have to slave the Traveler-mk3
in one of two ways: to its S/PDIF or AES/EBU input. If you have other
digital audio devices connected to the
■ Via the S/PDIF or AES/EBU connection itself Traveler-mk3, and they are not slaved directly to
■ Via word clock the Traveler-mk3 itself, you may hear clicks and
pops resulting from their unsynchronized audio
Devices with no word clock clock. If so, just turn them off during the transfer.
If your S/PDIF or AES/EBU device has no word
clock sync connectors, just connect it to the Devices with word clock
Traveler-mk3 via the S/PDIF or AES/EBU If your S/PDIF or AES/EBU device has a Word
connectors. When the device records a digital Clock input, slave the device to the Traveler-mk3
audio signal (from the Traveler-mk3), it will simply via their word clock connection. You can then
synchronize to the clock provided by the digital freely transfer audio between the Traveler-mk3 and
audio input. the S/PDIF device.
Traveler-mk3 Traveler-mk3
Traveler-mk3 Clock Source setting = Clock Source setting =
S/PDIF or AES/EBU Internal (when transferring from the S/PDIF or AES/EBU (when transferring
Traveler to the other device) from the other device to the Traveler)
S/PDIF or AES/EBU
S/PDIF or AES/EBU
device Traveler-mk3
Clock Source setting = Internal
Traveler-mk3
Word Clock Out SPDIF or AES/EBU
Word Clock In SPDIF or AES/EBU
S/PDIF or AES/EBU
device
With this setup, in MOTU Audio Console, choose Internal, or any other clock
source setting except SPDIF or AES/EBU.The other device slaves to the Traveler
via word clock for digital transfers in both directions.
Figure 4-19: Two setups for synchronizing an AES/EBU or S/PDIF device with the Traveler-mk3. In the top diagram, sync is achieved via the
connection itself. In this case, you have to choose AES/EBU or S/PDIF as the Traveler-mk3’s clock source when recording from the other device. If
you don’t want to have to worry about switching the Clock Source setting depending on the direction of the transfer, you can slave the other
device to word clock from the Traveler-mk3 or vice versa (not shown). The Word Clock connection maintains sync, regardless of the direction of
the transfer.
32
SYNCING WORD CLOCK DEVICES Traveler-mk3 could be running at 96 kHz while
The Traveler-mk3 word clock connectors allow slaving to a 48 kHz word clock signal. Similarly, the
you to synchronize it with a wide variety of other Traveler-mk3 could run at 88.2 kHz and slave to
word clock-equipped devices. 44.1 kHz word clock.
For standard word clock sync, you need to choose Remember, the word clock signal must be one of
an audio clock master (as explained in “Be sure to the following:
choose a digital audio clock master” on page 29).
In the simplest case, you have two devices and one ■ the same as the Traveler-mk3 clock
is the word clock master and the other is the slave ■ half of the Traveler-mk3 clock
as shown below in Figure 4-20 and Figure 4-21.
Forcing a 1x word out rate
Master Traveler-mk3 The Traveler-mk3 can generate a word clock
Word clock OUT output signal that either matches the current
system clock rate (any rate between 44.1 and
192kHz) or the corresponding 1x rate. For
Word clock IN
example, if the Traveler-mk3 is operating at
Slave Other device
192kHz, you can choose to generate a word out rate
of 48kHz. For details on how to make this word
Figure 4-20: Slaving another digital audio device to the Traveler-mk3
via word clock. For the Traveler-mk3 clock source, choose any source clock output setting, see “Word Out” on page 42.
besides word clock, as it is not advisable to chain word clock.
CONNECTING MULTIPLE MOTU FIREWIRE
Master Word clock source INTERFACES
You can daisy-chain multiple MOTU FireWire
Word clock OUT interfaces on a single FireWire bus, with the
restrictions described in the following sections.
Word clock IN
Most computers have only one built-in FireWire
Slave Traveler-mk3 bus (even if it supplies multiple FireWire sockets).
Figure 4-21: Slaving the Traveler-mk3 to word clock. For the
Connect them as follows:
Traveler-mk3 clock source, choose ‘Word Clock In’.
Don’t chain word clock

If you have three or more digital audio devices that
you need to synchronize, avoid chaining their word
clock connections (OUT to IN, OUT to IN, etc.), as
this causes problems. Instead, use a dedicated
synchronizer or a word clock distribution device of
some kind.
Slaving to 2x and 1/2x word clock

All MOTU FireWire audio interfaces that support
96 kHz operation have the ability to slave to a word
clock signal running at either one half or one
quarter of their current clock rate. For example, the
33
PC
FireWire
FireWire
FireWire
FireWire
FireWire
FireWire
FireWire
FireWire
Figure 4-23: To view the settings for an interface, click its tab.
Figure 4-22: Connecting multiple Traveler-mk3 interfaces (or other Synchronizing multiple interfaces
MOTU FireWire audio interfaces) to a computer.
All connected MOTU FireWire interfaces get their
Multiple interfaces cannot be bus-powered clock from whatever you choose from the Clock
Do not run the Traveler-mk3, UltraLite or other Source menu in the General tab in MOTU Audio
bus-powered interfaces under bus power with Console. When you connect multiple MOTU
other devices on the same FireWire bus. FireWire interfaces, all of their respective sync
sources are displayed in the menu as shown below
Multiple interfaces in MOTU Audio Console in Figure 4-24.
MOTU Audio Console displays the settings for one
interface at a time. To view the settings for an
interface, click its tab as shown in Figure 4-23.
34
Adding additional interfaces with a second
FireWire bus
Third-party FireWire bus expansion products in
the form of a cardbus (“PC card”), ExpressCard or
PCI card adapter allow you to add a second
FireWire bus to your computer. In may be possible
to add additional MOTU FireWire interfaces
connected to such a product, depending on their
performance with your host computer.
Managing the IDs of multiple interfaces

Multiple Traveler-mk3 interfaces are identified by
number (#1, #2, #3, etc.) Interfaces are ID’d (given
a number) by the order in which they are first
powered up after being connected. This
information is stored in the MOTU FireWire Audio
Figure 4-24: All MOTU FireWire audio interfaces get their clock from a preferences file. Once ID’d, they retain the same
single master sync source on any connected Traveler-mk3 (or other
MOTU FireWire interface). After you choose a source from this menu, number regardless of the order in which they are
the entire system, including all connected Traveler-mk3s, synchro- powered up. You can disable an interface at any
nizes to it.
time with the Disable interface option shown in
Each FireWire interface in the system gets its clock Figure 4-23 on page 34. Doing so frees up the
from the computer (unless it is the master clock FireWire bandwidth required by the interface
itself). There is no need to make word clock without turning it off. Switching off an interface
connections between multiple FireWire interfaces. accomplishes the same thing. To get MOTU Audio
Console to forget about an interface entirely, you’ll
Connecting other MOTU FireWire interfaces see a Forget button in MOTU Audio Console. Just
You can add an original MOTU 828 to the end of a
click the Forget button and MOTU Audio Console
FireWire daisy chain (because the 828 has only one
will no longer consider the interface to be present
FireWire port), or you can mix and match multiple
but off line (turned off).
828’s with other MOTU FireWire interfaces using a
standard FireWire hub. Alternately, can daisy-
chain any MOTU audio interface with two
FireWire ports.
Operating multiple FireWire interfaces at high

sample rates
Four MOTU FireWire interfaces can operate at
44.1 or 48kHz on a single FireWire bus, although
you may have to disable optical banks to conserve
FireWire bus bandwidth. At the 2x samples rates
(88.2 or 96kHz) and 4x sample rates (176.4 and
192kHz), you can operate no more than two
FireWire interfaces on a single FireWire bus.
35
36
CHAPTER 5 MOTU Audio Console
OVERVIEW
MOTU Audio Console gives you access to basic
Traveler-mk3 hardware settings, such as sample
rate, clock source, optical format and more.
Accessing the Traveler-mk3 settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

‘General’ Tab Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Sample Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Clock Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Samples Per Buffer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Use Stereo Pairs for Windows Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Use WaveRT for Windows Audio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
‘Traveler-mk3’ tab settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Phones Assign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 ■ From within other ASIO-compatible programs,
Optical input/output. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 refer to their documentation.

Main Outs Assign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
■ From the front panel LCD as explained in
Return Assign. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
chapter 6, “Traveler-mk3 Front Panel Operation”
Clip Hold Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
(page 43).
Peak Hold Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Word Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Traveler-mk3 tab settings
Disable interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 The Traveler-mk3 tab (Figure 5-1) provides
ACCESSING THE TRAVELER-MK3 SETTINGS settings that apply to a specific Traveler-mk3
There are several ways to access MOTU Audio interface. If you have several Traveler-mk3 (or
Console settings: other MOTU) interfaces connected, you’ll see a
separate tab for each one.
■ From the Windows Start menu, choose
Programs>MOTU>MOTU Audio Console

■ In Cubase or Nuendo, open the Device Setup
window, click VST Audio System and choose

MOTU Traveler mk3 from the ASIO Driver menu as
shown below. Then click the MOTU Traveler mk3
item in the list, click the Control Panel button and
click the Open ConfigApp button.
37
‘GENERAL’ TAB SETTINGS Operation at 4x sample rates (176.4 or 192kHz)
At the 4x sample rates (176.4 or 192kHz),
Sample Rate operation of the Traveler-mk3 is restricted, due to
Choose the desired Sample Rate for recording and
the higher audio bandwidth demands, as follows:
playback. The Traveler-mk3 can operate at 44.1
(the standard rate for compact disc audio), 48, ■ All digital I/O is disabled (there is no optical,
88.2, 96, 176.4 or 192 kHz. Make sure that all of the AES/EBU or S/PDIF input/output).
devices connected digitally to the Traveler-mk3
■ The Traveler-mk3 provides 8 channels of analog
match the Traveler-mk3’s sample rate. Also make
sure that your digital audio synchronizer matches input and 8 channels of analog output, simulta-
it as well (if you have one). At the 4x sample rates neously.
(176.4 or 192kHz), all digital I/O on the ■ The stereo return bus, as described in “Return
Traveler-mk3 is disabled. Assign” on page 42, can only be assigned to one of

the four available analog output pairs or phones.
☛ Mismatched sample rates cause distortion and
crackling. If you hear this sort of thing, check the ■ The headphone output can only be assigned to
sample rate settings in your hardware and here in one of the four available analog output pairs or
MOTU Audio Console. phones.
■ The Main Outs can only be assigned to one of
the four available analog output pairs or phones.
Figure 5-1: MOTU Audio Console gives you access to all of the settings in the Traveler-mk3 hardware.
38
MOTU AUDIO CONSOLE
Clock Source Use this setting whenever you are recording input
The Clock Source determines the digital audio from a DAT deck or other S/PDIF device into the
clock that the Traveler-mk3 will use as its time Traveler-mk3. It is not necessary in the opposite
base. For a complete explanation of synchroni- direction (when you are transferring from the
zation issues, see “Making sync connections” on Traveler-mk3 to the DAT machine).
page 28. The following sections briefly discuss each
clock source setting. For further details about this setting, see “Syncing
AES/EBU and S/PDIF devices” on page 32.
Internal
Use the Internal setting when you want the AES/EBU
Traveler-mk3 to operate under its own digital The AES/EBU clock source setting refers to the
audio clock. For example, you may be in a situation AES/EBU XLR input jack on the Traveler-mk3.
where all you are doing is playing tracks off hard This setting allows the Traveler-mk3 to slave to
disk in your digital audio software on the another AES/EBU device.
computer. In a situation like this, you most often
don’t need to reference an external clock of any Use this setting whenever you are recording input
kind. from a DAT deck or other AES/EBU device into the
Traveler-mk3. It is not necessary in the opposite
Another example is transferring a mix to DAT. You direction (when you are transferring from the
can operate the Traveler-mk3 system on its internal Traveler to the DAT machine).
clock, and then slave the DAT deck to the
Traveler-mk3 via the S/PDIF connection (usually For further details about this setting, see “Syncing
DAT decks slave to their S/DIF input when you S/PDIF and AES/EBU devices” on page 46.
choose the S/PDIF input as their record source) or
ADAT Optical A / B
via the Traveler-mk3’s word clock output (if your
The ADAT optical clock source settings (ADAT
DAT deck has a word clock input).
Optical A and ADAT Optical B) refer to the clock
provided by the Traveler-mk3’s two optical inputs,
If you would like help determining if this is the
when either one is connected to another optical
proper clock setting for your situation, see
device. These two settings only appear in the Clock
“Making sync connections” on page 28.
Source menu when their corresponding optical
Word Clock In bank input is enabled and set to the ADAT Optical
The Word Clock In setting refers to the Word Clock format, as explained in “Optical input/output” on
In BNC connector on the Traveler-mk3 rear panel. page 41.
Choosing this setting allows the Traveler-mk3 to
slave to an external word clock source, such as the This setting can be used to resolve the
word clock output from a digital mixer. Traveler-mk3 directly to the optical input
connection. Most of the time, you can set up a
S/PDIF better operating scenario that uses one of the other
The S/PDIF clock source setting refers to the synchronization options. However, there may be
S/PDIF RCA input jack on the Traveler-mk3. This occasions when you have an optical device that has
setting allows the Traveler-mk3 to slave to another no way of synchronizing digitally to the
S/PDIF device. Traveler-mk3 or an external synchronizer. In this
39
MOTU AUDIO CONSOLE
case, the ADAT Optical clock source setting lets you code reference and shared transport control are not
slave the Traveler-mk3 to the device itself via its needed — without having to set up an elaborate
digital input to the Traveler-mk3. synchronization scenario.
This setting is also useful if you just need to make a For further details, see “Choosing a clock source
simple, click-free digital transfer between the for optical connections” on page 23.
Traveler-mk3 and another device — where a time
code reference and shared transport control are not SMPTE
needed — without having to set up an elaborate Choose this setting to resolve the Traveler-mk3
synchronization scenario. directly to SMPTE time code (LTC) being received
via any Traveler-mk3 analog input jack. For details,
For further details, see “Choosing a clock source see “Syncing to SMPTE time code directly” on
for optical connections” on page 23. page 30 and chapter 11, “MOTU SMPTE Console”
(page 101).
TOSLink A / B
The TOSLink clock source settings (TOSLink A and Samples Per Buffer
TOSLink B) refer to the clock provided by the The Samples Per Buffer setting lets you reduce the
Traveler-mk3’s two optical inputs, when either one delay you hear when patching live audio through
is connected to another optical device. These two your audio software. For example, you might have
settings only appear in the Clock Source menu a live guitar input that you would like to run
with their corresponding optical bank input is through an amp simulation plug-in that you are
enabled and set to the TOSLink format, as running in your host audio software. When doing
explained in “Optical input/output” on page 41. so, you may hear or feel some “sponginess” (delay)
between the source and the processed signal. If so,
The TOSLink clock source setting refers to the don’t worry. This effect only affects what you hear:
clock provided an optical S/PDIF device connected it is not present in what is actually recorded.
to the Traveler-mk3’s optical input. This setting
can be used to slave the Traveler-mk3 directly to You can use Samples Per Buffer setting to reduce
the optical input connection. Most of the time, you this monitoring delay—and even make it
can set up a better operating scenario that uses one completely inaudible.
of the other synchronization options. However,
there may be occasions when you have an ☛ If you don’t need to process an incoming live
TOSLink-compatible device that has no way of signal with software plug-ins, you can monitor the
synchronizing digitally to the Traveler-mk3 or an signal with no delay at all using CueMix FX, which
external synchronizer such as the Digital routes the signal directly to your speakers via
Timepiece. In this case, the TOSLink clock source hardware. For details, see chapter 10, “CueMix FX”
setting lets you slave the Traveler-mk3 to the other (page 71).
device via the Traveler-mk3’s optical input. Adjusting the Samples Per Buffer setting impacts
the following things:
This setting is also useful if you just need to make a
simple, click-free digital transfer between the ■ The strain on your computer’s CPU
Traveler-mk3 and another device — where a time
■ The delay you hear when routing a live signal
through your host audio software plug-ins
40
MOTU AUDIO CONSOLE
■ How responsive the transport controls are in Monitoring live inputs without plug-in effects
your software As mentioned earlier, CueMix FX allows you to
monitor dry, unprocessed live inputs with no delay
This setting presents you with a trade-off between
at all. For complete details, see chapter 9,
the processing power of your computer and the
“Reducing Monitoring Latency” (page 67).
delay of live audio as it is being processed by
plug-ins. If you reduce the Samples Per Buffer, you Use Stereo Pairs for Windows Audio
reduce patch thru latency, but significantly increase The Traveler-mk3 Wave drivers (WaveRT, WDM
the overall processing load on your computer, and MME) have the ability to provide audio
leaving less CPU bandwidth for things like real- streams to host applications in banks with more
time effects processing. On the other hand, if you than two channels (e.g. an 8-channel stream of
increase the Samples Per Buffer, you reduce the load analog output). If your audio software requires this
on your computer, freeing up bandwidth for for some reason (such as for surround support),
effects, mixing and other real-time operations. But uncheck this box. Otherwise, leave it checked,
don’t set the Samples Per Buffer too low, or it may which forces all streams to be stereo pairs instead
cause distortion in your audio. (the grouping many Windows audio applications
prefer).
If you don’t process live inputs with software
plug-ins, leave this setting at its default value of Use WaveRT for Windows Audio
1024 samples. If you do, try settings of 256 samples Check this option if you are running Windows
or less, if your computer seems to be able to handle Vista and the audio software you are using with the
them. If your host audio software has a processor Traveler-mk3 supports Windows Vista WaveRT
meter, check it. If it starts getting maxed out, or if drivers. If you uncheck this box, Traveler-mk3
the computer seems sluggish, raise the Samples Per WaveRT support is disabled, and legacy WDM
Buffer until performance returns to normal. driver support is provided instead.
If you are at a point in your recording project where ‘TRAVELER-MK3’ TAB SETTINGS
you are not currently working with live, patched-
thru material (e.g. you’re not recording vocals), or Phones Assign
The Phones Assign setting lets you choose what you
if you have a way of externally monitoring input,
will hear from the headphone jack. Choose Analog
choose a higher Samples Per Buffer setting.
1-2 if you’d like the headphone output to match the
Depending on your computer’s CPU speed, you
Main Outs. Choose Phones 1-2 if you would like the
might find that settings in the middle work best.
headphones to serve as their own independent
The Samples Per Buffer setting also impacts how output, which you can access as an independent
quickly your audio software will respond when you output destination in your host audio software and
begin playback, although not by amounts that are as an output destination for the eight on-board
very noticeable. Lowering the Samples Per Buffer CueMix FX mix busses.
will make your software respond faster; raising the
Optical input/output
Samples Per Buffer will make it a little bit slower, but
The Optical input and Optical output settings let
barely enough to notice.
you choose between ADAT optical (‘lightpipe’) and
S/PDIF optical (‘TOSLink’) as the format for the
Traveler-mk3’s two banks of optical input and
output (Bank A and Bank B). Choose the format
41
MOTU AUDIO CONSOLE
that matches the device connected. If you are not Clip Hold Time
using the optical connections, it is recommended The Clip Hold Time option controls how long the
that you turn them off (by choosing Disabled from top red LED on the front panel metering remains
the menu) to reduce bandwidth and processing illuminated after clipping occurs.
overhead. Note that you can operate each optical
port independently. For example, you could use the Peak Hold Time
ADAT optical format on the Bank A input (with a The Traveler-mk3 front-panel level meters support
digital mixer, for example) and optical S/PDIF on standard peak/hold metering, where the LED for
the Bank A output (with a DAT deck, for example). the highest level recently measured on the channel
remains illuminated for a brief period of time while
Main Outs Assign the rest of the LEDs below it remain fully dynamic.
Choose Analog 1-2 from the Main Outs Assign The Peak Hold Time controls how long the peak-
menu to treat the Main Outs as their own hold LED remain illuminated before going dark
independent output pair. Choose any other output again.
pair to cause the Main Outs to mirror (duplicate)
the output pair you choose. Word Out
The Word Out menu appears when the
Return Assign Traveler-mk3 is operating at a 2x sample rate (88.2
The Return Assign menu lets you choose any pair of or 96kHz) or 4x sample rate (176.4 or 192kHz).
Traveler-mk3 audio outputs, or any mix bus output This menu lets you set the word clock output either
(when operating at 44.1 or 48 kHz). The audio to match the current sample rate (System Clock) or
signal from this output pair or mix is then sent force it to the corresponding 1x rate (either 44.1 or
back to the computer via the Stereo Return 1-2 bus. 48kHz). For example, if the Traveler-mk3 were
This stereo return bus from the Traveler-mk3 operating at 176.4kHz, choosing the Force 44.1/
appears in your host software alongside all other 48kHz option would produce word clock output at
Traveler-mk3 inputs, wherever your host software 44.1kHz.
lists them.
Disable interface
The Traveler-mk3 stereo return bus can be used for You can disable an interface at any time with the
a variety of purposes. For example, you could use it Disable interface option. Doing so frees up the
to send a final mix being played through the FireWire bandwidth required by the interface
Traveler-mk3 back to the computer, where you without turning it off. Switching off an interface
could record it for mastering or archiving accomplishes the same thing. To get MOTU Audio
purposes. Console to forget about an interface entirely, you’ll
see a Forget button in MOTU Audio Console. Just
As another example, you could use the stereo click the Forget button and MOTU Audio Console
return bus to capture tracks played from your host will no longer consider the interface to be present
software, along with live inputs being routed but off line (turned off).
directly through the Traveler-mk3 hardware via
CueMix FX (with or without CueMix effects
processing on the live inputs).
42
MOTU AUDIO CONSOLE
CHAPTER 6 Traveler-mk3 Front Panel Operation
OVERVIEW PRECISION DIGITAL TRIM AND PAD

The Traveler-mk3 offers complete front-panel Turn the Precision Digital Trim™ detented rotary
programming via six rotary encoders and a 2x16 encoders on the Traveler-mk3 front panel
backlit LCD display. All Traveler-mk3 settings can (Figure 6-1) to adjust the input level of their
be accessed via these front-panel controls. corresponding mic/guitar input on the rear panel.
The LCD provides visual feedback as you turn the
Precision Digital Trim and pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 knob (Figure 6-2). Each detent adjusts the gain by
Phones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 approximately 1 dB. The gain range is from zero
Meters and status LEDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 (0) to +53 dB. This is digitally controlled analog
Push-button rotary encoders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 trim.
Multi-function LCD display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Traveler-mk3 SETUP menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Audio menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
CueMix menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Inputs menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Outputs menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Mixes menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Reverb menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Stand-alone operation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Figure 6-2: the LCD provides feedback when you adjust the Precision
Digital Trim and pad for the four mic/guitar inputs.
Pad switch
Push the rotary encoder once to view the current
gain and pad settings as shown in Figure 6-2
without changing them. Push it again (while the
Figure 6-1: The Traveler-mk3 front panel mic/guitar input controls.
43
pad setting is still visible) to toggle the 20dB pad on
or off. After a few seconds, the LCD display will
return to the previous screen.
Other mic/guitar input settings

The Traveler-mk3 mic/guitar inputs are equipped
with many features to handle a wide variety of
recording situations. For information about
connections and settings, see “Mic/guitar inputs Figure 6-3: The LCD provides feedback as you adjust Phone volume.
with preamps” on page 20 in the installation
chapter. For information about the many settings METERS KNOB
The METERS knob (Figure 6-1) provides access to
available for the mic/guitar inputs, see:
extensive input and output metering in the LCD.
■ “The Inputs tab” on page 76 Push the knob to cycle through three modes:
■ “The channel settings section” on page 80 ■ Vertical multi-channel mode

■ “The Channel tab” on page 80 ■ Horizontal single channel mode
■ “The EQ tab” on page 82 ■ CueMix FX / Setup / Audio
■ “The Dynamics tab” on page 90
Multichannel metering
For multi-channel metering in the LCD, push the
PHONES
METERS knob repeatedly until you see a multi-
From the factory, the PHONES jack (Figure 6-1) is
channel meter display similar to Figure 6-4 below:
a discrete output, but it can mirror any other
output pair (digital or analog) or serve as its own
independent output. For example, at 88.2/96 kHz,
it defaults to mirroring the TRS main outs.
When you turn the phone VOL knob, the LCD

display provides visual feedback (Figure 6-9). To
view the current setting without changing it, just
push the knob (without turning it).
Figure 6-4: Multi-channel metering in the LCD.
MASTER VOLUME
From the factory, the MASTER VOL knob The display shows two 8-channel banks at a time,
(Figure 6-1) controls the main outs (analog 1-2), one in each row, with channel numbers displayed
but MASTER VOL can be programmed to control above and below and bank labels in the LCD itself
any combination of outputs. See “The Monitor on the left-hand side.
Group” on page 95 for details. Push the knob once
to view the current volume setting in the LCD Choosing which bank to display
display; push it again to mute the monitor group; Turn the METERs knob to cycle among the
push a third time to return to the previous volume. following 8-channel bank displays:
■ Analog input and output
44
TRAVELER-MK3 FRONT PANEL OPERATION
■ Digital input and output (AES/EBU + S/PDIF) Choosing a channel
Turn the METERS knob to cycle among all active
■ Optical bank A input and output
channels or channel pairs. Stereo pairs show two
■ Optical Bank B input and output meters together.
■ Optical Bank A and B inputs Mic input metering with V-Limit

■ Optical Bank A and B outputs If you view a mic input, there is an extra meter in
the top row of the LCD that displays V-Limit
The digital I/O bank compression. This meter shows the amount of
In the digital input/output bank meter display compression applied to the raw input signal when
(Figure 6-5), the first pair of channels represents it exceeds zero dB.
AES/EBU and the second pair represents S/PDIF,
as shown below:
S/PDIF
AES/EBU
Figure 6-7: Metering for a mic input with V-Limit engaged.
For complete details about V-Limit, see “Overload

protection (mic/guitar inputs only)” on page 81.
Figure 6-5: Viewing AES/EBU and S/PDIF level meters in the LCD. When viewing individual channels, banks are
Long throw metering for individual channels identified as follows:
To view long-throw horizontal metering for one
Symbol Bank
channel (or channel pair) at a time in the LCD,
AN Analog
push the METERS knob repeatedly until you see a
horizontal meter display similar to Figure 6-4 AES AES/EBU
below: SP S/PDIF
ADA or ADB ADAT A or B
TLA or TLB TOSLink A or TOSLink B
Figure 6-6: Horizontal long-throw metering for an individual channel

in the LCD.
45
METERS AND STATUS LEDS display a level meter and gain reduction reading
The meters and LEDs (Figure 6-8) provide status that updates as you turn the volume knob. After a
and metering information for all Traveler-mk3 brief time-out, the display returns to its previous
inputs and outputs. state before you turned the volume knob.
PUSH-BUTTON ROTARY ENCODERS

All of the knobs shown in Figure 6-10 are push-
button digital rotary encoders. In many cases, you
can either push the knob or turn it to make a
setting or toggle the LCD display (depending on
the encoder and setting).
MULTI-FUNCTION LCD DISPLAY

The LCD provides access to the many Figure 6-9: The LCD provides feedback as you adjust volume.
Traveler-mk3 settings, as well as visual feedback of
Three global menus
the current parameter being modified.
Push the PARAM knob to cycle the LCD among
Parameter “zooming” three global menus, described in the rest of this
For many settings, the LCD temporarily “zooms chapter:
in” to display a long-throw meter and alpha-
■ Traveler-mk3 SETUP
numeric display to give you precise, real-time
feedback as you adjust the setting. For example, if ■ AUDIO (settings)
you change the headphone volume, the LCD will
■ CUEMIX (mixer)
Analog AES/EBU S/PDIF Optical Time code

input digital digital bank lock and
meters input input activity tach
meters meters LEDs
MIDI
activity
Analog output activity LEDs AES/EBU S/PDIF Sample
output output rate
activity activity
LEDs LEDs
Figure 6-8: The Traveler-mk3 front panel meters and LEDs.
46
TRAVELER-MK3 SETUP MENU Save/Name Preset
To access the Traveler-mk3 SETUP menu, push the An Traveler-mk3 preset holds all current
PARAM knob until you see Traveler-mk3 SETUP CueMix FX mix settings (everything in the
displayed in the LCD. This menu provides basic CUEMIX menu). SETUP menu and AUDIO menu
features for managing the Traveler-mk3 hardware. parameters are not included. Turn the VALUE
Turn the PARAM knob to access each setting, knob to move from character to character in the
explained briefly below. preset name. Turn PAGE to change the currently
flashing letter. Once you’ve named the preset, push
LCD Contrast VALUE to save it, turn it again to choose the
Turn the VALUE knob to adjust the LCD contrast. desired preset slot you wish to save it to (1-16), and
the push again to confirm the save. To cancel the
save operation at any time by turning the PARAM
knob.
Load Preset
Turn VALUE to choose the preset you wish to load
(1-16) and push VALUE to load it.
Figure 6-11: In setup mode, the LCD displays a setup parameter in the
top row of the LCD and the current setting in the bottom row.
When viewing CueMix settings Push the PARAM knob to cycle The LCD is divided into four
in the LCD, push the CHANNEL among three global menus: sections that correspond to the
knob to cycle among four main CueMix (mixer), AUDIO four knobs to the left.
mixer menus: MIX, IN (inputs), (settings) and Traveler-mk3
OUT (outputs) and REVERB. SETUP.
Turn it to choose a channel.
Turn the PAGE knob to view settings for Turn and/or push the
each channel. Push it to jump to the VALUE knob to adjust
next section or back to the beginning. the current setting.
Figure 6-10: The Traveler-mk3 front panel LCD controls.
47
MIDI Thru in standalone AUDIO MENU
Turn VALUE to enable (Y) or disable (N) the To access the AUDIO menu, push the PARAM
Traveler-mk3’s MIDI Thru feature when it is being knob until you see AUDIO displayed in the LCD.
operated stand-alone (not connected to a This menu provides basic settings such as sample
computer via FireWire). When MIDI Thru is rate, clock source, optical bank format (ADAT
enabled, the MIDI IN jack passes MIDI data versus TOSLink), and so on. These settings have
directly to the MIDI OUT jack. This allows you, for corresponding settings in the MOTU Audio
example, to play a sound module connected to the Console software, as shown in the following table:
MIDI OUT from a keyboard controller connected
to the MIDI IN, without a computer connected. Audio menu item Where to find more information
Clock Source* “Clock Source” on page 39
You can use this feature even when the Sample rate* “Sample Rate” on page 38
Traveler-mk3 is connected to the computer, but
Phones Assign “Phones Assign” on page 41
make sure that you are not also patching MIDI data
through any host software running on the Main Out Assign “Main Outs Assign” on page 42
computer. In this case, data received on the MIDI
Return Assign “Return Assign” on page 42
IN port would be doubled on (i.e. sent twice to) the
MIDI OUT port. In this case, simply disable patch Optical In/Out A/B* “Optical input/output” on page 41
thru either in the Traveler-mk3 or in your host ADAT SMUX Type See below. This menu item is only avail-
able when the Traveler-mk3 is operating
software. at 88.2 or 96 kHz.
All Notes Off Word Clock Out “Word Out” on page 42. This menu
item is only available when the Trav-
The All Notes Off setting sends a MIDI All Notes Off eler-mk3 is operating at 88.2 or 96 kHz.
message, as well as a MIDI note-off message for Clip Hold “Clip Hold Time” on page 42
every note on every MIDI channel. This stops any
stuck notes that are currently playing. Push VALUE Peak Hold “Peak Hold Time” on page 42
to send the All Notes Off MIDI data.

* If the Traveler-mk3 is currently connected to a computer, this setting
cannot be changed from the front-panel LCD. It must be changed in
AutoSave Status MOTU Audio Console instead. Or, you can disconnect the
All of the parameters in the Traveler-mk3 are Traveler-mk3 from the computer to change the Clock Source from the
front panel.
periodically saved automatically in its memory, so
that if you power down the unit, it will power back ADAT SMUX Type
up in the same state. AutoSave Status tells you the When the Traveler-mk3 is operating at either 88.2
current state of this process: Change Detected, or 96 kHz, the AUDIO menu includes an item
Saving… or Saved. If it says Saved, it is ready to be called ADAT SMUX Type.
powered down. If it says Change Detected or
Saving…, wait until it changes to Saved. This setting lets you configure the optical ports for
ADAT format operation at the 2x sample rates only
Factory Defaults (88.2 or 96 kHz).
Push VALUE to restore the Traveler-mk3 hardware
to its factory default settings. Push VALUE again to There are two choices:
confirm, or turn PARAM to cancel.
■ Type I — for 2x optical connection to 3rd-party
SMUX-compatible hardware products
48
■ Type II — for 2x optical connection to MOTU The IN (inputs) menu
products that are equipped with optical ports and Push the CHANNEL button repeatedly until you
support 2x operation see “I:” in the channel section of the LCD
(Figure 6-12). This is similar to accessing the
Turn the VALUE knob to select an optical port and
Inputs tab in CueMix FX console (“The Inputs tab”
push the knob to toggle between the Type I and
on page 76).
Type II setting.
“ I: ” Indicates The current Access individual parameters
CUEMIX MENU the IN (inputs) channel. here, such as the frequency
To access the CUEMIX menu, push the PARAM menu. setting for a band of EQ.
knob until you see CUEMIX displayed in the LCD.

This menu displays the settings for the
Traveler-mk3 CueMix FX mixer.
CueMix mixer basics

It is much easier to navigate the CUEMIX menu in
the LCD if you have a general understanding of the
CueMix FX mixer. We strongly recommend that
you review chapter 10, “CueMix FX” (page 71)
“Pages” are groups of Change the value of the
before learning the LCD, especially “CueMix FX channel settings, such current parameter here.
basic operation” on page 73. as one band of EQ.
Figure 6-12: The IN (inputs) menu.
CUEMIX menu organization
Mixer settings are divided into four sub-menus, Choosing a channel
which correspond to the Inputs, Mixes, Outputs Once you see the Inputs menu (Figure 6-12) in the
and Reverb tabs in the CueMix FX software: LCD, turn the CHANNEL knob to select the
desired input that you wish to edit. This is roughly
■ IN (inputs) equivalent to specifying an input channel strip to
work with in the Inputs tab in CueMix FX software
■ OUT (outputs) (Figure 10-3 on page 76).
■ MIX (Mixes)
Choosing a setting to modify
■ REVERB (reverb processor) Once you’ve selected an input channel, you can
access the various settings for that channel using
Navigating the four main menus the PAGE knob and PARAMETER knobs.
To access the four main menus above, push the
CHANNEL knob repeatedly. Then turn the Turn the PAGE knob to scroll through channel
CHANNEL knob to select the desired channel or settings such as individual bands of EQ, the
mix. compressor, reverb sends, etc. Push the PAGE knob
to jump to the next “section” of parameters or to
jump back to the beginning of the list. This is
roughly the equivalent of moving through the
various channel controls in an individual input
49
channel strip in CueMix FX (Figure 10-3 on “ O: ” Indicates The current Access individual parameters
page 76), as well as the settings in the Channel tab the OUT channel. here, such as the frequency
(outputs) menu. setting for a band of EQ.
(Figure 10-8 on page 80).
Turn the PARAMETER knob to scroll through

individual parameters, such as the frequency for
the current band of EQ. This is roughly equivalent
to the parameters in the EQ tab (Figure 10-10 on
page 82), Dynamics tab (Figure 10-26 on page 90)
and Reverb tab (Figure 10-28 on page 93) in the
CueMix FX software.
“Pages” are groups of Change the value of the
Adjusting the value of a parameter channel settings, such current parameter here.
as one band of EQ.
Turn the VALUE knob to adjust the value of the
current PARAMETER. Some parameters have Figure 6-13: The OUT (outputs) menu.
default values. If so, push the VALUE knob to cycle Choosing a channel
through them. Once you see the Outputs menu (Figure 6-13) in
the LCD, turn the CHANNEL knob to select the
Inactive items desired output that you wish to edit. This is roughly
If a menu item is inactive for some reason (perhaps equivalent to specifying an output channel strip to
it doesn’t currently apply or it is disabled), it is work with in the Outputs tab in CueMix FX
displayed in parentheses. software (Figure 10-6 on page 79).
Copying and pasting Working with outputs in the LCD
EQ, dynamics and Mix Assign settings allow you to Once you’ve selected an output channel, you can
copy and paste settings between EQ bands and/or access the various settings for that channel using
channels. Push the VALUE knob to copy, scroll to the PAGE knob and PARAMETER knobs. The
the other item and then push again to paste. knobs function the same as described for inputs in
“Choosing a setting to modify” on page 49 and
Summary of Inputs menu settings
For a summary of Inputs menu settings, see “Adjusting the value of a parameter” on page 50.
“Inputs menu” on page 52.
Summary of Output menu settings
For a summary of Inputs menu settings, see
The OUT (Outputs) menu
Push the CHANNEL button repeatedly until you “Outputs menu” on page 52.
see “O:” in the channel section of the LCD
Outputs tab in CueMix FX console (“The Outputs
tab” on page 78).
50
The MIX (Mixes) menu ■ REVERB — these are the reverb send and return
Push the CHANNEL button repeatedly until you controls for the bus master fader. Access them with
see “MIX 1” (or “MIX 2”, etc.) in the channel the PARAMETER knob.
section of the LCD (Figure 6-14). This is similar to
■ Individual channels — once you scroll past
accessing the Mixes tab in CueMix FX console
MASTER and REVERB, the PAGE knob then
(“The Mixes tab” on page 74).
scrolls through all available inputs for the mix bus.
The current Access individual parameters
Once you choose an input, access its channel
mix bus. here, such as input channel settings using the PARAM knob and VALUE knob.
settings.
Summary of Mix menu settings
For a summary of Mix menu settings, see “Mixes
menu” on page 53.
The REVERB menu

Push the CHANNEL button repeatedly until you
see “REVERB” in the channel section of the LCD
Reverb tab in CueMix FX (“The Reverb tab” on
Here, choose master fader Change the value of the
settings, reverb settings, and current parameter here page 93).
individual input channels.
Figure 6-14: The MIX (Mixes) menu. ☛ The REVERB processor is not available at
sample rates above 48 kHz. Therefore, when the
Choosing a mix bus
Traveler-mk3 is operating at 88.2 kHz or higher,
Once you see the MIX menu (Figure 6-14) in the
the REVERB menu does not appear in the LCD.
LCD, turn the CHANNEL knob to select the
desired mix that you wish to edit. This is roughly Change the value of the Access individual parameters
equivalent to choosing a mix in the Mixes tab in current parameter here. here, such as reverb time.
CueMix FX software (Figure 10-2 on page 74).
Working with mix busses in the LCD

Once you’ve selected a mix, you can access the
various settings for that mix using the PAGE knob
and PARAMETER knobs. The knobs function the
same as described for inputs in “Choosing a setting
to modify” on page 49 and “Adjusting the value of a
parameter” on page 50. The PAGE knob scrolls Figure 6-15: The REVERB menu.
through the following mix bus settings: Working with reverb settings in the LCD
Once you’ve selected the REVERB menu, you can
■ MASTER — these are master fader settings,
access all settings using the PARAMETER and
such as the master fader output assignment, master
VALUE knobs. The PAGE knob is not needed and
mute on/off, and the master fader volume. Access
is therefore disabled when editing reverb settings.
them with the PARAMETER knob.
Summary of Reverb menu settings
For a summary of Reverb menu settings, see
“Reverb menu” on page 53.
51
INPUTS MENU OUTPUTS MENU
CHANNEL PAGE PARAM CHANNEL PAGE PARAM
INPUTS INPUT PAIR
OUTPUTS EQ ENABLE
Mic 1-4 PHASE
Analog 1-2 (global) COPY
Analog 5-6 L-R/M-S (stereo or M/S)
Analog 3-4, etc. PASTE
Analog 7-8 SWAP
RESET
etc. WIDTH
TRIM HPF ENABLE
REF LEVEL TRS only (High-pass) SLOPE
PAD FREQ
LIMITER Mic
LF ENABLE
LOOKAHEAD only
SOFTCLIP (Low w/shelf) TYPE
FREQ
EQ ENABLE GAIN
(global) COPY WIDTH
PASTE
RESET LMF ENABLE
(Low-mid) TYPE
HPF ENABLE FREQ
(High-pass) SLOPE GAIN
FREQ WIDTH
LF ENABLE MF ENABLE
(Low w/shelf) TYPE (Mid) TYPE
FREQ FREQ
GAIN GAIN
WIDTH WIDTH
LMF ENABLE HMF ENABLE
(Low-mid) TYPE (High-mid) TYPE
FREQ FREQ
GAIN GAIN
WIDTH WIDTH
MF ENABLE HF ENABLE
(Mid) TYPE (High w/shelf) TYPE
FREQ FREQ
GAIN GAIN
WIDTH WIDTH
HMF ENABLE LPF ENABLE
(High-mid) TYPE (Low-pass) SLOPE
FREQ FREQ
GAIN
WIDTH DYN ENABLE
(Dynamics) COPY
HF ENABLE PASTE
(High w/shelf) TYPE RESET
FREQ
GAIN COMP ENABLE
WIDTH (Compressor) MODE
THRESH
LPF ENABLE RATIO
(Low-pass) SLOPE ATTACK
FREQ RELEASE
DYN ENABLE TRIM
(Dynamics) COPY LEVELER ENABLE
PASTE MODE
RESET REDUCE
COMP ENABLE MAKEUP
(Compressor) MODE REVERB SEND
THRESH
RETURN
RATIO
ATTACK MASTER MONITOR
RELEASE TALKBACK
TRIM LSNBACK
LEVELER ENABLE
MODE
REDUCE
MAKEUP
REVERB SEND
SEND PAN (mono only)
52
MIXES MENU STAND-ALONE OPERATION
All settings, including all mix settings and global
CHANNEL PAGE PARAM
MIXES MASTER ASSIGN
settings, are saved in the Traveler-mk3’s memory,
Mix 1 MUTE and they remain in effect even when the
Mix 2 FADER
etc. COPY Traveler-mk3 is not connected to a computer. This
PASTE
RESET
allows you to use the Traveler-mk3 as a stand-alone
REVERB SEND 8-bus mixer. You can make adjustments to any
RETURN
setting at any time from the front panel.
AN(ALOG) 1 MUTE
AN(ALOG) 2 SOLO
(if mono) (BAL/WID) - n/a
PAN
FADER
AN(ALOG) 1-2 MUTE

(if stereo) SOLO
BAL/WID
BALANCE/WIDTH
FADER
AES/EBU 1-2 MUTE

SOLO
BAL/WID
BAL
FADER
SPDIF 1-2 MUTE

SOLO
BAL/WID
BAL
FADER
ADAT A1-2 MUTE

ADAT A3-4 SOLO
etc. BALD/WID
BAL
FADER
ADAT B1-2 MUTE

ADAT B3-4 SOLO
etc. BALD/WID
BAL
FADER
REVERB MENU
CHANNEL PAGE PARAM
REVERB --- ENABLE
TIME
PREDELAY
WIDTH
CUT Hz
CUT dB
ROOM
REFSIZE
REF LEV
LO %
MID %
HI %
LO XOVR
HI XOVR
SPLIT
53
54
CHAPTER 7 Cubase, Nuendo and Other ASIO
Software
OVERVIEW in this chapter. Consult your software
The Traveler-mk3 includes an ASIO driver that documentation for details about each topic, if
provides multi-channel I/O and sample-accurate necessary.
synchronization with Steinberg’s Cubase family of
digital audio sequencers, including Cubase and If your audio software doesn’t support ASIO
Nuendo. If your host audio software does not support ASIO,
but instead supports WDM (or legacy Wave) audio
What is ASIO? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 drivers, refer to the next chapter.
Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Run MOTU Audio Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 PREPARATION
Choosing the MOTU ASIO driver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 To make sure that everything is ready for Cubase,
Number of channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 install Cubase first (if you haven’t already done so),
Direct monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 and then see these chapters before proceeding:
Other System dialog settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
■ chapter 3,“IMPORTANT! Run the Traveler-mk3
Viewing and managing Traveler-mk3 inputs . . . . . . . . 58
Software Installer First” (page 17)
Viewing and managing Traveler-mk3 outputs. . . . . . . 59
Changing Traveler-mk3 settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 ■chapter 4, “Installing the Traveler-mk3
Processing live inputs with host-based VST plug-ins. 59 Hardware” (page 19).
Working with CueMix FX mixing and effects. . . . . . . . . 59
Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 RUN MOTU AUDIO CONSOLE
MIDI I/O via the Traveler-mk3 MIDI ports . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Before you run Cubase, launch MOTU Audio
24-bit operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Console to configure your Traveler-mk3 hardware.
Monitoring system performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 MOTU Audio Console lets you configure your
audio interface, and it lets you enable the desired
WHAT IS ASIO? inputs and outputs. Only enabled inputs and
ASIO is an acronym for Audio Streaming Input and outputs will be available to Cubase, so this is an
Output. The ASIO MOTU FireWire Audio driver important step. For complete details regarding
allows the Traveler-mk3 to provide multi-channel MOTU Audio Console, see chapter 5, “MOTU
audio input and output for any audio application Audio Console” (page 37).
that supports ASIO drivers.
Attention: Other software users

The Traveler-mk3 ASIO driver also provides multi-
channel I/O with any ASIO-compatible audio
software. Cubase is used for the examples in this
chapter. However, the basic procedures are the
same and can be easily applied to any ASIO-
compatible software. Just follow the general
descriptions at the beginning of each main section
55
If you do not have any digital audio connections to
your Traveler-mk3 (you are using the analog inputs
and outputs only), and you will not be slaving
Cubase to external SMPTE time code, choose
Internal.
If you have digital audio devices connected to the

Traveler-mk3, or if you are not sure about the clock
source of your setup, be sure to read “Making sync
connections” on page 28 and “Clock Source” on
page 39.
If you are slaving the Traveler-mk3 and Cubase to

SMPTE time code via the Traveler-mk3 itself,
choose SMPTE and follow the directions in
“Syncing to SMPTE time code directly” on
page 30.
☛ If you are using an ASIO host application

other than Cubase or Nuendo, it must support the
ASIO 2.0 sample-accurate positioning protocol in
order to support the Traveler-mk3’s direct SMPTE
sync (and sample-accurate sync) feature.
Figure 7-1: MOTU Audio Console gives you access to all of the settings Samples Per Buffer
in the Traveler-mk3 hardware, including the clock source, sample rate The Samples Per Buffer setting can be used to
and optical I/O enable/disable.
reduce the delay — or monitoring latency — that
For complete details about the Traveler-mk3 you hear when live audio is patched through your
settings, see chapter 5, “MOTU Audio Console” Traveler-mk3 hardware and Cubase. For example,
(page 37). The following sections provide a brief you might have MIDI instruments, samplers,
explanation of each Traveler-mk3 setting for use microphones, and so on connected to the analog
with Cubase. inputs of the Traveler-mk3. If so, you will often be
mixing their live input with audio material
Sample rate recorded in Cubase. See chapter 9, “Reducing
Choose the desired overall sample rate for the
Monitoring Latency” (page 67) for complete
Traveler-mk3 system and Cubase. Newly recorded
details.
audio in Cubase will have this sample rate.
Optical input and output
Clock Source To make a Traveler-mk3 optical inputs and/or
This setting is very important because it
outputs available in Cubase, choose the
determines which audio clock the Traveler-mk3
appropriate format (ADAT optical or TOSLink)
will follow.
from the optical input and/or output menus. If you
won’t be using the optical connectors, turn them
off. Note: these settings can only be accessed in the
56
CUBASE, NUENDO AND OTHER ASIO SOFTWARE
MOTU Audio Console application. For details, see
“Optical input/output” on page 41. If you are
operating the optical ports at 88.2 or 96 kHz using
the ADAT format, also see “ADAT SMUX Type” on
page 48.
Phones Assign
This Traveler-mk3 setting lets you choose what
you’ll hear from the headphone jack. For example,
if you choose Analog 1-2, the headphones will
duplicate the main outs. Or you can choose any
other output pair. If you choose Phones 1-2, this
setting makes the headphone jack serve as its own
independent output pair. As a result, you’ll see Figure 7-2: Activating the Traveler-mk3 ASIO driver in Nuendo and
Cubase.
Phones 1-2 as an additional audio destination in
Cubase or Nuendo’s audio output menus. Audio Live
tracks assigned to this output pair will be heard on In Ableton Live, access the preferences window and
the headphone jack only. For further explanation, click the Audio tab. Choose ASIO from the Driver
see “Phones Assign” on page 41. Type menu. Choose the MOTU Audio ASIO from
the Audio Device menu (Figure 7-3). For
Main Outs Assign
information about the Buffer Size setting, see
Use the Main Outs Assign setting to determine
“Adjusting the audio I/O buffer” on page 68.
what audio you will hear on the TRS main outs of
the Traveler-mk3. By default, they of course are
assigned to the Analog 1-2 bus, but you can assign
them to mirror any other output bus you wish.
CHOOSING THE MOTU ASIO DRIVER

Once you’ve made the preparations described so
far in this chapter, you’re ready to run your audio
software and enable the MOTU ASIO Driver.
Check the audio system or audio hardware
configuration window in your software. There will
be a menu there that lets you choose among
various ASIO drivers that may be in your system.
Choose the MOTU ASIO Driver from this menu.
Nuendo, Cubase and V-Stack

To activate the Traveler-mk3 driver in Nuendo or
Cubase SX, go to the Device Setup window, click
VST Audio System and choose MOTU Audio ASIO
from the ASIO Driver menu (Figure 7-2). Make the
other settings in the dialog as need for your system Figure 7-3: Enabling the Traveler-mk3 in Live.
and synchronization scenario.
57
Reason In Cubase, set the number of channels in the
In Propellerhead Reason, go to the Preferences System dialog (as shown above in Figure 7-2).
window, choose Audio preferences from the menu
and choose ASIO MOTU Audio ASIO from the DIRECT MONITORING
Audio Card Driver menu as shown below in The Direct Monitoring option (Figure 7-5) allows
Figure 7-4. For information about the Buffer Size you to monitor inputs directly in the Traveler-mk3
setting, see “Adjusting the audio I/O buffer” on hardware with no drain on your computer and
page 68. near zero latency. When you enable this option,
Cubase uses the Traveler-mk3’s CueMix FX
monitoring features whenever you use Cubase’s
monitoring features. For further information, see
“Controlling CueMix DSP from within Cubase or
Nuendo” on page 70.
OTHER SYSTEM DIALOG SETTINGS

Consult your Cubase or Nuendo documentation
for details about the rest of the settings in this
dialog.
VIEWING AND MANAGING TRAVELER-MK3

INPUTS
Once you’ve chosen the MOTU ASIO Driver in
Device Setup as explained earlier in “Choosing the
MOTU ASIO driver” on page 57, click MOTU
Audio ASIO in the left-hand list to see the
Traveler-mk3 inputs in the port list on the right
(Figure 7-5). To activate them, click the Active
check box next to each input. If you don’t see the
optical inputs and/or outputs, check MOTU Audio
Console to make sure they are turned on and set to
the format you require. If you don’t plan to use the
optical input or output, turn it off to conserve
Figure 7-4: Enabling the Traveler-mk3 in Reason. computer bandwidth.
NUMBER OF CHANNELS
In Cubase, be sure to choose enough channels in
the System dialog (as shown above in Figure 7-2)
to cover the maximum 28 channels of input and 30
channels of output provided by your Traveler-mk3
— although the number of channels may depend
on how your Traveler-mk3 is configured. For
example, the optical banks can be completely
disabled if you are not using them.
58
VIEWING AND MANAGING TRAVELER-MK3
OUTPUTS
To view and manage Traveler-mk3 outputs, scroll
down below the inputs to see them (Figure 7-6).
Figure 7-5: Creating Traveler-mk3 inputs in Nuendo or Cubase.
Return Assign
In the VST Inputs list, you’ll see an Traveler-mk3
input pair called Return 1-2. This is a stereo feed
from the Traveler-mk3 that matches the output of Figure 7-6: Working with Traveler-mk3 outputs in Nuendo or Cubase.
one of its output pairs, or any mix bus output
(when operating at 44.1 or 48 kHz). Use the Return CHANGING TRAVELER-MK3 SETTINGS
Assign menu in MOTU Audio Console to choose To change the Traveler-mk3 settings at any time, go
which output pair or mix bus you would like to to the Device Setup window in Nuendo or Cubase
hear on this return. This can be used, for example, and click the ASIO Control Panel button, as shown
to record back a final stereo mix that includes in Figure 7-2 on page 57. Be sure to click the Reset
effects processing from the Traveler-mk3 DSP button after making any changes.
(such as the Leveler) for reference and archiving
PROCESSING LIVE INPUTS WITH HOST-
purposes. BASED VST PLUG-INS
If you patch a live input (such as MIDI synthesizer)
☛ Warning: the Return inputs can cause
through a VST plug-in effect in Cubase, you might
feedback loops! DO NOT assign this input to a
hear a slight delay. There are several ways to reduce
track that shares the same Traveler-mk3 output
this delay. For details, see chapter 9, “Reducing
pair as the returns.
Monitoring Latency” (page 67).
Reverb return
The Traveler-mk3 also supplies a return to your
WORKING WITH CUEMIX FX MIXING AND
EFFECTS
host software that carries the output of its reverb The Traveler-mk3 provides powerful external
processor. This return can be used for any purpose mixing, EQ, compression and reverb, which you
you wish. can operate hand-in-hand with your host
software’s complete mixing environment. For
example, the Traveler-mk3 can serve as a monitor
mixer routing channels to musicians, or it can
serve as an integrated extension of your Cubase/
Nuendo mixing environment. If you program an
Traveler-mk3 mixing and processing configuration
59
that goes hand in hand with your Cubase/Nuendo Resolving to video and/or time code with a
project, be sure to use the file save features in dedicated synchronizer
CueMix FX to save the Traveler-mk3 settings as a If your host software has the ability to synchronize
file in your Cubase/Nuendo project folder for to SMPTE time code but does not support ASIO2’s
instant recall of all settings. See chapter 10, sample-accurate positioning protocol, you can
“CueMix FX” (page 71) for complete details. slave your host software and the Traveler-mk3 to
video and/or SMPTE time code using a dedicated
SYNCHRONIZATION synchronization device. To do so, use the setup
As you read through the following sections to shown in “Syncing to video and/or SMPTE time
decide what form of synchronization you might code using a synchronizer” on page 31.
need with other devices in your studio, be sure to
consult “Making sync connections” on page 28 for MIDI I/O VIA THE TRAVELER-MK3 MIDI
the proper hardware connections. Use the PORTS
Once you’ve run the Traveler-mk3’s software
synchronization diagrams to be clear about how
installer as explained in “Installing the
you will be synchronizing your audio software and
Traveler-mk3 software” on page 17, the
the Traveler-mk3 to the other components of your
Traveler-mk3 MIDI ports will appear as a input
system.
source and output destination in the MIDI input
Synchronizing digital audio connections and output menus of your host software.
If you have devices connected to the Traveler-mk3
digital inputs (optical, S/PDIF or AES/EBU), you 24-BIT OPERATION
need to be concerned with the synchronization of Your Traveler-mk3 hardware fully supports Cubase
the Traveler-mk3’s digital audio clock with other and Nuendo’s 24-bit recording capabilities. Simply
devices connected to it digitally (if any). For enable 24-bit operation as instructed in your
example, if you have a digital mixer connected to Cubase or Nuendo manual. The Traveler-mk3
the Traveler-mk3 via an ADAT optical light pipe always supplies a 24-bit data stream.
cable, you need to make sure that their audio clocks
MONITORING SYSTEM PERFORMANCE
are phase-locked. For details, see “Choosing a
Because it has so many inputs and outputs, the
clock source for optical connections” on page 23
Traveler-mk3 may push the limits of your
and “Making sync connections” on page 28. If you
computer’s processing power. Keep the VST
don’t have any digital audio devices connected to
Performance window open to keep tabs on the load
the Traveler-mk3, digital audio phase-lock does
on your CPU and disk buffers. If the meters get too
not apply to you.
high, you can reduce the load by reducing the
number of inputs and outputs you are working
Resolving directly to time code (with no
synchronizer) with. Use MOTU Audio Console to uncheck input
If your host audio software supports ASIO2’s check boxes and set output source menus to None.
sample-accurate positioning protocol, then it can
resolve to the Traveler-mk3’s built-in time code
synchronization feature. Both Cubase and Nuendo
support this. To resolve your Traveler-mk3 directly
to SMPTE time code with no additional synchro-
nization devices, use the setup shown in “Syncing
Figure 7-7: Keep the Audio Performance window open to keep tabs
to SMPTE time code directly” on page 30. on your computer’s processing power and hard disk performance.
60
CHAPTER 8 Sonar and other WDM Software
OVERVIEW INSTALLING THE MOTU AUDIO WDM

The Traveler-mk3 WDM driver provides standard DRIVER
multi-channel input and output for WDM- The MOTU Universal Audio Installer CD installs
compatible audio software running under the MOTU WDM driver into Windows for you.
Windows XP and Vista. That’s pretty much all the preparation you need.
See chapter 3, “IMPORTANT! Run the
WDM and Wave driver compatibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Traveler-mk3 Software Installer First” (page 17).
Installing the MOTU Audio WDM driver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Making settings in MOTU Audio Console . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 MAKING SETTINGS IN MOTU AUDIO
Enabling the MOTU Audio WDM driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 CONSOLE
Number of channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Before you run your audio software, launch MOTU
Other Audio Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Audio Console to configure your Traveler-mk3
Working with Traveler-mk3 inputs and outputs . . . . . 64 hardware. MOTU Audio Console lets you choose
Changing Traveler-mk3 settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 the audio clock source, and it lets you enable the
Processing live inputs with host-based VST plug-ins. 65 optical inputs and outputs, if needed. For details,
Working with CueMix FX mixing and effects. . . . . . . . . 65 see chapter 5, “MOTU Audio Console” (page 37).
Synchronization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
MIDI I/O via the Traveler-mk3 MIDI ports . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
24-bit operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
WDM AND WAVE DRIVER COMPATIBILITY

WDM is an acronym for Windows Driver Model.
The MOTU WDM driver allows the Traveler-mk3
to provide multi-channel audio input and output
for any audio application that supports WDM
audio drivers.
Attention: other software users

SONAR is used for the WDM driver setup
examples in this chapter. However, the basic
procedures are similar and can be easily applied to
any WDM-compatible software. Consult your
software documentation, if necessary.
Figure 8-1: MOTU Audio Console gives you access to all of the settings
in the Traveler-mk3 hardware, including the clock source, sample rate
and optical I/O enable/disable.
61
For complete details about the Traveler-mk3 recorded in Sonar. See chapter 9, “Reducing
settings, see chapter 5, “MOTU Audio Console” Monitoring Latency” (page 67) for complete
(page 37). The following sections provide a brief details.
explanation of each Traveler-mk3 setting for use
with Sonar. Optical input and output
To make a Traveler-mk3 optical inputs and/or
Sample rate outputs available in Sonar, choose the appropriate
Choose the desired overall sample rate for the format (ADAT optical or TOSLink) from the optical
Traveler-mk3 system and Sonar. Newly recorded input and/or output menus. If you won’t be using
audio in Sonar will have this sample rate. the optical connectors, turn them off. Note: these
settings can only be accessed in the MOTU Audio
Clock Source Console application. For details, see “Optical
This setting is very important because it input/output” on page 41. If you are operating the
determines which audio clock the Traveler-mk3 optical ports at 88.2 or 96 kHz using the ADAT
will follow. format, also see “ADAT SMUX Type” on page 48.
If you do not have any digital audio connections to Phones Assign
your Traveler-mk3 (you are using the analog inputs This Traveler-mk3 setting lets you choose what
and outputs only), and you will not be slaving you’ll hear from the headphone jack. For example,
Sonar to external SMPTE time code, choose if you choose Analog 1-2, the headphones will
Internal. duplicate the main outs. Or you can choose any
other output pair. If you choose Phones 1-2, this
If you have digital audio devices connected to the
setting makes the headphone jack serve as its own
Traveler-mk3, or if you are not sure about the clock
independent output pair. As a result, you’ll see
source of your setup, be sure to read “Making sync
Phones 1-2 as an additional audio destination in
connections” on page 28 and “Clock Source” on
Sonar’s audio output menus. Audio tracks assigned
page 39.
to this output pair will be heard on the headphone
jack only. For further explanation, see “Phones
If you are slaving the Traveler-mk3 and Sonar to
Assign” on page 41.
SMPTE time code, follow the directions in
“Syncing to video and/or SMPTE time code using
Main Outs Assign
a synchronizer” on page 31. Use the Main Outs Assign setting to determine
what audio you will hear on the TRS main outs of
Samples Per Buffer
the Traveler-mk3. By default, they of course are
The Samples Per Buffer setting can be used to
assigned to the Analog 1-2 bus, but you can assign
reduce the delay — or monitoring latency — that
them to mirror any other output bus you wish.
you hear when live audio is patched through your
Traveler-mk3 hardware and Sonar. For example,
ENABLING THE MOTU AUDIO WDM DRIVER
you might have MIDI instruments, samplers, Once you’ve made the preparations described so
microphones, and so on connected to the analog far in this chapter, you’re ready to run your audio
inputs of the Traveler-mk3. If so, you will often be software and enable the MOTU audio WDM
mixing their live input with audio material driver. Check the audio system or audio hardware
configuration window in your software.
62
SONAR AND OTHER WDM SOFTWARE
Enabling the MOTU audio WDM driver in
SONAR
To activate the MOTU audio WDM driver in
SONAR:
1 Choose Audio from the Options menu.
2 Click the General tab.
3 Choose WDM/KS from the Driver Mode menu.
4 Click the Drivers tab.
5 Check the Traveler-mk3 inputs and outputs that

you wish to use and uncheck the ones you don’t as
shown in Figure 8-2.
Figure 8-3: Enabling the ASIO driver instead of the WDM driver.
Other audio settings in SONAR

There are a few other settings in SONAR that
impact Traveler-mk3 operation:
1 In the Audio Options window, click the General

tab.
2 Choose an Traveler-mk3 input and output for

recording and playback timing as shown below in
Figure 8-4. It doesn’t matter which input or output
you choose.
Figure 8-2: Activating the MOTU audio WDM driver in SONAR by

highlighting Traveler-mk3 inputs and outputs.
Enabling the MOTU ASIO driver in SONAR

As an alternative to the Traveler-mk3’s WDM
driver, you can use the Traveler-mk3’s ASIO driver.
Note, however, that you can only use one audio
interface at a time under ASIO. Go to the Advanced
tab and choose ASIO from the Driver Mode menu:
63
WORKING WITH TRAVELER-MK3 INPUTS
AND OUTPUTS
Once you’ve enabled the Traveler-mk3 inputs and
outputs in the Drivers tab of Sonar’s Audio Options
window (Figure 8-2 on page 63), Traveler-mk3
audio inputs and outputs will appear in Sonar’s
input/output menus, and you can set them up and
use them as any standard audio input and output.
If you don’t see the optical inputs and/or outputs,
check MOTU Audio Console to make sure they are
turned on and set to the format you need. If you
don’t plan to use the optical input or output, turn it
off to conserve computer bandwidth.
Remember that the main outs and headphone

output can be configured in MOTU Audio Console
Figure 8-4: Make sure you have chosen a Traveler-mk3 input and to mirror other outputs. In addition, the
output for the playback and recording timing master settings. Traveler-mk3 optical banks can be disabled or
3 In the General tab, click the Wave Profiler configured as either ADAT optical or TOSLink.
button and run the Wave Profiler. This process This will affect how they appear (and if they appear
chooses the optimum settings for the Traveler-mk3 at all) in Sonar’s I/O lists. See “Optical input and
hardware. output” on page 62, “Phones Assign” on page 62
and “Main Outs Assign” on page 62.
Return Assign
In the Sonar’s list of audio inputs, you’ll see an
Traveler-mk3 input pair called Return 1-2. This is a
stereo feed from the Traveler-mk3 that matches the
output of one of its output pairs, or any mix bus
output (when operating at 44.1 or 48 kHz). Use the
Figure 8-5: Running the Wave Profiler in Cakewalk’s SONAR.
Return Assign menu in MOTU Audio Console to
NUMBER OF CHANNELS choose which output pair or mix bus you would
If your audio software requires that you specify the like to hear on this return. This can be used, for
number of audio input and output channels, be example, to record back a final stereo mix that
sure to choose enough to cover the 28 channels of includes effects processing from the Traveler-mk3
input and 30 channels of output provided by your DSP (such as the Leveler) for reference and
Traveler-mk3 — although the number of channels archiving purposes.
may depend on how your Traveler-mk3 is
configured. For example, the optical banks can be ☛ Warning: the Return inputs can cause
completely disabled if you are not using them. feedback loops! DO NOT assign this input to a
track that shares the same Traveler-mk3 output
OTHER AUDIO OPTIONS pair as the returns.
Consult your sonar documentation for details
about the rest of the settings in this dialog.
64
Reverb return Synchronizing digital audio connections
The Traveler-mk3 also supplies a return to Sonar If you have devices connected to the Traveler-mk3
that carries the output of its reverb processor. This digital inputs (optical, S/PDIF or AES/EBU), you
return can be used for any purpose you wish. need to be concerned with the synchronization of
the Traveler-mk3’s digital audio clock with other
CHANGING TRAVELER-MK3 SETTINGS devices connected to it digitally (if any). For
You can change the Traveler-mk3 settings at any example, if you have a digital mixer connected to
time by accessing MOTU Audio Console. the Traveler-mk3 via an ADAT optical light pipe
cable, you need to make sure that their audio clocks
PROCESSING LIVE INPUTS WITH HOST- are phase-locked. For details, see “Choosing a
BASED VST PLUG-INS
If you patch a live input (such as MIDI synthesizer) clock source for optical connections” on page 23
through a plug-in effect in Sonar, you might hear a and “Making sync connections” on page 28. If you
slight delay. There are several ways to reduce this don’t have any digital audio devices connected to
delay. For details, see chapter 9, “Reducing the Traveler-mk3, digital audio phase-lock does
Monitoring Latency” (page 67). not apply to you.
Resolving to video and/or time code with a

WORKING WITH CUEMIX FX MIXING AND
dedicated synchronizer
EFFECTS
You can slave Sonar or other host software and the
The Traveler-mk3 provides powerful external
Traveler-mk3 to video and/or SMPTE time code
mixing, EQ, compression and reverb, which you
using an additional synchronization device. To do
can operate hand-in-hand with Sonar’s mixing
so, use the setup shown in “Syncing to video and/
environment. For example, the Traveler-mk3 can
or SMPTE time code using a synchronizer” on
serve as a monitor mixer routing channels to
page 31.
musicians, or it can serve as an integrated
extension of your Sonar mixing environment. If
MIDI I/O VIA THE TRAVELER-MK3 MIDI
you program an Traveler-mk3 mixing and PORTS
processing configuration that goes hand in hand Once you’ve run the Traveler-mk3’s software
with your Sonar project, be sure to use the file save installer as explained in “Installing the
features in CueMix FX to save the Traveler-mk3 Traveler-mk3 software” on page 17, the
settings as a file in your Sonar project folder for Traveler-mk3 MIDI ports will appear as a input
instant recall of all settings. See chapter 10, source and output destination in the MIDI input
“CueMix FX” (page 71) for complete details. and output menus of Sonar or other WDM-
compatible host software.
SYNCHRONIZATION
As you read through the following sections to 24-BIT OPERATION
decide what form of synchronization you might Your Traveler-mk3 hardware fully supports 24-bit
need with other devices in your studio, be sure to recording in any audio software that supports it.
consult “Making sync connections” on page 28 for Simply enable 24-bit operation as instructed by the
the proper hardware connections. Use the software. The Traveler-mk3 system always supplies
synchronization diagrams to be clear about how the software with a 24-bit data stream, and when
you will be synchronizing your audio software and you enable 24-bit operation, it simply uses all
the Traveler-mk3 to the other components of your 24-bits supplied by the Traveler-mk3 hardware.
system.
65
66
CHAPTER 9 Reducing Monitoring Latency
OVERVIEW Monitoring live input. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Monitoring latency is that slight delay you hear Adjusting the audio I/O buffer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
when you run an input signal through your host Lower latency versus higher CPU overhead . . . . . . . . . . 69
audio software. For example, you might hear it Transport responsiveness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
when you drive a live guitar input signal through Effects processing and automated mixing . . . . . . . . . . . 69
an amp modeling plug-in running in your audio CueMix FX hardware monitoring. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
sequencer. Two methods for controlling CueMix FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Using CueMix FX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
This delay is caused by the amount of time it takes Controlling CueMix FX from your audio software . . . . 70
for audio to make the entire round trip through
your computer, from when it first enters an MONITORING LIVE INPUT
Traveler-mk3 input, passes through the There are two ways to monitor live audio input
Traveler-mk3 hardware into the computer, through with an Traveler-mk3: 1) through the computer or
your host audio software, and then back out to an 2) via the Traveler-mk3 CueMix FX hardware
Traveler-mk3 output. mixer. Figure 9-1 on page 68 shows method 1,
which allows you to apply host-based effects
If you don’t need to process a live input with processing via plug-ins in your audio software. See
plug-ins, the easiest way to avoid monitoring the next section, “Adjusting the audio I/O buffer”
latency is to use the Traveler-mk3’s CueMix FX for details about how to reduce or eliminate the
digital mixer to patch the input directly to your audible monitoring delay that the computer
monitor outs via the Traveler-mk3 audio hardware. introduces.
The Traveler-mk3 even provides effects processing
(EQ, compression and reverb), which can be Figure 9-2 on page 69 shows how to use
applied on input, output, or even at the bussing CueMix FX hardware-based monitoring, which
stage, just like a conventional mixer. For details, see lets you hear what you are recording with no
“CueMix FX hardware monitoring” on page 69. monitoring delay and no computer-based effects
processing. Instead, input is routed directly to an
If you do need to process a live input with host output, either with or without Traveler-mk3-based
software plug-ins, or if you are playing virtual effects processing (EQ, compression or reverb).
instruments live through your Traveler-mk3 audio See “CueMix FX hardware monitoring” later in this
hardware, you can significantly reduce latency — chapter for details on how to use CueMix FX with
and even make it completely inaudible, regardless your audio software, or with CueMix FX.
of what host audio application software you use.
This chapter explains how. If the material you are recording is suitable, there is
a third way to monitor live input: use both methods
It is important to note that monitoring delay has no (Figure 9-1 and Figure 9-2) at the same time. For
effect on when audio data is recorded to disk or example, you could route guitar to both the
played back from disk. Actual recording and computer (for an amp model effect) and mix that
playback is extremely precise.
67
processed signal on the main outs with dry guitar
from CueMix FX — or perhaps with a touch of
Traveler-mk3 Classic Reverb.
ADJUSTING THE AUDIO I/O BUFFER

A buffer is a small amount of computer memory
used to hold data. For audio interfaces like the
Traveler-mk3, buffers are used for the process of
transferring audio data in and out of the computer.
The size of the buffers determines how much delay
you hear when monitoring live inputs through
your audio software: larger buffers produce more
delay; smaller buffers produce less.
Buffer size adjustment is made in MOTU Audio

Console, as shown in Figure 9-3 via the Samples Per
Buffer setting.
Figure 9-3: Lowering the ‘Samples Per Buffer’ setting in MOTU Audio
Console reduces patch thru latency. But doing so increases the
processing load on your computer, so keep an eye on the Perfor-
mance Monitor in your host audio software.
1. Live input (from mic, guitar, etc.)

enters the MOTU interface.
3. Mic signal is
‘patched thru’ back to
the audio interface
with host-based
2. Mic signal goes immedi- plug-in effects, if any.
ately to the computer.
PC
4. Mic signal (with plug-in
processing, if any) is routed
to the main outs (or other
outputs that you’ve specified
in the software).
Figure 9-1: There are two ways to monitor live audio inputs with an Traveler-mk3: 1) through the computer or 2) via CueMix FX hardware
monitoring. This diagram shows method 1 (through the computer). When using this method, use your host software’s buffer setting to reduce
the slight delay you hear when monitoring the live input, but don’t lower it too much, or your computer might get sluggish.
68
REDUCING MONITORING LATENCY
Lower latency versus higher CPU overhead if you have a way of externally processing inputs,
The buffer setting has a large impact on the choose a higher buffer size. Depending on your
following things: computer’s CPU speed, you might find that settings
in the middle work best (256 to 1024).
■ Patch thru latency
Transport responsiveness
■ The load on your computer’s CPU
Buffer size also impacts how quickly your audio
■ Possible distortion at the smallest settings software will respond when you begin playback,
although not by amounts that are very noticeable.
■ How responsive the transport controls are in
Lowering the buffer size will make your software
your audio software
respond faster; raising the buffer size will make it a
The buffer setting presents you with a trade-off little bit slower, but barely enough to notice.
between the processing power of your computer
and the delay of live audio as it is being patched Effects processing and automated mixing
through your software. If you reduce the size, you Reducing latency with the buffer size setting has
reduce patch thru latency, but significantly increase another benefit: it lets you route live inputs through
the overall processing load on your computer, the real-time effects processing and mix
leaving less CPU bandwidth for things like real- automation of your audio software.
time effects processing. On the other hand, if you
increase the buffer size, you reduce the load on CUEMIX FX HARDWARE MONITORING
The Traveler-mk3 has a more direct method of
your computer, freeing up bandwidth for effects,
patching audio through the system. This method
mixing and other real-time operations.
employs the Traveler-mk3’s CueMix FX digital
If you are at a point in your recording project where mixer. When enabled, CueMix activates hardware
you are not currently working with live, patched- patch-thru in the Traveler-mk3 itself. CueMix FX
thru material (e.g. you’re not recording vocals), or has two important benefits:
1. Live input (from mic, guitar, etc.)

enters the MOTU interface.
3. Mic signal is mixed with the 2. CueMix FX immediately patches the live
main outs, and you can control mic signal directly to the main outs (or
the volume (relative to the rest other output), completely bypassing the
of the mix) with the mic’s fader computer. This signal could be dry, or with
in CueMix FX. Traveler-mk3 effects processing, such as EQ,
compression or Classic Reverb.
Figure 9-2: This diagram shows the signal flow when using CueMix FX no-latency monitoring. Notice that this method does not process the
live input with plug-ins in your audio software. Instead, you can apply Traveler-mk3 effects, such as the reverb, EQ and/or compression.
69
■ It completely eliminates the patch thru delay Controlling CueMix FX from your audio
(reducing it to a small number of samples — about software
the same amount as one of today’s digital mixers). Some ASIO-compatible audio applications, such as
Cubase and Nuendo, allow you to control
■ CueMix FX imposes no strain on the computer. CueMix FX monitoring from within the
The trade-off, however, is that CueMix FX application (without the need to use CueMix FX).
bypasses your host audio software. Instead, live In most cases, this support consists of patching an
audio inputs are patched directly through to Traveler-mk3 input directly to an output when you
outputs in the Traveler-mk3 itself and are mixed record-arm a track. Exactly how this is handled
with disk tracks playing back from your audio depends on the application.
software. This means that you cannot apply host-
CueMix FX routings that are made via host
based plug-ins, mix automation, or other real-time
applications are made “under the hood”, which
effects that your audio software provides. But for
means that you won’t see them in CueMix FX.
inputs that don’t need these types of features,
However, CueMix FX connections made inside
CueMix FX is the way to go.
your host audio software dovetail with any other
On the other hand, if you really need to use the mixes you’ve set up in CueMix FX. For example, if
mixing and processing provided by your audio your host application routes audio to an output
software, you should not use CueMix FX. Instead, pair that is already being used in CueMix FX for an
reduce latency with the buffer setting (as explained entirely separate mix bus, both audio streams will
earlier in this chapter). simply be merged to the output.
TWO METHODS FOR CONTROLLING Controlling CueMix DSP from within Cubase or
CUEMIX FX Nuendo
There are two ways to control CueMix FX: To turn on CueMix in Cubase or Nuendo, enable
the Direct Monitoring check box in the Device
■ With CueMix FX Setup window (Figure 7-5).
■ From within your host audio software (if it

Other ASIO 2.0-compatible host software
supports direct hardware monitoring) If your ASIO-compatible host audio software
You can even use both methods simultaneously. supports ASIO’s direct monitoring feature, consult
your software documentation to learn how to
Using CueMix FX enable this feature. Once enabled, it should work
If your host audio software does not support direct similarly as described for Cubase (as explained in
hardware monitoring, you run the CueMix FX the previous section).
software side-by-side with your audio software and
manage your monitor mix in CueMix FX. Using CueMix FX with WDM- or Wave-
compatible software
Run CueMix FX (chapter 10, “CueMix FX”
CueMix FX allows you to create up to eight
(page 71)) and use it to route live inputs directly to
separate Traveler-mk3 stereo mixes, or any other
outputs, control their volume and panning, etc. If
desired routing configurations. These routings are
necessary, you can save your CueMix FX setup
independent of your host audio software. For
with your project file.
complete details, see chapter 10, “CueMix FX”
(page 71).
70
CHAPTER 10 CueMix FX
OVERVIEW A 16-BUS MIXER WITH EQ, COMPRESSION

CueMix FX is a cross-platform software AND REVERB
application that provides graphic, on-screen All Traveler-mk3 inputs and outputs can be mixed
control for the Traveler-mk3’s flexible CueMix FX and controlled by the on-board CueMix FX 16-bus
on-board mixer and effects processing. (8 stereo bus) digital mixer driven by hardware-
based DSP with 32-bit floating point precision.
CueMix FX can be used independently of host
audio software, or together with it. CueMix The CueMix FX mixer allows you to apply no-
dovetails with the direct monitoring features of latency effects processing to inputs, outputs or
your host audio software, allowing you to busses directly in the Traveler-mk3 hardware,
seemlessly mix in both environments. independent of the computer. Effects can even be
applied when the Traveler-mk3 is operating stand-
For information about programming the alone (without a computer) as a complete rack-
Traveler-mk3’s on-board mixing and effects using mounted mixer. Input signals to the computer can
the front panel LCD, see chapter 6, “Traveler-mk3 be recorded wet, dry, or dry with a wet monitor
Front Panel Operation” (page 43). mix (for musicians during recording, for example).
A 16-bus mixer with EQ, compression and reverb. . . . 71 Effects include:

Advantages over host-based mixing and processing 72
CueMix FX installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 ■ Classic Reverb with tail lengths up to 60 seconds
CueMix FX basic operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
■ 7-band parametric EQ modeled after British
The Mixes tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
analog console EQs
The Inputs tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
The Outputs tab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 ■ A standard compressor with conventional
The channel settings section. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 threshold/ratio/attack/release/gain controls

The Monitor Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 ■ The Leveler™, an accurate model of the
DSP meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 legendary LA-2A optical compressor, which
Solo light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 provides vintage, musical automatic gain control
Talkback and listenback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 The Traveler-mk3’s flexible effects architecture
File menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 allows you to apply EQ and compression on every
Edit menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 input and output (a total of 58 channels), with
Devices menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97 enough DSP resources for at least one band of
Configurations menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 parametric EQ and compression on every channel
Talkback menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 at 48 kHz. DSP resources are allocated dynamically
Phones menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 and a DSP meter in the CueMix FX software allows
Control Surfaces menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 you to keep tabs on the Traveler-mk3’s processing
resources.
71
Each input, output and mix bus provides a send to ■ CueMix mixing and effects processing imposes
the Classic Reverb processor, which then feeds no processor drain on the computer’s CPU.
reverb returns to mix busses and outputs, with a
■ CueMix routing can be maintained
selectable split point between them to prevent
independently of individual software applications
send/return feedback loops.
or projects.
ADVANTAGES OVER HOST-BASED MIXING ■ CueMix routing can operate without the
AND PROCESSING computer, allowing the Traveler-mk3 to operate as
CueMix FX provides several major advantages over a portable, stand-alone mixer with effects.
mixing and processing in your host audio software:
CUEMIX FX INSTALLATION
■ CueMix has no buffer latency. Thanks to the CueMix FX is installed with the rest of your
Traveler-mk3’s DSP chip, CueMix provides the Traveler-mk3 software.
same throughput performance as a digital mixer.
Channel DSP MIx bus Tabs for inputs, Traveler-m Mix bus Channel Monitoring/
focus resources menu mix busses and k3 inputs master settings talkback
meter outputs fader section
Solo
light
Channel
scroll Grow
bar handle
Mic inputs (split into Inputs grouped as Tabs for channel strip settings, Monitor
mono channels) stereo pairs including EQ and dynamics, as group
well as global settings such as metering
the meter bridge and reverb
processor.
Figure 10-1: CueMix FX is a virtual mixer that gives you control over the Traveler-mk3’s on-board mixing features.
72
CUEMIX FX
CUEMIX FX BASIC OPERATION Output channels
Here is a brief overview of the CueMix FX mixer. The Outputs tab (Figure 10-6 on page 79) gives you
access to settings for each Traveler-mk3 output
Eight stereo mix busses pair, including EQ, dynamics processing and send/
CueMix provides eight stereo mix busses: Bus 1, return controls for feeding and returning the
Bus 2, Bus 3, and so on. Each mix bus can take any output signal to/from the Traveler-mk3’s global
number of inputs and mix them down to any reverb processor. These settings are applied to the
Traveler-mk3 output pair that you choose. For signal just before it is sent to the output.
example, Bus 1 could go to the headphones, Bus 2
could go to the main outs, Bus 3 could go to a piece Channel focus and settings
of outboard gear connected to analog outputs 7-8, Click the focus button for a channel (Figure 10-1)
etc. to view channel-specific parameters in the Channel
Settings section of the CueMix FX window
Many inputs to one output pair (Figure 10-1). Separate tabs are provided for
It might be useful to think of each mix bus as some channel-specific settings (channel strip, EQ and
number of inputs all mixed down to a stereo output dynamics), plus the global meter bridge and reverb
pair. CueMix FX lets you choose which inputs to processor.
include in the mix, and it lets you specify the level,
pan and other input-specific mix controls for each Global reverb processor
input being fed into the mix. The Traveler-mk3 has a global reverb module
(Figure 10-28 on page 93). Once it has been
Viewing one mix bus at a time activated, you can feed signals to the reverb
CueMix FX displays one mix bus at a time in the processor from various points in the Traveler-mk3
Mixes tab (Figure 10-2 on page 74). To select which mix matrix via input sends, bus sends and output
mix you are viewing, choose it from the mix bus sends. Stereo output from the reverb processor can
menu (Figure 10-2). The mix name appears above then be fed back to mix busses or output pairs
the mix bus master fader (Figure 10-2), where you using reverb returns.
can click the name to change it.
Other features
Each mix bus is independent CueMix offers many additional features, discussed
Each mix bus has its own settings. Settings for one in this chapter, such as talkback/listenback,
bus will not affect another. For example, if an input extensive metering, graphic editing of certain
is used for one bus, it will still be available for other effects parameters, monitor grouping and more.
busses. In addition, inputs can have a different
volume, pan, mute and solo setting in each bus. Widening the CueMix FX window
To view more input faders at once, drag the right-
Input channels hand edge of the window to the right.
The Inputs tab (Figure 10-3 on page 76) gives you
access to settings for individual Traveler-mk3
inputs (or input pairs), such as phase, trim, EQ and
dynamics processing. Each input also includes a
send to the Traveler-mk3’s global reverb processor.
These settings are applied to the signal before it
goes anywhere else (to a mix bus or the computer).
73
CUEMIX FX
THE MIXES TAB Assigning a mix bus output
Click the Mixes tab (Figure 10-2) to gain access to Choose the desired output pair for the mix bus
the Traveler-mk3’s eight stereo mix busses. The from the bus output menu (Figure 10-2). The bus
Mixes tab displays one mix bus at a time. output menu displays all current available
(enabled) Traveler-mk3 output pairs. If a bus is
Viewing a mix already assigned to an output pair, the bus name
Choose the mix you wish to view from the mix bus appears next to the output pair name to indicate
menu (in the Mixes tab itself, as shown in that the output pair is already taken by a bus. Only
Figure 10-2). The menu shows all mixes by name, one bus can be assigned to any given output pair. If
followed by the Traveler-mk3 output pair to which you choose an output already assigned to another
each bus master fader is currently assigned, if any. bus, that bus output will become disabled.
Naming a mix Bus fader

Click the mix name at the top of the mix bus master The bus fader (Figure 10-2) controls the overall
fader (Figure 10-2) to edit the name. level of the mix (its volume on its stereo output).
Use the individual input faders to the left to control
individual input levels.
Mixes Mix bus Traveler-mk3 Mix bus 1

tab menu inputs master
fader
Input name Bus name

Channel focus
Bus output
Input pan section
Bus Reverb
send/return
Bus fader
Input fader
Bus mute
Input mute/solo
Bus level meter

Input level meter
Scroll bar for input

channels
Mic inputs TRS inputs grouped

as stereo pairs
Figure 10-2: The Mixes tab.
74
CUEMIX FX
Bus mute Input pan section
The bus mute button (Figure 10-2) disables The input pan knob (Figure 10-2) pans the input
(silences) the mix. across the bus stereo outputs. If the input itself is
grouped as a stereo pair (in the Inputs tab), two
Bus level meter forms of panning control are provided:
The bus level meter, which is post-fader, shows you
the level of the mix81 output. Balance
Balance works like the balance knob on some
Bus reverb send/return radios: turn it left and the right channel dims, turn
The bus reverb send (Figure 10-2) feeds the output it right and left channel dims. But the left channel
of the mix bus, pre-fader, to the Traveler-mk3’s always stays left and the right channel stays right.
global reverb processor, where it is merged with
any other signals being fed to the reverb. The Width
reverb’s output can then be fed back into the mixer Width spreads the left and right channels across the
at various return points, including the bus return stereo image, depending on the knob position.
(discussed below). Maximum value (turning the pan knob all the way
up) maintains the original stereo image: the left
The bus reverb return (Figure 10-2) feeds the channel goes entirely left and right goes entirely
output of the Traveler-mk3’s global reverb right, without attenuation. The minimum value
processor into the mix bus, pre-fader. This includes (turning the knob all the way down) creates a
any other signals currently being fed to the reverb. mono effect: equal amounts of left and right are
The bus reverb return is disabled (grayed out) combined and sent to both outputs. In between,
when the reverb Split Point is set to Outputs to the left out is a mixture of the left input and some of
eliminate the possibility for feedback loops created the right input (and vice-versa) with the effect of
by reverb send/return loops. See “Split point” on narrowing the field.
page 93.
Input fader and mute/solo
Input section To add an input to a mix, or remove it, click its
The horizontally scrolling area in the Mix tab to the Mute button. To solo it, use its Solo button. Use the
left of the master fader (Figure 10-2) displays input fader (Figure 10-2) to adjust the level for the
channel strips for all currently enabled input in the mix. Note that an input can have
Traveler-mk3 inputs. different level, pan, mute and solo settings for
different mixes. Input channel level meters are
Input channel focus
post-fader.
Click the channel focus button (Figure 10-3) to
view and edit parameters in the channel settings If any solo button on the current (active) bus is
section of the CueMix FX window (Figure 10-7 on enabled, the Solo Light (Figure 10-1) will
page 80). Clicking the mix bus master fader focus illuminate.
button brings the assigned output into focus, if
there is one.
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CUEMIX FX
THE INPUTS TAB record a completely unprocessed input signal, do
The Traveler-mk3 provides many features for not apply any changes to it in the Input tab. The
managing analog and digital input signals. Some of only exception to this is the reverb send, which
these features, such as the Traveler-mk3’s digitally simply splits the input signal and feeds a copy of it
controlled analog trims, are implemented in the to the Traveler-mk3’s reverb processor.
analog domain; others are implemented in the
digital domain as DSP applied to the digital signal Signal flows from top to bottom
(after the A/D converter on analog inputs). Click Settings in each Input tab channel strip are
the Inputs tab (Figure 10-3) to access and control generally applied to the signal in order from top to
all of these input channel settings for each bottom. Input channel signal flow is as follows:
Traveler-mk3 input or input pair. trim, overload protection, phase, stereo versus M/S
decoding, width, L/R swap, EQ, dynamics and
Input tab settings are global reverb send.
Except for the reverb send, all settings you make in
the Input tab are applied to the input signal before Input channel focus
it goes anywhere else (to a mix bus or the Click the channel focus button (Figure 10-3) to
computer). For example, if you apply EQ and view and edit parameters in the channel settings
compression to the input signal, you will record the section of the CueMix FX window (Figure 10-7 on
processed version of the signal in your host audio page 80).
software running on the computer. If you need to
Inputs tab
Input name
Channel focus
Mono/stereo paring
Invert phase
Input trim
EQ/dynamics graph EQ band selectors
EQ/dynamics controls LP/HP filter selector

Compressor selector
EQ/dynamics
enable/disable
Reverb send
Input scroll bar
Figure 10-3: The Inputs tab.
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CUEMIX FX
Mono/stereo pairing Input EQ and dynamics
Click the Mono button (Figure 10-3) if you would The Traveler-mk3 lets you apply 7-band
like an input to be treated as a mono channel. If you parametric EQ and dynamics processing (DSP) to
would like to work with it as one channel of a any input, analog or digital.
linked stereo pair, click the Stereo button. Inputs
are grouped in odd/even pairs (Analog 1-2, Analog The controls in the EQ/Compression section of the
3-4, Analog 5-6, etc.) Stereo pairs appear as a single Inputs tab (Figure 10-3) let you edit EQ and
channel strip in the CueMix FX mixer (in all tabs). compression settings within the context of the
channel strip. This is ideal when you are comparing
Invert phase settings among neighboring channels, or perhaps
Click the Phase button (Figure 10-3) to invert the even applying the same setting across all inputs.
phase of the input signal. For stereo pairs, you can However, for more detailed editing of EQ and
invert the phase for the left and right channels compression settings for an input channel, you can
independently. click its Focus button and view the settings in the
Channel Section of the CueMix FX window
Input trim (Figure 10-1). This section even provides graphical
All Traveler-mk3 inputs, both analog and digital, editing of EQ curves and the compressor graph,
offer continuously variable input trim. In all cases, allowing you to click and drag directly on the
trim level can be controlled digitally in 1 dB graphic. For details see “The channel settings
increments. This includes the digitally controlled section” on page 80.
analog trims on the four mic/guitar inputs on the
front panel and the digital trims on the four The EQ/Dynamics graph
quarter-inch analog inputs on the back panel. Here The EQ/Dynamics graph for each input channel
is a summary of input trim ranges for each type of strip (Figure 10-3) provides a thumbnail view of
Traveler-mk3 input: the EQ curves or Compressor graph for the
channel. This graphic is for display purposes only;
Trim Trim Trim
Input cut boost Range it cannot be edited directly. To change the EQ
Mic/Guitar 0 dB 53 dB 53 dB settings in this graph, use the two or three knobs
below, as explained in the following sections. If,
TRS analog inputs 0 dB +12 dB 12 dB
however, you would like to edit the EQ curves
AES/EBU (XLR) 0 dB +12 dB 12 dB graphically, you can do so in the EQ tab
S/PDIF (RCA) 0 dB +12 dB 12 dB
(Figure 10-10 on page 82).
ADAT optical 0 dB +12 dB 12 dB EQ/Dynamics selectors

S/PDIF (TOSLink) 0 dB +12 dB 12 dB
The EQ/Dynamics selector buttons along the
right-hand edge of the EQ/Dynamics section
(Figure 10-3) allow you to choose what you are
Once you adjust the trim levels, you can save them
viewing and editing in the EQ/Dynamics section.
as a file on disk for future instant recall. See “Saving
and loading hardware presets” on page 97 and
“Configurations menu” on page 98.
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CUEMIX FX
EQ/Dynamics enable/disable buttons
Click the EQ or Dynamics button at the bottom of
Orange the input channel (Figure 10-3) to toggle the effect
Green
Blue EQ band selectors on or off. Note that you can program EQ and
Red compressor settings, even when the effect is
Yellow currently disabled. (You just won’t hear the result
White LP/HP filter selector
Black Compressor selector until you enable it.)
Colored knobs
Reverb send
Figure 10-4: The EQ/Dynamics selectors. The input reverb send (Figure 10-3) feeds the input
Click the selector (Figure 10-4) for the desired EQ signal to the Traveler-mk3’s global reverb
band, low-pass (LP) filter, high pass (HP) filter or processor, where it is merged with any other signals
compressor to view it across all channels. being fed to the reverb. The reverb’s output can
then be fed back into a mix or output pair. The send
Compressor Compressor Compressor occurs after all other settings in the input channel
graph meter selector strip (phase invert, EQ, compression, etc.)
THE OUTPUTS TAB

The Outputs tab (Figure 10-6) lets you apply EQ,
dynamics and reverb to any output pair, just before
the signal leaves the Traveler-mk3. This is
processing that occurs at the very end of the signal
flow, after everything else (host based effects,
Traveler-mk3 input or bus processing, mixing, and
so on). Processing is done in the digital domain,
Figure 10-5: The Compressor controls.
just before the signal goes analog through the D/A
☛ Shortcut: hold down the alt key while clicking converter. Output tab processing is applied to the
an EQ selector button to show just that band of EQ entire output mix (all signals being mixed to the
in the graphs. Click any selector again to return to output from various sources).
viewing all bands.
Signal flows from top to bottom
Using the EQ/Dynamics knobs Settings in each Output tab channel strip are
Once you have chosen the desired EQ band, or the applied to the signal in order from top to bottom.
compressor, you can modify its settings using the For example, EQ occurs before Dynamics, which is
two or three knobs below the graph. The knobs applied before the reverb send and return.
match the color of the currently selected effect, to
help remind you of which effect you are currently Output channel focus
editing. Click the channel focus button (Figure 10-6) to
view and edit parameters in the channel settings
☛ Important: before you can modify the settings section of the CueMix FX window (Figure 10-7 on
of an EQ band using the three knobs below the page 80).
graph, the EQ band must be enabled. This is done
in the EQ tab (Figure 10-10), as explained in
“Enabling EQ” on page 82.
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CUEMIX FX
Output EQ and Dynamics The output reverb return (Figure 10-6) feeds the
The EQ/Dynamics section in the Outputs tab output of the Traveler-mk3’s global reverb
(Figure 10-6) works identically to the EQ/ processor directly to the output. This includes any
Dynamics section for the Inputs tab (Figure 10-3). other signals currently being fed to the reverb.
See “Input EQ and dynamics” on page 77.
Both the send and return occur after EQ and
Output reverb send/return dynamics processing, but before listenback and
The output reverb send (Figure 10-6) feeds the talkback.
signal for the output to the Traveler-mk3’s global
reverb processor, where it is merged with any other Talkback/Listenback
signals being fed to the reverb. The reverb’s output Click the Talkback or Listenback buttons
can then be fed back into the mixer at any output, (Figure 10-6) to toggle whether the output pair is
including the same output from which it was sent included in the Talkback or Listenback group. See
(discussed below). The output reverb send is “Talkback and listenback” on page 95.
disabled (grayed out) when the reverb Split Point is
set to Mixes to eliminate the possibility for Monitor group assign
Click the Monitor buttons (Figure 10-6) to toggle
feedback loops created by reverb send/return
whether the output pair is included in the Monitor
loops. See “Split point” on page 93.
group. See “The Monitor Group” on page 94.
Outputs tab
Output name
Channel focus
EQ/Dynamics graph EQ band selectors
EQ/Dynamics controls LP/HP filter selector

Compressor selector
EQ/Dynamics
enable/disable
Output reverb
send/return
Talkback/listenback
enable/disable
Monitor group assign
Figure 10-6: The Outputs tab.
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CUEMIX FX
THE CHANNEL SETTINGS SECTION The Channel tab
The channel settings section in the CueMix FX The Channel tab (Figure 10-8) displays settings for
window (Figure 10-1) displays three tabs for input channels. Click any focus button in the
Channel, EQ and Dynamics settings for the Inputs tab to view the Channel tab settings for the
channel with the current focus. There are also two channel.
global tabs: the Meter Bridge and the Reverb
Processor, as shown below.
Figure 10-8: The Channel tab.

Tabs for the channel that Tabs for the global meter
currently has the focus bridge and reverb processor Signal flow
Settings in the Channel tab occur just before the
Figure 10-7: The Channel Settings section.
EQ, dynamics and reverb sends in the Input tab
channel strip (Figure 10-3 on page 76). Input
channel signal flow is as follows: pad/reference
level, trim, overload protection, phase, stereo
versus M/S decoding, width, L/R swap, EQ,
dynamics and reverb send.
Pad and reference level

The Pad and Reference Level section (Figure 10-8)
lets you control the pad switch for mic inputs and
the +4/-10 dB reference level for TRS inputs. If a
mic input is currently in focus, the pad switch is
enabled and the reference level switches are grayed
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CUEMIX FX
out. Conversely, if a TRS input is currently in focus, be the talkback input, and only one input can be
then pad switch is grayed out and the reference the listenback input. See “Talkback and listenback”
level switches are enabled. on page 95.
Stereo settings Reverb section

Inputs that have been grouped as stereo pairs in the The Send in the reverb section (Figure 10-8) is the
Inputs tab (Figure 10-3) provide two stereo modes same control as the reverb send in the Input tab
(Figure 10-8): Normal and M/S. M/S mode channel strip (Figure 10-3). See “Reverb send” on
provides decoding for a mid-side microphone page 78. If the input is currently not grouped as a
configuration. stereo pair in the Input tab (it is operating as a
mono input), use the reverb Pan knob
The Width knob (Figure 10-8) provides control (Figure 10-8) to pan the mono signal for the stereo
over the stereo imaging, going from a full stereo reverb processor.
image to mono (both channels panned equally).
See “Width” on page 75. Input meter and bus activity LEDs
When the Channel tab is active (Figure 10-8), the
The Swap L/R button (Figure 10-8) lets you switch display above the tab provides a horizontal level
the left and right channels. meter and eight bus activity LEDs (Figure 10-9).
Overload protection (mic/guitar inputs only)

The Overload Protection section (Figure 10-8)
provides two features that help prevent digital Bus
activity
clipping on the four mic/guitar inputs. These LEDs
options are only available on these four preamp-
equipped inputs.
Figure 10-9: Input meter and bus activity LEDs.
V-Limit™ (Figure 10-8) is a hardware limiter that The input level meter (Figure 10-9) is the same as
helps prevent digital clipping from overloaded the input meters in the Meters tab (Figure 10-27 on
input signals. With V-Limit engaged, signals can go page 92) with the Pre FX button engaged, which
above zero dB (with limiting applied) to as high as shows the input level on the physical input itself,
+12 dB above zero with no distortion due to digital before any processing of any kind occurs within the
clipping. Click the Lookahead option for even Traveler-mk3. This meter gives you the most
better protection against sharp transients. accurate reading of the actual signal level hitting
the input, regardless of any other settings (such as
Additional or alternative protection can be applied
V-Limit, Soft Clip and so on). The clip indicator,
to the mic/guitar inputs by enabling Soft Clip
however, happens after V-Limit and/or Soft Clip.
(Figure 10-8). When enabled, Soft Clip engages
This allows you to see when clipping occurs, even
just before clipping occurs and helps further
with these overload protection features engaged.
reduce perceptible distortion.
The Bus Activity LEDs (Figure 10-9) show you
Talkback section
which mix busses the input signal is being fed to.
Click the Talkback or Listenback button
For example, LED #6 will glow under the following
(Figure 10-8) to toggle whether the input is the
Talkback or Listenback input. Only one input can
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CUEMIX FX
conditions: the input is unmuted in mix bus 6, its provided, each with four EQ types that provide
fader is up, and there is signal activity from the current popular EQ styles and vintage analog EQ
input going into the mix bus. styles alike. Two bands include shelf filtering. Two
additional bands of variable slope low pass and
The EQ tab high pass filtering are provided. The filter response
The EQ tab (Figure 10-10) displays the EQ settings display provides comprehensive control and visual
for the input or output channel that currently has feedback of the EQ curve being applied. With
the focus. Click any focus button in the Inputs or 64-bit floating point processing, the Traveler-mk3
Outputs tab to view the EQ tab settings for the Vintage EQ has been carefully crafted and
channel. meticulously engineered to produce musical
results in a wide variety of applications.
Vintage EQ
Inspired by legendary British large console EQs, Enabling EQ
the Traveler-mk3 Vintage EQ section Each input and output channel has a global EQ
(Figure 10-10) gives you the look, feel and sound of enable/disable button (Figure 10-3 and
the most sought-after classic equalizers. Five bands Figure 10-6). This button enables or disables all
of center frequency parametric EQ filtering are bands of EQ for the channel. In addition, each
Q handles Filter Composite Individual

(orange lines) handle curve filter curve
(white line) (colored area)
Filter response
display
Filter display options menu Vertical scale

Parameter display
EQ tab
EQ filter Filter enable/disable
EQ Filter types
Shelf filter
Low-pass filter
High-pass filter
Slope
High-pass frequency
Figure 10-10: The EQ tab.
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CUEMIX FX
individual band of EQ has a Filter enable/disable Q handle: Drag the Q handle lines to graphically
switch (Figure 10-10), allowing you to enable as adjust the Q setting for the currently selected filter.
few or as many bands as needed for each individual To select the filter, click its filter handle.
channel.
Filter handle: Drag this handle to graphically
Vintage EQ Quick reference adjust the filter’s boost/cut and/or frequency.
Filter response display: Shows the response curve
for the current settings. Composite curve (white line): shows the overall
response curve of the current settings in the
Vertical scale: Lets you zoom the vertical scale of window.
the filter response display.
Individual filter curve: Each filter has a color
Parameter display: Shows the precise numbers of (indicated by its knobs). When filter curves are
the parameter you are adjusting (or hovering over being displayed (the filter curve option is turned
with the arrow cursor). The labels (frequency, gain, on), each individual filter’s response curve is
etc.) match the color of the filter being displayed. displayed in the filter’s color.
When a filter handle is not selected and when the
cursor is not hovering over the display, the Filter display options menu: Provides several
parameter display shows the name of the current options for controlling the filter display.
channel being edited (the channel that currently
has the focus), as shown below: Filter enable/disable: Turns the filter on or off.
How the vintage EQ works

The Vintage EQ operates like a standard EQ filter,
but with much more sophisticated processing
The name of the algorithms “under the hood”. There are five bands
channel being
EQ’d. of EQ, each with their own unique knob color, plus
additional low pass and high pass filters. Each filter
Figure 10-11: When a filter handle is not selected and when the can be set to any center frequency you wish.
cursor is not hovering over the display, the parameter display shows
the name of the current channel being edited (the channel that
currently has the focus). Each filter can be independently turned on or off
EQ filter: one of five center bands of EQ that can be with the enable/disable button (Figure 10-10).
independently enabled and programmed. Each filter can be set to one of four different filter
types (I, II, III or IV). The two top-most filters
Filter type: Lets you choose from one of four or five (orange and green) provide an extra low and high
EQ styles for each independent band of EQ. shelf setting, in addition to the four standard band
settings. The additional low pass and high pass
Low/High Pass filter: Both a low pass and high pass filters (lower left) have gray cutoff frequency knobs
filter are supplied with six different slope settings. and six settings for slope (in octaves/dB).
Slope: Lets you choose the slope (fall off) charac- Frequency response display
teristics of the low pass and high pass filter. The frequency response display at the top of the
window displays the response curve of the current
settings in the window. The (horizontal) frequency
range is from 10 hertz to 20 KHz. The (vertical)
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CUEMIX FX
amplitude scale is in dB and is adjustable between 3 FFT display
and 24 dB using the vertical scale buttons Choose Show FFT from the Filter display options
(Figure 10-10). menu (Figure 10-10) to superimpose a real-time
Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) frequency
Adjusting filters in the display measurement curve over the EQ filter display, as
To view a filter in the display, turn on the filter. The demonstrated in Figure 10-13:
shape of the filter, according to its current settings,
is shaded in the same color as the filter’s knob(s). FFT curve
Each filter has a handle, displayed as shown below
in Figure 10-12 (in the filter’s color), for adjusting
its boost/cut and/or frequency:
Filter handle
Filter Q
(red line) Figure 10-13: FFT display.
The FFT curve is post-filter. Therefore, the FFT

Band response
(colored area) shows the results of the EQ filter(s) being applied.
Use the global EQ button for the input or output
channel (Figure 10-3 and Figure 10-6,
Figure 10-12: Drag the filter handle to adjust its frequency and/or respectively) to toggle between the EQ’d and non-
boost/cut. Drag the Filter Q handles to adjust the Q.
EQ’d FFT display.
For the EQ filters, when you click the handle, you’ll
also see lines on either side for adjusting the Q Spectrogram
parameter, as shown above. Choose Show Spectrogram from the Filter display
options menu (Figure 10-10) to superimpose a
Filter display options real-time spectrogram “waterfall” display in the
The Filter display options menu (Figure 10-10) background of the EQ filter display, as
provides several options for the EQ filter display: demonstrated in Figure 10-14:
Menu option What it does

Show no analysis Turns off both the FFT and
Spectrogram in the Filter display.
Show FFT Shows/hides a real time FFT analysis

of the current signal being EQ’d,
post EQ filter.
Show Spectrogram Shows/hides a real-time spectro-

gram “waterfall” in the background
of the filter display, post EQ filter.
Figure 10-14: FFT display.
Show Band Response Shows/hides the colored area below
EQ filter points. The spectrogram scrolls from top to bottom, where
the top edge of the display represents what you are
Show/Hide Full Window Shows/hides the enlarged filter dis-
Analysis play in the CueMix FX window. hearing “now”. Color represents amplitude along
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CUEMIX FX
the left/right frequency spectrum. The amplitude
color scale runs from black (silence) to red (full
scale) as follows:
Silence Full scale

Black Blue Green Yellow Orange Red Figure 10-17: The Info Box.
Figure 10-15: Spectrogram color-to-amplitude spectrum. The info box includes the industry standard
scientific note (pitch) name when the control point
Using the full window filter display
Choose Show Full Window Analysis from the Filter is located at a frequency that resides within a
display options menu (Figure 10-10) to fill the prescribed note range, where C4 is middle C. The
entire CueMix FX window with the filter EQ note number is accompanied by the number of
display for detailed inspection and adjustment of cents (±50) above or below the exact frequency for
the EQ filter, as shown in Figure 10-16. the note. If the control point is dragged outside the
note range, only the frequency is shown.
You can show and hide the FFT display,
spectrogram or EQ band response curves as EQ filters
The EQ filters have three parameters:
desired using the Display Options menu options
(Figure 10-16). These settings are independent of Control unit range
the small graph display options (Figure 10-10), so Gain dB -20.00 to +20.00
you have the flexibility to display different
Frequency Hertz 20 Hz to 20 kHz
combinations in each graph.
Q n/a - see note below 0.01 to 3.00
The info box
The Show Info Box item in the full graph display
Q
options menu (Figure 10-16) lets you display the
The Q setting does not have a unit of measurement.
coordinates of any EQ filter point as you drag it in
Rather, it is the ratio of the filter’s center frequency
the graph (Figure 10-17):
to the bandwidth of the filter. In addition, the
Display
options
menu
Figure 10-16: Full window filter display.
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CUEMIX FX
actual Q value for the EQ curve being applied is Type I
dependent on three factors: the gain setting, the
filter style, and the Q setting.
Filter types
Each filter can be independently set to one of four
different filter types: I, II, III and IV. These, and the
additional shelf filters for the LMF and HMF band,
are discussed in the section “EQ filter styles”.
Returning to zero (or nominal frequency)

To return a knob to zero, or it’s nominal frequency,
double-click it.
EQ filter styles
EQ is one of the most widely used processing tools
and can be applied to many different situations,
from minor corrective tasks to highly creative
applications. Over the years, many EQs have been
engineered for specific applications or to achieve a
certain sound. The Vintage EQ has been designed
to be flexible enough to cover a broad range of Figure 10-18: Type I EQ filter style.
applications. To that end, several different filter
The Type I EQ filter has the least amount of Gain/Q
types are supplied, varying mostly in the way they
interaction, providing the most precision and
handle the dynamic interaction between Gain and
control of all the EQ filter types. Even small
Q. This crucial relationship has been modeled to
adjustments in gain or reduction produce relatively
emulate the smooth and musical character of
high Q. This EQ style is best for situations that call
classic analog EQ circuits, in which the Gain/Q
for precise EQ adjustments requiring the
dependency was dictated by the actual circuit
maximum amount of individual parameter
design and electrical components used.
control. For more general shaping (e.g. full mixes)
The following sections describe the character of or subtle control (e.g. vocals), the other styles
each type of EQ filter and their suggested discussed in the following sections might be more
applications. In the illustrations for each filter style appropriate. This filter type is the most similar to a
(Figure 10-18 through Figure 10-21), the settings standard parametric EQ.
for the three example curves are the same for the
purpose of comparison:
■ Frequency = 1.00 kHz

■ Q=1
■ Gain = +3, +10 and +20 dB
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CUEMIX FX
Type II Type III
Figure 10-19: Type II EQ filter style.

Figure 10-20: Type III EQ filter style.
The Type II EQ filter produces constant Q response
during boost or cut. The Type II style emulates The Type III EQ filter increases Q as boost is
several classic legacy EQs and produces good applied. Therefore, lower amounts of boost
results for resonance control on drums and provide a softer, “wider” EQ effect (since the
percussion because it provides relatively high Q affected frequency range widens), while higher
values with more extreme gain or cut settings. boost tends to sound louder and more “up front”,
due to the increase in Q as the gain is increased.
The more gentle Q curve at lower settings is well
suited for overall EQ fills and more subtle
corrections in instrument and vocal sources.
Boosting or cutting by small amounts will seem to
produce the effect that your ear expects, without
the need to adjust Q. As a result, this filter style, and
similar EQs with this characteristic behavior, are
often referred to as being more “musical”. More
specifically, this style emulates the classic Neve
EQs, their modern derivatives and later SSL G
series EQs. Many current popular outboard
“boutique” EQs exhibit this same gain/Q
relationship.
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CUEMIX FX
Type IV Shelf filters
Figure 10-21: Type IV EQ filter style.
The Type IV EQ filter is a more extreme form of the

Type III filter. It exhibits a high degree of
interaction between Q and gain in order to
maintain as closely as possible an equal amount of
area under the response curve as gain is adjusted.
Type IV is the most gentle of the four EQ styles and
is ideal for large scale EQ adjustments, especially
on sub-mixes and complete mixes. This EQ style is
also ideal for any applications where subtle changes
in the overall character of the sound are desired.
For example, it can be used for mastering
applications, such as the overall adjustments that Figure 10-22: Shelf filter Q parameter overshoot.
must often be applied to entire tracks to match
When two top-most bands in the EQ tab are set to
other tracks on the album.
their shelf filter setting (Figure 10-10), the Q
parameter controls the amount of overshoot
applied to the response curve, as illustrated in
Figure 10-22. When Q = 0.01 (the lowest setting),
normal shelving is applied with no overshoot. This
produces the response provided by a first order
shelf. When Q = 1.0 (the default setting), the
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CUEMIX FX
response corresponds to a second order shelf, still Overshoot tends to produce more of what one
with no overshoot. This is the same response as would expect to hear when applying shelving and
conventional parametric EQs. In some situations, is therefore considered to be more musical than
this form of accurate, clean shelving can sound shelving without overshoot. This effect, which has
harsh, especially when compared to legacy analog gained tremendous popularity among audio
EQs. To soften the results, the overshoot is engineers, was first made popular in original Neve
increased as Q is increased, as shown Figure 10-22 series EQs and later in the SSL G series.
for Q values of 1.00, 2.00 and 3.00. This overshoot
region produces a boost in frequencies just above At the maximum Q setting of 3.00, the overshoot
the cutoff, which compensates in a smooth, more peaks at half the total boosted (or cut) gain. For
pleasing fashion for the perceived drop in low example, with a max gain setting of +20dB, the loss
frequencies being cut. in the overshoot region is -10 dB. Overshoot
curves are symmetrical for both cut and boost.
Conversely, when shelving boost is being applied,
overshoot cuts frequencies just above the cutoff to Low pass and high pass filters
again compensate in a smooth and pleasing fashion The Vintage EQ low and high pass filters are similar
for the perceived boost in low frequencies: to those found in most conventional parametric
EQs (which usually have a fixed slope of 12 dB per
octave), except that Vintage EQ provides six
different slope (roll off) settings: 6, 12, 18, 24, 30
and 36 dB per octave. This control over the shape
of the “knee” gives you a great deal flexibility and
control for a wide variety of applications.
Figure 10-23: Overshoot when low shelf boost is applied.

Slope = 6
Overshoot is also applied to high shelf boost and
cut:
Slope = 18
Slope = 36
Figure 10-24: Overshoot when high shelf cut and boost is applied.
Figure 10-25: The low pass filter with three example slope settings.
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CUEMIX FX
The Dynamics tab Compressor
The Dynamics tab (Figure 10-26) displays the The Compressor (Figure 10-26) lowers the level of
Dynamics processing settings for the input or the input when it is above the threshold. The
output channel that currently has the focus. Click amount of attenuation is determined by the Ratio
any focus button in the Inputs or Outputs tab to and the input level. If the input is 6 dB above the
view the Dynamics tab settings for the channel. Threshold and the Ratio is 3:1, then the output will
be 2 dB above the Threshold. When the input level
Input Output Gain Threshold goes above the threshold, the attenuation is added
level level reduction
meter meter meter gradually to reduce distortion. The rate at which
the attenuation is added is determined by the
Attack parameter. Likewise, when the input level
Trim falls below the Threshold, the attenuation is
removed gradually. The rate at which the
attenuation is removed is determined by the
Dynamics tab Release parameter. Long Release times may cause
the audio to drop out briefly when a soft passage
Compressor
enable/disable follows a loud passage. Short Release times may
cause the attenuation to pump when the average
input level quickly fluctuates above and below the
Threshold.
These sorts of issues can be addressed by applying

Leveler the Leveler instead.
enable/disable
Graphic adjustment of the Threshold

The Threshold can be adjusted by turning the
Threshold knob or by dragging the Threshold line
directly in the compressor graph (Figure 10-26).
Input level meter

The Input Level meter (Figure 10-26) shows the
Figure 10-26: The Dynamics tab.
level of the input signal before it enters the
Enabling Dynamics compressor. It shows either the peak level or the
Each input and output channel has a global RMS level, depending on which mode is currently
Dynamics enable/disable button (Figure 10-3 and chosen.
Figure 10-6). This button enables or disables all
dynamics processing for the channel. In addition, Gain reduction (GR) meter
the Dynamics tab has two different dynamics The Gain reduction (GR) level meter
processors, the Compressor and Leveler, which can (Figure 10-26) displays the current amount of
be individually enabled or disabled (Figure 10-26) attenuation applied by the compressor.
for the channel.
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CUEMIX FX
Output level Automatic gain control using light
The Output Level meter (Figure 10-26) displays the The the Automatic Gain Control (AGC) circuit of
peaks of the output signal. Trim is applied before the LA-2A uses a vintage opto-coupler known by
the Output Level meter. its model number (T4). The T4 contains an
electroluminescent panel (ELP) and photoresistor
Peak/RMS modes mounted so that the emission of the panel
In RMS mode the compressor uses RMS values (a modulates the resistance. An ELP consists of a thin
computational method for determining overall layer of phosphorescent material sandwiched
loudness) to measure the input level. In Peak mode, between two insulated electrodes to form a
the compressor uses signal peaks to determine the capacitor. Making one of the electrodes
input level. RMS mode will let peaks through transparent allows the light to escape. These
because the detector sidechain is only looking at devices are essentially glow-in-the-dark paint on a
the average signal level. Peak mode will react to piece of foil covered by metalized glass or plastic,
brief peaks. Peak mode is generally used for drums, and are the same devices used in low-power night
percussion and other source material with strong lights. Unfortunately, these devices need high
transients, while RMS mode is mostly used for voltages to operate, and are best driven by tube
everything else. circuits which can supply voltage swings of several
hundred volts.
The input meters show either the peak level or the
RMS level, depending on the mode. Response characteristics
Once the light has faded away, the photoresistor
Leveler
then decays back to its dark state. The shape of the
The Leveler™ (Figure 10-26) provides an accurate
decay curve varies depending on how bright the
model of the legendary Teletronix™ LA-2A®
light was, and how long the light lasted. A general
optical compressor, known for its unique and
rule of thumb is that the louder the program, the
highly sought-after Automatic Gain Control
slower the release. Typically, the release can take up
(AGC) characteristics. The Traveler-mk3 Leveler
to and over one minute. One thing to keep in mind
faithfully models the LA-2A using the on-board
when using these types of devices is that the typical
DSP with 32-bit floating point precision.
concepts of compression ratio, attack, release, and
A model of an optical compressor threshold do not apply. The light intensity is
The simplest description of an optical leveling determined by the highly non-linear interactions
amplifier device is a light shining on a photore- of the input signal, AGC circuit, and ELP, and thus
sistor. The intensity of the light source is exhibit a strong program dependence that is
proportional to the audio signal, and the resistance impossible to describe without the mind-numbing
of the photoresistor is in turn inversely mathematics of statistical mechanics. The actual
proportional to the intensity of the light. Photore- results, however, can be almost mystical: even
sistors respond quite quickly to increases in light when you feed the same material (a loop perhaps)
intensity, yet return to their dark resistance very through the Leveler twice, you’ll often see a new
slowly. Thus, incorporation of the photoresistor response the second time through a loop, complete
into an attenuator followed by an amplifier which with unique attack times, release times and
provides make-up gain produces a signal which compression ratios. Furthermore, two different
maintains a constant overall loudness. input signals with the same RMS levels may be
leveled in a drastically different manner.
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CUEMIX FX
It is precisely this self-adjusting behavior that Bus activity LEDs
makes optical compressors the tool of choice for (inputs only)
smoothing out vocals, bass guitar and full-

Channel meter
program mixes without destroying perceived display
dynamics.
Meters tab
Compressor/Limit buttons
The Comp and Limit buttons (Figure 10-26) model
the original LA-2A Limit/Compress mode switch. Pre/post
processing
The effect is very subtle, with the Limit option switch
behaving only slightly more like a limiter than a
compressor. The switch increases the level of the
input to the AGC model and runs the attenuator at
a slightly lower level. The Leveler then responds
more strongly to transients, but otherwise still
behaves like a leveling amplifier.
Gain Reduction
Gain Reduction (Figure 10-26) sets the strength of
the signal sent to the AGC model. The Gain
Reduction meter (Figure 10-26) shows the amount
Figure 10-27: The Meters tab.
of gain reduction being applied to the input signal.
Channel meter display
Makeup Gain The channel meter display (Figure 10-27) provides
Makeup gain (Figure 10-26) amplifies the output a long-throw meter for the input or output that
signal to make up for gain reduction. currently has the focus in the Input/Output tabs.
Enabling or disabling the Leveler Bus activity LEDs (inputs only)

The Leveler models the LA-2A so closely, it also The Bus activity LEDs (Figure 10-27) are present
models the time it takes for an actual LA-2A to only for inputs. See “Input meter and bus activity
“warm up” after it is turned on. Therefore, when LEDs” on page 81.
you enable the Leveler, give it a moment to “settle”
before you begin processing signals with it. Pre/post processing switch
The pre/post processing switch (Figure 10-27)
The Meters tab affects all input meters (and the meter in the
The Meters tab (Figure 10-27) serves as a channel meter display above the tab, if this area is
comprehensive meter bridge for all inputs, outputs displaying an input meter). Click Pre to view levels
and mix busses in the Traveler-mk3. This tab gives before any input channel processing besides trim;
you a “bird’s-eye” view of all signal activity in the click Post to view levels after all channel processing
Traveler-mk3; it is ideal for confirming your signal (EQ, compression, M/S decoding, L/R swap, etc.)
routing programming and for troubleshooting.
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CUEMIX FX
The Reverb tab together. The resulting stereo output from the
The Reverb tab (Figure 10-28) provides access to reverb can then be inserted into a mix bus or
the Traveler-mk3’s single, global reverb processor, output using stereo returns.
which provides high-fidelity reverberation and
graphic control over its parameters. Reverb sends
The following signals can be sent to the reverb
Low band Mid band reverb High band processor via their corresponding sends (discussed
(yellow) time handle (purple) earlier in this chapter):
■ Mono or stereo inputs (Figure 10-3 on page 76)

Crossover ■ Mix bus output (Figure 10-2 on page 74)
handle
■ Outputs (Figure 10-6 on page 79)
Reverb Reverb returns

enable/disable The stereo output from the reverb processor can be
sent to the following destinations via their
corresponding returns (discussed earlier in this
chapter):
■ Mix bus outputs

■ Outputs
■ The computer (via the Reverb Return bus)
Split point
The Split Point (Figure 10-28) prevents feedback
loops that would be caused by a signal being sent to
the reverb processor and then returned to the same
Figure 10-28: The Reverb tab. signal path.
Enabling reverb
Mix
Use the enable/disable button (Figure 10-28) to
When the Split Point is set to Mixes, the returns in
turn the reverb processor on or off. Since reverb
the Mix bus tab become active and the sends in the
uses considerable DSP resources, it is best to leave
Output tab gray out. This allows you to send from
it off when you are not using it.
inputs and mixes and return to mixes and outputs.
Routing inputs, busses and outputs to the
Output
reverb processor
When the Split Point is set to Outputs, the sends in
The reverb processor is a single, independent unit
Output tab become active and the returns in the
that provides stereo reverb.You can route multiple
Mix bus tab gray out. This allows you to send from
signals to it from various points (sends) in the
inputs, mixes and outputs and return to outputs.
CueMix FX mixer, but all incoming signals to the
reverb processor are merged and processed
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CUEMIX FX
Primary controls ☛ Here’s a tip: try using initial reflections
The Primary Controls section (Figure 10-28) in the without any subsequent reverb (turn the reverb
Reverb tab provides the following basic parameters time down as far as it will go). You’ll hear
for programming the reverb. interesting and unusual effects.
Reverb Time Reverb design

Reverb time determines the length of decay, or tail, The Reverb Design section allows you to
of the reverb. This is a global setting for the reverb independently control the reverb time for three
processor. You can further refine the tails by separate frequency bands (Low, Mid and High)
independently setting the reverb time of three with adjustable cross-over points between them
separate frequency bands, as discussed below in (Low and High). The reverb time for each band is
the Reverb Design section. specified in percent of the overall reverb time in the
Primary Controls section at the top of the tab.
PreDelay
PreDelay is the amount of time before you hear the You can edit these parameters graphically by
very first reflections. If you are in a large room, it dragging the handles in the graphic display
takes a while before the first reflections return. (Figure 10-28).
PreDelay is useful for clarifying the original sound.
For example, with vocals, the reflections won’t start Width does what its name implies: if you turn this
until after the initial sound of a word has been control all the way up, the result is maximum stereo
sung. imaging. A position of 12 o’clock produces
essentially a mono image. Turning the control all
Shelf Filter the way down completely swaps the stereo image.
The Shelf Filter is a low-pass filter that controls the
high frequency characteristics of the overall effect. THE MONITOR GROUP
Frequency sets the cutoff frequency for the filter The monitor group is a set of Traveler-mk3 outputs
and Cut sets the amount of signal attenuation that can be controlled with the master Monitor
applied by the filter. Level knob in upper right corner of the CueMix FX
mixer window (Figure 10-29), as well as the
Early reflections MASTER VOL knob on the Traveler-mk3 front
Initial reflections give a space its unique sound. panel.
The shape of the room, the angles of the walls, even
furniture in the room will produce a series of Initial
Reflections. Think of the early reflections and
room type as the “flavor” of the reverb. You can
choose between several types of rooms. These are Monitor
group
acoustic models for simulating these different presets
types of spaces. The Size and Level parameters let menu
you control the size of the room and the strength of Figure 10-29: Monitor group volume control from CueMix FX and the
the initial reflections. front panel MASTER VOL knob.
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CUEMIX FX
Assigning outputs to the monitor group EQ on a stereo channel requires approximately
Any combination of outputs can be assigned to the twice the DSP resources as the same EQ on a mono
monitor group. To include an output pair in the channel. The Compressor (2.5 x 1 EQ band) and
monitor group, click its Monitor button in the Leveler (4 x 1 EQ band) require about the same
Outputs tab (Figure 10-6 on page 79). DSP resources for a mono or stereo channel.
Monitor group presets menu SOLO LIGHT

The monitor group presets menu (Figure 10-29) The Solo light (Figure 10-1) illuminates when any
provides several presets for commonly used input in the current (active) mix bus is soloed
monitor groups: (even if it is currently scrolled off-screen).
Monitor group preset Output assignment
TALKBACK AND LISTENBACK
Main Outs Analog 1-2 CueMix FX provides Talkback and Listenback
Quad Analog Out 1-4 buttons. Talkback allows an engineer in the control
room to temporarily dim all audio and talk to
5.1 Analog Out 1-6
musicians in the live room. Conversely, Listenback
7.1 Analog Out 1-8 allows musicians to talk to the control room.
If you program your own monitor output group, Hardware setup

the presets menu displays the word Custom. Figure 10-30 below shows a typical hardware setup
for Talkback and Listenback. For Talkback, set up a
Monitor group meters dedicated mic in your control room and connect it
The monitor group meters (Figure 10-1 on to a mic input on your MOTU audio interface. For
page 72) show levels for any/all output pairs that Listenback, set up a dedicated listenback mic in the
are currently included in the monitor group. The live room for the musicians and connect it to
width of the meters scales proportionally so that all another mic input (or just use one of the mics you
current monitor group outputs will fit within the are recording from). For talkback output, set up a
prescribed space for the meters. If many outputs headphone distribution amp or set of speakers in
are included, then the meters will look fairly thin, the live room, and connect it to any Traveler-mk3
but they will all be included in the meter. output, as demonstrated below in Figure 10-30.
DSP METER
The DSP meter (Figure 10-1) shows how much of
the available DSP processing power is currently
being used by the Traveler-mk3 for effects
processing. DSP resources are allocated in channel
order from the first input to the last output. If there
aren’t enough DSP resources for all effects to be
enabled on a channel, none of them are allocated
on that channel or any following channel.
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CUEMIX FX
only occurs when talkback or listenback is
Control room
Talkback engaged. Audio playing back from disk (your host
mic software) is not affected.
Main
outs
Talk dim
Analog out 7-8
Live room
Headphone distribution amp

Listen dim
Listenback
mic
Figure 10-30: Typical hardware setup for Talkback and Listenback.

Figure 10-31: The Talkback/Listenback controls.
Talkback / Listenback Mic Input
Engaging/disengaging Talkback and
To configure the talkback mic in CueMix FX, go to
Listenback
the Inputs tab (Figure 10-3 on page 76) and click To engage Talk back or Listenback, press on the
the Focus button for the input that the talkback mic Talk or Listen buttons (Figure 10-31) and then
is connected to. Click the Channel tab (Figure 10-8 release to disengage. Talkback and/or Listenback is
on page 80) and enable the Talk button. engaged for as long as you hold down the mouse
button. Alt-click to make the buttons “sticky” (stay
Repeat this procedure for the Listenback mic,
engaged until you click them again — so you don’t
except click the Listen button in the Channel tab.
have to hold down the mouse). Or use the Talkback
Talk / Listen output menu items.
To configure the talkback and listen back outputs,
If you would like to engage both Talkback and
go to the Outputs tab (Figure 10-6 on page 79) and
Listenback at the same time, enable the Link button
enable the Talk button for any output pair on which
(Figure 10-31).
you’d like to hear the talkback mic. Similarly,
enable the Listen button for any output pair on
Controlling Talkback and Listenback volume
which you’d like to hear the listenback mic. To control the volume of the Talkback and/or
Listenback mics, adjust their input trim in
Talkback / Listenback Monitor Dim
CueMix FX.
Use the knobs next to the Talk and Listen buttons
(Figure 10-31) to determine the amount of
attenuation you would like to apply to all other
audio signals (besides the talkback/listenback
signal) when Talkback and/or Listenback is
engaged. To completely silence all other CueMix
audio, turn them all the way down. Attenuation
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CUEMIX FX
SHORTCUTS remains visible before it disappears (or begins to
Hold down the following general modifier keys as drop). To disable peak/hold indicators altogether,
shortcuts: choose Off from this sub-menu.
Shortcut Result Mix1 return includes computer output

Shift key Applies your action to all inputs or all out- The Mix1 return includes computer output File
puts in the mix.
menu item applies to other MOTU interfaces
Control key Applies your action to the stereo input pair, products and has no effect on the Traveler-mk3.
even when it is currently configured as mono.
Alt key Applies your action to all busses. Hardware follows CueMix Stereo Settings
This File menu item applies to other MOTU
Shift-Alt Applies your action to all inputs and mixes.
interfaces products and has no effect on the
Double-click Returns the control to its default value (pan Traveler-mk3.
center, unity gain, etc.)
EDIT MENU
Hold down the following modifier keys as
shortcuts for the EQ tab and controls: Undo/Redo
CueMix FX supports multiple undo/redo. This
Shortcut Result allows you to step backwards and forwards
Shift click Applies EQ button change to all input or out- through your actions in the software.
puts.
Alt-click Applies EQ enable button changes to all Copying & pasting (duplicating) entire mixes
bands in that input or output.
To copy and paste the settings from one mix to
Shift-Alt-click Applies EQ enable button changes to all another:
bands and all inputs or outputs.
1 Select the source mix (Figure 10-1) and choose

FILE MENU Copy from the Edit menu (or press control-C).
Saving and loading hardware presets 2 Choose the destination mix and choose Paste
The Traveler-mk3 can store up to 16 presets in its from the Edit menu (or press control-V).
on-board memory. A preset includes of all
CueMix FX settings for all for mix busses, but it Clear Peaks
excludes global settings like clock source and Choose Clear Peaks from the Edit menu to clear all
sample rate. peak indicators in all CueMix FX meters.
The Load Hardware Preset and Save Hardware DEVICES MENU

Preset commands in the CueMix FX file menu let If you are working with more than one MOTU
you name, save and load presets in the audio interface product, this menu displays all
Traveler-mk3. interfaces that are currently on line. Choose any
device from the menu to edit its settings using the
Peak/hold time CueMix FX software.
In CueMix FX, a peak indicator is a line
(representing a virtual LED) displayed in a level
meter that indicates the maximum signal level
registered by the meter. The Peak/hold time setting
(File menu) determines how long this indicator
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CUEMIX FX
CONFIGURATIONS MENU are currently viewing mix bus 3, the headphones
A configuration is a “snapshot” of all settings in will mirror the mix bus 3 output (whatever it is
CueMix FX (and therefore the Traveler-mk3 assigned to).
hardware itself). The commands in the Configura-
tions menu let you create, save, load, import, CONTROL SURFACES MENU
export and otherwise manage as many configura- CueMix FX can be controlled from an automated
tions as you wish. control surface such as the Mackie Control™. Use
the commands in the Control Surfaces menu to
Here is a summary of Configurations menu enable and configure this feature.
operations:
Application follows control surface
Configurations When checked, the Application follows control
Menu item What it does
surface menu command makes the CueMix FX
Create New Lets you name and save a new configuration,
which appears at the bottom of the Configura- window scroll to the channel you are currently
tions menu. adjusting with the control surface, if the channel is
Save Overwrites the current configuration not visible when you begin adjusting it. The same is
(checked in the list at the bottom of the menu)
with the current settings in CueMix FX. true for the bus tabs: if you adjust a control in a bus
that is not currently being displayed, CueMix FX
Save To Same as Save above, except that it lets you first
choose the configuration you wish to save to will jump to the appropriate tab to display the
(instead of the current one).
control you are adjusting.
Delete Lets you choose a configuration to perma-
nently remove from the menu. Share surfaces with other applications
Import Loads all configurations from a configuration When the Share surfaces with other applications
file on disk. menu command is checked, CueMix FX releases
Export Saves all current configurations as a file on the control surface when you switch to another
disk. application. This allows you to control your other
Configuration Choose any configuration to load it. The cur- software with the control surface. Here’s a simple
list rent (last loaded or saved) configuration has a
check mark next to it. way to understand this mode: the control surface
will always control the front-most application. Just
bring the desired application to the front (make it
TALKBACK MENU
the active application), and your control surface
Choose the commands in the Talkback menu to
will control it. When you’d like to make changes to
engage or disengage Talkback or Listenback.
CueMix FX from the control surface, just bring
PHONES MENU CueMix FX to the front (make it the active
The Phones menu allows you to choose what you application).
will hear on the headphone output, just like the
When this menu item is unchecked, your control
Phones Assign setting in MOTU Audio Console.
surface will affect CueMix FX all the time, even
However, this menu provides one extra option that
when CueMix FX is not the front-most application.
is exclusive to CueMix FX: Follow Active Mix. This
In addition, you will not be able to control other
menu item, when checked, causes the headphone
host audio software with the control surface at any
output to mirror the output of the current mix
time (because CueMix FX retains control over it at
being viewed in CueMix FX. For example, if you
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CUEMIX FX
all times). This mode is useful when you do not
need to use the control surface with any other
software.
CueMix Control Surfaces

CueMix FX includes support for the following
control surface products:
■ Mackie Control™
■ Mackie HUI™
■ Mackie Baby HUI™
Use the sub-menu commands in the CueMix
Control Surfaces menu item to turn on and
configure control surface support, as described
briefly below.
Enabled
Check this menu item to turn on control surface
operation of CueMix FX. Uncheck it to turn off Figure 10-32: Refer to the extensive on-line help for details about
configuring CueMix FX for operation with your control surface
control surface support. product.
Configure…
Choose this menu item to configure your control
surface product. Launch the on-line help for
specific, detailed instructions on configuring
CueMix FX for operation with your control surface
product.
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CUEMIX FX
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CUEMIX FX
CHAPTER 11 MOTU SMPTE Console
OVERVIEW MOTU SMPTE Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

The Traveler-mk3 can resolve directly to SMPTE Clock/Address. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101
time code via any analog input, without a separate Frame Rate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
synchronizer. The Traveler-mk3 can also generate Reader section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102
Longitudinal Time Code (LTC) to any analog Generator section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
output. Setting up for SMPTE time code sync . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
Resolving Cubase or Nuendo to SMPTE time code . .103
The Traveler-mk3 provides a DSP-driven phase- Resolving other applications to SMPTE time code . .104
lock engine with sophisticated filtering that
provides fast lockup times and sub-frame MOTU SMPTE SETUP
accuracy. Direct time code synchronization is The included MOTU SMPTE Setup™ software
supported by Cubase, Nuendo and other audio provides a complete set of tools to generate SMPTE
sequencer software that supports the ASIO2 for striping, regenerating or slaving other devices
sample-accurate sync protocol. to the computer.
CLOCK/ADDRESS
The Clock/Address menu (Figure 11-1) provides
the same global Clock Source setting as in MOTU
Audio Console (“Clock Source” on page 39), but it
includes additional information: each setting
shows both the clock and the address (time code or
sample location), separated by a forward slash ( / ).
To resolve the Traveler-mk3 to SMPTE time code,
The Reader section provides The Generator section

settings for resolving to provides settings for striping
SMPTE time code. SMPTE time code.
Figure 11-1: SMPTE Setup gives you access to your Traveler-mk3’s on-board
SMPTE time code synchronization features.
101
choose the SMPTE / SMPTE setting in the Clock/ Freewheel
Address menu. This means that the system will use The Freewheel light illuminates when the
SMPTE as the clock (time base) and SMPTE as the Traveler-mk3 is freewheeling address (time code),
address. clock or both. For details about Freewheeling, see
“Freewheel Address” and “Freewheel clock” below.
FRAME RATE
This setting should be made to match the SMPTE SMPTE source
time code frame rate of the time code that the Choose the analog input that is connected to the
system will be receiving. The Traveler-mk3 can time code source. This is the input that the
auto-detect and switch to the incoming frame rate, Traveler-mk3 “listens” to for time code.
except that it cannot distinguish between 30 fps
and 29.97 fps time code, or 23.976 and 24 fps time Freewheel Address
Freewheeling occurs when there is a glitch or
code. So if you are working with either of these
drop-out in the incoming time code for some
rates, make sure you choose the correct rate from
reason. The Traveler-mk3 can freewheel past the
this menu.
drop-out and then resume lockup again as soon as
READER SECTION it receives readable time code. Choose the amount
The Reader section (on the left-hand side of the of time you would like the Traveler-mk3 to
window in Figure 11-1) provides settings for freewheel before it gives up and stops altogether.
synchronizing the Traveler-mk3 to SMPTE time
The Traveler-mk3 cannot freewheel address
code.
without clock. Therefore, the Freewheel Address
Status lights setting will always be lower than or equal to the
The four status lights (Tach, Clock, Address and Freewheel Clock setting, and both menus will
Freewheel) give you feedback as follows. update as needed, depending on what you choose.
Tach Keep in mind that freewheeling causes the system

The Tach light blinks once per second when the to keep going for as long as the duration you choose
Traveler-mk3 has successfully achieved lockup to from this menu, even when you stop time code
SMPTE time code and SMPTE frame locations are intentionally. Therefore, if you are starting and
being read. stopping time code frequently (such as from the
transports of a video deck), shorter freewheel
Clock times are better. On the other hand, if you are
The Clock light glows continuously when the doing a one-pass transfer from tape that has bad
Traveler-mk3 has successfully achieved lockup to time code, longer freewheel times will help you get
an external time base, such as SMPTE time code or past the problems in the time code.
the optical input.
The ‘Infinite’ freewheel setting
Address The Infinite freewheel setting in the Freewheel
The Address light glows continuously when the Address menu causes the Traveler-mk3 to
Traveler-mk3 has successfully achieved lockup to freewheel indefinitely, until it receives readable
SMPTE time code. time code again. To make it stop, click the Stop
Freewheeling button.
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MOTU SMPTE CONSOLE
Freewheel clock Stripe
Freewheeling occurs when there is glitch or Click this button to start or stop time code. To set
drop-out in the incoming SMPTE time code for the start time, click directly on the SMPTE time
some reason. The Traveler-mk3 can freewheel past code display in the Generator section and type in
the drop-out and then resume lockup again as the desired start time. Or drag vertically on the
soon as it receives a stable, readable clock signal. numbers.
The Traveler-mk3 cannot freewheel address

without clock. Therefore, the Freewheel Address
setting will always be lower than or equal to the Click here to edit
the start time, or
Freewheel Clock setting, and both menus will drag vertically on
the numbers.
update as needed, depending on what you choose.
The ‘Infinite’ freewheel setting

The Infinite freewheel setting in the Freewheel
Clock menu causes the Traveler-mk3 to freewheel
indefinitely, until it receives readable time code
again. To make it stop, click the Stop Freewheeling
button.
Figure 11-2: Setting the time code start time.
Stop Freewheeling Regenerate

The Stop Freewheeling button stops the system if it This option, when enabled, causes the generator to
is currently freewheeling. generate time code whenever the Traveler-mk3 is
receiving SMPTE time code.
GENERATOR SECTION
The Generator section (on the right-hand side of SETTING UP FOR SMPTE TIME CODE SYNC
the window in Figure 11-1) provides settings for To set up direct SMPTE time code synchroni-
generating SMPTE time code. zation, see “Syncing to SMPTE time code directly”
on page 30.
Level
Turn the level knob to adjust the volume of the RESOLVING CUBASE OR NUENDO TO
SMPTE time code being generated by the SMPTE TIME CODE
Traveler-mk3. The level knob disappears when the To resolve your Traveler-mk3 and Cubase or
Destination is set to None. Nuendo directly to SMPTE time code with no
additional synchronization devices, use the setup
Tach light shown in Figure 4-17 on page 30. Make sure the
The Tach light blinks once per second when the Clock Source setting in the MOTU Audio Console
Traveler-mk3 is generating SMPTE time code. window is set to SMPTE. Also, make sure that
you’ve connected an LTC input signal to an 8pre
Destination
In the Destination menu, choose either SMPTE (to analog input, and that you’ve specified that input in
generate time code) or None (to turn it off). the SMPTE Setup.
103
MOTU SMPTE CONSOLE
RESOLVING OTHER APPLICATIONS TO
SMPTE TIME CODE
If your host application supports MIDI Time Code
(MTC) synchronization, resolve it to SMPTE time
code using the setup shown in Figure 4-18 on
page 31. This scenario does not involve the
Traveler-mk3’s on-board SMPTE time code
synchronization features.
104
MOTU SMPTE CONSOLE
CHAPTER 12 Performance Tips & Troubleshooting
Why does the start sound not play through the Traveler-mk3 inputs and outputs are not available
Traveler-mk3? in SONAR
The Traveler-mk3 will only playback audio at a Make sure that the inputs and/or outputs that you
sampling rate of 44.1, 48, 88.2 or 96 kHz. want to use are enabled in SONAR. See “Enabling
the MOTU Audio WDM driver” on page 62.
The computer freezes when it starts up
If the computer is unable to boot up, it may be a Traveler-mk3 inputs and outputs are not available
conflict with the WDM Driver. As soon as the in Cubase
computer boots up, Windows will try and initialize Make sure that the inputs and outputs are enabled
the WDM Driver. If this fails, your computer will in Cubase. See “Choosing the MOTU ASIO driver”
hang. To determine if the WDM Driver is the on page 57.
problem, boot up in Safe Mode or remove the
Sound Forge and ‘Smooth Scroll’
MOTU Audio software via the standard removal
If the Smooth Scroll option under the Options
procedure provided by Windows. Reinstall the
menu is turned on, you may experience clicks and
Traveler-mk3 software and choose only to install
pops or other anomalies in the audio playback.
the MOTU FireWire ASIO driver, not the WDM
This gets worse as you zoom in more to the
Driver. Restart again.
waveform while playing. For the best quality
‘New hardware detected’ window playback, turn this option off.
If you connect your Traveler-mk3 before running
Clicks and pops under word clock sync
the Traveler-mk3 Software Installer CD, Windows
Many problems result from incorrect word
will prompt you that new hardware has been
clocking. It is essential that all digital devices in the
detected. Cancel this, and run the Traveler-mk3
system be word locked. Consult chapter 4,
Software Installer, rather than allowing Windows
“Installing the Traveler-mk3 Hardware” (page 19)
to locate the drivers.
for detailed information on how to word clock your
Audio in SONAR speeds up or slows down gear. Whenever there is any weird noise or
This could be caused by having incorrect SMPTE/ distortion, suspect incorrect word lock.
MTC Sync settings when you record audio into
Clicks and pops due to hard drive problems
Sonar. These settings are located in the Advanced
If you have checked your clock settings sync cable
Tab in the Audio Options window, accessed from
connections and you are still getting clicks and
Sonar’s Options menu. Make sure that you have the
pops in your audio, you may have a drive related
SMPTE/MTC Sync set to “Trigger and Freewheel”
problem. Set the Traveler-mk3 Clock Source to
before recording audio while slaved to external
Internal and try recording just using the analog
time code.
inputs and outputs of the Traveler-mk3. If you
encounter the same artifacts you may want try
using another drive in your computer. Clicks and
pops can also occur when the drive is severely
fragmented or the disk drivers are outdated.
105
If you are using a FireWire drive on the same bus as business office at (617) 576-2760 and asking for the
the Traveler-mk3, it could be that the FireWire bus customer service department. In the meantime,
is overloaded (too many devices on the same bus). you can download the latest drivers from
Try removing all devices except the Traveler-mk3. www.motu.com.
Connecting or powering gear during operation TECHNICAL SUPPORT

It is not recommended that you connect/ If you are unable, with your dealer’s help, to solve
disconnect, or power on/off devices connected to problems you encounter with the Traveler-mk3
the Traveler-mk3 while recording or playing back system, you may contact our technical support
audio. Doing so may cause a brief glitch in the department in one of the following ways:
audio.
■ Tech support hotline: (617) 576-3066 (Monday
Monitoring - How to monitor inputs? through Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM EST)

Please refer to the documentation for the audio
application that you are using. If your application ■ Tech support 24-hour fax line: (617) 354-3068
does not support input monitoring, you will need ■ Online support: www.motu.com/support
to use the Traveler-mk3’s hardware-based CueMix
Please provide the following information to help us
DSP monitoring feature. Please see chapter 9,
solve your problem as quickly as possible:
“Reducing Monitoring Latency” (page 67).
■ The serial number of the Traveler-mk3 system.
No optical inputs or outputs are available in host
audio application This is printed on a sticker placed on the bottom of
Check to make sure you have the desired optical the Traveler-mk3 rack unit. You must be able to
inputs and/or outputs enabled in MOTU Audio supply this number to receive technical support.
Console. ■ A brief explanation of the problem, including the
exact sequence of actions which cause it, and the
Controlling monitoring latency
See chapter 9, “Reducing Monitoring Latency” contents of any error messages which appear on the
(page 67). screen.
■ The pages in the manual that refer to feature you
CUSTOMER SUPPORT are having trouble with.
We are happy to provide customer support to our
registered users. If you haven’t already done so, ■ The version of your computer’s operating
please take a moment to register on line at system.

motu.com, or fill out and mail the registration card We’re not able to solve every problem immediately,
included with your Traveler-mk3. Doing so entitles but a quick call to us may yield a suggestion for a
you to technical support and notices about new problem which you might otherwise spend hours
products and software updates. trying to track down.
REPLACING DISKS If you have features or ideas you would like to see
If your Traveler-mk3 installer CD becomes implemented, we’d like to hear from you. Please
damaged and fails to provide you with fresh, write to the Traveler-mk3 Development Team,
working copies of the program, our Customer MOTU Inc., 1280 Massachusetts Avenue,
Support Department will be glad to replace it. You Cambridge, MA 02138.
can request a replacement disc by calling our
106
PERFORMANCE TIPS & TROUBLESHOOTING
Index
Symbols
+4dBu 80
examples 26
requirements 25
Phones menu 98
Share surfaces with other applica-
tions 98
C
Cakewalk 13
shortcuts 97
signal flow 76
-10 dBV 80 Cardbus adaptors 25 Sonar 65
1394 connector 6, 11, 20 Channel tab 80 stand-alone operation 72
192kHz reverb settings 81 Talkback menu 98
multiple interfaces 35 Clear Peaks 97 talkback settings 95, 96
operation 38 Clip Hold Time 7, 42 CueMix menu (front panel) 49
AES/EBU disabled 11 Clock Customer support 106
24-bit 192kHz operation 38
3rd party software 65
optical 6, 11
Clock LEDs 5, 12
Clock source 7, 29, 39
D
Daisy-chaining 35
recording 13 SMPTE setting 40 DAT
4-pin FireWire 25 Coax 11 connecting 27
6-pin FireWire 25 Comp button 92 DC power supply 26
828/828mkII Compressor 90 Devices menu 97
connecting to Traveler-mk3 35 enabling 90 Digital converter (see Optical converter)
896mk3 Condenser mic input 5, 6 Digital Precision Trim 12
connecting to Traveler-mk3 35 Configurations menu 98 Direct Monitoring 58
A
Ableton Live 57
Configure interface 34
Connecting multiple Traveler-mk3s 33
Disable interface option 35, 42
Disk
Control Surfaces menu 98 getting a replacement 106
Activity LEDs 5, 12
Controller Drivers
ADAT optical 6, 11
connecting 24 ASIO 18
clock source setting 39, 40
Converter mode MIDI 18
connecting 22
setup/example 28 WaveRT 7, 41
SMUX Type 48
Converters 6 DSP
trim 77
Copy/Paste 97 meter 72, 95
AES/EBU 11
Cubase 13, 37 resources 72, 95
clock source setting 39
choosing the Traveler-mk3 driver 57 Dynamics
connecting to 23
clock source 56 enabling 78, 90
disabled at 192kHz 11
CueMix FX mixing 59 graph 77
meters 5
enabling the 828 ASIO driver 63 inputs 77
sync 32
Main Outs Assign 57 outputs 79
All Notes Off (LCD) 48
optical input/output 56 tab 90
Analog inputs/outputs 6
phones assign setting 57
activity lights 5, 12
making connections to 21
Return Assign 59 E
Early reflections 94
reverb return 59
trim 77 EQ
sample rate 56
Application follows control surface 98 enabling 78, 82
synchronization 60
ASIO 13, 17, 18, 55 filter types 86
syncing to time code 103
Sonar 63 frequency 85
Traveler-mk3 settings 7
ASIO2 gain 85
CueMix FX 69, 71-99
sync 30, 103 graph 77
Application follows control surface
Attack inputs 77
98
compressor 90 outputs 79
Configurations menu 98
Audio Q 85
control surfaces 99
bit resolution 38 tab 82
Control Surfaces menu 98
Audio menu (LCD) 48 Expansion 33
Cubase 59
AutoSave Status 48 ExpressCard adaptors 25
CueMix control surfaces 99
B
Balance 75
Devices menu 97
Edit menu 97 F
File menu 97 Factory defaults 48
Balanced analog 21 Feedback loops 59, 64
Battery power 13, 26 focus 73
installation 72 File menu
jack 6 Clear Peaks 97
Bit depth 6, 9, 10, 13 listenback explained 95
listenback settings 96 Copy/Paste 97
Bus Hardware Follows CueMix Stereo
activity LEDs 81, 92 Mixer 43
Nuendo 59 Settings 97
fader 74 Load Hardware Preset 97
Bus power 12, 25 output jacks 22
overview 71, 73 Mix1 return includes computer out-
enable/disable switch 6, 26 put 97
107
I N D EX
Peak/Hold Time 97 Invert phase 77 Mid-side micing 81
Save Hardware Preset 97 Mix bus
undo/redo 97 K
Keyboard controller
activity LEDs 81, 92
FireWire 11 level meter 75
6-pin vs. 4-pin 25 connecting 24 master fader 74
connecting 20 mute 75
connector 6 L
Laptop operation 26
Mix1 return includes computer output 97
PC card adapters 25 Mixes tab 74
PCI cards 25 Latency 40, 56, 62, 67, 68, 69, 72 Monitor group 94
Wave driver 61 LCD assigning outputs 95
Focus 73 contrast 47 assigning outputs to 79
Inputs tab 76 display 46 level 94
Mixes tab 75 level meters 44 meters 95
Outputs tab 78 LEDs 5 presets menu 95
Follow Active Mix 98 Level meter Monitoring 67
Force 1x word out rate 33 bus 75 thru main outs 22
Forget button 35, 42 configuring 42 Mono button 77
Freewheel monitor group 95 MOTU Audio Console 7, 37
address 102 Leveler 90, 91 MOTU SMPTE Setup 101
clock 103 Lightpipe MTC 30
infinite 102, 103 2x mode 48
Frequency Limit button 92
Listenback
N
Normal 81
EQ 85
Front panel 43 button (channel tab) 81 Nuendo 37
metering 46 button (Outputs tab) 79 choosing the Traveler-mk3 driver 57
meters 5 explained 95 clock source 56
Live 57 CueMix FX mixing 59
G
Gain
Load Hardware Preset 97
LOCK LED 5
Main Outs Assign 57
optical input/output 56
EQ 85 phones Assign setting 57
reduction 90 M
M/S 81
Return Assign 59
reduction (Leveler) 92 reverb return 59
GR (gain reduction) 90 Mackie Control 99 synchronization 60
Guitar/mic inputs Main Out Assign 7 syncing to time code 103
connecting 27 Main outs
phantom power 5, 6 jacks 6
making connections to 22
O
Optical
H
Hardware buffer size (see Samples per
volume 5, 12, 44
Main Outs Assign 42
2x mode 48
choosing format (ADAT or
buffer) Cubase/Nuendo 57 TOSlink) 41
Hardware Follows CueMix Stereo Settings Sonar 62 connectors 6, 22
97 Main volume 5, 12 LEDs 5, 12
Hardware reset 48 Makeup gain 92 overview 11
Headphone jack 5, 12 Master fader trim 77
Headphones mix busses 74 Optical converter mode 48
connecting 27 Master volume 5, 44, 94 setup/example 28
controlling output 41 Metering options 42 Optimization 69
HUI 99 Meters 5 Output level (meter in Dynamics plug-in)
for 8-channel optical banks 44 91
IIn menu (LCD) 49 for individual channels 45
knob 44
Outputs
analog 6
Infinite freewheel 102, 103 monitor group 95 dynamics 79
Inputs tab 92 EQ 79
analog 6 Mic/guitar inputs 20, 43 optical 6
optical 6 connecting 27 reverb send/return 79
pan 75 overview 10 S/PDIF (TOSLink) 6
reverb send 78 phantom power 5, 6 signal flow 78
S/PDIF (RCA) 6 trim 77 tab 78
tab 76 MIDI Overload Protection 81
trim 77 activity LEDs 5
Installation
hardware 19
jacks 6
thru in standalone 48
P
Packing list 15
software 17 Windows driver installation 18 Pad 21, 80
Internal (sync setting) 39 MIDI Time Code 30, 31 Paste 97
108
I N D E X
Patch thru S/PDIF 11 SMPTE time code 31, 104
latency 40, 69 clock source setting 39 Sonar 65
PCMCIA adaptors 25 connection 23 video 31
Peak Hold Time 7, 42, 97 lights 5, 12 Synths
Peak mode 91 meters 5 connecting 27
Performance 69 optical 6, 11 System requirements
Phantom power 5, 12, 20 RCA 6 minimum 15
Phase 77 sync 32 recommended computer 15
Phase-lock 29 trim 77
Phones 5, 12, 44 Sample rate 7, 38 T
TACH
menu 98 192kHz operation 38
Phones Assign 7, 41 Samplers LED 5
Cubase 57 connecting 27 light (SMPTE Setup Console) 102
CueMix FX setting 98 Samples per buffer 7, 40, 56, 62, 68 Talkback
Sonar 62 Save Hardware Preset 97 button (Channel tab) 81
Polarity 26 Setup menu (LCD) 47 button (Outputs tab) 79
Power supply 26 Share surfaces with other applications 98 explained 95
jack 6 Shelf Filter 94 menu 96, 98
Pre/post FX buttons 81, 92 Shortcuts 97 settings 96
PreDelay 94 Show Technical support 106
Presets Band Response 84 Threshold
naming/saving in LCD 47 FFT 84 dynamics 90
Propellerhead Reason 58 no analysis 84 Time code sync 101
Spectrogram 84 Tip positive/negative 26
Q
Q 85
Show/Hide Full Window Analysis 84, 85 TOSLink 6, 11
clock source setting 40
Signal flow (CueMix FX mixer) 76
SMPTE connecting 22
R
Ratio
LOCK LED 5 trim 77
overview 101 Traveler-mk3
compressor 90 Setup application 101 connecting multiple interfaces 35
Reason 58 source setting 102 expansion 33
Reference level 80 sync 29, 101 installing 19
Regenerate 103 synchronization 103, 104 rear panel overview 9
Registration 15 TACH LED 5 SMPTE setting 40
Release Soft Clip 10, 81 software installation 17
Dynamics 90 Software installation 17 summary of features 9
Return Assign 7, 42 Solo tab (MOTU Audio Console) 37
Cubase/Nuendo 59 light 75, 95 Wave driver 18
Sonar 64 Sonar 61 Word Clock In setting 39
Reverb 73 clock source 62 Trim 20, 77
design section 94 Main Outs Assign 62 Troubleshooting
early reflections 94 Optical input/output 62 EQ knobs don’t work 78
enabling/disabling 93 Return Assign 64 feedback loop 59, 64
input sends 78 reverb return 65 TRS connectors 21
mix bus send/return 74, 75 sample rate 62 Type I, II optical mode 48
outputs send/return 79 synchronization 65
predelay 94
returns 93
Sound module U
UltraLite
connecting 24
routing to/from 93 Split Point 93 connecting to Traveler-mk3 35
send (channel tab) 81 Stand-alone operation 43, 53, 72 Unbalanced analog 21
sends 93 Stereo button 77 Undo/Redo 97
shelf filter 94 Stereo pairs option (Windows driver) 7, 41 Use
tab 93 Stereo settings (Channel tab) 81 stereo pairs for Windows Audio 7,
time 94 Stop Freewheeling 102 41
trim (channel tab) 81 Stripe button 103 WaveRT for Windows Audio 7, 41
width 94 Studio setup (example) 27 User def. (monitor group menu) 95
Reverb return 93
Cubase 59
Swap L/R 81
Synchronization 28 V
Video sync 29, 101
Nuendo 59 ASIO2 103
Sonar 65 Cubase 60 V-Limit 81
RMS mode 91 MIDI Time Code 30, 31 LCD metering 45
Volume
S
S/MUX 48
Nuendo 60
sample-accurate 30 headphone 12
VST 13
109
I N D EX
V-stack 57
W
Wave driver 18, 61
WaveRT 7, 41
WDM driver 17, 61
Width 75
reverb 94
Width knob 81
Word clock 6, 11, 29, 32
In setting 39
sync setting 39
Word Out setting 7, 42
110
I N D E X

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Traveler-mk3 ™

User Guide for Windows

1280 Massachusetts Avenue

AVOID THE HAZARDS OF ELECTRICAL SHOCK AND FIRE

Click the tabs to access general

This menu lets you choose what you will hear

How to access these settings Device Setup in Cubase

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 ■ Two banks of optical digital I/O that provide 16

The Traveler-mk3 Rear Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 channels of ADAT optical at 48 kHz, 8 channels of

OVERVIEW ■ Word clock I/O

cable. and all other settings

inputs ■ Eight gold-plated, balanced quarter-inch (TRS)

analog outputs (with 24-bit 192 kHz converters)

preamps All digital I/O is disabled for 192kHz operation.

individually switchable among ADAT optical Mic/instrument inputs with preamps

* The PHONES output can operate as an Analog

WINDOWS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

■ A 1 GHz Pentium-based PC compatible or faster

equipped with at least one FireWire port

2 Switch off the Traveler-mk3.

3 Run the Traveler-mk3 Software Installer as

The MOTU ASIO audio driver is only required if

The MOTU ASIO audio driver is installed by the

For details about using Cubase with the

THE MOTU WDM AUDIO DRIVER

CUEMIX FX The MOTU Universal Audio Installer CD installs

ADAT (“Lightpipe”) or optical S/PDIF (TOSLink)

Mic/guitar inputs with preamps

☛ Do not connect a +4 (line level) XLR cable to

Figure 4-2: Traveler-mk3 front panel

1 Push the CHANNEL knob repeatedly until you

The quarter-inch outputs are calibrated to produce

Figure 4-4: Traveler-mk3 back panel

Optical operation at 44.1 or 48 kHz

ADAT optical operation at 88.2 or 96 kHz

Main outs Below is a summary of optical formats:

For 2), choose either ADAT Optical A or ADAT AES/EBU

The Traveler-mk3 supplies +12dB of digital trim

MIDI MIDI Connection B

Traveler-mk3 to a PCI card and run the

Bus power from a battery-powered laptop

MOTU 8pre or other optical 8-channel quarter-inch

ADAT optical Analog outputs (stage

Digital reverb or other S/PDIF

Compressor, reverb or other

Figure 4-12: A typical Traveler studio setup.

ADAT optical Out

There are two ways to achieve phase lock: slave one

Situations that require synchronization

Choose SMPTE as the clock source in MOTU

audio cable bearing LTC When lockup is achieved, the LOCK

audio video FireWire cable

Audio cable bearing LTC

MOTU MIDI Timepiece AV or Digital Timepiece

word clock MIDI time code

MIDI Time Code

Set up your audio software to

Choose Word Clock In as the clock source in MOTU Audio

Word Clock Out SPDIF or AES/EBU