Channel Strip Inspector
The Channel Strip Inspector is a panel on the right side of the Audio Mixer. When a user clicks on a mixer strip, the inspector updates to show that strip's controls and audio configuration.
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By default, Composer processes audio in stereo. The VU-meters in the inspector are only displayed if Composer has been set to process 8-channel audio in the Project Options.
Collapse/Expand
The Channel Strip Inspector can be collapsed to save screen space. Click the double-arrow icon in the top-left corner of the inspector to collapse it. When collapsed, the inspector appears as a vertical bar on the right side of the Audio Mixer. Click the icon again to expand the inspector and access the full controls.
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Extract to Separate Window
The Channel Strip Inspector can be extracted into its own standalone window. This floating window remains visible regardless of where you navigate within Composer, giving you direct access to the selected channel strip's audio options at all times.
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What You Can Do
From the Channel Strip Inspector, you can:
- Perform advanced audio routing, such as sending audio to different channel strips or auxiliary buses
- Reroute audio to different stereo pairs using channel mapping
- Toggle Solo, Mute, and PFL buttons, mirroring the controls on the strip and input itself
- Apply audio processing including gating, equalization, compression, and limiting
- Access detailed audio options quickly without leaving the mixer view
Header Controls
The top section of the Channel Strip Inspector displays:
- Input Name - The name of the selected audio input
- Preview Thumbnail - A visual preview of the video source (or waveform icon for audio-only inputs)
- VU Meters - Real-time audio level meters (8-channel display when enabled in project settings)
- Solo - Isolates this input's audio, muting all other inputs
- PFL (Pre-Fader Listen) - Monitors the audio signal before the fader is applied. Only available when Solo is active
- Mute - Silences the input's audio output
Configuration Tabs
The Channel Strip Inspector provides seven tabs for detailed audio configuration:
INPUT
Basic input settings for gain, stereo handling, routing, and timing adjustments.
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| Parameter | Description | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Input pre-fader sends... | Button that opens the Input Routing Configuration window to send audio to other channel strips before the main fader. Not available for Scenes and Virtual Audio strips. | Button | N/A |
| Input trim (dB) | Adjusts the gain level of the input signal across all audio channels (pre-fader) | -24 to +24 dB | 0 dB |
| Stereo remapping | Enables channel reassignment for the stereo output • (Legacy) - No remapping • Stereo - Standard stereo output • Left mono - Output left channel to both speakers • Right mono - Output right channel to both speakers |
Dropdown | Stereo |
| Audio delay (ms) | Adds a delay to the audio signal (pre-fader). Useful for synchronizing audio with video or compensating for processing latency | 0 to 5000 ms | 0 ms |
| Apply gain on all channels | When enabled, adjustments made to the channel strip's gain slider (fader) will be applied to all audio channels simultaneously | On/Off | Off |
Input Pre-Fader Sends
The Input pre-fader sends... button opens the Input Routing Configuration window, which allows you to send the input's audio signal to other channel strips (such as auxiliary buses) before the main fader is applied.
This feature is not available for Scenes and Virtual Audio strips. The "Input pre-fader sends..." button will be disabled for these input types.
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Audio sent via pre-fader sends is routed before the main fader of the sending strip. This means that adjusting the sending channel strip's main fader will NOT affect the level of audio being sent to the target strip. The send level remains constant regardless of the sending fader position.
However, on the receiving strip, the main fader always controls channels 1 & 2. So if you route pre-fader audio to channels 1 & 2 on the receiving strip, that strip's fader CAN adjust the volume. If you route to channels 3-8, the receiving strip's fader will NOT affect those channels unless "Apply gain on all channels" is enabled on the receiving strip.
This makes pre-fader sends ideal for creating independent monitor mixes or effects sends that shouldn't be affected by your main mix levels.
Input Routing Configuration features:
- Enable/Disable Sends - Check or uncheck to activate individual send configurations
- Audio Strip Target - Select which channel strip will receive the audio (e.g., auxiliary bus, submix)
- Mode - Currently only Pre-fader sends are available
- Target Channel Mapping (1-8) - Map each of the 8 source audio channels to specific destination channels on the target strip
- Options include: None, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
- Set channels to "None" to exclude them from the send
This feature is useful for creating monitor mixes, effects sends, or parallel processing chains where you need the audio signal before any fader adjustments are applied.
MAPPING
Provides fine-grained channel remapping. Each of the 4 stereo channel pairs can be explicitly assigned to either the left or right output.
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| Parameter | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Channel 1 - Left | Assigns Channel 1 left audio to output Options: (Mute), Left(1), Right(1), Left(2), Right(2), Left(3), Right(3), Left(4), Right(4) |
Left(1) |
| Channel 1 - Right | Assigns Channel 1 right audio to output Options: (Mute), Left(1), Right(1), Left(2), Right(2), Left(3), Right(3), Left(4), Right(4) |
Right(1) |
| Channel 2 - Left | Assigns Channel 2 left audio to output | Left(2) |
| Channel 2 - Right | Assigns Channel 2 right audio to output | Right(2) |
| Channel 3 - Left | Assigns Channel 3 left audio to output | Left(3) |
| Channel 3 - Right | Assigns Channel 3 right audio to output | Right(3) |
| Channel 4 - Left | Assigns Channel 4 left audio to output | Left(4) |
| Channel 4 - Right | Assigns Channel 4 right audio to output | Right(4) |
GATE
A noise gate reduces or eliminates audio signals that fall below a specified threshold. This is useful for removing background noise, microphone bleed, or unwanted ambient sound during quiet passages.
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| Parameter | Description | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use gate filter | Activates or deactivates the gate filter | On/Off | Off |
| Threshold (dB) | The level below which the gate begins to reduce the signal | -48 to 0 dB | -24 dB |
| Gain reduction (dB) | The amount of attenuation applied when the gate is closed | -36 to 0 dB | -36 dB |
| Ratio | Controls how aggressively the gate attenuates signals below the threshold. Higher values create a harder gate effect | 1:1 to 20:1 | 4:1 |
| Attack (ms) | How quickly the gate opens when the signal exceeds the threshold | 1 to 200 ms | 20 ms |
| Release (ms) | How quickly the gate closes after the signal falls below the threshold | 5 to 5000 ms | 250 ms |
| Knee | Controls the transition smoothness around the threshold. Higher values create a softer, more gradual gating effect | 1 to 8 | 2.8 |
| Makeup gain (dB) | Adds gain after the gate processing to compensate for any level reduction | 0 to 24 dB | 0 dB |
| Compressor mode | Sets the compressor behavior mode • Downward compression - Reduces volume above threshold • Upward compression - Raises volume below threshold |
Dropdown | Downward compression |
| Link mode | Determines how channels are linked for gain reduction • Average across channels - Averages signal levels across channels • Max across channels - Uses the highest signal level |
Dropdown | Average across channels |
| Detection mode | Sets how the gate detects signal levels • RMS detection - Responds to average signal energy • Peak detection - Responds to signal peaks |
Dropdown | RMS detection |
LOW CUT
A high-pass filter that removes low-frequency content below a specified cutoff frequency. Useful for eliminating rumble, handling noise, air conditioning hum, or other unwanted low-frequency sounds.
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| Parameter | Description | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use low cut filter | Activates or deactivates the low cut filter | On/Off | Off |
| Cut-off frequency (Hz) | The frequency below which audio is attenuated | 20 to 200 Hz | 50 Hz |
| Filter order | Controls the steepness of the filter slope. Higher values create a sharper cutoff | 3 to 10 | 10 |
EQ
A 5-band parametric equalizer for shaping the tonal balance of the audio. Each band can target a specific frequency with adjustable width and gain.
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| Parameter | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Use eq filter | Activates or deactivates the equalizer | Off |
| Soft clip | Enables soft clipping to prevent harsh digital distortion when boosting frequencies | On |
EQ Bands
Each of the 5 EQ bands provides three adjustable parameters:
| Band | Frequency (Hz) | Q | Gain (dB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| EQ 1 | 200 | 1.0 | 0 |
| EQ 2 | 500 | 1.0 | 0 |
| EQ 3 | 1000 | 1.0 | 0 |
| EQ 4 | 4000 | 1.0 | 0 |
| EQ 5 | 8000 | 1.0 | 0 |
Parameter Descriptions:
- Frequency (Hz) - The center frequency for the EQ band
- Q - The bandwidth (quality factor). Lower values affect a wider frequency range; higher values are more precise
- Gain (dB) - The amount of boost or cut applied at the center frequency
COMPRESSOR
A dynamic range compressor reduces the volume of loud sounds above a threshold, helping to control peaks and create a more consistent audio level.
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| Parameter | Description | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use compressor filter | Activates or deactivates the compressor | On/Off | Off |
| Threshold (dB) | The level above which compression begins | -48 to 36 dB | -12 dB |
| Ratio | The amount of compression applied. A 4:1 ratio means a signal 4 dB above threshold is reduced to 1 dB above | 1:1 to 20:1 | 4:1 |
| Detection mode | The signal analysis method used by the compressor • RMS (default) - Reacts to the average energy (Root Mean Square) over a time window. Natural and smooth. Best for vocals, buses, and mastering • Peak - Reacts to the instantaneous maximum amplitude. Fast and aggressive. Best for limiting or drums |
Dropdown | RMS (default) |
| Makeup gain (dB) | Adds gain after compression to restore overall level | 0 to 36 dB | 3 dB |
| Knee width (dB) | Controls the transition smoothness around the threshold. Wider knees provide gentler compression onset | 1 to 8 dB | 6 dB |
| Attack time (ms) | How quickly the compressor responds to signals exceeding the threshold | 1 to 200 ms | 5 ms |
| Release time (ms) | How quickly the compressor stops reducing gain after the signal falls below the threshold | 1 to 500 ms | 50 ms |
| RMS window length (ms) | The time window used for RMS level detection. Longer windows provide smoother response | 10 to 500 ms | 30 ms |
| Look ahead (ms) | Allows the compressor to anticipate peaks for more transparent compression | 1 to 10 ms | 5 ms |
| Gain reduction (dB) | A meter displaying the current amount of gain reduction being applied | Display only | — |
LIMITER
A brick-wall limiter prevents the audio signal from exceeding a specified ceiling level. Essential for preventing digital clipping and protecting downstream equipment or broadcast standards compliance.
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| Parameter | Description | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use limiter filter | Activates or deactivates the limiter | On/Off | Off |
| Ceiling (dB) | The absolute maximum output level. Signals attempting to exceed this will be clamped | -36 to 6 dB | -0.1 dB |
| Release time (ms) | How fast the limiter recovers gain after a peak. Lower values result in louder output but may introduce distortion | 5 to 500 ms | 100 ms |
| Look ahead (ms) | Allows the limiter to anticipate peaks for transparent limiting. Essential for brick-wall limiting | 1 to 10 ms | 2 ms |
| Gain reduction (dB) | A meter displaying the current amount of gain reduction being applied | Display only | — |
VU Meters
By default, Composer processes audio in stereo. However, when configured to process 8 channels in the Project Options, the Channel Strip Inspector will display an 8-channel VU meter showing individual levels for all channels.
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Reset Settings
Right-click on any tab to access a context menu with the option to reset settings to their default values. This is useful for quickly returning to a known starting point when experimenting with audio processing.
Audio Processing Workflow
For more information on the internal audio processing workflow and signal chain order, see the Audio Processing Workflow page.