I've been using Cubase, but I have next to no experience of using DAWs, and I only use the most basic of features.

I've bought MixBus 5, and have started to watch the Groove3 training videos.

I've got MixBus 5 up and running, and I've imported a drum loop WAV file into a track. I haven't made any EQ changes or anything. I was listening to it, and I pressed the "MixBus 1" button on the track, and noticed that the sound immediately changed. It sounded a lot richer and punchier, and almost like it had some reverb. I can't work out what actually happened, and why the sound changed. The audio is now also going through the MixBus channel, but as far as I can see, there's no EQ, compression, or gain settings on that channel (I didn't change anything from default). I wondered if the volume had increased, but the master channel vertical meter (the output volume?) doesn't change.

Actually, I've just noticed that there's a small horizontal bar meter in the master channel which says "Limit" and that is "In", so that's probably answered my question!

However, it would be good to know why routing the track through MixBus1 increased the level and caused the master limiter to come in. Also, any tips relating to the master limiter would be helpful!

I think what's happening is that the track is routed through the Master channel (The "Mstr" button is enabled), then when I send it to Mixbus1 that also has "Master Buss Assign" enabled, so the Master channel is processing two copies of the same track.

So, if I send a track to a Mixbus should I also disable its "Mstr" button?

Harrison Mixbus introduce an emulation of analog mix console through path signal..... it’s only daw that do not sound flat and clear. When you send the signal track to a mixbus channel, the mixbus channel introduce the harmonics saturation typical of tape saturation. You can get control through the drive knob and the intensity of the send..... in 32c version, you have a incredible emulation of eq filters section. But the great difference is in the channels summing into a mixbus. When you put some tracks together into the same mixbus the effect is more accurate and accentuate like in the analog world. All in the musical way.

Thanks for that. I've bought the Groove3 MixBus course, and I'm working my way through the videos. I can see me getting to really like MixBus for its sound and layout. In fact, yesterday I took advantage of an upgrade offer, and upgraded to MixBus32c, so now I'll have the option of using the additional filters and EQ. I just need a high resolution monitor so that I can see everything!

In fact the display resolution is a problem with mixbus...... I need to stay near to the screen

Mixbus has horrible graphics..... Huge problem and complaints fall on deaf ears. Can't even consider 32c......

You first need to understand the workflow. If you leave a track assigned to the Master and also send it through one of the mixbusses, yes, it will get louder as it now arrives at the master two times. Basically, you should decide whether you wanna use the busses as groups, parallels or FX. E.g. If you wanna process all your drum tracks together, route them to one of the busses and consider this your drum group on which you can process the whole kit. In this case uncheck the MSTR assignment on the tracks. If you wanna use a compressor in parallel, set that up on another buss. Now you could for example send your drum tracks to this bus also. Or you can send a track straight to the master and also to the parallel. If you use a bus to setup a reverb effect, it's the same. Send from the channels to the verb bus. So basically you can use the mixbusses either as groups to output a bunch of tracks to, as parallel processing or for your FX. A snare may end up being send to the MSTR, a parallel compressor, a verb and some other effect.

I love 32c and agree with everything. But as long as filters and EQ are not engaged and the mixbusses have no loud transients to handle and saturation is at lowish default level, it nulls with Cubase, so there's definitely no secret summing mojo.

I'm stealing the topic for this question. Hopefully you can help me: I use ableton and I've been thinking about getting another daw just for mixdown. The idea is to export the multitrack from ableton to get a "clean sheet" and fool myself as it were in order to tell myself that I'm actually doing something different than what I do when I write and produce my music. These things tend to get mixed up rather easily if everything is done itb. I use a lot of 3rd party plug-ins and I've been looking at the softube console 1 to control Mixbus with. Would I get enough benefits from Mixbus or should I opt for the 32c version?

Edit: tldr: is the most of the Mixbus magic happening in the 79,- or 299,- version?

Read my post above. The only real magic happens in the 32c EQ which sounds stellar as well. That and four more busses make it the one to get imho. Harrison do sales regularly, you will be able to shoot it for 99 or 149 soon, I bet.

Thanks, I'll keep my eyes open for it.

Don't forget about the drive/saturation knob on all the mix busses and the master channel. That's where the "magic" happens.

BTW. It still on sale for $79US.

I love the saturation. But as I said above, as long as you keep drive at default and levels conservative, you're gonna null with another DAW.
MB 32c is my favorite mixing environment ever. If only we could have 4 more busses.

I s'pose it would be a bit weird if it didn't null with another DAW.

In any case, for me it's "null", "shmull"!!! I don't really give a damm!!. It looks/works/sounds great to me. You can get a great sound easily and with minimal effort.

I'm still trying to get my mind around certain things (mainly editing), so no doubt I'll be posting stupid questions in the near future.

It has really great features for editing and analysis. And the polarity optimizer is so awesome.