Every Session runs two separate audio streams at once. Knowing which is which makes almost everything else in Sessionwire easier to set up and fix.

Talkback is for talking

Talkback is how everyone talks to each other, whether they're on headphones or speakers. It works like a normal video call: it's mono, with processing that deals with what speakers bring, cutting down echo, noise, feedback and delay. It's made for conversation, not for talking over loud music: if the music is louder than your voice, people may not hear you.

You pick your Talkback microphone and speakers the same way you would in any video call app. Click the arrow next to Talkback in your Studio and choose them from the list.

HQ Audio is for music

HQ Audio is a separate stereo stream for your DAW. It's sent exactly as you send it, with no processing, at an effective 48 kHz, 32-bit float. A Host's HQ Audio streams at up to 256 kbps on Basic and up to 400 kbps on Studio.

HQ Audio has two settings, both in the menu next to HQ Audio in your Studio:

• HQ Audio Source is what you send. Almost always this is the Sessionwire Send Plugin, which streams whatever you put the Send plugin on in your DAW.
• HQ Audio Destination is where you hear other people's HQ Audio. Use the same speakers or headphones you use for Talkback, or the Sessionwire Receive Plugin if you want it in your DAW.

Who can send HQ Audio

The Host's HQ Audio goes to everyone in the Session straight away. Guests can hear it, but they can't send their own until the Host turns it on for them. See Hear a Guest's HQ Audio.

The Mixer

Click Mixer at the bottom of your Studio. Each visible Guest gets a module with their Display Name, their Talkback and HQ Audio meters, a mute button for each, and whether their Talkback and HQ Audio are on. Muting someone here only changes what you hear, not what anyone else hears.

If someone's meter isn't moving, they aren't sending anything on that stream. That's the quickest way to find where a problem is.

Without a DAW

You don't need a DAW to use HQ Audio. You can choose an audio interface as your HQ Audio Source, and Sessionwire sends its first two inputs: input 1 as left and input 2 as right, exactly as they come in. This works well for a Guest who just wants to play an instrument through their interface.

Tips

• Wear closed-back headphones. HQ Audio has no echo cancellation, so speakers or open-back headphones can feed other people's audio back into your microphone.
• Sessionwire isn't built for playing in time with each other live. Every connection adds some delay, so use it for writing, overdubs, reviews and production, not jamming.

To set up the Send plugin in your DAW, see Send your mix with the Send plugin.