Playback time
Crucial to Metric AB’s utility as a comparison platform is the ability to control playback of the reference tracks in relation to the mix being referenced, which is handled by a set of four Playback Modes and a straightforward cue point system.
The default Playback Mode, Latch, simply starts and stops playback using the host DAW’s transport, with no automatic repositioning of the playhead – click either waveform to position it manually. Cue mode does the same, but with playback always starting at one of four draggable Cue points when the reference stream is activated or playback is stopped and restarted. Sync mode locks playback to the DAW timeline, as if the reference were actually an audio track in the project, with the option to offset the start point if required. The final mode, Manual, unhooks Metric AB from the host and puts it under the control of its own simple transport.
In Latch and Cue modes, playback can also be set to cycle between two loop points (separately assigned for each Cue), which are adjusted by dragging, either individually or together. The Loop region can be halved or doubled in size at the click of a button, and shuttled forwards or backwards by its own length.