MIXaiR vs StemDesk

MIXaiR is Salsa Sound's AI-driven automatic audio mixing product for live sports. It processes standard microphone feeds without added tracking or manual operation, managing pitch, crowd, commentary, and AUX-in audio. It can produce multiple mix variants at once, with stereo, 5.1, NGA, and B-format outputs. It supports MPEG-H authoring at levels 3–7 and Dolby authoring, encoding, and decoding. Each mix can receive dynamic loudness processing toward a configurable target standard, and optional sample triggering can enhance sounds that are difficult to hear.

MIXaiR can run on a cloud platform, in a broadcast truck, or in a studio for remote production. The broadcaster solution lists AES-67, MADI, ASIO, SDI, SRT, and NDI connectivity. VST and AU plugins can be used on inputs, sub-mixes, and outgroups; those signals can be monitored and multitrack recorded. Salsa Sound says that after setup, the product produces mixes without manual or external intervention. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Pricing is on request, and prospective customers can book a trial through a contact form. Salsa Sound was formed in 2017 by Rob Oldfield and Ben Shirley.

StemDesk is desktop audio software for separating audio into stems, shaping a mix with VST3 processing, and exporting editable DAW sessions. Its auto-mix workflow measures stems and applies per-stem processing, gain staging, panning, sidechain ducking, vocal rides, and mastering. A local AI panel offers mix critique, spectral masking analysis, a session-aware coach, and vocal transcription; optional music generation requires a separate ACE-Step installation. Mixing, separation, and plugins work offline, though downloads and the optional one-time AI model fetch require internet access. The maker says audio, projects, personal data, and telemetry are not transmitted at runtime. The suite includes 17 plugins, with plugin formats differing by operating system, and lists support for several DAWs, including Pro Tools, REAPER, Cubase, and Ableton Live. Free includes stem separation and three plugins. Pro is $99.15, paid once; Studio is $179.25, paid once and adds one-click Auto-Mix, session building and exports, and batch album processing. Downloads are listed for Windows, macOS on Apple Silicon (beta), and Linux (beta).