Aux (Auxiliary Channel)
Definition
A secondary signal path used to route audio to a shared destination — typically a headphone mix for performers, a send to an effects processor, or a submix. "Aux" and "send" are often used interchangeably in modern DAWs.
In Simple Terms
A secondary output used for headphone mixes during recording or for sending audio to shared effects like reverb. In modern DAWs, aux and send mean the same thing.
In Practice
A headphone aux mix is built separately from the main mix so the drummer can hear more of their own instrument without changing the engineer's balance at the main output.
Sources & Verification
- Owsinski, B. — The Mixing Engineer's Handbook (4th ed.)Bobby Owsinski Media Group, 2017
- Huber, D. M. & Runstein, R. E. — Modern Recording Techniques (10th ed.)Routledge, 2023
Last verified: 2026-05-05