The following observations assume the following PPro architecture:
There are 4 basic sound "types": Mono, Stereo, Adaptive, 5.1
PPro allows control of these types at several places Source Clip, Sequence Track, and Sequence Output.
Observation 1 - What Source Clip Tracks are compatible w/ What Sequence Tracks?
On the surface it makes sense that an Adaptive source clip's track can't be edited into a Mono or Stereo sequence track -- "Multiple tracks in a single or dual track item?! What would you be hearing anyway?"
Yet at the same time PPro provides an alternative model that rattles the above presumption:
A Stereo source clip track CAN be edited into a Mono sequence track, no problem. To the question "what are you hearing?", the answer lies in the setup found in "Timeline Clip > Context Menu > Audio Channels" which opens a popup allowing you to choose from Source Left or Source Right (not, curiously, a mix of both).
By the same logic, would it not make more sense to accommodate an Adaptive source track Edited into a Mono or Stereo sequence track?
Observation 2 - Audio Track Mixer Panel's L/R panning
A bit of a tangent, but it's related:
Intuitively it would seem this feature would control the output for the entirety of a sequence track whose Sequence Output is of type stereo. Instead those balance dials choose between L/R assigns of its sources. I'm not a sound mixer, but in my admittedly limited experience, balance knobs control output not input.
Observation 3 - Direct Patching vs L/R pairing in the "Audio Channels: popup.
"Timeline Clip > Context Menu > Audio Channels" or "Modify > Audio Channels" which opens a popup with matrix of Audio Assign check marks.
The counterintuitive in Observation 2 is based on a PPro built-in logic that insists on L/R pairings, in the traditional logic of Odds/Left, Evens/Right. Great.
What's seems inconsistent: If I've got an adaptive Source Clip Track, an Adaptive Sequence Track, and an Adaptive Sequence Output, L/R balance seems like a uninvited house guest. And yet there it is.
Observation 4 - The 32-Tracks per Adaptive Sound Assigns Matrix
At times you find yourself at times looking at a grid of check marks stretching across to 32 columns, then down by 32 rows (many not-in-play), multiplying out by as many sources in your multicam quickly -- an Einstein-boggling array of choices and perhaps not the most effective UI.
All of this comes into play when confronting a project that makes use of multicam sequences, multi-channel production sound, elaborate timelines, and demanding deliverables.
There is no doubt Adobe has put serious thought, expertise, and intelligence into its sound and multicam architecture. The ideas they're getting at, the power under the hood is not just rivaling Avid; it's leaving them in the dust. Yet it's anything but complete. There are holes in the logic, intuitiveness and UIs that are gaping enough as to frequently undermine what looks to be an awe-inspiring array of editing breakthroughs.
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