Need info on USB mixers, please.

[spantini]

I've been looking into USB mixers with an internal interface. I've set my budget at $200 and have hit a bottleneck of sorts.

Could someone tell me the pros and cons of the mixer streaming in stereo only to my DAW vs. one that streams discrete individual channels.

I'll be recording only one instrument at a time so I'm thinking the stereo stream to my DAW wouldn't matter, but if I should have a need to track multiple instruments would that prevent me routing the stream to individual tracks in my DAW?

 

[mixsit]

..Could someone tell me the pros and cons of the mixer streaming in stereo only to my DAW vs. one that streams discrete individual channels.

I'll be recording only one instrument at a time so I'm thinking the stereo stream to my DAW wouldn't matter, but if I should have a need to track multiple instruments would that prevent me routing the stream to individual tracks in my DAW?

- Streaming in stereo only implies only one stereo track at a time- obviously :>)
That could be a stereo panned mix of everything on the mixer, or just a pair of hard panned instruments.
But it would be better in that case they be captured as two mono tracks. (Or even if recording just a single instrument -in most cases, you'd also want them to be captured as single mono tracks.

Most DAW's have record input options that offer the choice of selecting track options as a 'stereo pair, or 'Left mono, or 'Right mono.

Can we do that from a USB input? I haven't tried of checked.

..should have a need to track multiple instruments would that prevent me routing the stream to individual tracks in my DAW?

By definition of 'one stereo only, it certainly would.

Have you ideas as to why you'd want a mixer vs a multiple input interface?

 

[spantini]

...

Have you ideas as to why you'd want a mixer vs a multiple input interface?

Thank you, mixit.

I knew you'd ask that

Actually, I'd prefer to stick with a multiple input interface only for home recording. At some point, I would like to begin playing out locally and a small stage mixer would come in handy.

I'd also like to see how the mixer would work as a monitor for headphone mixes while I'm overdubbing - not sure how that would work out.

I'm trying to combine things to save space and dollars.

 

[keith.rogers]

I don’t know what DAW you use but in Logic I can set up a mono track that specifies its input as only coming from the left or right side of a stereo input. I’d assume most non-starter DAWs can do that. You could even set up 2 tracks to capture the left and right separately if you wanted to do guitar and vocal at the same time (e.g.).

But if you have an interface already that can do a track at a time I don’t see why you’d need a mixer that does the same thing. Just get the multi input mixer and send it into your existing AI if you want to capture the sound of the mixer. There’s a lot of used mixers out there.

 

[spantini]

I don’t know what DAW you use but in Logic I can set up a mono track that specifies its input as only coming from the left or right side of a stereo input. I’d assume most non-starter DAWs can do that. You could even set up 2 tracks to capture the left and right separately if you wanted to do guitar and vocal at the same time (e.g.).

Thank you, keith.

I'm using Reaper, which lets me monitor Mono in1, Mono in2, etc.. then it has Stereo in1/in2 combined.

But if you have an interface already that can do a track at a time I don’t see why you’d need a mixer that does the same thing. Just get the multi input mixer and send it into your existing AI if you want to capture the sound of the mixer. There’s a lot of used mixers out there.

I'll look into a straight analog mixer and forget about the USB/interface mixers for now.

 

[keith.rogers]

I'm using Reaper, which lets me monitor Mono in1, Mono in2, etc.. then it has Stereo in1/in2 combined.
....

I guess Reaper is different, or maybe it's Logic that's different.

Well, just pan everything down the middle on the mixer then pan LR in Reaper is what you'll need to do I guess.

Or, you can always record into Audacity and split the stereo track, then dump that into Reaper as mono, though that gets tedious after a while. I used to do that when I was trying to find a workflow for [field] recording on the H6 that would minimize the times I had forgotten to enable a channel for recording (losing an entire set perhaps), i.e., just record everything in stereo. That extra step got old pretty fast, so the ability to treat one or the other side of a stereo track as mono in Logic is very useful for me since they generally are separate sends and not half of a stereo image.

 

[spantini]

I think we're making progress.. I just had a "duhh.." moment - a memory is a terrible thing to lose

I've still got my Tascam DP-03SD Digital Porta Studio which has L/R Line Outs. They're RCA, but I can use a single MALE RCA to MALE XLR cable for input to my current interface - just connect to the Left Line Out for a MONO. The DP-03SD is low noise, too.

I'll give that a whirl and see what happens.

Thanks again!

 

[spantini]

I just hooked my DP-03SD Porta Studio to my Tascam US-2x2 interface to make sure the routing worked - it did.

I ran a RCA to XLR cable from the DP-03SD Line Out-L to the Tascam US-2x2 interface In-1. I panned the DP-03SD track full left. I didn't have to adjust Reaper's monitor settings or pan - headphone monitoring from the interface came through Left & Right.

Then I got sucked into playing with a compressor/EQ chain for a new bass line, so I... got lost