No it means just what it says. 16 inputs, which is mics, midi and line inputs. The 4 out is how many channels are returned back out of the DAW. All 16 inputs go through the usb interface to individual tracs in your DAW. The DAW returns 4 channels for you to use for what ever, monitors, effect sends or ?
The usual Mixer/Interface question.
- Thread starter VDeGou
- Start date
jimmys69
MOODerator
^^This is absolutely almost correct. Well, except for the MIDI input thing and the fact that two of the inputs are digital. MIDI is just a an input method that has nothing to do with analog input track count. Digital inputs (Spdif) are pre-converted (Analog/Digital) signals sent by a preamp that sends that.
Read my post #98 HERE. It is absolute truth.. Trust me, I had two years with this setup.
Ok I got you! So how does one truly know how many tracks are being sent into the DAW separately? If the 16 stands for the amount of tracks being sent into the DAW and 4 stands for the ones being sent out of the DAW, for other mixers or interfaces how do I know how many separate tracks I'm able to record simultaneously?
jimmys69
MOODerator
Um, I think you just answered that yourself. An interface is a different thing than a mixer man.
Specs for 'MIXERS' are not the same thing.
This is made clear in the 'sticky' threads on this forum and others.
I am not trying to be rude, but you can find this stuff easily by just reading the forums here.
INTERFACE: 16x4 means 16 input channels to DAW with 4 outputs from DAW.
MIXER: 16x4 means 16 input tracks to 4 subgroups. Has nothing to do with input to computer. Most ones that say 'USB' only give L/R output from the mixer. That changes with a bunch of money and research. For under $1000, not likely worthy.
I gotta go make dinner now...
Specs for 'MIXERS' are not the same thing.
This is made clear in the 'sticky' threads on this forum and others.
I am not trying to be rude, but you can find this stuff easily by just reading the forums here.
INTERFACE: 16x4 means 16 input channels to DAW with 4 outputs from DAW.
MIXER: 16x4 means 16 input tracks to 4 subgroups. Has nothing to do with input to computer. Most ones that say 'USB' only give L/R output from the mixer. That changes with a bunch of money and research. For under $1000, not likely worthy.
I gotta go make dinner now...
Thanks for putting it in layman's terms man, I really appreciate that, I hope that dinner comes out delightful!
Also thanks to everyone who replied! I hope I can be recording soon like you guys!
"That mixer would be the Mackie ProFX22." That has inserts on only 4 mic inputs so, whatever its sonic shortcomings might or might not be (and I'll bet the mic amps are just as good as most 8 input AI's bar the esoterica) it does not help the situation very much.
So,a mac? I have no experience of them but the FWire situation is that almost no Windows machines sport FW ports now (very few ever did over here) and even those that had them were dodgy for audio unless they used the Texas Instrument FW chipset. So, you would end up with an interface that would work on the mac but on practically nothing else. USB is of course, err...Universal!
USB was a poor relation to Fussywire up to a couple of years ago but no the AI makers have "cracked it"! Led by firms such as RME (great kit if you can afford it) and to an extent MOTU, USB 2.0 can now handle zillions of tracks with minimal latency (top track count for USB is now 64 I believe?) .
I am still of the opinion that the US 1800 will be the best starter AI and 8 mic amps will be enough for now, still a LOT of XLR leads and stands you know! In a year or two's time you will have the building settled in, be vastly more knowledgeable and be far better able to chose the next equipment upgrade. The 1800 will hold a decent S/H value (put box, Cubase disc and all booklets, leads etc, away and keep pristine)
Dave.
So,a mac? I have no experience of them but the FWire situation is that almost no Windows machines sport FW ports now (very few ever did over here) and even those that had them were dodgy for audio unless they used the Texas Instrument FW chipset. So, you would end up with an interface that would work on the mac but on practically nothing else. USB is of course, err...Universal!
USB was a poor relation to Fussywire up to a couple of years ago but no the AI makers have "cracked it"! Led by firms such as RME (great kit if you can afford it) and to an extent MOTU, USB 2.0 can now handle zillions of tracks with minimal latency (top track count for USB is now 64 I believe?) .
I am still of the opinion that the US 1800 will be the best starter AI and 8 mic amps will be enough for now, still a LOT of XLR leads and stands you know! In a year or two's time you will have the building settled in, be vastly more knowledgeable and be far better able to chose the next equipment upgrade. The 1800 will hold a decent S/H value (put box, Cubase disc and all booklets, leads etc, away and keep pristine)
Dave.
mjbphotos
Moderator
The Mackie ProFX has decent mic preamps and is a good LIVE MIXER, but it only has a stereo (2 channel) USB output. It's not what you want to use for recording unless you are only doing at most 2 tracks at a time (pan one left and one right) - AND it only does 16 bit A-D conversion.
The stereo USB on this type of mixer is really meant to be used to record a live show based on the main mix to the PA system.
The stereo USB on this type of mixer is really meant to be used to record a live show based on the main mix to the PA system.
Johnny Don't!
New member
I feel like there are some semantic misunderstandings in this thread, and since I've just spent the last three months researching this EXACT problem (use interfaces w/ pre's OR use interfaces w/o pre's in conjunction with a console [mixer] as a pre-amp sending signals into the interface), I think I can clear things up easily.
But before I get into that, let me give the OP (original poster) some advice on this forum: you have gotten responses from three of the most knowledgeable guys on this site: Jimmys69, RAMI, and bouldersoundguy. These dudes REALLY know their shit, so I would heed any advice they offer.
Ok, now to the semantic confusion: first, the OP says he's gonna use a Mac but then says he's buying a recording PC called a "Mac Mini." Well, is it a PC or a Mac? It can't be both. (I Googled "mac mini" and the first result was an external hard drive; do NOT record directly to an external drive. BAD idea. Use the external as a backup or for playback but always use the internal hard disk when tracking.) If yer gonna rawk ProTools, then get a Mac; ProTools coding is just not meant to run on Windows OS. But that's the most expensive route.
Personally, I find ProTools to be extremely overrated and somewhat inflexible in terms of some specific routing options; there are a TON of other great DAWs out there that will run really well on a PC. And, you can build yer own PC for a fraction of the cost of a Mac: I built a new desktop recording PC last year for about $850, and a year later it's STILL faster & more powerful than any Mac currently available. You'd have to spend $3500-$4000 to get a Mac that matches my PC's power & speed. I would also HIGHLY recommend utilizing Solid-State hard drives as opposed to the traditional spin-based drives; they're slightly more expensive but since there are no moving parts, they generate almost zero heat, and the lack of moving parts means their failure rate is almost non-existent. (If you would like any advice on building yer own PC, feel free to PM me.)
Onto more semantic tomfoolery: the OP is confusing interface terminology. When an interface says it has "X number of inputs," it means that it can send "X" number of individual tracks into your computer at once; the number of outputs refers to the number of individual tracks you can send OUT of the interface at once, most likely during playback.
In terms of FireWire vs. USB, I *completely* disagree with the statement that FireWire is only for Macs; the motherboard I installed in my new PC last year has FireWire built into it. However, FireWire *IS* on its way out, and USB 2.0 will serve most home recording functions just fine; if not, USB 3.0 definitely will. And that's not even mentioning the new protocol hitting the market, Thunderbolt.
In most home recording applications, the number of inputs on an interface is more important than the number of outputs (excluding stereo/monitoring outputs), as most home recording enthusiasts will process everything ITB (in-the-box), meaning they will use plug-ins and other software-based effects and the software mixer as opposed to outboard effects & consoles; sending a signal out of yer DAW into an outboard effects unit or console is probably the most common use of outputs on an interface where home recording is concerned.
In my home studio, I use the outputs on my interfaces most commonly for re-amping a signal (Google that term if yer not familiar with it) or for sending mix stems (another term to Google) to an outboard summing mixer.
All that being said, I find a combination of both methods mentioned above (either straight-in to an interface with mic pre's or into a mixer first and then out individually into an interface) is the best route for home recording. I've got a vintage Tascam M320-B console I refurbished recently, and I've got the line outs from each channel on the Tascam routed to a patch bay, where I then typically route the signal from the console into the line level inputs on one of my M-Audio ProFire 2626s (I have two chained together). If I don't need or want the console in the signal chain, then I go straight into either the ProFire or will use an outboard mic pre first and then go out of that into the interface.
So, depending on what kind of recordings you plan to create and the methods you'd like to use as well as the level of quality you wish to output, there are quite a lot of options for you. Personally, I'd take the advice of most of the contributors and stay away from cheap, low-quality mixers like the Mackie ProFX; they're great for basic live sound but in terms of recording, they're a no-no, in my opinion. You'll get much better results if you eschew the mixer all together and get a couple decent interfaces, pre-amps, and of course, MICS!
Your options for interfaces are hugely variant, but you should easily be able to reach just about any amount of inputs at a ton of different price points. You could go the route I've gone and stick with mid-priced interfaces like the ProFire 2626 and the Tascam US1800 (Behringer, Focusrite, and MOTU all offer similarly-priced options); or you could go a bit higher and look into the MOTU 896 products; or you can go a bit higher with certain RME products; or lastly, you can get REALLY high-end and go with Apogee Symphony products, the Antelope Orion line, or the UAD Apollo units, which are incredible if you plan to use a lot of high-intensity plug-ins, but you pay for the power & quality.
Hope that helps!
But before I get into that, let me give the OP (original poster) some advice on this forum: you have gotten responses from three of the most knowledgeable guys on this site: Jimmys69, RAMI, and bouldersoundguy. These dudes REALLY know their shit, so I would heed any advice they offer.
Ok, now to the semantic confusion: first, the OP says he's gonna use a Mac but then says he's buying a recording PC called a "Mac Mini." Well, is it a PC or a Mac? It can't be both. (I Googled "mac mini" and the first result was an external hard drive; do NOT record directly to an external drive. BAD idea. Use the external as a backup or for playback but always use the internal hard disk when tracking.) If yer gonna rawk ProTools, then get a Mac; ProTools coding is just not meant to run on Windows OS. But that's the most expensive route.
Personally, I find ProTools to be extremely overrated and somewhat inflexible in terms of some specific routing options; there are a TON of other great DAWs out there that will run really well on a PC. And, you can build yer own PC for a fraction of the cost of a Mac: I built a new desktop recording PC last year for about $850, and a year later it's STILL faster & more powerful than any Mac currently available. You'd have to spend $3500-$4000 to get a Mac that matches my PC's power & speed. I would also HIGHLY recommend utilizing Solid-State hard drives as opposed to the traditional spin-based drives; they're slightly more expensive but since there are no moving parts, they generate almost zero heat, and the lack of moving parts means their failure rate is almost non-existent. (If you would like any advice on building yer own PC, feel free to PM me.)
Onto more semantic tomfoolery: the OP is confusing interface terminology. When an interface says it has "X number of inputs," it means that it can send "X" number of individual tracks into your computer at once; the number of outputs refers to the number of individual tracks you can send OUT of the interface at once, most likely during playback.
In terms of FireWire vs. USB, I *completely* disagree with the statement that FireWire is only for Macs; the motherboard I installed in my new PC last year has FireWire built into it. However, FireWire *IS* on its way out, and USB 2.0 will serve most home recording functions just fine; if not, USB 3.0 definitely will. And that's not even mentioning the new protocol hitting the market, Thunderbolt.
In most home recording applications, the number of inputs on an interface is more important than the number of outputs (excluding stereo/monitoring outputs), as most home recording enthusiasts will process everything ITB (in-the-box), meaning they will use plug-ins and other software-based effects and the software mixer as opposed to outboard effects & consoles; sending a signal out of yer DAW into an outboard effects unit or console is probably the most common use of outputs on an interface where home recording is concerned.
In my home studio, I use the outputs on my interfaces most commonly for re-amping a signal (Google that term if yer not familiar with it) or for sending mix stems (another term to Google) to an outboard summing mixer.
All that being said, I find a combination of both methods mentioned above (either straight-in to an interface with mic pre's or into a mixer first and then out individually into an interface) is the best route for home recording. I've got a vintage Tascam M320-B console I refurbished recently, and I've got the line outs from each channel on the Tascam routed to a patch bay, where I then typically route the signal from the console into the line level inputs on one of my M-Audio ProFire 2626s (I have two chained together). If I don't need or want the console in the signal chain, then I go straight into either the ProFire or will use an outboard mic pre first and then go out of that into the interface.
So, depending on what kind of recordings you plan to create and the methods you'd like to use as well as the level of quality you wish to output, there are quite a lot of options for you. Personally, I'd take the advice of most of the contributors and stay away from cheap, low-quality mixers like the Mackie ProFX; they're great for basic live sound but in terms of recording, they're a no-no, in my opinion. You'll get much better results if you eschew the mixer all together and get a couple decent interfaces, pre-amps, and of course, MICS!
Your options for interfaces are hugely variant, but you should easily be able to reach just about any amount of inputs at a ton of different price points. You could go the route I've gone and stick with mid-priced interfaces like the ProFire 2626 and the Tascam US1800 (Behringer, Focusrite, and MOTU all offer similarly-priced options); or you could go a bit higher and look into the MOTU 896 products; or you can go a bit higher with certain RME products; or lastly, you can get REALLY high-end and go with Apogee Symphony products, the Antelope Orion line, or the UAD Apollo units, which are incredible if you plan to use a lot of high-intensity plug-ins, but you pay for the power & quality.
Hope that helps!