What is the difference between an audio interface and a audio mixer?

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danbs10

New member
Hi, I know this sounds like a silly question but it needs to be asked.

I am recording acoustic guitar into my laptop.
I have two microphones hooked up to my mixer, from there I have the "aux out" going into a shitty usb audio interface and then into my laptop for recording.

Question is, do I need the interface or can I plug the mixer straight into the "mic in" socket on my laptop?
Will I get as good results with the sound quality or should I just get my self a half decent audio interface?

Many thanks
 
Definitely get yourself an interface. And interface converts the analog signal to digital and transports the signal to your computer into the DAW. The soundcard on your computer won't give you great results. I wouldn't recommend it.
 
danbs10 said:
Hi, I know this sounds like a silly question but it needs to be asked.

I am recording acoustic guitar into my laptop.
I have two microphones hooked up to my mixer, from there I have the "aux out" going into a shitty usb audio interface and then into my laptop for recording.

Question is, do I need the interface or can I plug the mixer straight into the "mic in" socket on my laptop?
Will I get as good results with the sound quality or should I just get my self a half decent audio interface?

Many thanks
Click to expand...

What is your 'shitty usb' interface?

Crowso is correct in saying that a built in soundcard will not give you good results. Well, unless you like crappy sound. Even a 'shitty' USB interface will most likely be better than the one in your laptop. Asking what is better would be easier to answer if you state what you have to begin with.

The best way to get help here, is to give more information than necessary. Are you recording your acoustic direct, or with a mic? Direct box or preamp? What mic? Mixer is? Software (DAW)? Sound you are looking for?

Easy answer is, yes, a high end interface will help. Depends on what it is you are looking for. Quality? Cheap? Somewhere in between?
 
Have you tried plugging your microphones directly into the USB audio interface inputs? Microphones need preamp and most audio interface have pre-amps on its input so I would use them first. The signal chain goes like this:

Microphones === > Audio Interface Mic Input ===> Laptop USB input

This should solve most of the sound recording quality issues. Do not plug your mic directly into the laptop mic input, you will not have a good recording signal.

Try this one first, before hooking up a mixer to do different things. Audio mixer and Audio interface are different. Audio mixer combines signals into one output (the main out) while audio interface routes different analog inputs (such as your microphones) and convert them to digital audio. These digital audio are then streamed to your laptop via USB cable.
 
do I need the interface or can I plug the mixer straight into the "mic in" socket on my laptop?
Will I get as good results with the sound quality
Click to expand...
Your laptop has garbage converters, ALL laptops do. Yes, even BEATS audio laptops. If there is one thing in your studio that you should spend a decent amount of money on it should be your audio interface, second should be your monitors and third your mics.
 
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