OMG I think I Understand! I was thinking that the audio interface was only to SEND signal to PC and not sending AND receiving signals!!! (Is it right?
) If yes, I feel stupid and really see better what was my problems! If latency is important for my, what are the option to have a good flow? Have a better audio interface using a different cable (replace the usb by a firmwire) or other things?
For the mixing table, it's juste to help me to not connect or disconnect cable evertime. For me, the mixer is more a "I'll take all the instruments signals and send it to the Audio Interface" and nothing more. So with my mixer, i'll be able with one button to unmute an instrument, play it, switch to another by mutting the old one and unmute the new etc.
Thanks and regards!
Tommy Sirois
The playback side of home recording is very often forgotten/ignored by (wtgr!) noobs.
People are often SO intent on getting a signal INTO the PC that they completely forget that it is the end result, the sound, that matters. "Monitoring" as it is called, is a vast subject all on its own but breaks down into three main areas..
Monitoring on loudspeakers. Almost always "active" types with built in amplifiers and the very best way to go, especially if you pay attention to #2. Room Treatment.
This means putting sound absorbing materials in your room and they have two main objectives.
1) Reducing random reflections which "blur" the stereo image.
2) Bass traps which smooth out the bumps in the response that plague all small rooms.
Hard to give a figure and peeps WILL argue but, a decent set of monitor speakers and RT is unlikely to come out under $1000.
3) Headphones. Not so good but you can learn to make fair mixes on them (I understand! I am just a tekky twit) and usually the only way to go for the starter recordist.
"Unecessary components in the signal path". This is an oft repeated critique of mixers* The fact is that in a "pro" desk the signal will probably pass through 10 maybe 20 amplifying stages (usually "op amps") and is still judged pristine. A cheap Behringer or Mackie mixer will put the signal though maybe 3 or 4 such stages (and often the SAME op amps!) so there will be very little degradation. In any case signals do not degrade as the simple sum of the stages.
Latency: ANOTHER big subject! If you have even a reasonably fast PC (2G ish 2 core, 4G ram) the latency for two tracks at a time will be almost totally decided by the interface. I have not read of any problems with the Audiobox and so with a good setup, NO PC crap soundcard! No Windows bleeps! Maybe disable wireless adaptors, and ASIO drivers, you should get an adequately fast system.
*Wish there was another term for the device when used in this way. The mixer really being used as a signal SELECTOR. I use something similar. A small mixer that takes the signals from my 2496 soundcard (used to take it from another PC as well) and passes it on to my Tannoy monitors. If I need to I can just jack in my Native Instruments KA6 and hear that instead.
Dave.
