Advice for which mixer to get for DAW?

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Coops409

New member
So I'm planning on making a home studio of sorts and am a little unsure about how to go about doing it. I know I want to mix on a DAW (Audacity, SoundBooth, Cubase are at my disposal). I've been looking at the Alesis MultiMix 16USB 2.0 Mixer because it's got 8 channels with preamps and has really everything I want on it to have.

My question is how would I use a board to get signal in to a MacBook so I can mix using the Mac? I don't want to just buy an interface because I'd rather have a board to use later on if I move in to small live shows (house shows, very small venues with no sound systems). I've heard that just using the RCA outputs gives you a 2track to use on your computer but that doesn't get me anywhere. I need to move all the signal coming in to the board in to my computer track-for-track just as it comes in so I can mix it.

Let's see. I'm a college Audio Engineering student so I know my way around a mixing board and around DAWs. I've just never set them up. The MacBook I'm going to be using is a 2007 15inch with 2GB RAM, 250GB Hard Drive with Snow Leopard. I'll have Audacity, Cubase 5, Adobe Audition (Adobe CS5), and if I get the Alesis board Cubase 4 LE.

My goal is to record demos in my garage for local bands as a sort of "home studio" if you will. Mainly doing this to get extra practice at engineering by myself since in school we're in groups until the last 2 audio classes. Also doing this for a bit of money on the side. The reason I don't want to just settle for an interface is because if I do well for people and they like working with me, they may be putting on a backyard show, or a show at a small venue that doesn't have a sound system and they could hire me to run their sound for that night there (yes I know I never mentioned anything about power amps, snakes, monitors, speakers, etc.) I'd rather have a board that can firewire to a computer track for track AND run sound live. If such a board does not exist then I'll just settle for an interface, but I know there's a board out there somewhere that isn't too expensive, with enough preamp channels that can transfer to a DAW track for track and not in just a stereo 2 track. I really like the Alesis MultiMix 16USB 2.0 Mixer and it seems to be just the board I'm looking for, but I'm worried it won't transfer track for track. It's got enough to mic drums how I want (K S HH T1 T2 T3 OH1 OH2), then obviously guitar, bass, vox, etc. It's got built in effects (probably cheap sounding but eh) so I wouldn't have to go out and buy a reverb unit or delay, etc. Aux for a monitor send.

The reason I liked that Behringer XENYX X1222USB 16 channel originally was because it had everything I would want and it had a built in compressor (probably just 2:1 but it would save me from buying compressor units for a backyard/small venue show).

My budget probably caps at about $500. I wouldn't like to even spend that much but the Alesis on Amazon is about that.

Don't have any equipment other than a the MacBook I described and I just ordered a few mics from eBay but they're not here yet.

So can the Alesis MultiMix 16USB 2.0 Mixer transfer to DAWs track for track? Or is it just a stereo 2 track? Can I use it to record an 8 channel drum set straight to my DAW?
 
The whole point of the Multimix 16 USB is that it feeds each channel (plus the main mix) directly to the computer via USB2. Just make sure that your Macbook features USB2--at 5 years old, it could be a USB1 only device. If it turns out to be USB1 then, really, you can forget about using it with as many tracks as you want.

You're right to be concerned about having direct outs. The majority of so-called USB mixers are 2 track only, feeding just the main mix and not direct outs. The Behringer Xenyx is one of these 2 channel only devices. Also, I wouldn't over-play the necessity of the compressor in a live setting. I do a lot of live work using digital mixers with really good compressors on each channel--and still use them pretty rarely.

Whether the Multimix is the mixer you need for live depends on your requirements. I'd certainly not choose to use a mixer with the limited channel strip EQ and only 2 auxes in a live setting--but only you can know if these restrictions work for you. (For avoidance of doubt, neither of these is a huge issue for recording.)
 
If you're planning on doing live shows AND recording with it, I'd suggest maybe increasing your budget.
I've used some of the Alesis products for recording, and they aren't really that great. Personally, if you're looking into doing live sound AND recording, I'd automatically go with at least a firewire interface/mixer.
The Mackie Onyx 1620i has the same amount of outputs as the Alesis board you're looking at, but goes for about $900.
HOWEVER, the Mackie board has 24-bit/96kHz Firewire outputs (so all of your tracks will each go to it's own spot in your DAW), the Alesis is only up to a max of 48kHz/24-bit.
If you look around on eBay, you can find the Mackie board for maybe $100-200 over your budget, but I definitely would buy something cheap if you're looking for a 16 channel/8 XLR input mixer. Just my two cents, but I hope it helps. =]

EDIT:
Forgot to say, the Onyx board also has 4 Aux sends with individual Pre/post assignment, individual +48v Phantom Power on each channel, as well as two sweepable mids and a high/low shelving filter. Honestly, if you're willing to drop a couple hundred more, this is a fairly nice board.
 
Bobbsy said:
Just make sure that your Macbook features USB2--at 5 years old, it could be a USB1 only device.

Whether the Multimix is the mixer you need for live depends on your requirements. I'd certainly not choose to use a mixer with the limited channel strip EQ and only 2 auxes in a live setting--but only you can know if these restrictions work for you. (For avoidance of doubt, neither of these is a huge issue for recording.)
Click to expand...

Just checked and the MacBook does have 2 USB 2.0 ports (luckily).

I know it has 2 Auxes. Like I said though, it would be only very small shows I'd be doing. May only need 2 monitors.
 
Of the auxes, only 1 would be suitable for monitor use (i.e. switchable to pre fade). The other is strictly post fade (and probably tied up with your effects anyway).
 
Bobbsy said:
Of the auxes, only 1 would be suitable for monitor use (i.e. switchable to pre fade). The other is strictly post fade (and probably tied up with your effects anyway).
Click to expand...

Yeah you're right. Sorry, been looking at thousands of mixers recently trying to decide on one. Hah.
 
MrWrenchey said:
The Mackie Onyx 1620i has the same amount of outputs as the Alesis board you're looking at...the Mackie board has 24-bit/96kHz Firewire outputs (so all of your tracks will each go to it's own spot in your DAW)
Click to expand...

Looking at the Onyx now. The MacBook I have says it supports Firewire 400 and Firewire 800. I know nothing about Firewire so would the MacBook support this board?
 
You should check out the Presonus StudioLive. I've never personally liked the Mackie Onyx series. And the Presonus should be a great and easy board live too.
 
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