Audio interface vs. outboard mixer:

[Guitarfreak585]

Unless you have a mixer with a built in audio interface you will still need to interface with the computer and you dont want to be running into the mic or line in - these components are not high end enough and more importantly do not handle discrete channels of audio to send to discrete tracks.

Is this going to be true of all soundcards? In my new comp I ordered I wanted an upscale soundcard just so I could have a better quality recording and playback. I'm not really planning on doing any more than one maybe two tracks at a time.

 

[Chili]

One other thing that Gecko ZZed briefly touched on is the philosophy of when to start mixing. With an outboard mixer, you can adjust levels, eq and effects before going into the computer. However, that may not be the best method. You eq and add reverb to your vocal track on a mixer, then record it, those settings are permanent and may not fit with the context of the song. I say 'may' but I really mean 'most likely'.

When you're mixing in the box, your best bet is to record your tracks raw, then make your adjustments when you have all your tracks recorded and you are mixing them down to 2-track.

So, if you're not going to be making any adjustments to your tracks before they are recorded, then you only need an audio interface.

 

[jjjtttggg]

I haven't read the whole thread so I apologize if this has already been said. One other advantage of having a mixer in your studio is that you can leave things wired up and ready to go. I still only record one at a time, but I have 3 mics, a keyboard, guitar amp line out, drum module, and bass amp line out plugged into the mixer all the time, so when I want to use one of them it's just a matter of bringing up that fader. It's a nice convenience... I suppose a patch bay could accomplish something similar.

J

 

[mixsit]

One other thing that Gecko ZZed briefly touched on is the philosophy of when to start mixing. With an outboard mixer, you can adjust levels, eq and effects before going into the computer. However, that may not be the best method. You eq and add reverb to your vocal track on a mixer, then record it, those settings are permanent and may not fit with the context of the song. I say 'may' but I really mean 'most likely'.

When you're mixing in the box, your best bet is to record your tracks raw, then make your adjustments when you have all your tracks recorded and you are mixing them down to 2-track.

So, if you're not going to be making any adjustments to your tracks before they are recorded, then you only need an audio interface.

..Ok, I think I get it now.... but still unclear, is there any difference between mixing (raise levels, EQ , etc.) with the mixer before it goes to the computer or if using an interface, after it goes into the computer?...?

I know part of your question branched off into all analog -no computer- but just to be clear- You don't (with a few exceptions) 'mix' into the recorder. Whether the recorder is digital or analog your front end can be straight preamps ("raise levels") as in a basic interface, or additional things (eq, compression etc) done with a mixer's features, or just separate hardware pieces feeding your interface- but still, let's call this the tracking phase.
The main addition a mixer brings (in this context) is to combine multiple sources (doing a sub mix) to the recorder.

 

[mixsit]

I haven't read the whole thread so I apologize if this has already been said. One other advantage of having a mixer in your studio is that you can leave things wired up and ready to go. I still only record one at a time, but I have 3 mics, a keyboard, guitar amp line out, drum module, and bass amp line out plugged into the mixer all the time, so when I want to use one of them it's just a matter of bringing up that fader. It's a nice convenience... I suppose a patch bay could accomplish something similar.

J

Ding! The 'mixer' as a center piece of your system -and partially a working method.

 

[gene12586]

cfox: I'm just getting started with most of this stuff....my setup thus far: fender strat, effects pedal board including about 9 pedals (very ambient, lots of delay and reverb), Martin DX1 acoustic, Sennheiser MD421-II mic, along with a few cheap condensers, IMAC quad core I7, Logic 9...

what I'm planning on getting: MOTU 896mk3 (unless you think the control surface would be better), Roland Juno G keyboard, and probably a preamp for a few hundred (not sure which yet)....

 

[letsgetrocked]

There are, however, a growing number of mixers that include an interface. For example, I have an Allen & Heath that has USB output, allowing me to mix many channels down to two track which then goes via USB to the computer. But there are others (such as the Presonus studio live) that give you the feel of a physical mixer, but whose inbuilt interface delivers 16 (or more) discrete tracks via firewire to the computer, Additionally, these types of mixers can also act as control surfaces, i.e. you can use the physical faders to manipulate the data inside the box.

apologies in advance if I'm being dense, but I'm having some trouble wading through the marketing around this issue

I have a ZED-24: ZED-24 - Allen & Heath. I have only ever used it for performing live but would like to use it for recording if it is well suited to that. based on the advertised recording abilities, would this mixer include enough interface capability that I do NOT need to purchase a dedicated audio interface? I don't really care what the answer is, just am having trouble figuring it out. I am fine with only recording 1-2 channels at a time.

thank you in advance!

 

[Farview]

That mixer will only transfer a stereo signal to and from the computer. It was really designed as a live board that you could hook up to a laptop and record the board mix of the show.

 

[ecc83]

As Jay says, that mixer only gives you a stereo mix of the main outs. A&H quote "CD" quality and so it is (I have a ZED 10USB) but that means 16bits only. Fine for a finished product but a bit limiting for tracking. Even a modest AI will give 24bit recording. USB mixers are also not really designed for building recordings, more just for grabbing a live mixdown.

But it will make an excellent "front end" . AIs are legion, cheapest any good is the Alesis i02 Express. Next up in price, Steinberg UR22. Focusrite have revamped their "budget" range. Tascam have put some new stuff out recently.

You say you only need two ins and outs? Be careful and think this through. The mixer has 10 outputs and inserts so the POTENTIAL is there for many more tracks. Do you have mates who might come round and jam? Is MIDI or the playing of software synths of any interest? If so you need an AI with very low "latency" and there is none better for the money AFAIK than the Native Instruments KA6. The KA also has two extra line ins and outs, 4 track recording.

Dave.

 

[mjbphotos]

With the mixer, you can record 2 separate discreet tracks at one time - by panning one left, the other right, then selecting them to 2 tracks in your DAW. What will be lacking is a good monitoring path, you'll have to figure out if it lets you hear your already-recorded tracks while you direct monitor the new ones. A rel AI will let you do that easily.

 

[letsgetrocked]

thank you much for the replies! that is very helpful.