Clueless, looking to buy mixer/audio interface for multiple input voice recordings

T

The T

New member
Hey all. So the gist of it is, I want to record audio of me and my friends playing video games in a living room. I've tossed a bunch of ideas around and the option that seems like it will require the least post-processing clean-up would be to give everyone a headset, combine it all into a mixer, put the TV audio into the mixer, output all the audio to everyone's ears, and there you go.

I assume that's feasible, at least? I've tried looking through mixers and I'm so, so very confused. I don't understand what half the input types are.

So here are my assumptions and tell me if I'm right or wrong about any of them:

1. I imagine that the idea of connecting a USB headset into a mixer is absurd, right? I figured I'd ask this since I have USB headsets so it'd save money but if it's not happening, it's not happening. If not the case, do mixers usually only take 3.5 mm connectors?

2. If I buy some red/white composite (or component?) cables, will those connect into the mixer from a TV? Are there even any difference on the audio between composite and component? EDIT: Found the answer to latter part; there isn't/component video is combined with composite audio.

3. Since, when recording, I'm going to have everyone talking+game audio going into our ears, does the option exist to record only the everyone talking audios but not the game audio? And is that desirable? Since the video will be recorded separately and our audio put in in post, is there a point to doing the prior, quality-level wise? IE, one benefit of recording game audio + us all together is that it keeps everything the sync. The downside is that it can't be post-processed separately later. So I'm asking with that, will audio quality play a role in that decision as well?

4. Is something that outputs everyone's audios to separate channels going to be something that exists/is even remotely financially feasible on a budget?

Sorry if all these questions are confusing or kind of dumb, I've never bought a mixer before and I don't really have any clue what I'm doing!

With that said, what I imagine I'm going to want is something that can take the TV audio and maybe 5 or 6 headphone inputs, can output only the headphone inputs and not the TV audio (if possible?), and preferable outputs to USB, and preferable does this all as cheaply as possible. Is there anything else I need to know? Where and how do I start looking?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.
 
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The T said:
Hey all. So the gist of it is, I want to record audio of me and my friends playing video games in a living room. I've tossed a bunch of ideas around and the option that seems like it will require the least post-processing clean-up would be to give everyone a headset, combine it all into a mixer, put the TV audio into the mixer, output all the audio to everyone's ears, and there you go.

I assume that's feasible, at least? I've tried looking through mixers and I'm so, so very confused. I don't understand what half the input types are.

So here are my assumptions and tell me if I'm right or wrong about any of them:

1. I imagine that the idea of connecting a USB headset into a mixer is absurd, right? I figured I'd ask this since I have USB headsets so it'd save money but if it's not happening, it's not happening. If not the case, do mixers usually only take 3.5 mm connectors?
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Absurd, I'm afraid. USB headset mics are designed to plug into computers, not mixers. Any mixer in your price range will have XLR inputs for the mics and even expensive ones that can handle digital inputs use the digital for sources other than mics (and take a different interface than USB).

2. If I buy some red/white composite (or component?) cables, will those connect into the mixer from a TV? Are there even any difference on the audio between composite and component? EDIT: Found the answer to latter part; there isn't/component video is combined with composite audio.
Click to expand...

As you've discovered, the audio that runs along with a component signal is just standard analogue, probably stereo from most TVs. Most mixers will be able to take a stereo feed from the TV, though on many you'll need an RCA to quarter inch phono jack adaptor.

3. Since, when recording, I'm going to have everyone talking+game audio going into our ears, does the option exist to record only the everyone talking audios but not the game audio? And is that desirable? Since the video will be recorded separately and our audio put in in post, is there a point to doing the prior, quality-level wise? IE, one benefit of recording game audio + us all together is that it keeps everything the sync. The downside is that it can't be post-processed separately later. So I'm asking with that, will audio quality play a role in that decision as well?
Click to expand...

Sync is an issue and so is quality...a direct feed from the TV into your recording medium (I assume computer) will be better. It'll also give you the easy ability to balance levels between your speech and the game audio.

4. Is something that outputs everyone's audios to separate channels going to be something that exists/is even remotely financially feasible on a budget?
Click to expand...

Depends on your definition of financially feasible! A big factor will be how many friends you want playing/talking at the same time--the more you want/need, the more the price goes up. A couple of mics and the game audio is relatively cheap. Six of you plus game audio gets expensive. It's worth saying here that you don't actually need a mixer--there are audio interfaces that could do the same job (say four mics and a line input) probably for less money. Careful of mixers--the vast majority claim X number of channels but, when you drill down to the detail, force you to mix live and only feed the final mix into a computer.

Financially, your best bet might be to scour ebay for an interface with the right number of inputs for your mics plus the game sound--or a mixer with similar facilities (but read the small print about how many outputs there on on the USB.

Sorry if all these questions are confusing or kind of dumb, I've never bought a mixer before and I don't really have any clue what I'm doing!

With that said, what I imagine I'm going to want is something that can take the TV audio and maybe 5 or 6 headphone inputs, can output only the headphone inputs and not the TV audio (if possible?), and preferable outputs to USB, and preferable does this all as cheaply as possible. Is there anything else I need to know? Where and how do I start looking?

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.
Click to expand...

A general comment is that this is not going to be simple and you'll have to be willing to learn a bit about audio, connectors, levels, etc.

Good luck!
 
The T said:
2. If I buy some red/white composite (or component?) cables, will those connect into the mixer from a TV? Are there even any difference on the audio between composite and component? EDIT: Found the answer to latter part; there isn't/component video is combined with composite audio.
Click to expand...

Composite and component are just two different ways of sending video using RCA connectors on video grade (RF) cable. You don't need to connect video to the mixer, you need to connect audio. Composite is a single RCA generally color coded yellow, component is done with three RCA connectors colored red, green and blue (each carrying the signal for their respective color), and stereo audio is on a pair of RCAs commonly colored white and red or black and red, with red being right.

Maybe you can just bypass the TV and send the audio straight from your game console to the mixer.
 
Bobbsy said:
Six of you plus game audio gets expensive. It's worth saying here that you don't actually need a mixer--there are audio interfaces that could do the same job (say four mics and a line input) probably for less money.
Click to expand...

So what I'm confused abou then is how audio interfaces work. Can an audio interface output one group of audios (ie, everyone talking + game audio) to one output (our headphones) while it ouputs a different group of audios (everyone talking without game audio) to the PC?

EDIT: In addition, when looking for "audio interfaces", I find ones that have 2 XLR inputs, a bunch of other inputs that I'm guessing are 1/4 inch phone connectors (ie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_connector_(audio) and then I see 2 off to the side that look like component audio inputs. But I'm so confused about... if those inputs are what I think they are and if I can use them or what I should use and what kind of microphones I should look for... basically I just don't feel like anything here is clear enough to make a purchase decision! (As an example, this is the one I was talking about: http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-802...id=1388199788&sr=1-8&keywords=audio+interface )
 
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The T said:
So what I'm confused abou then is how audio interfaces work. Can an audio interface output one group of audios (ie, everyone talking + game audio) to one output (our headphones) while it ouputs a different group of audios (everyone talking without game audio) to the PC?
Click to expand...

Yes. An interface with that many inputs will have a software control panel which lets you create a mix of all the inputs for your headphones. At the same time it will be sending all the inputs individually to the computer to be recorded on separate tracks. Afterward you adjust things and export an audio file.

The T said:
EDIT: In addition, when looking for "audio interfaces", I find ones that have 2 XLR inputs, a bunch of other inputs that I'm guessing are 1/4 inch phone connectors (ie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phone_connector_(audio) and then I see 2 off to the side that look like component audio inputs. But I'm so confused about... if those inputs are what I think they are and if I can use them or what I should use and what kind of microphones I should look for... basically I just don't feel like anything here is clear enough to make a purchase decision! (As an example, this is the one I was talking about: Amazon.com : Behringer Xenyx 802 Premium 8-Input 2-Bus Mixer with Xenyx Mic Preamps and British EQs : Powered Audio Mixers : Musical Instruments )
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That's not an interface, that's just a mixer. The RCA connectors are for stereo audio, one pair for input and one pair for output.

There are small mixers which are also interfaces. Interfaces that aren't mixers generally do have some basic mixing function. On top of that the recording software (DAW) mixes audio as well, so I can see how it can be confusing.
 
At this point could I just ask... for help on finding an audio interface, then? All I'm looking for is something with... like 5 or 6 inputs for microphones, and 1 input for RCA (or I can guess we can convert it to something else if need be--it will only be used for us to hear while recording, not used in the final video).

Because, yeah, like I've said... I don't know where or how to look.
 
Have a look for the Tascam US 1800. You may have to search because it's being discontinued but that also means you can find some deals around on new or even better deals on used. Eight mic inputs (six, while not impossible, is harder to find), Line inputs for your game sounds (you'll need RCA to quarter inch adaptors--the RCAs on the back are for digital--though maybe your games console will have digital out) and the ability for feed each mic and the game sounds to separate tracks while giving you a headphone mix of the lot.

There are other interfaces that can do the same but the Tascam is well known around this board and provides excellent "bang for the buck".
 
US 1800 discontinued? Not from what I see. The predecessor US 1641 was.

Whoa! You may be right. Or Sweetwater just stopped carrying them. Didn't see that coming. Looks like the end of the best bang for the buck era.

I think it is just a mistake at Sweetwater. Every other dealer has them in stock. It did just come out a few years ago and is obviously selling well. I would be surprised if it was discontinued already. The unit works well and the drivers are solid. Well, for anything but Protools.
 
Hope you're right but I found a couple of my regular "go to" UK retailers also showing no longer available too. It'd be a stupid move if they have discontinued it--it was probably about the best value item in their range.

...and anything having problems with the dreaded ProTools is clearly well built to industry standards!
 
It's a tad expensive but I suppose doable...

I've also started looking for microphones and all the ones I'm finding are... mini-XLR rather than XLR. Should I specifically look for XLR? Should I get a converter? Either way, the headset options also aren't looking as cheap as I would like...

EDIT: While I'm looking, I've seen exactly one headset that has both a microphone and headphones, but looked to only have an XLR port. (It was really expensive, though)... does the audio interface also output audio through the XLR port, or must this headset have also had a different input for the headphones that weren't mentioned for some reason? EDIT: Also looking at lavalier microphones as an option...?
 
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"Mini-XLR" - you're making stuff up now, dude! I think you are getting TRS (3 concentric conductors, 1/4" or 1/8") mixed up with XXLR (3 pin, locking connection).
 
mjbphotos said:
"Mini-XLR" - you're making stuff up now, dude! I think you are getting TRS (3 concentric conductors, 1/4" or 1/8") mixed up with XXLR (3 pin, locking connection).
Click to expand...

Er , mini XLR Is a fairly common connector on radio mic packs in the live sound industry. They usually carry the audio plus the bias voltage for an electret lav.

I've never heard of them on a mixer though.
 
Yeah, I've got a headset mic somewhere with a mini XLR output, but it's a female connector meant to interface with that maker's wireless transmitter packs.
 
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