Digital Mixer with Audio Interface - What Is It?

[gvdv]

Hi,
I'm considering purchasing either the RME Fireface 400 or Focusrite Saffire Pro 26 I/O (firewire based audio interfaces) for use with my soon-to-be-assembled DAW.

In reading about these, and other audio interfaces, I have been a bit unclear about the purpose/role of the digital mixers that are part of the software accompanying the audio interfaces.

Is the purpose of these mixers to route signals? If so, isn't this something that could be done by the sequencer software (I plan to buy Sonar 6 PE)?

Thanks,
GVDV

 

[ssscientist]

Is the purpose of these mixers to route signals? If so, isn't this something that could be done by the sequencer software

To a point, yes.

But the signal routing both in to and out of either interface is what makes these mixers necessary. They make the interfaces flexible enough so that they can be used with most commercial audio/midi software.

If, for example, Sonar was always used with a particular audio/midi interface then the mixer built into the program would be enough. As it is your interface choice can be based on much more that what is 'Sonar compatible'.


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