Home Studio Set Up Help Needed

[KlugProductions]

Here's my current set up (for voice overs / commercial production):

-Shure KSM32 Condensor mic
-dbx 286A Mic Preamp/Processor
-Mackie 1202-VLZ PRO Mixer Board

Here's my question. Right now, everything runs through the Mackie and right into the sound card on the back of my computer. I'm all analog.

1. Will it make that much of a difference to get a digital interface? I'm thinking yes. I just wonder if bypassing the sound card make a significant enough difference. If so, can anyone recommend a unit?

2. Another option: I could skip the digital interface and still bypass the sound card by goin with a usb capable mixer like below. It has a usb "out" that goes right into your computer.

Behringer XENYX X1204USB 12-Input 2/2-Bus Mixer w/ FX & USB 248-6600

If I sell the Mackie, it could be close to an even swap if I do it this way.

Any help or advice anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ethan Winer]

A sound card is a digital interface. So you are not "all analog." Whether replacing your sound card with another model will give better results depends on what you have now. Many sound cards are very high quality. Regardless, I see no reason to get rid of the Mackie mixer. It's a fine unit. This article explains what I think you're asking:

Using a Mixer With a DAW

--Ethan

 

[Guillermo N]

Hello KlugProductions,

Basically what you need is an Audio Interface some mixers do have an audio interface integrated.
If you have a Makie Mixer most probable this has a USB connection and also you might be able to download some drivers from their website.
What an Audio interface does is: It converts the analog signal into digital and the digital signal back into analog (A to D and D to A).

Now, there are many Interfaces; USB 2.0/3.0, Firewire 400/800, PCI, PCIe, which of these interfaces should you choose? That depends largely on the type of application and computer system. For example, most of today's systems lack PCI slots. What’s important is that ASIO 2.0 (PC) or Core Audio (Mac) compatible drivers are available for whatever audio device you have set your sights on. These drivers serve to achieve very low latency on both platforms and are therefore highly recommended. Particularly when working with VST instruments and auditioning the recording signal via the software, driver-induced delay may not exceed a few milliseconds; anything higher is noticeable and quite annoying. Alongside a well-configured and powerful system, the audio card’s driver is one of the most vital components of a good DAW. It takes both to attain latency as low as 1.5 ms.

I hope this helps!

Best regards,
GN

 

[bouldersoundguy]

If you have a Makie Mixer most probable this has a USB connection and also you might be able to download some drivers from their website.

The 1202 VLZ Pro is an analog mixer with no USB connection. The OP would need a proper recording interface. Even a 2x2 PCI sound card would work since he has the mixer.

Record from the Main Out, connect playback from the computer to the 11-12 stereo line input. Push in the 11/12 Mute/Alt 3-4 button and push in the main mix and Alt 3-4 buttons in the Control Room Source section to set up the monitoring section. The main mix will be recorded, and that can be one input, two mono inputs recorded to separate tracks or even a stereo submix of all the inputs.

You could even integrate it with a small rehearsal setup running your speakers from the Monitor send, recording any or all of your inputs (mixed to stereo of course). If you had prerecorded drums or backing tracks you could put them in the speakers as well and record a stereo mix of everything but the backing tracks so you could do a simple reference mix.