Mixing inside the Computer

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Magpie99

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How many here do some/most/all of the mixing in the computer rather than going outboard? If I can have fun producing without having to shell out for an expensive 16 channel mixer, I can get buy (and buyin from my wife) for just a nice 8 input soundcard and some cheap but decent preamps? Do you find it a pain to make all the adjustments via the mouse? Are the effects software programs effective and intuitive?

Thanks,

Glenn
 
All things considered, I prefer to mix in the computer. I'm a programmer by trade, so I'm at home keeping everything inside the PC (and my setup is similar to what you just described).

Keep in mind though, that a cheap 8 input soundcard isn't going to have preamps. The Digi and Aardvark do, but they're a bit pricier. Unless you're recording everything direct (yuk), you're going to still need a mixer with 8 (or 6) busses or channel inserts for general pre's (aside from the nice ones you'll want for vocals). For the record, I use a C-Port (8 input) card with an old Yamaha mixer with channel inserts.
 
I prefer hardware mixers for flexibility and sound quality.
 
TexRoadkill said:
I prefer hardware mixers for flexibility and sound quality.
Click to expand...

How do hardware mixers improve sound quality? I though that two less D/A A/D steps would help more, and that software EQ would be better than most low budget mixer EQs.
 
Seanmorse79 said:
All things considered, I prefer to mix in the computer. I'm a programmer by trade, so I'm at home keeping everything inside the PC (and my setup is similar to what you just described).

Keep in mind though, that a cheap 8 input soundcard isn't going to have preamps. The Digi and Aardvark do, but they're a bit pricier. Unless you're recording everything direct (yuk), you're going to still need a mixer with 8 (or 6) busses or channel inserts for general pre's (aside from the nice ones you'll want for vocals). For the record, I use a C-Port (8 input) card with an old Yamaha mixer with channel inserts.
Click to expand...

If I go the internal mixing route, I'm looking to get a 1010LT and pick up an Audio Buddy and a Presonus BlueTube. I'll record mostly drums, so with the preamps in my little B mixer and the preamps in the 1010LT, I'd have eight channels to play with.

Otherwise, I'm looking at the Mixwizard 16:2 with the 1010LT and the Delta 410 for sixteen external tracks for mixing.

Glenn
 
"How do hardware mixers improve sound quality? I though that two less D/A A/D steps would help more, and that software EQ would be better than most low budget mixer EQs."

Those are all very valid points and it just depends on what your entire setup is like. Right now I use a digital mixer VM3100 and I prefer the EQ and reverb on that to the base Logic plugins. It also helps keep from overburdening the processor with effects processing and summing duties.

In the near future I am going to upgrade to a Ghost console and some Motu's. A good analog board usually has better gain, stereo seperation and low end response than a similiarly priced digital console.

DAC is not that big of a deal. It's probably less of a problem than jitter caused by linking too many cheap digital devices with poor clocks. I just think DAW mixes sound a little stale. Getting better pre's and ADC's at the front end can help that. IMHO a mixer's sound is the glue that helps bind a mix together.
 
I don't use an external desk for mixing - my only mixing board is the one on the screen in a Pro Tools Mix+ (soon to be HD2) system, but I do use some outboard gear (like a Cranesong HEDD, Eventide Harmonizer, etc.) quite a bit.

It's not because i think it sounds better or worse, but I like the full recall and automation if i stay within Pro Tools, so I can call up a mix a year later and it's ready to go.
 
It's not because i think it sounds better or worse, but I like the full recall and automation if i stay within Pro Tools, so I can call up a mix a year later and it's ready to go.
Click to expand...
Amen. That's the single biggest reason I switched from my Tascam 38 to a PC setup. Trying to reconstruct mixes is an exercise in futility.
 
I'm a mix in the computer convert. I used to do automated mixes with midi and a Yamaha ProMix1. I could store 50 songs in there and save them as sysex data if needed. Once I got into Digital Performer, though, I really started loving the micro control that was available. Being able to pull up a fader for one word while seeing the waveform was much better than anticipating it in real time. Plus, I can automate all the aux sends, pans and effects, which I love.

The downside is that it takes longer to dial in EQ's and such. With a hardware mixer, you can just grab and tweak things fast. It takes a little longer using the mouse. For me its a worthwhile tradeoff due to the degree of control available with computer mixing.

The other factor is how much processor you have to work with. I have a dual processor G4 800 and it will handle tons of plug ins. My old G3 266 was a different story. To effectively mix in a computer, you need processing power unless you just use maybe one reverb and a few comps and EQ's.

I'm happy and never want to go back. Mixing in the computer is the best for me.
 
How is digital performer, I bought a motu for my pc, but im thinking of a dual 1 ghz g4 and an upgrade to digital performer, the motu came with audiodesk.
 
I mix in Nuendo mostly now, but I do use my Yamaha ProMix01 as a mixer controller. It's so much easier to use faders, knobs and buttons to get the job done IMO. My audio interface is a MOTU 2408.
 
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