mixing outside the box?

  • Thread starter Thread starter crookedcreek
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crookedcreek

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i have an m-audio delta 1010 which has 8 audio in/out. i also have a behringer zenyx 2442. i know theres a way i could set these two guys up better. all im using it for is the preamps because they have direct outs...and i know you all know that behringer pres arent the best but they are getting the job done.

any routing ideas? i also have a two channel tube mic pre that i could throw in the mix. someone please help me with routing configurations! thanks!!!!
 
Outputs go to inputs. Which output go to which input is entirely up to what you're doing at any given point in time.

If you want to mix through the Berry (although I have a feeling that once you try it, you're going to drop that idea like a radioactive potato), run your (assuming group) outputs to the line inputs on the mixer.
 
what he said.

I use the interface outputs for sub groups in the DAW. But i am using a mackie 1620 vlz analog board. So I only use the mackie for summing the sub mixes from the daw. The reason? I mainly do this for monitoring and using out board compressors on the sub mixes. I do not use the eq on the board and set the faders to 0. This will also give you some analog mixing. Some will argue that analog mixing is only worth it if you have an analog board or summing box with some mojo $$$.
 
I'd say if you have the gear, whether high or low end, try it and see if you like it and if it does anything for you with your set up. There are tons of opinions about the quality of conversion etc etc etc and why you shouldn't do it unless you have the proverbial $64000 converters but I call BS on that.
IMO If anything but the worlds best converters are so bad at converting, the defects would be immediately obvious in any recorded sound. My reasoning is: I trust my converters to adequately and accurately convert live A/D, I trust my converters to adequately and accurately convert D/A for monitoring and mixing. Yet I am often reading that I cannot trust them to adequately and accuarately convert a D/A back to A/D one time for re recording. I Say BS and I tested just the converters on my gear by running a mix straight out and back in again with nothing else in between and was not able to hear any difference at all (level matched and randomized on a play list so I didn't know which one was playing) I was also able to null the original and re recorded mix to the digital noise floor,
So at least on my prosumer gear I would say there is no problem with one extra A/D conversion.
Anyhow back to topic.
I have started to experiment mixing out of a profires 8 outs through a BLA summing box: tracks stemmed to 3 stereo busses gits, keys and effects (6 outs), 1 mono vocal and 1 mono bass channel (1 out each) and then a modified ART Pro VLA across the master stereo outs of the summing mixer before going back into the DAW for recording.
none of it is high end gear by any means and it certainly is different than mixing 100% ITB and it's been my experience that you have to mix through it from the get go to get any benefit, not just stick the OTB stuff in at the end of the mixing process. there's certainly learning curve for me but I'm enjoying the new process so far.
one thing I would say is that you should get yourself a multimeter and test your stuff so you know where 0VU is, on your output signal and how that translates on your DAW meters. I found on my gear, this can have a huge impact when you go OTB and really make or break the sound you get out of it depending on the "Heat" of a signal the outboard gear is expecting, how much headroom is available and what the OTB stuff does to the sound if you push into their headrrom (ie some stuff will intentionally color the sound and the harder it is pushed the more obvious that coloration becomes)
 
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I track and mix OTB...but I edit and do some "pre-mixing" ITB.

For mixing OTB, I use my 24 A/D/A channels and run my DAW's outputs through my console. The DAW becomes a playback deck, though I will do some spot EQing, or maybe submixing a couple of tracks in the DAW if I have more than 24...but that's rare.
Of course, if you plan to really mix OTB you need OTB processing/FX.
But to just use the Behringer as a summing mixer, while still doing all your processing/FX ITB....eh....I don't think you will gain anything doing that.
 
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