Mixing: should I be using my interface?

[bluedaffy]

When I am mixing, eqing, editing songs, all that good stuff, is there going to be a difference between just using the headphone out jack on my computer to go DAW->MONITORS rather than going DAW->INTERFACE->MONITORS?

If there is no difference I would prefer going DAW->MONITORS because then if I want to play audio from somewhere else like iTunes, or watch a youtube tutorial, I would get that sound through the same speakers.

 

[c7sus]

What interface are you using?

Does it have a loopback function?

 

[bluedaffy]

I am using a firewire connected Presonus-Firestudio. Not sure about the loopback function you speak of, I'll look into that right now. Can you elaborate more on this loopback function? Thanks

 

[Roisto]

My mixes translates often better when using only laptop & headphones instead all the fancy stuff, really don't know why. It's same time hilarious but somehow sad

 

[Armistice]

Once in your PC, the information is in digital format. To get to speakers via any route, it has to be converted back to analogue.

What would you rather have doing that process whilst you're doing critical stuff like mixing, your interface, specially built for that purpose, or your el-cheapo PC soundcard?

 

[MrWrenchey]

If you're using a Firestudio project on a PC, just set the Firestudio Project as your default audio unit in your control panel. Then you can listen to iTunes and stuff while you're in your DAW.

 

[bluedaffy]

I have a year old mac, I'm not sure how to route the audio there for programs outside of the daw yet. I guess I'll try to figure it out even though I don't hear that my mac sounds any worse than the firestudio.