mixing with analog mixer help

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guitarmagic

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Hi, I first posted in the soundcard section but i got no replies so i'll try here.

My current set up consists of a mackie 24/8 with the direct outs and 2 buses connected to a motu 24i(not the motu 24i/o). The motu is connected via pci express into my mac pro and i use ableton live 5.0. I use my studio to record bands for a minimal charge because i'm trying to gain experience before i go to l.a recording school next year.

I want better quality when i mix. Right now i have the output of the mac going into 2 channels and i mix in the daw. I want to stop mixing in the daw. I love the feel of the mixer and i would love to add outboard gear to mix with.

I know i'm going to need 24 outputs to be able to mix with the mixer. The motu i'm using now only has 2 outputs and they don't even work. It's a fairly old unit and a little damaged. It works really great but sometimes some inputs don't work not to mention that my mackie has problems with the channel strips too.

Is it worth it for me to upgrade to the motu 24i/o so i have 24 ins and outs and i will be able to mix with the mixer. Than i can add outboard gear and eventually add a patch bay. Or should i stay with the set up i have now and upgrade something else.

Also how would i connect the 24 outputs to the mixer(i assume through the tape returns in the back)... But than would i rerecord into the daw? I'm confused on all the connections i would have to make.

Any help and response is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Gabe.
 
Pretty much depends on which direction you want to go in. If you need 24 I/O to get there, you don't have much of a choice.
 
I wouldn't go through all that trouble just to mix on a Mackie. You're going to be spending a few hundred on cables alone. Not to mention all the outboard compressors and fx you would need to get a good mix.
 
Well i don't really mind buying good compressors and effects or spending money on cables... i just don't like not having the ability to patch something in to try out during tracking to see how it would sound or not being able to put reverb in the headphone mix. So no matter wich route i take i'm going to get some outboard stuff.

How would i connect it though? do i put the outputs into the tape returns in the back of the board and than rerecord into the computer?

And i'm planning on upgrading the board. I want to upgrade the motu first because the one i have is old and is probably going to die soon lol. I'm already having problems with it. But i plan on spending 6 to 12 grand on a new board after the other upgrades.

Thanks for the replies, gabe.
 
TexRoadkill said:
I wouldn't go through all that trouble just to mix on a Mackie. You're going to be spending a few hundred on cables alone. Not to mention all the outboard compressors and fx you would need to get a good mix.
Click to expand...

Let's not forget to add hundreds more for the patch bays. :D
 
I've been using an outboard mixer for years, first one was an Allen & heath Saber 24/16/16/2 I downgraded to a soundtracs topaz 24/8/2. The mout cards are good but I'm still using 3 M-Audio delta 1010s for my 24 ins n outs.

You're right the outputs of the soundcards go to the tape returns on the back of the desk, mine has direct outs from each channel. I have the first 16 channels direct outs hooked to the inputs on the first 2 deltas, the last one I have a pod, v amp amd a couple of mic pre's hooked into.

I swore by outboard for years till I got a UAD-1 card, then a second one. Now I use the cards mainly for compression, fairchild, LA2A, 1176 the plate 140 is good too but I still like my outboard lexicon Alex (2 of) for reverb.

Plus points are a great sounding EQ on the board you can stand up and look at and see where things are without digging through menus on the daw. Downside would be the upkeep, it all generates heat...lots of heat.

I like my hybrid setup and don't think I'd change it. Good luck in whatever path you choose to take.

Alec
 
Thanks for the reply and soemthing positive!... Just how do you get it back into the computer. Do you rerecord on different tracks? or do you record on two stereo tracks? Wouldn't there be a delay? Those should be my last questions.

I like the idea of looking at the mixer and having everything layed out in front of you. It annoys me to always scroll and click now. I'm obviously still going to use plugins but i would like to use a little bit of both.

Thanks.
 
If i were you, i would recommend recording each track back in if possible. Then if you want to make minor tweeks to the mix, it's easy. Just make an adjustment in software instead of going back and redoing the whole thing.

I was doing something similar for awhile. I had a delta 1010lt and an audiophile 2496 (i wouldn't buy the second for this obviously, i just happend to have it). I had to do some submixing because i only had 10 channels but i was happy. I also was using a yamaha mg10/2 and behringer composer. Really low buck. The quality was actually suprisingly decent for what i would have thought. It wasn't as good as mixing in the box but since it was more comfortable, in the end, it sounded better, even on $500 worth of equipment. Now i mix in the box, but i'm just saying i was impressed even with the low buck stuff i was using. I'm sure many people here will disagree, that was my experience.
 
Cool thanks for the responses. I'm going to probably buy some more mics first and than stårt buying some rack processors. I will probably end up mixing on the board but not right now as i need to set my priorities straight. But thanks for the help at least now i know what i need and how it works.
 
I have just posted a question about using mixers, but then came across this post.

I think that I would just want to have a hands on interface just to use faders and eq and do the rest in the computer to minimize mouse twiddling
 
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