setup input

[nounrecords]

hello, i'm new here. had a couple questions i was hoping someone could share some input on.

i have (2) mackie cr1604 mixers and a motu 828 mk2 soundcard. i've been using the 2 mixers as 1 being a sort of "input" mixer and the other being a "playback" mixer so that when i get another 828mk2 (16 direct ins and outs) i will continue to use the mixers in this way. the thing is, i recently bought an alesis 3630 dual compressor limiter gate and have it hooked up in a way that is working, but not necessarily the way i'd like it to work.

i'm looking for a way to have not only the volume of what is going thru the compressor be able to be controlled by my mixer faders, but also the main output of whatever else might be played by the motu say from the computer, also be controlled by my faders, without phasing, instead of the motu volume knob. i've had it set up many ways, just doing trial and error and this is the current way, i've got it set up:

8 lines in to 1st mackie, 8 direct outs to inputs of motu
8 out of motu, into 8 lines in of 2nd "playback" mixer
main out's of playback mixer into compressor
compressor out into channels 15, 16 of input mixer to further eq and adjust volume before bussing the compressed, eq'ed single back in the front 2 preamp channels of the motu, to record the mixdown back into cubase.

like i said, it's working, but i'm sure there's a more efficient way. any ideas? thanks.

 

[nounrecords]

also, instead of the speakers being hooked up to the "main outs" of the motu, like i have in this setup, i used to run the main outs to a stereo aux return into my playback mixer so that i could control volume for either cubase projects, or sounds coming out of my computer (via the aux knob), but if i ever turned it up beyond halfway, it would phase.......anybody out there have any advice?

 

[Ethan Winer]

If you're using a DAW program, I don't see a need for more than two outputs. I do everything ITB using SONAR, and my mixer and sound card are setup as explained here:

Using a Mixer with a DAW

I prefer to record with no compression or other effects, then apply all effects using plug-ins. It's a lot simpler - and better IMO - than trying to connect outboard hardware to a computer.

--Ethan