Mixer + Interface

P.S :
I may be talking a load of rubbish here , but i swear i saw in a forum somewhere that some people plug a mixer into an interface like the fast track ultra and then into the pc afterthat. That may be for guitar but still :)
Thanks again
 
A mixer is simply a device which can re-route sound, often it'll have various ways of manipulating the sound along the way (most often, some form of EQ) and will also have preamplifiers to boost the signal - as well as other input tools like phase inversion and phantom power.

An audio interface is a device that allows signal to be inputted digitally into a computer, in the form of an analogue to digital converter. Analogue is the sound as we hear it and computers only understand binary digits, to the analogue signal has to be converted into binary digits. That is the job of the audio interface. Audio interfaces usually have a form of preamplifier attached in order for microphones to be directly plugged into them. So a mixing desk isn't actually necessary for digital recording, as most software will have a form of mix control within them.

Some people prefer to have an analogue mixing desk connected to an audio interface, giving them greater control at the analogue stage.

Some audio interfaces also have hardware mixing desks attached onto them that interface (usually through MIDI) with the mix controls on the computer. So they perform two jobs at once. But there must ALWAYS be an audio interface in the chain so that the computer can convert the signal into a format it will recognise.
 
Cheers MFB mate!
Another question is about multi-track recording , i know its not a small topic but still.
I know things like the Firepod etc have the multi-track ability so when you record each mic goes to a different track. Can mixers have this function too , i have a Behringer 2222fx which is great for live etc but it doesn't support multi-track? Do mutli-track recording systems ONLY come in the form of firewire?
Thanks alot again!
Sorry for all the questions , but i guess you've got to be a noob at some point :p
 
Yes, that should provide multittrack support, provided your DAW does.
 
Well i use Mixcraft mainly to record and sometimes Magix and when i hit record it only records 2 stereo (Left and right) tracks in the software. Any ideas why even if i have 5 mics plugged in there are only 2 stereo tracks?
This is the mixer btw : http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/2222FX.aspx
Interfaces such as you are describing can be USB or Firewire.

Before attempting to answering your question, I'd like to know what your signal flow is (from mic to computer). For example, do you have a microphone plugged into your mixer and the mixer connected directly to your computer via USB? Also, how are you monitoring your DAW? And, how is that connected?

Do you have another interface in between the mixer and your computer? For example, have you run the L & R outputs from your mixer into the two inputs on a Firepod? And thus, is your Firepod connected to your computer via Firewire?

Just FYI, your ability to record multiple inputs (ie, 5 microphones) will be governed by the input/output capability of your interface. If, for example, your Behringer mixer is connected to your computer via USB, AND, you are using supported DAW software that allows you multiple inputs (more than 2 channels in this case), then you should have no problem recording with 5 microphones. I suspect your troubles just might be in how you have everything connected together.
 
I may be wrong, but I believe the 2222FX uses USB to connect to your computer...in which case USB is only able to handle 2 channels of audio. Also, MAGIX only can multi-track 2 tracks at a time (so you are doubly SOL if using MAGIX).
 
I may be wrong, but I believe the 2222FX uses USB to connect to your computer...in which case USB is only able to handle 2 channels of audio. Also, MAGIX only can multi-track 2 tracks at a time (so you are doubly SOL if using MAGIX).
Is this true? I didn't realize that USB was limited in that regard.

After a quick boo thru Harmony Central, it would appear that this restriction on USB is no longer an issue.

Note: RME-Presents-the-Fireface-400-with-USB-Interface-at-Frankfurt-Musikmesse http://messe.harmony-central.com/Musikmesse09/article/RME/RME-Presents-the-Fireface-400-with-USB-Interface-at-Frankfurt-Musikmesse
 
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Well i use Mixcraft mainly to record and sometimes Magix and when i hit record it only records 2 stereo (Left and right) tracks in the software. Any ideas why even if i have 5 mics plugged in there are only 2 stereo tracks?
This is the mixer btw : http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/2222FX.aspx

One of:
1) Your mixer only does stereo out via USB;
2) Your DAW limits to stereo recording
3) Both 1 & 2
4) Misconfiguration of mixer or DAW.

USB is not a high speed interface. USB 2.0 is substantially faster (what the RME interface uses) and roughly on par with Firewire 400.

Generally you want to look for something sold as an "interface" vs a "mixer" - many interfaces have software mixers, but if you're using it for the purpose of recording you're going to want to mix in your DAW anyway. (Or with a control surface, but that's another discussion...) It's unfortunately a step up in price, but no one ever said home recording was cheap.

I'd also suggest avoiding the FireBox - it's got very noisy pres if you're using a mic without a hot signal. If you have to hit that +12dB toggle in software, you're done.
 
I may be wrong, but I believe the 2222FX uses USB to connect to your computer...in which case USB is only able to handle 2 channels of audio. Also, MAGIX only can multi-track 2 tracks at a time (so you are doubly SOL if using MAGIX).

USB can handle more than two. I have no idea where you heard this. My USB interface handles eight in and eight out with absolutely no problem - so this myth that USB can only work with two I don't get.

You might well be right with the MAGIX thing though.
 
It could be something as simple as the routing within the DAW itself. Is everything being recorded to those two tracks, or just channels one and two? If it is just those two, you might just need to create the requisite input busses to make sure everything's going in on its own channel. I don't know MAGIX, but I know that some programs (Cubase for example) don't automatically detect how many input channels there are and require you to create them yourself.
 
!

Is there a free trial i could use for programs like Cubase so i could check whether i am able to record more than 2 tracks at the same time? (also , what is the technical term for record 4-5 tracks for example at the same time?)
Cheers people , have a good day!
 
Sorry PQleyR , yeah it records in stereo which i can split into two tracks panning left and right , but with recording drums that is useless :(.
Any ideas xD?
Cheers
 
USB can handle more than two. I have no idea where you heard this. My USB interface handles eight in and eight out with absolutely no problem - so this myth that USB can only work with two I don't get.

You might well be right with the MAGIX thing though.

Is it USB 2.0 or old-school USB 1.0/1.1? I distinctly remember a local audio rec prof saying that FW was the way to go because USB 1.0 could not handle more than 2 channels and 1.1 could barely squeak out 6-8 without causing issues with putting to much signal traffic through one line. He said this is why most low(er)-end mixers that offer USB output (not USB 2.0) will only show stereo tracks on the computer, because anything beyond that risks loss and distortion.

As to MAGIX, I know the older versions did not support it nor did the demo of one of the newer ones that I tried. On a quick google search, though, it would appear the MAGIX Samplitude Music Studio 14 does perhaps support multitracking (Music Maker 15 does not seem to though); if this is the software you own, make sure that all the input busses are properly set up to actually be receiving a signal
 
Re: !

Is there a free trial i could use for programs like Cubase so i could check whether i am able to record more than 2 tracks at the same time? (also , what is the technical term for record 4-5 tracks for example at the same time?)
Cheers people , have a good day!

recording more than one track at a time = multitracking (original, i know :)
 
Is it USB 2.0 or old-school USB 1.0/1.1? I distinctly remember a local audio rec prof saying that FW was the way to go because USB 1.0 could not handle more than 2 channels and 1.1 could barely squeak out 6-8 without causing issues with putting to much signal traffic through one line. He said this is why most low(er)-end mixers that offer USB output (not USB 2.0) will only show stereo tracks on the computer, because anything beyond that risks loss and distortion.

Well anything claiming to be an audio interface now with that kind of analogue I/O is going to be 2.0. My interface is 2.0. I can't think of any interfaces that have been made for years with USB 1.1. The last time I came across a USB 1.0 port was in 1996 on a desktop computer we bought - so the USB issue just doesn't exist any more with modern hardware.
 
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