Mixer Confusion?, Digital or Analog? Options

[iShawn]

I understand pretty well what an analog mixer does...you end up mixing everything for a live event to the mains for your show. I know they use mixers in recording...and with all of the tracks some have and the EQ'ing and plugin control I see why. But it seems that digital mixers fall into two categories.

Category 1
In-line digital mixer. These I don't seem to understand too well. Everything is plugged in using conventional inputs as normal and then somehow they maintain (I guess) the automation of the channel levels and other knobs through the computer magically. These I have most confusion over, for they maintain automation however they don't have any connection to the computer's software.

Category 2
Post-mixers. These connect through a MIDI port or USB port or some sort of way directly into the computer, and although they don't have any acutal line-level analog inputs in them, they take all the tracks of the software and provide pretty much a hands-on approach to mixing and finalizing a large-sized project that otherwise would be tedious to do with just a mouse.

I found a really cool one of Category 2: the TASCAM US-2400 that provides a USB connection to the computer for 24 tracks of automation with other real-time controls. As far as I know, this can be used in Cubase, Logic, PT, etc where you can control what the software is doing out of the computer with just a USB port. Is this correct? although all I need now is just a firepod and cubase LE, eventually I wanted to build upon that, and with the linking of multiple Firepods, I figure I could use those as my interface(s) and use the US2400 as a way to mix everything where I would use a lot of different tracks/controls/plugins to control.

So...after reviewing this, please let me know if I am right, or what I might be confused about. For this digital realm can be overwhelming at times...
|Keep Swinging|

[iShawn]

For example:
If I wanted to plug a MOTU 24I/O into a computer, and it jas just the line-level inputs on the back of it, what would you suggest for an in-line setup where you can automate the faders and other controls? Or can you?

[FinnB]

In-line?

I thougt in-line was a term for a mixer that uses sections of its channel strips to allow a mix of signals returned from a multitrack-recorder while recording. To make a mix and to monitor "off tape" without affecting the recording. It's like a mixer within a mixer.

Did you get this??? I'm not sure I did

[iShawn]

I'll make a drawing of what I mean.

[iShawn]

This is how I see it:

Category 1


Category 2


Which one is more sensible? Which one is used more? Which one is good for studio (not live) recording where you'd want to mix a WHOLE lot? I'm sorry this sounded like an informative post, but I meant this as how I see things now...and seeing if they are right. Sorry about the confusion!

I tried to keep the size fairly small so you don't have to scroll over; and if you do, I appologize. So I'm looking for (in category 1) how the daw magically controls the mixer that it isn't directly connected to other than through the interface with normal analog inputs. And (in category 2) I am looking for if this is really how a setup exists.

I realize 8 mic pres is nothing to worry about but you can link multiple ones of these pretty soon so that would be 16 and 24 mic pres that would need the facilitation of a mixer (for a studio).

This post has been edited by iShawn: Sat 6 Nov 2004, 05:24

[ourmanflinty]

hmmm virtual mixers vs digital mixers, and what is a mixer anyway?
a hui, baby hui, houston, pro control etc are all virtual mixers ( cat 2 ) a glorified qwerty keyboard in fact, you can also use midi fader boxes like a phat boy, an MRC or something.
a promix01, dmp7, dmc1000 etc are actual mixers, in-line or not ( cat 1 ) with audio and eq and moving faders and midi etc etc
a 002 or c24 or d8b is somewhere in between or a bit of both ha ha as is a korg microcontrol etc etc, cat 3!
an analog mixer can have retro-fitted midi fader automation, cat 4!
and cat 5 is ethernet cable.

Go for the tascam virtual mixer and maybe a small analog real mixer with charachter, like 8 channels of Neve or something.

This post has been edited by ourmanflinty: Tue 9 Nov 2004, 17:22

[iShawn]

Go for the tascam virtual mixer and maybe a small analog real mixer with charachter, like 8 channels of Neve or something.

So...you mean the 2400? What do you mean by the rest (small analog real mixer with character)? If I had an interface into the computer and had the 2400 then I can do all the mixing I want recording (somewhat) dry into the computer and changing stuff on the board. Yes?

I like the ethernet too. Could you elaborate on that? Maybe some product links?

Is the Digital X Bus by Mackie the same thing as a Category 2?

This post has been edited by iShawn: Wed 10 Nov 2004, 03:46

[iShawn]

I guess what I need to clarify is what I want to do. Maybe that will help with what I am trying to understand. I start small...but afar from that:

I play jazz. I want to be able to record jazz. Everything from a small combo to a jazz (swing) band. So that's about 16-18 inputs. At once, max. It's hard to get the feeling of jazz when you play one at a time...but I've rambled on about that in previous posts.

So...I was thinking about the route of the Mackie ONYX or anything like that where I can link multiple interfaces together for a preamp to go into the computer (This would be for a home setup where I'd use a PCI interface). Now, from that I go into logic and record it, but I want to be able to have a real-time control over all of the tracks as far as the level, EQ, goes. Not many effects (if any at all) will be added other than what maybe will be in Logic itself.

This, ultimately is what I'm after. Right now I have to scale it down to something around the Firepod and jsut do it in the computer (no biggie) but I wanted to know how I could add on to the home setup adside from a more portable setup.

[iShawn]

Tascam's US-2400 Interface Application Guide answer my question. With diagrams. I love diagrams. I guess I'll shut up for a while now.

http://tascam.com/Products/US-2400/US2400_appguide.pdf