Audio Interface

Audio Interface

Choosing Your Audio Mixer

For your Home Recording projects, what kind of audio mixer is best suited for your needs? You can choose from analog, digital or software mixers so you will have to learn a bit more about them before you can decide.

The first question you should ask yourself is whether you even need a mixer at all. When recording audio from a microphone, you will need to have a preamp in order to boost the strength of the audio signal. With an audio interface with a Microphone Preamp included, then you shouldn't need a separate mixer. One exception would be if you intent to record two or more instruments at a time.

When using a hardware Effects Processor that takes the audio signal from the mic and runs it through a processor before actually recording it, then you will likely need to get a mixer of some kind.

A Mixer's Functions

Basically, a mixer just takes two audio signals and combines them into one. Mixers can also add effects to the sound, with functions like reverb, compression, chorus or equalizing. A mixer can also pan the sound from side to side. Any of these effects can be added to the audio before the signal arrives at the computer for final recording.

Kinds of Mixers

There are primarily three different types of mixers: analog, digital and software. Each one has its own pros and cons and should be looked at before you decide what you need.

Analog: Signals are mixed without first converting into digital. These types of mixers don't need any AD/DA converters, but you will get some background noise with analog mixers. They are fairly inexpensive though not as cheap as software mixers.

Digital: These mixers are the most expensive and can be harder to master than the analog version. The original analog signals is converted into digital, and you need to have an AD/DA converter to use one. The routing is more flexible, but digital mixers can have latency problems.

Software: Most DAWs have software mixers, so there is no need to get extra equipment. These are the cheapest mixers available but you can only use them to record one signal at a time. You control the mixer through your computer, with mouse and keyboard.

Analog and digital mixers can be connected to your computer with analog connectors (phono jacks), a USB connection or with Firewire.

About the Author

James Gooch is the editor of The-Home-Recording-Studio.com, the complete resource for building your own Recording Studio at home. Read more about choosing the right home recording equipment at his site.

Audio Interface................?

If you have a mixer do you really need an audio interface? If so what dose the audio interface do for the mixer and for your sound?

What exactly is an audio interface for anyway and how will it help me when recording my band?

An Audio Interface converts the electrical signal (analog) from your mics into a Digital Signal that your computer can understand. So in this way it performs the same function as the Sound Card in your computer.

The difference is that Audio Interfaces typically have Mic Preamps onboard and provide phantom power for Condenser Mics. If you already have a Mixer... your mic preamps and phantom power are already taken care of. Also some AIs have a MIDI input/output interface on board to provide MIDI capability.

Audio Interfaces also provide software based mixers that you can use to adjust after the digital conversion has taken place -- as opposed to a physical mixer which is actually adjust voltages prior to the signal being converted to digital form.

In the end it sounds like you don't need one, unless you need more mic preamps or wanted to add MIDI capability to your rig.

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