Mixer with computer/audio interface

Andrew Broughton

Andrew Broughton

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Feb 2, 2011
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There's tons of those little mixers out there, with USB or Firewire connections in addition to the normal Analogue connections.

Most are not the right form factor and/or have WAY too many features for what I'm looking for.

Here's what I need, maybe someone has come across something like this...

3-4 Bus (1 aux or group and 1 stereo mains)
On the channel strips I need only gain, volume, Mute, Pan, selection of bus and ability to route to direct outs. No other features are needed.
4 XLR inputs with channel strips
4-8 digital inputs via single USB/Firewire with channel strips
8-12 balanced outputs (XLR preferred), (Left, Right, Bus, Direct out of digital inputs)
Metering or activity lights on each channel
Rackmount or at least have audio connections NOT on the top so it can be mounted in a rack.

I'm looking for a single solution that will combine a computer audio interface and a mixer. Computer audio interfaces have no control surface, mixers that include computer audio interfaces usually are more complex than I need, have features I don't need, like built in FX, comps, etc., and too few outputs.
 
Re: Mixer with computer/audio interface

The Allen & Heath Qu-16 might be a little bigger than you want (it's basically a digital MixWiz), but it's got most of what you're asking for. Direct outs on XLR could be done with the aux busses you say you don't need.
 
Re: Mixer with computer/audio interface

Thanks, guys. The MOTU seems interesting, if there's one that has volume controls for the input strips on the front, it would probably be a winner.
The QU-16 looks nice, but it's pretty pricy. The X32 producer is $500 less, but we're still talking about way overkill.

Probably the best solution is still a separate interface and then a simple rack-mount analogue mixer.
 
Re: Mixer with computer/audio interface

Andrew Broughton said:
Thanks, guys. The MOTU seems interesting, if there's one that has volume controls for the input strips on the front, it would probably be a winner.
Click to expand...

The motu Traveller should probably be a good fit,...... if you need more output channels you can hook up an adat I/O

BUT what do you mean by: "4-8 digital inputs via single USB/Firewire with channel strips". I don't think I've ever seen something like that, what's your source?
 
Re: Mixer with computer/audio interface

Andrew Broughton said:
Source is computer. Many mixers, especially digital ones have multitrack I/O via USB or FW.
Click to expand...

OK, so not a separate one then, it was just that the whole premise was a mixer with fiwi/usb, so specifying it again made me wonder if you wanted/needed a separate connection for sourcing signals from somewhere else. I think one of the Motu should be perfect for you if you like the software.
 
Re: Mixer with computer/audio interface

This is getting close to what you can buy in small Aviom-style mixers, though I'm not seeing anything that matches. Some kind of Dante-based thing would be ideal, since it's easy to get Dante audio from a computer. A little "more me" mixer that takes Dante, and then a little Dante input/output box for the interfacing.
 
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