Is a Mixer just as good as an Audio interface?
- Thread starter stumppump
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I'mNoGuru
New member
If it's a USB mixer then yes it 'can'
Here's 4 reasons why many producers avoid them.
1) The drivers that are supplied with USB Mixers are rarely as good as those supplied with an interface
2) The preamps on most USB Mixers (and certainly the Peavey mixers) are rarely as good as those in an interface.
3) The converters in USB Mixers are rarely as good as those found in an interface.
4) The circuitry in mixers; especially in lower end mixers (circuitry obviously not found in an interface) can be the cause of unwanted noise in recordings.
Here's 4 reasons why many producers avoid them.
1) The drivers that are supplied with USB Mixers are rarely as good as those supplied with an interface
2) The preamps on most USB Mixers (and certainly the Peavey mixers) are rarely as good as those in an interface.
3) The converters in USB Mixers are rarely as good as those found in an interface.
4) The circuitry in mixers; especially in lower end mixers (circuitry obviously not found in an interface) can be the cause of unwanted noise in recordings.
krushing
Moderator
Some clarification might be in order...
A regular (analog) mixer can't function as an interface because it's lacking, well, the interface part - which converts analog signals to digital & further into data the computer can understand (should be also noted that while the ADC can be considered a rather fundamental part of an interface, there are also standalone converters with only digital audio outputs but no direct computer interface).
An USB/FireWire mixer is basically an analog mixer with the audio interface part added. There are also hybrid units that act as mixers, control surfaces for your DAW as well as an audio interface, like the Presonus StudioLive series or Allen & Heath's ZED R16/24. While I'mNoGuru's comments do somewhat apply to mixers in the same price range as low-to-mid level audio interfaces, there are plenty of units (like those I mentioned & Mackie's Onyx-i series, for example) that, well, don't suck.
A regular (analog) mixer can't function as an interface because it's lacking, well, the interface part - which converts analog signals to digital & further into data the computer can understand (should be also noted that while the ADC can be considered a rather fundamental part of an interface, there are also standalone converters with only digital audio outputs but no direct computer interface).
An USB/FireWire mixer is basically an analog mixer with the audio interface part added. There are also hybrid units that act as mixers, control surfaces for your DAW as well as an audio interface, like the Presonus StudioLive series or Allen & Heath's ZED R16/24. While I'mNoGuru's comments do somewhat apply to mixers in the same price range as low-to-mid level audio interfaces, there are plenty of units (like those I mentioned & Mackie's Onyx-i series, for example) that, well, don't suck.