Mixing without Audio Interface and just a Laptop?

[GFunkEra408]

Hey everyone, I searched for this topic and didn't seem to find anything so hopefully I can get an understanding.

I do my recording and beat making mostly on my desktop computer which is connected to my apollo twin solo, and I use my headphones to mix (still don't have monitors yet, but coming soon ). But I want to move my projects to my Apple Laptop and mix portably on the go ...

My question is does it matter if I mix my song without my audio interface or not? I'm finding that the stuff that I mix on my Desktop with the audio interface sounds better, then if I were to mix just on my laptop. I'm thinking it does make a difference, but then again I don't know lol.

 

[OGBama]

Please know that an interface is a must-have regarding the recording chain and is the line between what you record sounding like crap vs. pristine recordings and the latter is what you should aim for albeit not done D.I.Y.

 

[GFunkEra408]

Please know that an interface is a must-have regarding the recording chain and is the line between what you record sounding like crap vs. pristine recordings and the latter is what you should aim for albeit not done D.I.Y.

Thanks OG Bama. I have everything already recorded which I've done through my audio interface. So it's preferred to mix with the audio interface connected (e.g. When I'm at my desktop, rather than transferring over to my laptop and being portable?

thanks and and apologies for the newbie questions, but I gots to know! Haha

 

[krushing]

Please know that an interface is a must-have regarding the recording chain and is the line between what you record sounding like crap vs. pristine recordings and the latter is what you should aim for albeit not done D.I.Y.

Well, not exactly. Obviously recording external sources without an interface is going to be tricky because connecting them without an interface is a bit hard, but let's say you get to record at a high-end studio using high-end rooms, high-end mics and preamps and only hook up the last line-level output to your Macbook's built-in input – it's not going to be crap because you don't have an interface. The only difference is the quality of the a/d conversion, and nowadays they're more than fine for 95% of amateur recording purposes.

Same thing - even more so - goes for mixing on just the laptop: the only difference is that you're not going through the d/a and the headphone amp of the Apollo, which are better than those of the built-in chip, but how many times you've had your headphones hooked up to just a laptop, listening to just music and thinking "well this sounds like crap, must be those pesky converters!"?

Interfaces are important, but on modern computers, not the kind of thing you can't live without, especially when just mixing.

 

[GFunkEra408]

Well, not exactly. Obviously recording external sources without an interface is going to be tricky because connecting them without an interface is a bit hard, but let's say you get to record at a high-end studio using high-end rooms, high-end mics and preamps and only hook up the last line-level output to your Macbook's built-in input – it's not going to be crap because you don't have an interface. The only difference is the quality of the a/d conversion, and nowadays they're more than fine for 95% of amateur recording purposes.

Same thing - even more so - goes for mixing on just the laptop: the only difference is that you're not going through the d/a and the headphone amp of the Apollo, which are better than those of the built-in chip, but how many times you've had your headphones hooked up to just a laptop, listening to just music and thinking "well this sounds like crap, must be those pesky converters!"?

Interfaces are important, but on modern computers, not the kind of thing you can't live without, especially when just mixing.

You're very informative and thank you for taking the time to answer probably a very basic question! You been a big help my dude!