#16
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One thing to consider is your A+H is not a control surface for your DAW - you'll still be using a mouse and clicking on the computer when you are using the DAW.
The A+H has stereo USB out - meaning if you want to record two separate things, separately, at the same time, you have to pan one of them left, the other right, then set your DAW's tracks to grab each one to its own mono track. If you record the A+H FX with your tracks, you can't adjust them after, the way you can if you use plug-in FX in your DAW. It's not clear in the A+H description on the monitoring capability of the mixer - can you listen to the already-recorded tracks from your computer while recording new tracks? I suspect you can by using the AUX output option for the USB, and making sure the USB-Return to Stereo2 channel's AUX control is zeroed. It all seems complicated to use as a recording interface - compared to using an actual audio interface made for the job! Mixers are for mixing ....
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Mike My music: https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com 2020 Taylor 324ceBE 2017 Taylor 114ce-N 2012 Taylor 310ce 2011 Fender CD140SCE Ibanez 12 string a/e 73(?) Epiphone 6830E 6 string 72 Fender Telecaster Epiphone Dot Studio Epiphone LP Jr Chinese Strat clone Kala baritone ukulele Seagull 'Merlin' Washburn Mandolin Luna 'tatoo' a/e ukulele antique banjolin Squire J bass Last edited by MikeBmusic; 03-24-2017 at 07:34 AM. |
#17
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The above is a bit confusing with your mixing sample rates and bit depths. If you are clear on the difference just ignore the following and chalk it up the benefit of any reading the thread who are not clear on it But the difference between "sample rate" (44.1 khz --48 khz-- 88 khz -- 96 khz-- 192 khz) and "bit depth" 16 or 24..... can be thought of as a very simplistic analogy (of a very complex mathematical subject). BUT it will do for a very basic example. Visualize the frequency range of human hearing 20 to 20k as being a swimming pool say 100 yards long . The "sample rate" is the number of equally spaced cups of water samples, you take going from one end to the other. So starting with taking 44 .1 thousand cups of samples then on up to 192 thousand cups of samples. Think of "bit depth" as water depth in the swimming pool, either 16 feet of depth, or 24 feet of depth, and the ability of stacking metal blocks from the bottom until you breach the surface ( with air above the surface being the digital clipping point) so obviously you can stack more blocks in the 24 ft depth before breaching the surface and clipping . Next you need to differentiate the term channels/ or tracks from simultaneous inputs Yes with the ZED you get 4 mic inputs and only 2 with 2i2 and the ZED can be used as a stand alone mixer for live use. And that is about the extent of any advantage of the ZED over the 2i2 (and since you already have a the Behringer mixer standalone really is not an advantage per se) With the ZED you have only 2 channels of already mixed audio going to the computer (which means you can't utilize about 95% to 99% of the advantage of using computer DAW software ) With the 2i2 your number of channels/tracks is limited only by the DAW software you run, the bundled software (PT First or Ableton lite) 16 tracks With something like Reaper unlimited (or more correctly limited only by the computer's power) With the ZED you are limited to 16 bit audio with the Focusrite you can use 24 bit ( which is reason alone IMO to skip the ZED) With the Focusrite and a DAW you can then edit the audio on individual tracks/channels ( one of the biggest advantages of DAW software) with the ZED you can't ...... again another reason alone to forget the ZED With the Focusrite you have access to literally thousands of possible plugins FX and tools that can be used in mixing. With the ability to use specific targeted tools and vast amount of adjustment to have the optimum target effect . Which you will not have with the ZED With the Focusrite you have access to the possibility of using midi With the ZED you don't With the ZED you are limited to only the onboard FX With the ZED you limited to the preset parameters of it's EQ with no ability adjust edit the either frequency being effected or the band with range or "Q" If it were me (given the current goals and possible goals you have stated) going forward I would skip the ZED and put that money into a more versatile Focusrite Scarlet unit or similar like the 18i8 or the 18i20 rack unit with something like those, you will be able to record a solo guitar or even a small band And lastly if you decide you really want fader control there are dedicated DAW control surfaces with faders that you could go to
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Enjoy the Journey.... Kev... KevWind at Soundcloud KevWind at YouYube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...EZxkPKyieOTgRD System : Studio system Avid Carbon interface , PT Ultimate 2023.12 -Mid 2020 iMac 27" 3.8GHz 8-core i7 10th Gen ,, Ventura 13.2.1 Mobile MBP M1 Pro , PT Ultimate 2023.12 Ventura 12.2.1 Last edited by KevWind; 03-23-2017 at 11:03 AM. |
#18
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I don't want to skip Mike's post, good stuff, but I'll spin off of KevWind's for this round.. Spin cycle started.
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Sounds like to make this work I could use a whole other computer dedicated to recording... This is all good stuff. You guys rock. |
#19
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Set the source for the headphone jack to "playback". Then use either the record buss or main mix to send back to USB Set the record buss to send to USB and have the return to stereo channel 2. Take stereo channel 2 off the record loop and play back over any output - mains, aux, headphones. |
#20
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#21
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FlyFishn, you really seem insistent on going the mixer route, so its probably useless for everyone to keep advising you here. I bought a Behringer USB mixer and it was noisy - not only were the mic preamps inadequate (had to turn the gain way up) - but the USB output had a high pitched whine that would only go away if the overall volume was reduced. There was no separate USB volume control on this mixer, the main volume sliders also controlled the USB output. I returned the Behr mixer and bought a Mackie. My real reason for the mixer was so that I could have everything plugged in all the time to record to my Boss recorder, the USB was just extra. The Mackie has a separate volume control for the USB output, and if you turn it up too high, there is that whine again. I later learned that this is common on the cheap 16 bit ADA converters found in USB mixers. I understand A+H have better components, but have not read of anyone really using one of these as their primary recording input device. USB mixers are really made for sending the "live mix" from a performance to a computer, not for multitrack recording.
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Mike My music: https://mikebirchmusic.bandcamp.com 2020 Taylor 324ceBE 2017 Taylor 114ce-N 2012 Taylor 310ce 2011 Fender CD140SCE Ibanez 12 string a/e 73(?) Epiphone 6830E 6 string 72 Fender Telecaster Epiphone Dot Studio Epiphone LP Jr Chinese Strat clone Kala baritone ukulele Seagull 'Merlin' Washburn Mandolin Luna 'tatoo' a/e ukulele antique banjolin Squire J bass |
#22
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There is a big difference in recording at 16 v 24 bits. With 16 bits you are always chasing a hot recording where your meters approach max levels to make the most of your bits, so to speak. 24 bit recording allows you to be more relaxed about recording levels and you can normally keep out of the danger zone (clipping) which can ruin a good take.
The mixer you seem to want is really designed for a small live band to provide a few channels of amplification. I use Logic Pro X and an RME Babyface audio interface. For $199 Logic Pro X is amazing value and the effects available will blow that mixer right out of the water. I use the mixer in Logic Pro X, why would I want to use an external mixer as well?
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Yamaha AC3M Acoustic Guitar Gretch G5220 Electromatic Squier Classic Vibe 50s Telecaster Squier Vintage Modified Telecaster Special Yamaha BB414 Bass |
#23
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I have also heard of loads of stories about badly implemented USB on cheap mixers and as Mike above pointed out a lot of people seem to experience noise when using USB on their mixers.
If you want more than 2 inputs you can buy a USB audio interface with more than 2 inputs.
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Yamaha AC3M Acoustic Guitar Gretch G5220 Electromatic Squier Classic Vibe 50s Telecaster Squier Vintage Modified Telecaster Special Yamaha BB414 Bass |
#24
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Now from a strict (can you do it) basis you certainly could record and output one mono track at a time (presumably on the left main output) and as you say not use the EQ or effects. Or you could even record two tracks at a time ( for example from a pair of mics recording an acoustic guitar rhythm part) and output them summed to a stereo track. Then record say a mono track bass line from your electric and then another mono electric lead part , and then a vocal and maybe a backing vocal etc. etc. and you could as you say, then deal with all the tracks separately in the DAW as if going through an interface BUT then you have defeated the reason and the money spent for the ZED in the place. i.e. multi track and onboard FX . Quote:
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Which a means you have paid for 4 pre amps of which you can only use 2 at a time because the ZED can only output 2 summed channels . You have paid for onboard FX you are either not using (because you have way more and potentially better ones in the DAW plugin capability) OR If you do use the FX reverb or EQ on the ZED (that you have paid for) they will be permanently printed to the audio and cannot later be changed or removed, where the DAW FX can be changed or removed. And again The ability to do narrow "Q" EQ cuts (not possible with the ZED EQ's ) is a really good option in mixes with multiple tracks, so again you are paying for unneeded and less functional EQ Quote:
The midi I was talking is using is either just within the DAW via virtual instruments and mouse control or a midi keyboard which does have control function in the DAW and all the virtual instruments available (but that would be the same no matter how the audio gets to the DAW) Quote:
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Enjoy the Journey.... Kev... KevWind at Soundcloud KevWind at YouYube https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...EZxkPKyieOTgRD System : Studio system Avid Carbon interface , PT Ultimate 2023.12 -Mid 2020 iMac 27" 3.8GHz 8-core i7 10th Gen ,, Ventura 13.2.1 Mobile MBP M1 Pro , PT Ultimate 2023.12 Ventura 12.2.1 Last edited by KevWind; 03-24-2017 at 09:16 AM. |
#25
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All good stuff.
I got in to the manuals for the Scarlett 2i4 and 6i6. I think for what I am after right now with some expansion and future flexibility in mind the 6i6 will get me started for now. The 18i8 and beyond seem a bit too overkill. I'll look in to upgrading the mixer next... I'll have the interface covered with the 6i6, so whether I end up with an analog or a USB-ready unit I'll have all my bases covered now. Now lets see how long it takes to get my box in the mail... Thanks for the input everyone. I wasn't trying to be difficult, just trying to see through the details. I guess that is coming from the perspective of never having used one of these audio interfaces before. If nothing else, I am about to find out a whole other world of audio gear. Wish me luck in diving in to the digital age... |