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May 2012

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by Bruce Borgerson

“Get on the bus!” That’s what the marketplace declared to manufacturers of compact analog mixers, and the swelling chorus soon echoed around the world. “We want seamless connectivity for computer-based recording,” we all cried. “And please keep it simple!”

Well, now we’ve got it, and in abundance. If you want to plug your computer directly into an analog mixer, using either the USB 2.0 bus or the IEEE 1394 bus (commonly referred to as “Firewire”), you have a plethora of options at street prices starting under $200. It’s the best of both worlds, with the affordable input channel counts of an analog mixer married to the sonic and manipulative advantages of the computer-based digital workstation. Little wonder that everybody is jumping aboard.

Cutting Out the Middle Module

What essentially happened here is that several leading manufacturers of analog mixing consoles have taken a stand-alone USB or Firewire audio interface and surgically implanted it inside the mixer. The result is a neat package that eliminates redundant components (like power supplies), extra connecting cables, and other general stuff that adds to the cost. The result is, of course, that you get the same performance and functionality for less money, with a tad of “creation care” thrown in as a bonus.

Before proceeding with a breakdown of options available, be aware that the implanted interface makes this analog mixer a computer peripheral. And that means you have to make sure your USB or Firewire functions are compatible with your computer’s operating system, RAM capacity, and processor speed, etc. With some of the more basic two-channel USB units, it’s a simple plug-and-play process—assuming everything is compatible. With most multichannel interfaces, you will have to install a specific driver, though most offer both Mac and PC options. You’ll also get free recording software, which in most cases will work with your computer. If it doesn’t, you likely can find other software that is fully compatible, if you don’t have it already.

Desktop Front-Ends

In an attempt to make this survey more useful the qualifying models will be grouped by likely applications in a church setting rather than in an alphabetical list.

We’ll call the first group “front end for basic desktop production.” These very-low-cost mixers (street prices starting at $150) offer four XLR inputs, usually with another four stereo line inputs, coupled with a USB port for direct connection to your computer’s software DAW. All include free bundled recording software, and all are USB 1.1 compatible. The upside of USB 1.1 is you can use these units with many older computers. The downside is that it’s a 2 x 2 connection only, and performance is limited to 16-bit resolution with 44.1 or 48 kHz sampling rates. That equals or exceeds CD quality, so it’s fine for applications such as voice podcasts, building backing tracks two at a time, or songwriting demos with one or two musicians. As a bonus, all units also offer a built-in multi-effects unit, either as standard or on a slightly higher cost variant model.

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Bruce Borgerson networks around the industry via Wavelength Communications while monitoring technologies at the First United Methodist Church of Ashland, Ore.