Best mixer/or midi controller for connecting DAW+VST+Hardware

[NatLife]

hi guys!
actually a question) what analog or digital mixer/ or midi controllers do you know for connecting DAW(FL Studio)+VST+Hardware in one?
from what i know - Roland MX-1(Most stable working mixer that can connect it all, but not sure about quality), Edirol M-10DX(some people talking about drivers problems)...
Of course i'm looking for something with a normal price and size, not talking about giant studio mixers

[Langur]

What do you mean exactly?
Do you use external audio card?
How many channels you need?

[NatLife]

What do you mean exactly?
Do you use external audio card?
How many channels you need?

yeas, i'm using Steinber Ur22, but it can be changed if it needs...up to 6 Mono channels i think

[Langur]

What do you mean exactly?
Do you use external audio card?
How many channels you need?

yeas, i'm using Steinber Ur22, but it can be changed if it needs...up to 6 Mono channels i think

Why don't you connect all to audio card?

[NatLife]

What do you mean exactly?
Do you use external audio card?
How many channels you need?

yeas, i'm using Steinber Ur22, but it can be changed if it needs...up to 6 Mono channels i think

Why don't you connect all to audio card?

i need a full hardware mixer+DAW mixer connect, plus my audio is not enough of in/outs..

[nevis]

Hi NatLife,

It really depends on what you want to achieve with your setup and how you work...

Judging by the sound sets you sell, it does not look like you are planning on recording a live band with 12 microphones and 6 instrument outputs at the same time. That's the "mixer scenario" for me.

If you are producing electronic music by yourself, you usually do not record all the instruments at the same time. You do it mostly step by step.

In that scenario, I have myself opted to go with a "semi professional" sound card and paid attention to the fact that it should be expandable. I have now reached the point that I am too lazy to change plugs and cables. I bought some really cheap and small 2nd hand hardware synthesizers, so I have expanded with a 2nd sound card that transmits via ADAT to the 1st sound card. Hint from suffering experience: check if they are able to sync and which cable does that (sometimes via optical, sometimes BNC, sometimes optical but not in slave/master - only master/slave config).
You can of course always work with a patch bay, keep your current sound card. That might be the cheapest option if you're happy with your sound card.

Hope that is some food for thought for you.

[thecontrolcentre]

I use a A&H Zed14 ... it has 6 mono channels and 4 stereo, plus 2 extra line level stereo ins, with a main stereo out and 2 extra stereo aux outs and a built in USB audio interface.

[NatLife]

Hi NatLife,

It really depends on what you want to achieve with your setup and how you work...

Judging by the sound sets you sell, it does not look like you are planning on recording a live band with 12 microphones and 6 instrument outputs at the same time. That's the "mixer scenario" for me.

If you are producing electronic music by yourself, you usually do not record all the instruments at the same time. You do it mostly step by step.

In that scenario, I have myself opted to go with a "semi professional" sound card and paid attention to the fact that it should be expandable. I have now reached the point that I am too lazy to change plugs and cables. I bought some really cheap and small 2nd hand hardware synthesizers, so I have expanded with a 2nd sound card that transmits via ADAT to the 1st sound card. Hint from suffering experience: check if they are able to sync and which cable does that (sometimes via optical, sometimes BNC, sometimes optical but not in slave/master - only master/slave config).
You can of course always work with a patch bay, keep your current sound card. That might be the cheapest option if you're happy with your sound card.

Hope that is some food for thought for you.

hi Nevis!
yeas, not in plan to record the song with a live band. I need it to connect VST+Hardware synths in DAW...that is my task, plus will be great if the controller can control the DAW ... like send/receive signals...thats what i like in Roland MX-1, but i thought maybe some other company have such instrument?

[NatLife]

I use a A&H Zed14 ... it has 6 mono channels and 4 stereo, plus 2 extra line level stereo ins, with a main stereo out and 2 extra stereo aux outs and a built in USB audio interface.

good choise, but in my case it can't do all what i need, thnk you!

[thecontrolcentre]

I use a A&H Zed14 ... it has 6 mono channels and 4 stereo, plus 2 extra line level stereo ins, with a main stereo out and 2 extra stereo aux outs and a built in USB audio interface.

good choise, but in my case it can't do all what i need, thnk you!

I missed the bit about needing some midi control too. Something like Roland's VM-3100 might fit the bill. I was given one recently, but haven't tried the midi yet. I was planning to use it as a sub-mixer for my RTYM and Octatrack ...

[NatLife]

I use a A&H Zed14 ... it has 6 mono channels and 4 stereo, plus 2 extra line level stereo ins, with a main stereo out and 2 extra stereo aux outs and a built in USB audio interface.

good choise, but in my case it can't do all what i need, thnk you!

I missed the bit about needing some midi control too. Something like Roland's VM-3100 might fit the bill. I was given one recently, but haven't tried the midi yet. I was planning to use it as a sub-mixer for my RTYM and Octatrack ...

yeah it might, but i got already some old mixers that can do the work like i need, but it was a lug story, so i looking for some fresher instruments

[khuzdul]

Have you considered splitting out the DAW mixer control surface functionality from the audio interface?

Even though Behringer justly gets some bad rap, have you considered an X-TOUCH? The X-TOUCH is a surprisingly good mixer control surface using HUI or Mackie Control, comparing well against the Presonus Faderport instead of being trounced by the Presonus as you would normally expect. Of course the Avid Artist Mix with the EuCon protocol would be better in terms of control resolution and control latency, but much more expensive and you loose the MIDI pass through. A more solidly built alternative with Mackie Control would be the Mackie MCU Pro (which is IMHO what Behringer was gunning for with the X-TOUCH), or the older Mackie MCU if you are dead set on MIDI control only.

For the audio interface, again with Behringer as a budget choice for 6+ mono inputs, the UMC1820. The UMC1820 is an adequate audio interface, great for the number of inputs and price range if you are cost constrained. Of course you can of course do better if you have the money. If you were good with 4 mono channels, then the Audient ID44 would be a much superior audio interface, and you could still use the X-TOUCH for the control surface, but you specifically said 6 mono inputs.