Home Recording Audio interface vs Mixer?
motoxdude87 Asked: Home Recording Audio interface vs Mixer?
Im putting together a home studio for my band. I am using my macbook pro (Either Garage band or logic).I already have mics for drums and vocals. Should i by a recording mixer or audio interface? What is the difference.
Answers:
HomeMusicGear Answered:
Audio Interface:
An audio interface main job is to transfer an audio signal as best as possible to another recording device (in your case a computer). Because you have a mac, you have firewire. You can get an audio interface that transfers via firewire which will be very HIGH quality and much more efficient than usb. An audio interface transfers and digitizes the signal for the mixer on garageband or logic.
Audio Interface:
An audio interface main job is to transfer an audio signal as best as possible to another recording device (in your case a computer). Because you have a mac, you have firewire. You can get an audio interface that transfers via firewire which will be very HIGH quality and much more efficient than usb. An audio interface transfers and digitizes the signal for the mixer on garageband or logic.
Mixer:
A mixer is used when you want to mix your audio signals before going into the computer. Most mixers don't have a usb port out but there are some available. And if they do it isn't their main purpose which makes the audio signal slightly degraded. But if you plan on using studio monitors and you need to mix your instruments for your monitors then you need a mixer.
My choice–get a firewire audio interface
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