Connecting Mackie 24/8 mixer to interface?

[jmather]

hello! I've recently aquired the Mackie 24/8 mixer and an Echo Layla 8 channel digital interface. I'm overwhelmed by the complexity of the mixer (so many inputs and buttons) and I can't figure out how to connect the two. Also, I'm using Sonar 4 on a PC. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!thanksJustin

[aubreyz]

Quote:hello! I've recently aquired the Mackie 24/8 mixer and an Echo Layla 8 channel digital interface. I'm overwhelmed by the complexity of the mixer (so many inputs and buttons) and I can't figure out how to connect the two. Also, I'm using Sonar 4 on a PC. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!thanksJustin Two schools of thought here as far as connecting the Mackie to the interface. 1. For the cleanest signal path you would connect the direct out of each channel being recorded as needed.2. For the most flexibility and least cable patching changes, you could connect from the direct sub outs 1-8 to the interface and use the buss routing to determine what channels record where.errr... 3rd option: Get a patchpay so both options are easy to configure If this makes no sense, don't worry. Don't look at all the knobs and buttons at once-- just a row at a time. You just have to figure out one row and the whole thing will make sense Aub

[jmather]

Aub - aha! after some frustration I think I made a breakthru, with your help of course. Thanks bro. I do foresee more Qs so don't go far!!Justin

[aubreyz]

Quote:Aub - aha! after some frustration I think I made a breakthru, with your help of course. Thanks bro. I do foresee more Qs so don't go far!!Justin NP. I'm a little rusty on my Mackie speak, been a few years -- but happy to help any way I can.Aub

[nickbatzdorf]

Aw, I wouldn't bother with direct outs. This is a Mackie mixer, not a house-priced Neve console. You won't hear the difference, and the reason you have a mixer is so you can use it to mix inputs. Use Aub's option #2.The thing to remember about any mixer is that every one of those 24 channels is the same and every one of the eight masters is the same, so you only have to learn two strips. And if you're still feeling daunted, consider that they sold tens of thousands of those mixers, and all those people figured it out. Statistically some of them would have to be total morons, and if they can do it you can do it to.

[aubreyz]

Quote:Aw, I wouldn't bother with direct outs...You mean you can't hear that difference of .0002 % THD between the direct out and the subs... Man I'm having flashbacks to a rack of ADATS and a 32.8 mixing straight to DAT trying to be the man with 37 arms. Sigh... those were the days Aub

[mazz]

Quote:Quote:Aw, I wouldn't bother with direct outs...You mean you can't hear that difference of .0002 % THD between the direct out and the subs... Man I'm having flashbacks to a rack of ADATS and a 32.8 mixing straight to DAT trying to be the man with 37 arms. Sigh... those were the days AubWhat, no Niche MIDI automation? Man you were behind the times! Don't miss those days!You guys beat me to the "you've seen one mixer channel you've seen 'em all" speech. It's a bit overwhelming at first to see all those knobs but just break it down like the Mackie manual does and you'll see that every channel is the same and the subs and auxes are just mixers within mixers. Take your time and you'll be an expert. Ask a bunch of questions, there's a few of us old school analog folks here that still remember a few things!Have fun with the wiring! Mazz

[twilsbach]

Can hijack this thread for a second...Along the same lines...I've got a 16 channel mackie and I use pro tools Le 6.4 with a DIGI 001 interface.Is there any benefit in sending everything through the mackie before it gets to the DIGI?My thinking was the most direct signal path was best?

[aubreyz]

Quote:My thinking was the most direct signal path was best?As a rule of thumb, yes -- but as Nick pointed out, sometimes the signal path difference is so minor that it doesn't matter that much. All that being said, I try to err on the side of direct (but I'm also one of those guys who drives the speed limit just because it's the law ).IMHO the only reasons to run everything through the Mackie would be 1. If you liked the Mackie pre-amps better than the 001's2. You don't have a patch bay and spend a lot of time connecting stuff which hinders your work flow. Just being able to buss everything could save a lot of time if that is the case. A/B the quality results, and if it sounds "just as good" bussed, then why not be convenient For me that's why a patch bay is a necessity in any serious recording setup for multiple sources. All options, all the time, all convenient Aub

[mazz]

Another reason to use a mixer would be if one had a number of outboard synths with more outputs than the computer interface has inputs. This way you get true zero latency monitoring if one is doing a lot of MIDI work.Of course, when it comes time to record the outputs of those synths, then it's either re-patching or bussing. Or a patch-bay. I'm a big advocate of patchbays also. Everything is accessible and creative routing is a matter of connecting a few short cords rather than reaching around behind everything to patch this to that.It takes more cabling at first to wire up a patchbay but the time savings and flexibility have been worth it for me. Every input and output in my studio has a patch point.Have fun,Mazz