A USB mixer is great for serious producers who wish to produce some really good music. It also has the ability to interface with real instruments as a USB audio interface while giving you the ability to mix your own recording, just like how it’s done in larger studios. This kind of mixer allows a digital computer audio recording that’s independent of other outboard gear. However, USB mixers may have its limited capabilities if you compare it with firewire mixers. This is because firewire mixers can edit and record tracks independently while a USB mixer is an ideal choice for home studios on a tight budget.
This particular mixer can be attached to a computer or a laptop with the use of a USB cable. It will allow you to record and store recordings directly on your hard drive. Digital capabilities are actually the biggest advantage of these mixers. Also, this mixer uses WAV files, which is large in file size, but as you may have noticed, modern computers nowadays are built with a lot of space in their hard drives to store such big files. When you’re recording digitally, it will require you to have an outboard gear, and this may be pricey. The help of the USB mixer will allow you to easily transfer the audio directly to your computer.
Check out the best USB mixers available on Amazon here.
Most people prefer editing digitally because this allows them to see visually what they’re mixing. This kind of mixers can also be used in various recording software. Also, this kind of mixer records in stereo. This means that all the channels will be recorded onto a track-two stereo mix. However, it is possible to record from a USB mixer track by track which will allow you to record one instrument at a time.
USB mixers can be really useful and affordable, but they come with a drawback too. They don’t have the ability to record independent tracks. The good thing is that some people prefer the USB approach when they’re recording. Just keep in mind that if you’ll be using one for your recording, all the levels of each track are already set up ahead of time. This will allow you to record a full band recording without having to edit mix down of each track. The final recording will be in WAV format and is ready to be recorded into a CD.
USB mixers are ideal for people who wish to mix their own music in a very affordable way. Lots of well known brands have their own USB mixer, so check out our reviews to find about the best ones in the market.
Check out the best USB mixers available on Amazon here.