Best Audio Mixer for Mac Pro

[cineapple]

Can anyone recommend a good audio mixer for the Mac Pro? I primarily use the Mac Pro as my Final Cut Editing system (as well as listening to music), so it would be great to finally get balanced audio. I just got a pair of KRK speakers, which can accept XLR, TRS, and RCA.


Are there any recommended mixers that can work directly with Final Cut Pro?

Here are a couple that I have been curious about...(posted in an earlier thread I started)


http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/duet.php
(looks like a great piece of equipment, but no XLR, or Firewire)

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/480535-REG/Edirol_Roland_M_16DX_M_16DX_16_Channel_Digital.html
(I would rather have the cheaper 10-channel version, but this has Optical I/O)


http://www.alesis.com/multimix8firewire
(It is looking like this has everything I need, and the biggest bang for the buck)

Thanks!

 

[cineapple]

Nobody? Calling all/any mac audiophiles?

 

[Drumjim85]

do you want an audio interface or a mixer?? the big difference is that a mixer would have a mix buss and summing amps. (and please stop bumping)

 

[cineapple]

do you want an audio interface or a mixer?? the big difference is that a mixer would have a mix buss and summing amps. (and please stop bumping)

Just looking for a good mixer that has firewire In, and preferably XLR out.

Stop bumping, what are talking about?!? Sorry to disturb you. Only bumped once, well now, twice.

 

[Drumjim85]

Just looking for a good mixer that has firewire In, and preferably XLR out.

Stop bumping, what are talking about?!? Sorry to disturb you. Only bumped once, well now, twice.

I'm pretty sure most mixers with firewire are only sending digital through firewire, not receiving them and putting them back onto the channel / fader.

what are you planing on doing with this mixer?
I think you're just looking for a good Digital to analog converter with balanced a out.

and bumping is against the forum rules.

 

[cybeross]

Ah, I couldn't resist the call for mac audiophiles . I am a producer/dj, and don't really know how much setups for the two fields can be interchanged. One thing I DO know, is that I personally want a mackie universal control pro. I have used them many times with cubase, but it should be compatible with at least every pro audio app, if not final cut, but either way, that's what I'd want. Basically, from a purely audio point of view, it can automatically assign it's faders intelligently do different tracks in the software, and the LCD labels them accordingly. It also has automated faders with automatic reset, etc, and all the pro features you could need. If you just need an audio *interface*, obviously that is a different story altogether. What do you really need/want it to do?

 

[Drumjim85]

Ah, I couldn't resist the call for mac audiophiles . I am a producer/dj, and don't really know how much setups for the two fields can be interchanged. One thing I DO know, is that I personally want a mackie universal control pro. I have used them many times with cubase, but it should be compatible with at least every pro audio app, if not final cut, but either way, that's what I'd want. Basically, from a purely audio point of view, it can automatically assign it's faders intelligently do different tracks in the software, and the LCD labels them accordingly. It also has automated faders with automatic reset, etc, and all the pro features you could need. If you just need an audio *interface*, obviously that is a different story altogether. What do you really need/want it to do?

Just to clarify, that's just a controller. No audio passes through it.

 

[cineapple]

I'm pretty sure most mixers with firewire are only sending digital through firewire, not receiving them and putting them back onto the channel / fader.

what are you planing on doing with this mixer?
I think you're just looking for a good Digital to analog converter with balanced a out.
/Help:Forum_Rules"]forum rules[/URL].

Can you recommend any good Digital to analog converters w/balanced audio out?

 

[Drumjim85]

Can you recommend any good Digital to analog converters w/balanced audio out?

ahh, great question

on more of the top end, theres something like this
http://mytekdigital.com/products/stereo96dac.htm

and on more of the low end you can get a external audio interface (either firewire or usb) and get something like this
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWire410.html

It all depends on what price you're willing to pay. Two of the big things to look for in good converter is THD and dynamic range.

 

[DJJONES]

get a interface NOT a mixer.

a firewire mixer isnt like a card.
youll get better clear sound with a sound card interface sometimes those have so many in's and outs that a mixer is practically unnecessary

look at any of the motu line
apogee is nice as well but they are far more expensive for what you get.
presonus also

 

[gotzero]

It sounds like you might prefer a simple soundcard and something like the Mackie Big Knob.

 

[DJJONES]

he wouldnt need a mackie big knob if hes going to be using only 1 pair of monitors or speakers.
even though the mackie bigknob does have in's and out's
so does any simple sound card.

most sound card's have a mixing application as well so you can actually use a vitual mixer right on the computer to see what signals are coming in and going out.

i have a mackie big knob and its basically a overpriced volume knob, some have said that its not even transparent as a presonus central station but i havent noticed this so mehh.
i have 2 monitor selections and thats all i really use it for, also controlling volume.
you can do that from your sound card's mixer.

but i run all my in's right to my sound card, on the rare occasion that i need a in' it is pretty convenient that you can bypass the card and go to the speakers via the big knob.

 

[Drumjim85]

i have a mackie big knob and its basically a overpriced volume knob, some have said that its not even transparent as a presonus central station but i havent noticed this so mehh.

agreed, he doesn't need this.
and the big knob is a lot more sturdy and reliable than the central station. Even if it may not sound as clean.

 

[gotzero]

I figured that because a mixer was asked for, the OP is at least interested in a hardware volume control. I have found quite a few uses for the big knob, and one of the things it controls are the main outs from my computer.

 

[cineapple]

ahh, great question

on more of the top end, theres something like this
http://mytekdigital.com/products/stereo96dac.htm

and on more of the low end you can get a external audio interface (either firewire or usb) and get something like this
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWire410.html

It all depends on what price you're willing to pay. Two of the big things to look for in good converter is THD and dynamic range.

What is THD? So would a mixer degrade the sound more than an interface?
If I was to get a mixer, my local music shop has a pretty good deal on this used one:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/502483-REG/Yamaha_MW10C_MW10C_10_Channel_USB.html

Any opinions? Otherwise, I guess I would just go with the M-Audio interface.
I just got a pair of KRK Rokit 5 speakers, so I want to use them to their full potential, just looking for the best means to do that.

 

[DJJONES]

What is THD? So would a mixer degrade the sound more than an interface?
If I was to get a mixer, my local music shop has a pretty good deal on this used one:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/502483-REG/Yamaha_MW10C_MW10C_10_Channel_USB.html

Any opinions? Otherwise, I guess I would just go with the M-Audio interface.
I just got a pair of KRK Rokit 5 speakers, so I want to use them to their full potential, just looking for the best means to do that.

well dont get a mixer, get a sound card.
i recommend motu by far.

looks at some there cheaper alternatives.
do you have a budget?

a mixer is only necessary if you are gonna record multiple sources at one time or if you want to use all the preamps on them. other wise stay away from using mixers going right to the sound card in and out leads to better recordings and better monitoring.
thats just my ideal behind it many people have there own ideal on how these things work, but why put a mixer into your signal chain that can degrade or add something to the sound you dont want.

agreed, he doesn't need this.
and the big knob is a lot more sturdy and reliable than the central station. Even if it may not sound as clean.

i think the speculation over the big knob NOT sounding clean is bull.
just a reason people use when THEY cant get there mixes to translate they blame it on there gear.
my mixes translate fine with the use of a big knob, whaaddd yahhh kno??? LOL

 

[cineapple]

well dont get a mixer, get a sound card.
i recommend motu by far.
LOL

Budget is only around a couple hundred.

And, so, by sound card, you mean something like the M-Audio break-out box, since there are very few, and only very, very pricey internal sound cards, right?

 

[DJJONES]

Budget is only around a couple hundred.

And, so, by sound card, you mean something like the M-Audio break-out box, since there are very few, and only very, very pricey internal sound cards, right?

a firewire card is fine.
i like those better since you can plug it into any computer that has a fw port and theres drivers for the comp.

something like this motu might suit your needs
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/MOTU-UltraLite-mk3-Firewire-Audio-Interface?sku=241882

but then again what are your needs?

any recording? if so how many in's of recording?
how many outs do you need? or just 1 for monitors.

this would be a good unit for you.

i personally wouldnt get a pci card just because it sucks when you might want to monitor on another computer and you cant just because there arent any pci slots.

i wouldnt go with m audio because there very slow to the game with drivers.

took them over a year to put out drivers for vista with my old pci card.
after 1-2 months of being pissed after gettting a vista machine i just bought a new card and 8 projects later im mad that i didnt get a better card since the beginning.

i have a motu traveler by the way, amazing card wouldnt sell this guy for nothing well, maybe for the mk3 new model, but even then its amazing card.

 

[cineapple]

a firewire card is fine.
i like those better since you can plug it into any computer that has a fw port and theres drivers for the comp.
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but then again what are your needs?

any recording? if so how many in's of recording?
how many outs do you need? or just 1 for monitors.

this would be a good unit for you.

i personally wouldnt get a pci card just because it sucks when you might want to monitor on another computer and you cant just because there arent any pci slots.

i wouldnt go with m audio because there very slow to the game with drivers.

took them over a year to put out drivers for vista with my old pci card.
after 1-2 months of being pissed after gettting a vista machine i just bought a new card and 8 projects later im mad that i didnt get a better card since the beginning.

i have a motu traveler by the way, amazing card wouldnt sell this guy for nothing well, maybe for the mk3 new model, but even then its amazing card.

My basic need is monitoring audio for editing, and rocking out to 1 pair of speakers 2.1 sound.

How about the Duet from Apogee?? http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/duet.php

 

[DJJONES]

thats perfect for your needs.
atop that it has a volume control right on the unit.

if you using 2.1 though you might want to consider the rockit sub.

 

[cineapple]

thats perfect for your needs.
atop that it has a volume control right on the unit.

I was really getting into the Apogee Duet, and almost every review
was outstanding for it, but then in the specs, it has unbalanced output?!?

How can that be? You would think that such a product would have balanced out! Now, back to square one again....

 

[rockinrocker]

i have a mackie big knob and its basically a overpriced volume knob, some have said that its not even transparent as a presonus central station but i havent noticed this so mehh.

i have heard this from a lot of people also.

I was really getting into the Apogee Duet, and almost every review
was outstanding for it, but then in the specs, it has unbalanced output?!?

How can that be? You would think that such a product would have balanced out! Now, back to square one again....

Are you sure you really need balanced? Just to be clear what that means, the sound isn't any better, it's just more impervious to interference. So if you're running say, 50 ft cables to your monitors or something like that, then yes, you'd want balanced. But if not, it's not actually that big of a deal. Just keep your cable runs short and avoid crossing audio and power cables.

The Duet does really sound like a good choice for you...

 

[DJJONES]

Get the duet you won't regret it

 

[Drumjim85]

I was really getting into the Apogee Duet, and almost every review
was outstanding for it, but then in the specs, it has unbalanced output?!?

How can that be? You would think that such a product would have balanced out! Now, back to square one again....

ya, what are the specs.? oh that's right, they're not published anywhere....
That's my one big issue with this device. What are they hiding. If the were really proud of it they'd publish the (real) specs.
THD
Dynamic range
Other converter and pre amp specs.

and i think someone asked what THD was. It's total harmonic distortion.

 

[rockinrocker]

ya, what are the specs.? oh that's right, they're not published anywhere....
That's my one big issue with this device. What are they hiding. If the were really proud of it they'd publish the (real) specs.
THD
Dynamic range
Other converter and pre amp specs.

and i think someone asked what THD was. It's total harmonic distortion.

meh. little spec differences aren't really going to make that much difference with this type of entry level consumer stuff anyway. it's much more about finding the features and compatibility that you want, IMO.