A few observations on mixers

Observations about mixers used for Home Studio, that are affordable for hobbyists and non-professionals.

I've been looking into purchasing a mixer and/or audio interface for the past few days.
There appear to be alot of combinations with mixers and I do think you have to carefully consider your options. That to me has meant watching hours of youtube videos, reading blogs and posting on forums like this one.

There are alot of Mixer configurations and you have to carefully study the specs and features. Then you should watch the videos from people that are using them. This is a pretty good way to get educated for starters.

There appear to generally be two types of mixers in the home studio price ranges...analog and USB mixers.

Each of these two types in appearance seem to be almost alike. The setup and input array on the mixer face can be almost identical. The principal differences are in the output configuration.

Analog and USB mixers also have inputs and/or outputs that have the capacity to amplify, connect or send analog information from sound sources such as microphones, cd players, etc., directly to speakers, headsets.

USB MIXERS

It may be an overly simple statement, but USB mixers are a one plug output solution. Digital data signals are created in the mixer and transmitted as one final combination of all the setups from the mixer inputs and functions to your computer. The audio stream can be edited, but all the individual tracks created by inputs and functions of the mixer are set in one audio track. You can edit the one USB data track with audio editors, but that one track is your core track. The track can be edited, but most often it is very difficult and labor intensive.

Another way of say this...The USB Mixer usually has one final output from all inputs, mixes and functionality and the setups you used with the USB mixer. The USB output is a final combined signal that passes full mixed content to the USB output port connected to your computer by a USB cable. The signal from a USB out port is digital and the conversion of the analog data used in the mixer is converted to a digital USB track. It appears to be easier to work with because all the work for processing the final audio passes out of the USB port into your computer as ONE signal. I repeat, there is no separation of tracks from various inputs when you have one digital output from a USB mixer.

A USB mixer looks to me to be the best way to do live streaming, because the final mix sent to USB port is immediately broadcasted.

A USB mixer looks to me to be a reasonable choice for podcasting as well, especially if you aren't planning to do very much editing of the final output from the mixer.

Now, I have to address the output functionality arrayed on the face of the mixer, whether it is a USB or analog mixer. The USB mixers with one USB output port, for the most part have capabilities of analog mixers. USB mixers do not have a large array of output ports as you will find on Analog mixers. You will still have the abilitity to work with the inputs and outputs of a USB mixer to produce many tracks of content information that can be edited individually after recording.

ANALOG MIXERS

The analog mixer has many inputs and outputs. The basic way the mixer is used is very close in function to a USB mixer, except the analog mixer provides many outputs from the various inputs and input functions separately. This works very well for post edits of individual audio output tracks.

The analog mixer provides the most functionality, because of the large number of input and output configurations that are possible. This is very attractive functionality. The analog mixer facilitates audio that will be edited after it is created, and the outputs are recorded either separate or in combination with each other.

The analog audio outputs in many instances require some type of interface to get the content from the mixer into a computer or other devices for production and edits. Interfacing with the computer from an analog mixer has it's difficulties and requires proper hardware and setup. Knowing your interface equipment and possible setups can be a difficult learning process.

There are some analog mixers that do provide pre-amps and other functions and effects for users to produce better content from the mixer to speakers, headsets and other devices. This can save alot of time for users. These types of improvements in the mixer are designed to eliminate audio interface requirements in instances where comprehensive control of audio stream is not that necessary.

Analog mixers are important for having maximum flexibility to work with your data content individually. A drum recording may have as many as 8 tracks created from 8 microphones recording the music. The producer may want to individually edit each of those 8 tracks of music. This is facilitated with and Analog mixer.

Some type of Audio interface hardware is required to covert and manage content data signals from analog outputs of the analog mixer into the computer.

The Audio interface can basically be called a sound card or multiple sound cards. The audio interface connects to output/s of the Analog Mixer and the Audio interface is in turn connected to the computer with a firewire or USB connection. The Audio interface will generally have pre-amps, phantom power and some necessary controls are built in for direct usage, headsets, speakers,etc.

The audio interface also converts the input sound data into digital information for communicating through a firewire or USB connection to a computer. Audio interfaces usually have hardware that is designed to provide very high quality audio to it's auxiliary outputs and the analog data is converted to digital information passed through the firewire or USB connection to the computer.

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This is just a way of explaining what I've learned trying to work through the beginning maze of information on mixers I've read and viewed. I have not arrived and my status is still neophyte,:o but I do understand what I've gone through and how difficult pulling this audio thing together is for me. So, maybe someone can get a feel for things by reading this and maybe even tweak their understanding.