Recording - May 2010 - 53

Bringing it all together
Now with all this in mind, we see that a basic computer audio interface is (roughly) a marriage between a channel strip and a sound card. The front end typically has two or more mic/line inputs, perhaps an instrument input, and maybe even digital inputs. There’s an internal A/D converter, with a USB or FireWire interface to connect the A/D digital output to the computer. Since USB and FireWire are bidirectional interfaces, the interface also allows DAW tracks to be played back from the computer. A simple built-in mixer allows mixing the input source with the computer playback for no-latency input monitoring when overdubbing. But compare this basic DAW audio interface to a conventional mixer, and you’ll recognize that you’ve been living without a lot of very useful features that are taken for granted in a traditional studio—the ability to connect and freely assign inputs to tracks, having multiple outputs from various points in the signal chain, and even simple tasks like controlling volume without clicking a mouse. A fair argument for some of these omissions can be made that we do things differently here in DAWburgh, but in recent years, manufacturers and users have come to recognize the value of some of the conveniences they’ve sacrificed in the interest of a compact and low-cost workstation. Today there are a number of interface boxes which offer much of the signal routing and control of a traditional mixing console and multitrack recorder. You’ll find many inputs—mic, line, instrument, even digital—which can be freely assigned to DAW tracks, but also appear as inputs to mixers inside the box (think auxiliary send buses), with their mix outputs available for monitoring, outboard effects, or even feeding a backup recorder. There’s often a built-in headphone amplifier section with a separate mix for each output, as well as dedicated control room monitor outputs, often enough for a surround speaker setup. There may even be a talkback system, insert points, and perhaps a built-in effect processor suitable for sweetening the monitor mix. The whole shebang connects to the computer via a single FireWire or USB 2.0 cable which handles all the audio input and output, and a MIDI interface is often thrown in for good measure. Hardware controls are limited by panel space, often little more than preamp input gains and output volume controls, but its comprehensive on-screen control panel looks and feels pretty much like a hardware mixer, once you get the hang of it. These do-everything boxes are very capable, but it takes a very good grasp of DAW operation (and no two are the same) to stop cussing at them (“Dammit!
RECORDING MAY 2010

Why won’t it let me route the same DAW track mix to all four headphone jacks?”) and start realizing the benefits. Even better, full-on desktop audio mixers with built-in interfacing are becoming more common. A/D and D/A converters are built into the mixer, and there’s a USB or FireWire port on the rear panel along with all the usual gozintas and gozoutas. Mixers with built-in interfacing are not always very flexible, though, as to how many (and which) audio streams are passed to the computer. Typically they send the input channels’ mic preamp outputs to the computer and return only the DAW stereo mix to the monitor section. The simplest ones provide only a single stereo mix in and out. But we’re starting to see signs of

more powerful interfaces where auxes, subgroups, and other routings can be freely assigned to DAW I/O. To bring this back around to where we started: It’s now possible to get a rackmount or tabletop digital box that gives your computer the working tools to fairly well emulate a traditional control room... or, if you prefer, a mixer that gives you all that in a familiar desktop format. There are still some loose ends and missing links, but each new generation is getting closer. Mike Rivers (rivers@recordingmag.com) is a recording engineer and music gear designer living and working in the Washington, DC area.

53


http://www.kiqproductions.com

Recording - May 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - May 2010

Recording - May 2010
Fade In.
Contents
Talkback.
Fast Forward.
Keb’Mo’ And His Home Studio.
When Your Studio Meets Your Wallet.
Pragmatic Design For Project Studios.
CAD Audio E100S.
Universal Audio UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop.
Recording’s Guitar Column.
Square State Solid State EQUALIZER model one b.
Akai LPK25 and LPD8.
Recording’s Keyboard Column.
Know Your Audio Interface.
SXSW 2010 Report.
Readers’ Tapes.
Advertiser Index.
Classified Ads
Fade Out.
Recording - May 2010 - Recording - May 2010
Recording - May 2010 - Cover2
Recording - May 2010 - 1
Recording - May 2010 - Fade In.
Recording - May 2010 - 3
Recording - May 2010 - Contents
Recording - May 2010 - 5
Recording - May 2010 - Talkback.
Recording - May 2010 - 7
Recording - May 2010 - Fast Forward.
Recording - May 2010 - 9
Recording - May 2010 - 10
Recording - May 2010 - 11
Recording - May 2010 - Keb’Mo’ And His Home Studio.
Recording - May 2010 - 13
Recording - May 2010 - 14
Recording - May 2010 - 15
Recording - May 2010 - When Your Studio Meets Your Wallet.
Recording - May 2010 - 17
Recording - May 2010 - 18
Recording - May 2010 - 19
Recording - May 2010 - Pragmatic Design For Project Studios.
Recording - May 2010 - 21
Recording - May 2010 - 22
Recording - May 2010 - 23
Recording - May 2010 - 24
Recording - May 2010 - 25
Recording - May 2010 - CAD Audio E100S.
Recording - May 2010 - 27
Recording - May 2010 - Universal Audio UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop.
Recording - May 2010 - 29
Recording - May 2010 - 30
Recording - May 2010 - 31
Recording - May 2010 - Recording’s Guitar Column.
Recording - May 2010 - 33
Recording - May 2010 - Square State Solid State EQUALIZER model one b.
Recording - May 2010 - 35
Recording - May 2010 - Akai LPK25 and LPD8.
Recording - May 2010 - 37
Recording - May 2010 - Recording’s Keyboard Column.
Recording - May 2010 - 39
Recording - May 2010 - 40
Recording - May 2010 - 41
Recording - May 2010 - 42
Recording - May 2010 - 43
Recording - May 2010 - 44
Recording - May 2010 - 45
Recording - May 2010 - Know Your Audio Interface.
Recording - May 2010 - 47
Recording - May 2010 - 48
Recording - May 2010 - 49
Recording - May 2010 - 50
Recording - May 2010 - 51
Recording - May 2010 - 52
Recording - May 2010 - 53
Recording - May 2010 - SXSW 2010 Report.
Recording - May 2010 - 55
Recording - May 2010 - Readers’ Tapes.
Recording - May 2010 - Advertiser Index.
Recording - May 2010 - Classified Ads
Recording - May 2010 - 59
Recording - May 2010 - 60
Recording - May 2010 - 61
Recording - May 2010 - 62
Recording - May 2010 - 63
Recording - May 2010 - Fade Out.
Recording - May 2010 - Cover3
Recording - May 2010 - Cover4
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