USB audio mixer for use with ableton

[apolloXiii]

I've been looking into getting a USB mixer that can work well with ableton.

Specifically I'm looking to do basic recording and mixing, but it would also be good if I could use it for live performance as well. Ideally it would have at least a few mic inputs and one or two instrument (guitar or bass) lines to which instruments can be plugged in directly. Moreover, I'd like to be able to route each input separately (possibly each to a different audio track in ableton) so as to apply different effects/etc. to each track.

Does anyone have any experience with something like this??

Also price is a moderate concern so a most cost-friendly model would be ideal.

[crofter]

http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/r16/index.php
This works well,bus powered as an interface, you can use it stand alone on batteries as well, around £299.

[friend_kami]

shi tno man, don't buy an r16. it's horrible.
mine leaks audio from channel 1 to channel 2 on all occasions, it crackles up and changes samplerate randomly + the bank button leds aren't working in interface mode so when you actually can use this piece of shit for actual audio work, you are still limited to either a sixth sense or 8 channels of audio.

oh and yeah, they do update their drivers on occasion but so far they've only done it once and it really didn't make any difference except that it started to switch samplerates more often, resulting in a horrible horrbiel crackly noise and buffering problems like you've never heard before.

also, if you want to use the actual recording feature of this piece of crap, bear in mind that you can have effects on all channels but only one effect active at a time.
also it adds 1.3ms latency at all times.

enjoy your crap. the one i've got is technically not mine otherwise i would have thrown it out the window a long long time ago.

[apolloXiii]

I've been looking at a few so far and this is what I have come up with:

http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com/Pr ... 000000.sku

http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com/Pr ... 000000.sku


The first is about the size I want, but the second seems to have more of the features.

[LeifonMars]

I've been looking at a few so far and this is what I have come up with:

http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com/Pr ... 000000.sku

http://backstage.musiciansfriend.com/Pr ... 000000.sku


The first is about the size I want, but the second seems to have more of the features.

I'm not sure, what you're after, but in both cases I doubt their drivers will be good enough for playing live via Live = horrible latency problems I predict. Haven't used either of those, but before you buy, test them out.

BTW: Why does it have to be a mixer interface? I don't get it. "Mixers" those are offering are worth shit anyway. You already have a mixer in Live. Why an ordinary usb-interface won't do, like e.g. MOTUs?

[crofter]

shi tno man, don't buy an r16. it's horrible.
mine leaks audio from channel 1 to channel 2 on all occasions, it crackles up and changes samplerate randomly + the bank button leds aren't working in interface mode so when you actually can use this piece of shit for actual audio work, you are still limited to either a sixth sense or 8 channels of audio.

oh and yeah, they do update their drivers on occasion but so far they've only done it once and it really didn't make any difference except that it started to switch samplerates more often, resulting in a horrible horrbiel crackly noise and buffering problems like you've never heard before.

also, if you want to use the actual recording feature of this piece of crap, bear in mind that you can have effects on all channels but only one effect active at a time.
also it adds 1.3ms latency at all times.

enjoy your crap. the one i've got is technically not mine otherwise i would have thrown it out the window a long long time ago.

You must have broken one then, mine works very well, I have no complaints at all and 1.3ms is difficult to better.

[LeifonMars]

1.3ms is difficult to better.

Roundtrip 1.3ms. I don't believe you.

[crofter]

1.3ms is difficult to better.

Roundtrip 1.3ms. I don't believe you.

Wasn't me who said it.

[LeifonMars]

Wasn't me who said it.

Eh, sorry.

[dhilsabeck]

Alesis Multimix is not bad. You can use it as a standalone mixer as well.

[diablo0ne]

ok, so i just wanted to chime in that I am in the same predicamment in regard to this decision. They just need to release a mixer with the ableton stamp of approval like they do with the controllers. I really want a mixer but everything in my price range has either limited ability or bad reviews. Basically an interface alone would probaly meet our needs, where live is your central mixer and all external intruments are routed into live through a usb interface. Then you could use apc 40 or launchpad as your mixer control. Either way, sorry i couldnt help out, just ran across this post while browsing products. btw the zoom r16 looks pretty badass like it will do the job. cost over 300 bucks so it better work with out probs lol

oh yeah, my friends say behringer products are a waste, so I had to x those out. I almost bought the Alesis last week but was again advised against it = /