USB & Bus Mixers!

Which type of mixer is better? USB or bus mixers? A USB mixer is connected to the computer, routing the audio from the computer back into the mixer by simply selecting the 2 Track To USB, etc. With a bus mixer, the audio is sent through a TRS Cable or a RCA Cable. TRS cables have a quarter inch end which plugs into the bus mixer, and a 3.55 end that plugs into your soundcard on your mixer. The TRS function will also work with a USB mixer if you do not route the audio via the USB cable. I currently use a Alesis Multimix 8 USB FX which sells for $149 USD. It has built in phantom power which is needed for condenser microphones, 4 RCA inputs, And 8 channels, as well as on-board effects. I will not go over all the features on this mixer in this post! Hope this helps, and happy broadcasting!

Very good Post... I will sticky this topic!!!

I don't think this should be stickied due to only being the first post and not as much information to persuade people. I have read it and it doesn't really persuade me on how it is better.

Topic Unstickied

Sending audio via USB is usually slow, versus via Thunderbolt. TBH I use USB, because all I know about Thunderbolt is that it is for Mac.

pwnsomewin wrote:Sending audio via USB is usually slow, versus via Thunderbolt. TBH I use USB, because all I know about Thunderbolt is that it is for Mac.

Yeah but they are useful for purpose they are being used for. When I used to use the usb Logitech Microphone headset I used to use it only for talking on the air, not for playing the music, when I play music I would use a stereo mix so it would go directly from my computer to the live stream as well as other softwares mixed in such as Sam Broadcaster, Adobe flash media encoder and manycam.

But for the purpose I was using them for it was useful.

if it works, go with it

1mtvfan wrote:if it works, go with it

Indeed

yup, exactly

Well maybe it's not bad for broadcasting, but when recording music it causes latency issues sometimes.

My fault, I was refering to a pair of usb headphone I used to have. I have never used a USB Mixer . So I can not really commeng on it.

still cannot comment on this as i know so little about it

Bump!

as i said, go with what works

@DJAaronRadio what Mixers do you use?

i don't use USB the only thing i have USB is my DJ Controller and can also be classed as a USB mixer in some way but my main board is not USB i run a Xenyx 1002B at the moment as my main and i only go all analog for my main mixer due to Noise in the audio chain if i used all USB USB Mixers and PC sound cards don't go well together you get alot of noise in your audio that's the down side about it.

Interesting information there Aaron. How does your mixer plug in then? What other mixer hookups are there?

since i changed the mixers around it hooks in from RCA to mini plug to the Line in on my sound card this way if i have anything that's USB being my DJ Controller that is classed as a mixer being it has it's own sound card as well i just patch that into my main mixer USB Noise is gone if i would recommend anything Get a USB device that you can patch in Later that's what i Do saves alot of time and headaches if i have an issue i'm not unplugging the board just to restart the mixer just one thing cuz i have had USB Devices crash in the middle of a show before not a good combo even with windows 10

That is cool! Between your 15 year old Radioshack Mixer (one you use now) and your newer model one, what would you say is better?

the radio shack mixer is better then the live sound mixer i have now mainly for the Pre fade cuing there are other high end boards that do this the higher up you go but needless to say get a DJ Mixer that already has it and your good to go i just don't go there with USB for my main mixer when i can get good audio off my sound card with the right cables and i only have 1 usb related device out if my setup and i have to reboot that every now and then due to not starting up when i launch Virtual DJ and it's a windows 10 issue i looked into it not much i can do being it uses the windows driver for the controller.

Have you ever used a usb mixer there Aaron?

my DJ Controller count's as USB so yes i have also remember too DJ Controllers are also classed as a Mixer falls in that category.

But you don't like usb mixers?

anything like that is an exception to me cuz i'm able to control my files like vinyl

Why not?