Hooking up a mixing desk?

[Fosker]

Is there any way to hook up a mixing desk so you can actually use it for mixing the tracks in a studio using a audio interface? For example I will have a soundcraft m12 soon to go with my hercules 16/12fw, the m12 has direct outputs to feed the inputs of the hercules, and the hercules has 8 outputs too for those first 8 channels, would I direct out from the soundcraft into the in's on the hercules, then back out from the hercules into the soundcraft? Then when the mix is done to lay it down; output the main outputs from the soundcraft into 2 unused in's on the hercules?

[brandondrury]

I think you've got it.

You only have 8 outs so that makes mixing impossible (at least the way that I mix). I don't think I could mix an acoustic guitar and vocal with an 8 channel board when you factor in the aux returns from delays, reverbs, etc.

For mixing, you'll go out of your Hercules and into your mixer. Out of the main output of your mixer, you would go back into your Hercules.

There is alot of debate of analog mixing vs mixing in the box. Unless you have about $50-100k in outboard gear, I don't think you'll ever get as good of mixes as you do in the box, simply because you don't have the channels, the effects, automation, etc. Obviously, it depends on what you are doing and the project.

A lot of guys are into summing boxes where the actual combining of audio files is done outside the computer. These guys tend to like them alot but they are not cheap. However, in your case, you only have 4 pairs of stereo outs. This is not very many if you intend to mix out of the box.

I tried using my Mackie 1604 for mixing a few times and I gave up on it. From a work flow standpoint, it was just a big pain in the butt. Now if I had a SSL or Neve and a ton of outboard gear, I wouldn't think twice. I'd definitely be mixing with the console.

Brandon