CD burning via USB mixers

[jc_hoops]

Hi, first post here.

I have been using a Phillips audio CDR to mix LP’s and such like onto CD, but the laser is now f###ed and a new one required, which is no longer stocked. I was looking into the idea of getting one of the new Yamaha mixers (MW10 or any other recommended make) with the USB connection, and setting up a PC with two RW CD burners and enough memory/processor power to burn onto from the mixer.

I was wondering whether anyone out there has a similar setup, and if so, what software, processor and memory do they have on there PC.

Oh, one other thing, any thoughts on these new mixers regarding vinyl recording onto them.

Thanks…….

[royphil345]

Hey!!! Welcome to Audio Review!!!

That's one way to go...

If you're only recording from one source... don't know why you'd need a mixer... If you use and have a mixer already, all you really need is a quality internal or external sound card to convert the analog from your mixer into digital and interface with the computer. You could use a good internal sound card that's specifically designed for good music performance and recording. There are other simple external interfaces that may stress audio quality over offering all the functions of a mixer for the same price. M-Audio Audiophile Firewire is one. http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/MAudio-FireWire-Audiophile-Computer-Recording-Interface?sku=709200&src=00633&247SEM There is another USB interface I've seen others post about on this site that had analog inputs and quality D/A conversion... Sorry... I can't find the post or remember what it was... Looked nice...

If you need the mixer for what you do and the Yamaha looks better than what you have, it would probably be fine. Just maybe not the absolute best D/A converters or sound quality since you get so much for such little $.

When recording on a computer, it's possible to go straight to optical disk with some software... but it's more common to just record CD quality (16 / 44.1 wav files) on the hard drive. You could then use a software mixing / editing program to separate the tracks and do any other mixing / editing you want. Then, burn a perfect finished product to disk. That's one of the major benefits of using a computer over a stand-alone CD recorder. Audacity is free software that will record, mix and edit.... split tracks... etc... http://audacity.sourceforge.net/about/ I like this program for Windows. http://www.freefilehosting.net/download/MjA2NjI2 Recordings sound better to me for some reason. Only records and splits tracks though. Nothing fancier...

I use an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 PCI sound card in my computer. It has a high quality D/A converter for converting analog inputs to digital... outputting very good analog sound to a stereo... Also has digital ins and outs as well as the analog RCA ins and outs... http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=361112 The recordings I make from vinyl using this card seem very good. I've never owned a stand-alone deck for comparison though... The output from the sound card blows away what I was getting out of an Audigy 2 for music. The computer is a pretty serious part of my home theater system now. M-Audio also makes internal cards and external interfaces with 1/4" ins and outs that may work better with pro-audio gear if that's what you're using.


It doesn't take much computer power at all to record to hard disk... run simple audio editor programs...burn disks... Meeting the minimum recommendations for the CD burner, recording / editing software and whatever sound card you go with, be it internal, external or with mixer would be enough. Anything above that would give you faster software response when editing... Don't see why you'd need more than one CD burner. Record to the hard drive... Anything on a disk can be ripped to the hard drive...

It may be less expensive to just pick up another stand-alone recorder if you were happy with it. That's up to you...