The right mixer, the journey MTK + Inserts

Elektron Gear Analog Rytm
#1

Hello all,

Please note, I am new to ALL of this. However, I am determined to learn with some good guidance

I have been doing a LOT of research and I am a little stumped.

I have a B X1222USB which i found out only has 2/2 Track USB.

What I would like is the following:

  • Multi Track USB Mixer

  • Insert

I have been looking at the soundcraft mk12. Now, of course you have ask me WHY I would need inserts as you are meant to control all the effects via the software, hence the Multi Track USB.

Well. If I do use software, is the audio after being processed send back to the mixer the phone connection?

What am I using all this work.

  • 2 computer audio
  • Streaming (LIVE TV)
  • Recording interviews
  • Other things (Music, creative sounds etc…)

Thank you all for patience

#2

Welcome to The forum!

I was looking at the MTK a while ago myself. I copied this from their recording guide…

Console channels always send their post-gain, pre-EQ signal to their respective USB channel to be picked up and recorded by the PC/MAC Via USB. The 2-track (Master Left/Right) output uses the last 2 USB channels on each console and is always actively sending post fader level down the USB stream.

So my understanding is the signal comes into the desk and through the gain pot before being sent to USB. The Return signal will patch in before the eq section and fader. You could buy a patchbay and route your desk inputs through that (so you could insert FX) but any FX would then be ‘printed’ to the recording. If you want post USB inserts my guess is you’d need to use a separate multi channel interface and separate desk.

If you’re recording instruments and or vocals you could still have a patchbay on your inputs to the desk as you might want to compress the signal before it hits the desk but again, you wouldn’t be able to adjust those settings in mixdown.

#3

Thank you for the information. It is a lot to take in but I am.

Do you know of any mixer with MRT + Inserts.

Thank you

#4

I guess it all depends on what you intend to do? With the MTK you could plug multiple sources into the desk, use the gain control to make sure those signals aren’t peaking at the computer then record in the DAW. Say you have 4 tracks recorded in the DAW for instance. You could apply FX (in the DAW) then send those 4 recorded tracks back into the desk down a channel each. That would allow you to mix those 4 channels whilst still tweaking the FX on the computer and you could also apply EQ on the desk. You’d then use the 2 track send to record your final mix.

If you went down the interface and separate desk route you would do much the same thing but the difference would be that when sending to the computer and returning from the computer you would have physical audio inputs and outputs meanin* you could then insert stuff in the return path before it hits the desk. With the MTK you can’t access those returns as they’re over USB. So in essence the separate route gives you more flexibility.

Don’t forget you can still use the MTK with external FX much like any other desk by setting up an aux send and return. So you’d plug an aux send from the desk into the input of, say, a reverb unit. The output from the FX can then be returned to the desk via the aux return inputs or even a channel input. You would normally use an aux when you want to send several channels to the same FX unit. The aux send on the channel strip dictates how much of that channel goes to the aux output. A compressor on the other hand would generally be used as an insert as (traditionally) you’d just want to compress each input individually. Those rules aren’t hard and fast however.

I don’t know of any smaller desks digital that give you the flexibility of pre/post fader USB returns and inserts in the return path but that’s not to say they don’t exist. Check out the new Tascam desk, it’s similar to the MTK I think. Alternatively there are plenty of usb interfaces that support upto 8 channels and analogue desks with at least 8 tape returns are fairly common too. Then you’d just need a patch bay and you’re as flexible as you can be!

FYI as I said I looked into the all in one desk approach and went with the Presonus Studio Live series III (the blue one). It was a chunk of money but it does what I want with plenty of flexibility as you can assign pretty much any input to any output so you can set up multiple aux sends if required. No dedicated inserts but with the routing matrix I don’t really need them. Plus I can access all my VST FX right on the desk. I hate mice and screen tweaking so that feature is worth its weight in gold to me.

#5

First of all that you SO MUCH for this information. I have read it not less than 20 times to understand it. So if it is okay with you. I would like to try to explain my situation a bit more. First of all I’m not going to be using this setup to record music. I’m not even a musician, God forbid if someone were to give me a guitar I’m pretty sure I would break it due to my incompetence. Saying that, I have accidentally broken a violin due to my incompetence. Anyway,

I’m going to be using this mainly for live streaming.

Now of course with the complexity of the situation it is imperative that I can control a lot of audio, Skype, discord and so on.

At present I have a MDX4600. My old Bherenger amp, Use the inserts and I have never had any problems.

I am going to have two microphones. The first one is pretty much fixed in location, whilst the second is a wireless headset. You see when I’m streaming I’m not necessarily just in front of the computer. So having the flexibility of the wireless headset is most useful.

Of course I would like to take advantage of my compressor. And I would like all the audio to be rooted to the mixer so I only have to wear one headset When doing whatever I need to.

Also I think using voice metre potato will help me a lot.

So my question is how would I get the MDX 4600 working correctly.

At the moment ( XLR Mic to SC MKT12 Mixer )

What would I would like is: XLR Mic to SC MKT12 Mixer (Insert MDX 4600)

Thank you very much for the information.

#6

You can use the subgroup outs to send audio through the compressor then from the compressor back into the mixer and out the master. Channels 1 and 2 also have a limiter on them. So, you can plug mic into channel 4, use channel 5 to bring in the wireless headset using the “USB return” feature (sends audio from PC into mixer), then send those channels out the subgroup to the compressor. Send the compressor back in on channels 1 and 2 so you can, if you like, use the limiter. Send channels 1 and 2 to the master.

The MTK is phenomenal.

#7

First of all thank you very much for the information… There’s a lot of new vocabulary here which I need to learn so I’m going to try to map it out with a picture… I would greatly appreciate it for some support…

If I have not mentioned already. I only want the compressor to work on the mics. Everything cows I have it well planned out…

I did notice that there are some XLR connectors at the back of the MDX 4600

Is it possible:

XLR MIX > MDX 46000 XLR Input > MDX 4600 to Channel 1 MKT12. ???

I would like to try to do this in order to spare channels really.

Thank you

#8

Hello all, what about a ** Behringer X18**??