Alesis Multimix 16 USB2.0

[Lowberg]

Hey, I've been dabbling around for a while with my Line6 Toneport UX2, and using programmed drums and such, and I want to start getting my feet wet in recording real drums.

I am looking for a new interface for my computer, with enough inputs to record drums or to just multi track an entire band jamming at once.

Unfortunatly I do not have firewire inputs on my laptop, but I do have USB 2.0

I was looking into the Alesis Multimix 16 USB2.0

http://www.alesis.com/multimix16usb20

Its a 16 track mixer/interface that you can multitrack record via USB2.0

I was wondering if you had heard anything about this interface, or can suggest me other USB interfaces that would be suitable and have enough inputs for recording drums

 

[cobrahead1030]

don't bother with a usb interface for recording drums...you'll have to mix all your inputs from the mixer down to a single left and right channel going into the PC, meaning you'll get two recorded tracks for all 8 channels there (or 16 if you count the ones with no preamps)

that being said i used that very mixer and got decent results out of it, but it's not a good way to get into recording drums...at the very least you'll need to move up to a firewire interface for that, which in your case would mean a new computer as well unfortunately

 

[Lowberg]

no you didn't read what I wrote. It is a special MULTI-TRACK mixer interface that allows you to record to 16 separate channels in your DAW Via USB2.0

 

[cobrahead1030]

my bad, i didn't realize they'd came out with yet another version of the multimix16...when i bought mine they only had the usb version, and then the firewire one came a few years later, i hadn't realized there was an upgraded usb version now

wow, i can't believe that's going for $629...if the pre's are the same as the ones in the older multimix units that's way overpriced IMO, i've not used that version tho so i can't say for sure

 

[if6was9]

To be honest I've only heard bad things about these units, I was looking into getting one when i started but the massive amounts of negative feedback put me off- they've a massive return rate, like 60/70 percent of units get sent back. They break very easily, in fact I was talking toa guy this weekend who bought one and said he had it 2 weeks and it just stopped working, he didn't dropit or abuse it at all, it just stopped.
It's easy and cheap to get firewire ona computer or laptop, I'd get firewire and get one of the other units out there, I've only heard bad stuff about these.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I never would have believed it either but here it is from the manual:

"The MultiMix USB2.0 is also a full-duplex, multichannel computer
recording interface device. Not only can you record every channel
independently, but you can also record the MAIN mix channels.
To get you started with computer-based recording, we even include
a well-specified Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software
program. With a multitude of ways in which to connect other
equipment and instruments, the MultiMix USB2.0 offers endless
possibilities."

Although I have a hard time believing this can be done without latency like a motherfucker .

 

[Metaltastic]

Seriously - fuck USB and just get a Firewire card with a TI chipset; if you're on a laptop, this guy; if your on a PC, well, it shouldn't be too hard to find a good one

 

[Jackal_Strain]

Hey, Metaltastic. Do you know if that firewire card will work with an acer 5920?

 

[Metaltastic]

Haha, you got me dude, but if it has a PCMCIA slot, I can't see why not! I found another one the other day as well, though I'm not at my home comp. right now where I have it bookmarked, so I'll post the link later on (the only difference from the above one is it's more expensive, which I have to admit always makes me feel slightly more comfortable about its potential quality )

I should mention that the reason I'm looking at these is because I currently have a TI chipset expresscard, which was the WORST FUCKING DECISION I EVER MADE, ARRGGHHH; the SLIGHTEST tug will dislodge that thing and cause a dropout, it is absolutely infuriating (and is inherent to the expresscard format, cuz it did the same thing in my other laptop, what a fucking design flaw) - the moral of the story is DO NOT get an expresscard if your hand will be anywhere near it!

 

[Jackal_Strain]

I'm a complete pc noob, haha.
I bought a new laptop at the start of this semester for school, and I forgot to check what kind of connections it had. Turns out there's no firewire port on it. That should teach me not to casually buy a computer when I'm just checking the prizes on external HD's, haha.