[sdiy] DIY Mixer - please help!

[Seb Francis]

Tim Parkhurst wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 1:47 PM, cheater cheater<cheater00 at gmail.com> wrote:
>   
>> Hi guys,
>> It has come so far that I can't go on without a mixer, and, well,
>> nothing I see on the market is satisfying to me right now. This can be
>> of great use for modular synths as well since I would want it to be
>> fully CV controllable. This is in part propelled by the fact that I
>> have bought a TX816 which will need a proper mixer in order for me to
>> be able to use it at all.
>>
>>     
>
> By the time it's all said and done, I think you'd be better off just
> buying a good mixer and then putting a VCA at each input. Yes? No? Of
> course, if you really want to build a mixer, then more power to you,
> but with all the wiring and repitition in a mixer, it sounds like that
> could be a very time consuming project. I'd rather spend that time
> building synth modules, but that's just me.
>
>   

Or just buy an N-input audio interface and use software.  My current 
setup is 40 in + 40 out 24bit/96kHz interface with 32bit floating point 
mixer in software (Cubase 4).  I have a full complement of analog synths 
& outboard in my studio, but work 100% without a physical mixing desk.  
It means that I have very flexible routing and insert possibilities with 
*full* automation, integration of soft-synths and soft-FX, and best of 
all I have total recall - when I load up a track I'm working on, the 
'mixing desk' loads exactly as I left it.

I don't find the need for any DC-coupled inputs for CVs, but this kind 
of hardware/software technology is also available.

I realise this is not everyone's cup of tea, but having worked for many 
years with different mixing desks, some with automation, nothing comes 
close to the ease and convenience of mixing in software.  Of course when 
I want to overdrive an input I have to insert something analog (I'm not 
a fan of overdriving D/A converters!), but this is simply a click of the 
mouse ... no need even for a patchbay, just have enough I/O to keep 
everything patched in all the time.

Seb