usb audio in/out of PC ?

[Fran3]

We just acquired a mixer with a USB port for audio in/out.

The mfg suggest we load a Digital Audio Work Station (DAW) but in case all we are trying to do is get digital audio out of the PC and into the mixer.

Anyone know of a simple driver or software that will simply tell the PC to put the audio out a certain USB port?

Thanks for any help.

[TPT]

Doesn't the mixer mfg. provide drivers? Seems strange to have a USB port without some way to communicate with the computer. I suppose you always hook up a USB cable and see what Windows does with it...

[Bill DeFelice]

@Fran3: I wold expect Windows 7 to be able to use at least a generic driver. what operating system are you using?

[Fran3]

First, how the heck do you post a link in a post? I tried the URL tab at the top and got the below...

http://www.samsontech.com/samson/produc ... /mxp144fx/

Then I tried a typical HTML link

<a href="http://www.samsontech.com/samson/produc ... x/">Samson Mixad MXP144FX</a>

but "Preview" doesn't show either as a clickable link.

Now, back to the subject... the mixer is a mixer and Samson Mixad MXP144FX and the link above will get you there.

And the manual... here... http://www.fullcompass.com/common/files ... Manual.pdf

And the manual on page 9 first sentence says "using virtually any digital recording software"

But, I like the suggestion of just hooking it up and seeing what happens... as mentioned... maybe Windows 7 has a default driver or can figure it out. And, yes, the mfg should have provided a driver !

Thanks for the help folks.

[TPT]

If that doesn't work get a Lexicon Alpha. We used several as an inexpensive replacement for the sound card. Runs around $50 on Amazon, other sources.
It's balanced in and out using 1/4 TRS jacks; then USB to the computer--and they supply a driver. Just connect the analog outputs of your mixer to the inputs of the Lexicon, and use the balanced outputs to feed your monitor or whatever else you need to send to.

[Fran3]

Thanks for the tip on the Lexicon Alpha... is this the one you were talking about?

http://www.amazon.com/Lexicon-2-Channel ... icon+Alpha

That looks useful for other applications and I think we will order one today...

However in this case we were trying to get digital audio out of the computer (via USB) to a USB input on the mixer.

Thanks again everybody for the help.

PS - Looks like the URL tab works but not in Preview mode... so I'm good there now:-)

[bill981]

Best as i can tell, the mixer looks like a sound card to the PC. Whatever you mix into the main buss goes to the PC (for recording, etc.) and whatever the PC plays is fed back into the main buss OR the Mix 2 buss. In any event, it doesn't look like the mixer is used to control the level of the playback in the manner it would using outboard audio sources, microphones, etc.

[Shane]

The board should show up in the list of sound devices. How it shows up depends. It might say USB Sound Device. If it's the second time the computer has encountered a device with that name, but it recognizes it's not the same thing, it will attach a (2) to the name. In any event you go to Sound in Control Panel, click on a playback device, of which one is hopefully your mixer, set it as the default and dig through the other layers to make sure volume controls are up and such. Should be the same procedure, except on the Recording tab, to set incoming audio to the mixer. While you are there, you might as well click on the other tabs and turn off the silly stuff in there. (Windows noises and level ducking primarily) I'm speaking Windows 7 here. Your OS may vary.

[dbuckley]

all we are trying to do is get digital audio out of the PC and into the mixer.

You did see this bit in the manual, yes:

For playback, you can return the USB stereo signal directly into the main left and right mix bus so that the playback from the PC sums with the MAIN mix on the console. To hear the USB playback in the MAIN MIX press the TAPE/USB TO MAIN MIX switch.

That's not a very flexible use of USB, in my ever so humble opinion, it would be really nice to be able to route it to input channels.