Streaming with Alesis MultiMix 8 USB

Toby Lancaster · Streaming with Alesis MultiMix 8 USB

Hi!

I've been using a small mixer connected to my soundcard's line in sockets to stream.

But now I'm considering buying a Alesis MultiMix 8 USB. Can anyone confirm that I should be able to stream from the MultiMix connecting to my XP PC by USB?

I normally use BUTT to stream.

Thanks! Smile

Toby

Kim Seifert

Toby, this is the exact mixer I use. Works great and yes you connect it directly to your computer via USB.

Norris Shepherd

I have an alesis Mixer as well (except the FireWire Cool

... but i find it much easier/more reliable just to use the line out into my sound card.

... actually. . i just got a NEW Alesis mixer after spending a bunch of time and money trying to get the firewire port to work on the first mixer i bought. Never did, but they replaced it though.

Distilled1

KIm the USB works well?
I run the same mixer but the older non USB model, lost one channel and am looking at getting another as I really like it, but may go bigger yet so I can actually have sliders instead of the knobs for pots.
Plus I have always used the line ins on my sound card since its set up for recording... maybe I will look deeper into the USB set up, sounds as if it may be a little easier... how is the monitoring using the USB? and I wonder about latency with USB (I have fire wire, on my PC supposed to be blazing fast? Norris did you ever get it to work?)

Norris Shepherd

Hey Distilled.. yeah the new one they shipped me, i plugged it in and my computer detected it and i installed it fine.

I mucked around with it a bit, but my system is kind of messed up now because i have my sound card, then two line 6 devices, then the Alesis mixer. So effectively i have 4 different things that can act as a sound card,... was causing some conflict.

So I unplugged the firewire and use the line outs from the mixer.

The reason i wanted the firewire is so I could record more than 1 stereo track at a time. Through the firewire you can record up to 4 tracks at a time (i think).... but i haven't got around to trying that functionality yet....

The Alesis USB just lets you record the 1 stereo track at a time as well.

Toby Lancaster

It looks to me as if the MultiMix 8 USB 2.0 is the ideal solution (unless you particularly want slide faders), with its ability to record multiple audio channels, but it costs twice as much as the MultiMix 8 USB, with two track out.

Thanks for the info guys! Smile

Toby

Kim Seifert

Distilled...ya the USB works great. I have a Creative Xi-Fi Platinum soundcard and I've tried going directly to the line in on that cuz it is a great card (IMO) but honestly, I get the best sound using the Alesis. It is a simple mixer (not like my Peavey that makes me go nuts with all its knobbies and sliders and buttons, oh my) and it is easy to use. Has a headphone jack for monitoring. I've blown several of those out but since I got me some good audio-technica phones, I have no problems. It has 4 channels but it also has a separate line in if you want to prerecorded tracks. So plenty of room. I've been using it since January of '07 doing anywhere from 7 to 15 shows per week, practicing and recording on top of that, and not once has it even hicupped on me (knock on wood). It was cheap, sounds great, works great, is little in the rack....what more could you ask for.

Toby Lancaster

Does anyone use the effects on the Alesis MultiMix 8 USB? Is the reverb useable for vocals?

Toby

Norris Shepherd

Distilled1

I use the Chorus set very low on the vocals its #46 Wink

and set a little higher on the acoustic.

they are very decent effects for being integrated on the mixer. just don't over do it

Kim Seifert

It never even occurred to me to use reverb on my guitar. Surprised

RayW

I use reverb on the vocals (at the mixer level). The guitar already runs through it's own processor. So, I put it straight through. But, the guitar processor adds tone, chorus, reverb, sustain (expansion), etc., depending on the preset.

I have been told by some that they don't like much reverb and bass in the mix. So, like Distilled said, go easy on it.

Winston Ackland

any way to insert an outboard compressor at the stereo mix out of that board? i've seen yamaha boards that have simple compression for a couple of the individual channels, but nothing for the whole sheebang.

Distilled1

it does have send returns A&B so you can run rack effects as well Winston.

using the built in FX for guitar only issue is if you want a little on the vocals you need to use the same unless you run outboard stuff.

Electric I run a floor FX rack direct into that line in, but I have ran it as well through aux send return A on this mixer with good results. this can be set for all channels on main out monitor out. I don't know if this gets to the RCA record/tape out/in though return B is the inboard FX but if you run line returns thru I believe it shuts them down... something to try and play with tonight.

RayW

I run a dbx 166XL compressor/expander from my Aux 1 and 2 back in and mix it onto the master buss. This works well as a monitor point, too.

Everything else goes to Aux 1 and 2, not Master. Very similar to how I do my recording setups.

Took some playing to get it so it sounded natural (I hope... haven't heard any complaints).

Toby Lancaster

Bearing in mind I've got a reasonably low latency soundcard (M-Audiophile 24/96), and plan to stream a maximum of two musicians into SL (bass, guitar, vocals), or record single instruments in a sequencer (e.g. Cubase), is there any benefit of using USB?

If I could afford the USB 2.0 or Firewire versions I'd get that, because then I'd have more options, but if I'm going to experience latency with USB 1.0, I'd end up using the line inputs on my soundcard anyway, in which case I'd only need to get the MultiMix 6 FX (http://www.alesis.com/multimix6fx).

Any thoughts?

Toby

Norris Shepherd

.. just my 2 cents worth... but I don't think latency would be a concern. If you were going to use some of your recordings as backing tracks, I would just use a mixed version of these tracks, played back with Winamp or a media player, rather than Cubase. (would be less strain on the systems CPU, RAM, etc).

Then mix the tracks in with your guitar and voice, and run the line out on the mixer to your sound card.

As you are playing along with the mixed track, they are both being sent to the computer at the same time, ... and there is relatively little strain on the system as compared to when it is playing back several tracks in Cubase.

... that's my take on it.... Smile

Distilled1

I agree 100% with Norris that would be the best way to run it. cubase will just eat up a lot of CPU.

you may want to look around for the FX8 non usb as they are nice (I use it) and I'm sure you can find one lower cost on e-bay or even still new at a shop like guitar center if they have any still in stock where the USBand fireWire are outselling them Smile

. Of Course the FX 6 is great if its all you need anyway;)

Toby Lancaster

When I mentioned latency, I was thinking about when recording audio (guitar/bass/vocals) via the mixer using a sequencer. I know most sequencers can be adjusted to cope with latency on an input. But I'm thinking that with USB 1.0 there might be a quite a big delay.

Toby

Jennifer Mahoney

I am having a... challenge with setting up my Alesis FireWire8 with my new PC runnning Vista Ultimate with a Creative X-Fi card.

I have the latest Alesis drivers and all the current windows patches, etc. And, I could provide input to both BUTT and Edcast to/from the mixer, UNTIL I tried to configure Cubase LE4 to do some recording. (I have the latest updates from Steinberg as well).

Once I selected the Alesis FireWire driver in Cubase setup, the sound panel in Vista was borked -- and the only program I could send sound to/from the mixer was Cubase. All other programs worked fine with the Creative card, but could no longer send to/from the mixer. If I do a Vista restore to the point before I configured Cubase, I'm back to "normal"

Alesis and Steinberg tech support have yet to be able to figure this out.

Any suggestions, before I do yet another restore to an earlier point and try another round of driver reloads, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Norris Shepherd

I have a comment/answer,.... but it might not be what you like.

I have the Alesis 8 channel firewire.

My first one I could NOT get the firewire unit to detect. After a ton of time and money (new firewire card, new firewire cable, hours troubleshooting, hours on tech support with Sweetwater, and Alesis, cost of shipping the unit back to them, etc...), ... they shipped me a replacement mixer.

The replacement mixer i can get to detect, but the firewire is buggy and works sometimes at best.

I threw in the towel, and ran the 'line out' on the mixer to my soundcard's 'line in'.... and that's how i use it.

... I know it might not be the answer you wanted.. but it's all i have for ya. Sad

... oh yeah... are the Alesis drivers even compatible with Vista? (Mine is an XP machine)

Jennifer Mahoney

Thanks Norris.

I have the cables to run the line out/line in, if I need to, but was hoping I didn't have to do that.

Yes, the Alesis driver release from 3/17/08 is Visata compatible. And, it works great streaming (from what I can tell) as long as I don't try to install Cubase. Once I do the intall in Cubase, I am toast.

I suppose worst case, I can revert to my XP machine.

Thanks so much for the feedback. Really appreciate the help.

Toby Lancaster

Hi Jennifer!

I echo what my pal Norris says. I have the USB 1.0 version now, and I haven't even bothered trying to connect by USB. I connect the Main Mix Out jacks to the Line In on my soundcard. This setup works well, and I'm not sure of the benefits of connecting by USB, unless I upgraded to the USB 2.0 version to record multiple inputs on separate tracks in Cubase, which is something I haven't got the need to do...............yet! Smile

Toby

Silas Scarborough

If you're on the verge of making a move on a laptop, you might want to take seriously the rumorz / rumours that Apple is going to release a new version of the MacBook on October 14.

Jennifer Mahoney

Thanks for the input you'all. Works fine with the line out/line in setup as recommended. The new driver was working great under XP -- Too bad the work around is needed for the Vista box.

Thanks again!