Audio mixer with dedicated mic output

Question

I'm kind new to all this sound stuff but I'm trying to do something wich seem simple but I can't figure out how to do it properly :

I have an Alto Professional ZMX52 wich I use to manage my audio sources.

• LINE 2/3 is my main computer
• LINE 4/5 is a (cheap) piano
• MAIN MIX output to some speakers
• PHONES output to my Headset
• AUX IN is for another computer (let say my laptop for example)
• AUX OUT output to nothing, but it's in case I need another headset output

When I bought it I was planning to plug my mic (Neewer NW-800) to this mixer, on MIC 1 because I thought I could output the mic to my computer somehow, but when I received it I realized it wasn't possible.

So I had to buy a separate Phantom power to use my mic. At the end I can't manage it's volume or it's gain on my table, wich was the initial plan.

So my question is the following :

Is there a way to have the same mixer that I have but with a separate mic output ?

Also, I don't really know if this is the good place to ask that kind of question, I didn't knew this stackexange until now. Feel free to redirect me to another forum

Answer 1

The solution here really depends on what you're trying to do. From what I gather you want to:

• Record your microphone to your computer
• Use your mixer as a physical gain/volume control
• Mix your microphone, piano and computer output to your speakers

To get your microphone to your computer, you need a preamplifier with phantom power, and an ADC to convert the analog signal to a digital one. Your mixer has a preamp with 18 V of phantom, but no ADC. What you need is an audio interface. Many relatively affordable interfaces have one or two XLR inputs with 48 V of phantom power, ADCs, and connect to a computer over USB. They also have gain controls, so you could use it as a physical control of the microphone volume.

Solution 1

Send your mic and piano through an audio interface into a DAW and mix them there. Send the mix to your speakers back through the interface. This requires an interface with at least one mic input, two line inputs (for the piano), and two line outputs (to your speakers).

Solution 2

Many interfaces have the ability to route and mix its inputs and outputs using the firmware that is included when you buy it (functionally a mixer that's controlled by software rather than physically). If so, this provides lower latency compared to routing through an operating system and DAW. You could power and amplify the mic with the interface, send it directly to a line output on the interface, and record it to your DAW simultaneously. If you then connect the line out to a line in on your mixer, you can use the mixer to mix your sources into your speakers, while recording at the same time.

Solution 3

Get a mixer that has either direct outputs (these are what come closest to what I think you're describing when you say "microphone output"), or at least one aux bus. It also needs to be able to provide 48 V. Use the mixer to power and amplify your mic and mix your sources to your speakers. Simultaneously send the mic to an audio interface for recording, using either dir out or aux line outs on the mixer.