Soundcraft Signature MTK Series
The Soundcraft Signature MTK Series are the best mixers out there that can do Multitrack recording through USB directly on to your computer.
You have two option to go for here;
The Signature MTK 12 or the Signature MTK 22 which can record up to 12 or 22 channels respectively.
You can check the Price for the The MTK 12 here and the price for the MTK22 here.
It is important to make the distinction between the MTK series and the regular ones;
Both can be connected to the PC via USB but the regular ones only offer two channels for stereo recording and supports 24-bit/192kHz resolution, while the MTK ones offer 12 or 22 Multi-track recording but at a reduced 24-bit/48kHz sample rate.
They have the Ghost preamps, which are the ones featured on their Ghost Consoles which are the top of the line. They are of extremely good quality giving you a lot of headroom, wide dynamic range and good signal to noise ratio.
This Mixer’s interface will also allow you to use the plugins on your DAW for actual live performances in real time.
They have a great EQ with two separate mid bands and a whole lot of effects such as Reverb, Delays, etc.
The channel strips have a total of 16 mono and 4 stereo channels, 2 effect busses, 4 group busses and a master fader.
Lastly, when purchasing any of these two you also get Ableton Live 9 Lite and free downloads of the Lexicon MPXL native plug-in.
The Souncraft Signature MTK series are my top pick, you just need to figure out if you need a 22-channel or 12-channel one.
Next one on the list is a much more affordable mixer, which will definitely be a good addition for any home recording enthusiast.
USB Interface Compatibility
- PC: Supports Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10.
- Mac: Supports Mac OS 10.7.x Lion through 10.11.x El Capitan
Allen & Heath ZEDi 10FX
The Allen & Heath ZEDi 10FX is USB computer audio interface.
This one I would recommend to anyone with a small Home Studio, or to anyone who doesn’t need an extreme number of ins and outs.
This mixer is also a lot more affordable than all the previous ones on this list which is a clear pro.
It is a 4×4 mixer, meaning that you can record the four mic inputs on to separate tracks in your DAW.
The sample rate and bit depth are 24-bit / 96kHz which is perfect for home recording applications.
ZEDi-10FX offers four mono mic/line channels (with phantom power), which are the ones that can be recorded separately on to the DAW, plus three stereo inputs as well as built- in FX.
The four mono channels feature balanced/unbalanced TRS and XLR inputs and use the GSPre preamps, which sound pretty damn nice and can even provide enough gain to drive microphones like the Shure SM7B or the Heil PR40.
The first two channels also include a “guitar mode” which engage the high impedance DI inputs. This means that you won’t need to worry about purchasing a DI box.
The next two channels, 3 and 4, have a Line/Pad button which will drop the input level by 20dB.
All four channels have a Low cut button as well as the typical controls every mixer has; like Gain, balance, FX-Send, mix level, Aux send and a three band EQ.
It also comes with a bunch of effects which sound pretty good, however you might not need them…
This is where the Allen & Heath ZEDi-10 comes in.
It’s the exact same mixer but without the added effects at a lower price.
Included Software
One huge perk about this mixer is that it comes with these free included softwares; Cubase LE and Cubasis LE.
If you’re someone who is just starting out, then both the Allen & Heath ZEDi 10FX and the Allen & Heath ZEDi-10 are excellent choices to consider.