Multiple Audio Track Recording

Hi All,
 
Maybe a dummy question but I'm just starting out so forgive me.
 
I don't have any equipment at the moment so I'm shopping around but I want to be able to record multiple instruments at the same time and have Sonar record them and be able to mix each channel etc after recording.
 
I'm a little lost as to what i need for that though.
 
Would a mixer with a USB output such as  do what I'm after?
 
I.E. all channels that are sent out via the USB port will go into the same channel number in sonar so I can post mix?
 
Hope that makes sense
 
Thanks
 
Paul
 
 

A "Recording Interface Unit" is what you want.  A mixer with USB, unless its a specific type won't do what you want.
The recording interface unit will allow however many channels it has (e.g. my MOTU unit has 8 analog preamps built in and I can record up to 8 inputs at once) to be recorded at one time. 
 
There are many USB recording interface units and with many prices.  If you just get an interface unit you will then need analog preamps for each channel.  An interface unit with preamps allows you to either use microphones or instrument inputs direct. 
 
A relatively inexpensive unit is the Tascam US-1608, with has 8 analog preamps and is USB 2.0.  This is just one example.  There are plenty more.  The MOTU unit I have is on the higher end and not needed for "entry level". 

hmmm it wont let me post a link
 
Its an Allen and Heath Qu-24 Digital Mixer, Chrome Edition

To add to my other post. 
You want each channel (input) to be on a SEPARATE track, not mixed into one track in Sonar (or any recording program).  You can then do whatever you want to each track and after that is accomplished you then mix it down to either a mono or stereo track.   You DO NOT want them all mixed together externally of Sonar, a misconception that you apparently have.  That is why we do not recommend mixers.
 
 

Before we make any recommendations, please tell us exactly what you intend to do with your rig?
 
Again, $2300 is a lot of money (at least to me) and with the Allen Heath live mixer you are paying for a lot of stuff that you don't need, unless you are doing live *mixing* in addition to recording.
 
There are several product combinations (interface, additional preamp and control surface) which will give you the same inputs/outputs that the Allen Heath will for far less money.
 
Look at the Focusrite 18i20 and Focusrite Clarrett OctoPre (that combination will get you to 16 preamp channels, I think.)

How many tracks will you be recording at once? How many mics? How many line inputs? How many DIs, if any?

If you really need a mixer for recording lots of tracks simltaneously, then perhaps one of the Mackie Onyx series will do what you want. It's a mixer that incorporates a built-in audio interface with dual firewire connection.
http://mackie.com/products/onyx-i-series

I have an inexpensive 16 channel device the Behringer XR18.  16 channels XLR (and 1 stereo channel)
It IS actually a digital mixer in what looks like a stage box.  You control the mixer using software hooked up via Ethernet cable (wired) or through a wireless connection.  It has MIDAS designed preamps and sounds pretty good.
 
One caveat.  If you are coming from an analogue world (like I was), any digital mixer takes a bit to figure out.  The inputs and outputs are totally flexible and you can pretty much route any signal to anywhere.
 
That being sais, I haven't used it for LIVE sound reinforcement, just recording and it works great there!
 
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/XR18
 
There is a forum on Behringer's web site that may prove helpful as well...
 
This one can take 16 channels without any expansion, and through a single AES50 connector add 16 more channels (you have to add another device that has the preamps and connectors), you get 32 channels!  I personnaly did not have the $$$ or need that many tracks at once!
 
Presonus, Allen & Heath, and many others make digital mixers that can do this.  The newer generation of them do not have the hardware sliders, but use software mixers.
 
 
 

One of the more inexpensive mixers that will do what you want is the Soundcraft Signature 22 MTK. It is an analog mixer with a digital converter that will allow you to record (and play back) up to 22 tracks at 24 bit and 48K sample rate through a USB connection.

However, you have to make sure that you will have everything else you need to accomplish the entire scope of work your looking at.

It's one thing to plop a mixer down on a desk in a studio full time as opposed to trying to record a band live while also mixing for the live event.