- Hi, I'm Jordan from Kettner Creative.
In this video, I want to show you the difference
between a Yamaha MG10 USB audio mixer
and the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB audio interface.
We previously did a video comparing
USB audio mixers to USB audio interfaces,
but we had a lot of comments
where people asked us to specifically comment
on these two devices, to compare the pros and cons,
and why we would or would not recommend buying each device.
Now let's start with the Yamaha MG10 USB audio mixer.
Now you can see, just looking at this,
that this has a larger footprint, it's almost a square foot,
but with this device you get four microphone combi inputs,
so you can so XLR or quarter inch jacks,
and you get three stereo pairs.
With this console, you also get the ability
to add compression to two of your channels,
and you get three band EQ on most of your channels,
but the stereo inputs just have high and low.
You can pan each of them, you can set gain and level
for each, and you can mix it down to a stereo output.
You can use this in a live situation,
it has balance quarter inch outputs
and XLR outputs, or you can use the USB output
on the back of this device to connect it to your computer,
so you can record the stereo mix.
Now it is possible to multitrack with this,
but you have to pan channels one and two
to the left and right,
essentially you're assigning channel one to the left output,
and channel two to the right output,
and using that method, you can multitrack
using this USB audio mixer.
But this device is not made for that,
this device is made for sending a mix
through to the stereo outputs to your computer.
Now, a lot of the options on this board
are what I would call destructive audio editing.
For example, if you add compression
to your audio channel, when you send that
to your computer, you cannot undo that compression.
Same if you do a mid cut, or a high cut,
or something like that, you can't undo that.
You can try to reboost those frequencies
but it's never the same as working with the original,
raw, multitracked audio file.
Now, we're gonna look at the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.
A much more simple device, much smaller footprint,
but it has nicer preamps, lower noise
for the dollar that you're paying.
It has two XLR inputs that are combi jacks as well,
so you can do mic level, line level,
and there's a switch to use instrument level inputs.
So you can hook your guitar straight to your computer,
if you're wanting to do guitar sims or something like that.
It has an air button here,
which basically boosts the high frequencies,
opens up some darker microphones.
It has a big monitor volume knob,
a headphone volume knob with a headphone jack on the front.
On the back, it has balanced TRS outputs
for studio monitors or something like that on your desk,
with the USB as well, so you could hook it
to your computer.
Now, this device excels at multitrack recording.
You plug whatever you want into this,
it sends it straight through to the software,
and you do all your editing on the software.
In that way, you're doing nondestructive editing,
you always have the ability to go back
to your raw audio file,
take all your effects off,
and start over if you don't like the mix
or the project that you're working on.
You can tell just looking at this device,
that it's a much smaller footprint.
If you're trying to compare the two
of which you want sitting on your desk,
this on wins.
You can set this right under your monitor
and you wouldn't even notice it half the time.
This one, you're coughing up a whole square foot
of your desk, so you better be using it all the time,
because desk real estate is super important.
So, which would I recommend for you.
If you're planning on doing some live sound,
or if you're just getting started,
and you don't really know, you're interested in audio,
probably streaming, I say get the MG10.
If you know you're just doing guitar sims
or multitrack recording, and you just want to geek out
making music, and you're just going to use
one or two inputs at a time,
then this is the device for you.
If you're doing multitrack recording,
you have a group of friends that always come over
and you just want to record the fun that you come up with,
then the MG10 is the device for you.
So there's the main factors for comparing
the two devices to one another.
If you want to see pricing or specs
for either of these devices,
we have some links in the description below.
If you have any questions or comments,
or you want to see a different kind of demonstration
with either product, please leave a comment
in the comment section below.
And if you want to see more videos like this in the future,
please like and subscribe.
Thank you so much for watching.
♪ Upbeat music ♪