Suggestions for simultaneous input playback?

[IntrepidChuck]

The mic port on my Astro Mixamp bit the dust so I am looking at my options to revamp the audio setup. The mixamp simultaneously played audio from both my PC and game consoles. Would a cheap mixer be a good solution for this? Would I need a separate mic for the Xbox if I got a mixer? Eventually I want to learn electric guitar, so would the mixer also be all I need for that?

[Fullmental]

Let's make sure I understand your use case here. So you have an Xbox, a mixamp, and PC. What model mixamp did you have and how did you have it connected to your xbox?

 

Electric Guitar: You can use one with a mixer, but you'll probably need a hi-z input for that, and it would just be a clean sound. You would also need an amplifier  to get that overdriven sound/other effects.

 

 

[IntrepidChuck]

Right. The Mixamp was the 2012 version I believe. It was connected to the PC via USB and the Xbox via optical Toslink. I could replace it with the current TR Xbone version, but checking other options. I could get the Xbox audio on an analog signal using a 3.5mm jack if that makes the setup simpler.

[IntrepidChuck]

Here's a thought, would I be able to use the Aux send/FX send to output a signal to a device such as the Xbox controller? That would be sweet. 

[PacNiKK]

Hi there,
The mixer you suggest only has one stereo Input, so it wouldn't be great for your purpose. But there certainly are mixers that would be up to the job.
Also I didn't fully get what the mic will be used for. Is it for ingame communication? If your mixer does have aux outputs, you could use it to route a signal to an xbox controller, given that you have the right cables. Please note that aux outs almost exclusively are not stereo but mono.
To learn electric guitar I'd recommend either a small Amp like a Marshall MG15GR or a floorboard if you want to practice exclusively using headphones.

[Fullmental]

I don't think you'll find a mixer with optical audio, at least not at any sort of reasonable price range. 

 

If you're fine with using USB audio from PC and 3.5mm from the xbox, the Behringer Xenyx 302USB will work for your needs. You'll just need to buy a 3.5mm to RCA adapter. You can plug in your headset using the included mic and headphone in jacks. Technically, you could also do a line out on the PC and get another 3.5mm to RCA adapter, you'd just have to use the tape in RCA ports for that.

 

The reason I recommend this mixer over most others in the mini mixing console range is that this one provides a mic in port. Simply put, a typical electret microphone found in most 3.5mm mics and headsets require what's called "plug-in power" to operate. In other words, you if you were to plug it into a line input or RCA connection, the mic wouldn't work. Having a dedicated mic in will prevent you from needing to get a relatively expensive transformer to provide the power you need. Most mixers just don't have this because a 3.5mm mic isn't a typical "pro audio" need. For example, I own a Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK mixer which cost about $500, and I can't plug in a headset mic at all if I wanted to - it just wouldn't work wtihout a step down transformer to convert the XLR phantom power into a plug in power voltage (and this sort of tech is kind of hard to find). This is par for the course when dealing with audio mixers.

 

The only other mixer I could find with that 3.5mm mic in port was the Pyle 3 channel mixer, it actually offers battery power if you wanted something portable. I've had no experience with the brand though, and I have no idea how well it will perform in battery mode, so I don't recommend trying this unless it's an absolute must for you. The battery life is also only up to four hours, which seems pretty awful for me for a gaming session.

 

The other reason is that I've bought and owned it before and can vouch for the audio quality. It will sound at least as good as a typical PC sound card - if not slightly better - as long as your inputs are clean.

 

One note: the Behringer Xenyx 302USB claims to have "phantom power" for XLR mics. It sucks, don't count on being able to use it. The "phantom power" is only 15V, whereas most XLR mics need 48V. In your use case it doesn't really matter, but just in case you're curious down the road...