Internal Vs External Mixdowns

[grs]

Originally Posted by jasedee

So my question is this: When mixing down, is it better to take my main mix (on my Mackie stereo line channel) and route it back into the computer to record the mixdown, or just do it internally (export/bounce to stereo) in my DAW????

If you did that your not getting any analog summing. Summing is adding.
You need more than one stereo out, at least 4 stereo pairs if you've got them, more is better. Send different parts of your mix to different hardware outputs, they will get summed/added/mixed in your Mackie. Record the stereo mix from your Mackie to your PC.
Even if you dont use the Mackie eqs, gain, faders(leave them at 0/unity) you may hear the improvement.
I hear it all the time.
Yes, I care. IMO digital summing is a compromise, just like VA synths. The payoffs are there for digital like cost, more channels etc, but something happens in those wires in the real world where atoms meet.