How to multitrack record a digital mixer
Most digital mixers can record every channel to its own track. How they do it differs a lot: over USB to a computer, to a card or stick in the mixer, or to an iPad or iPhone. This page lists what each mixer can do, and each guide shows the settings and routing step by step.
Facts come from the makers' own manuals and spec pages where we could find them. Where only a forum or a retailer says it, we say so. Where nobody says, we write "not stated" or "unknown" instead of guessing. Researched November 2026; check your mixer's manual and firmware before a show.
What each mixer can record
"Over USB" is what the mixer sends to a computer, iPad or iPhone. "With no computer" is what it records by itself.
| Model | Over USB | With no computer | Mac, iPad and iPhone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Behringer X32With the X-USB or X-LIVE card. Full size, Compact, Producer, Rack and Core. | Up to 32 in and 32 out through the card, at 44.1 or 48 kHz, 24-bit. With no card, no multitrack USB audio. | X-LIVE card: 8, 16 or 32 channels to two SD cards. X-USB card: none. The console's USB stick port records stereo, 16-bit WAV. | Mac: works with no driver (maker), though Behringer's own OS lists stop at Mac OS X 10.12. iPhone and iPad: not documented by the maker, and not tested yet. |
| Midas M32 and M32RWith the DN32-USB or DN32-LIVE card. | DN32-USB: 32 in and 32 out, 48 kHz, 24-bit. DN32-LIVE: 32, 16, 8 or 2 channels. | DN32-LIVE card: the same SD recorder as the X-LIVE. The console's USB stick port records stereo, 16-bit. | Mac: works with no driver (maker). iPhone and iPad: not documented by the maker, and not tested yet. |
| Behringer WING, WING Rack and WING Compact | 2 x 2 up to 48 x 48, 24-bit. The console runs at 44.1 or 48 kHz; USB at 44.1 kHz is not stated. | WING-LIVE card: 64 channels on two SD cards. Front USB stick: 2 or 4 tracks. | Mac with no driver: users report it works; Behringer doesn't say. iPad: reports differ, not tested yet. iPhone: not tested yet. |
| Behringer XR18 and Midas MR18Also the X18. Midas's manual confirms the MR18's USB specs; its iPad support comes only from retailers. | 18 in and 18 out, or 2 x 2, at 44.1 or 48 kHz (48 by default). | None for multitrack. | Mac: works with no driver (maker). iPad: yes, iOS 7 or later (Behringer, for the XR18). iPhone: not named by the maker, and not tested yet. |
| Behringer XR12 and XR16, Midas MR12MR12 facts come from retailers, not Midas. | No USB audio interface, so no multitrack over USB. | Stereo WAV, 2 tracks, to a USB stick. | No multitrack on any computer, iPhone or iPad. |
| Allen & Heath SQ-5, SQ-6, SQ-7 and SQ-Rack | 32 in and 32 out, 48 or 96 kHz. | SQ-Drive: 16 channels at 96 kHz or 32 at 48 kHz, 24-bit WAV, to a fast USB drive (the maker says most sticks are too slow). Or stereo. | Mac: class compliant (maker). iPhone and iPad: not named. Allen & Heath says no driver is needed on any system that supports class-compliant audio. Not tested yet. |
| Allen & Heath Qu-5, Qu-6 and Qu-7The new Qu. | 32 in and 32 out over USB-C, 48 or 96 kHz. | SD card: 16 channels at 96 kHz or 32 at 48 kHz. USB stick: stereo. | Mac: class compliant. iPad: works but "not officially supported" (maker), with USB Stream Mode set to Multitrack. iPhone: not tested yet. |
| Allen & Heath Qu-16, Qu-24, Qu-32, Qu-SB and Qu-PacQu Classic. | 48 kHz. The Qu-16 sends 24 channels; the Qu-24, Qu-32 and Qu-Pac send 32. | Qu-Drive: 18 tracks to a USB drive. | Mac: works. iPad: yes, says Allen & Heath staff on their forum. iPhone: not tested yet. |
| Allen & Heath CQ-12T, CQ-18T and CQ-20B | CQ-12T 16 in, 16 out. CQ-18T 24 in, 22 out. CQ-20B 24 in, 24 out. 48 or 96 kHz. | SD card: as many channels as USB at 48 kHz; 16 at 96 kHz on the CQ-18T and CQ-20B. USB stick: stereo. | Mac: works. iPad: yes, says Allen & Heath staff, with Stream Mode set to Multitrack. iPhone: not tested yet. |
| Allen & Heath Avantis and Avantis Solo | No USB audio interface. Multitrack needs an option card (Dante, Waves, MADI or gigaACE). | Stereo only, as 24-bit 96 kHz WAV. | No multitrack over USB on any computer, iPhone or iPad. |
| Soundcraft Ui24R | 32 in and 32 out, 48 kHz. Bit depth not stated. | 22 channels to a USB stick (FAT32, up to 32 GB). The file format is not stated by the maker; a 2017 review says WAV or FLAC. | Mac: works with no driver (maker). iPhone and iPad: not stated by the maker, not tested yet. |
| Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK and 22 MTKDiscontinued. | 12 MTK: 14 in, 12 out. 22 MTK: 24 in, 22 out. 44.1 or 48 kHz, 24-bit. | None. | Mac: uses Core Audio; current macOS not listed by Soundcraft. iPad: yes, with a camera adapter (maker). iPhone: not tested yet. |
| Yamaha TF1, TF3, TF5 and TF-Rack | 34 in and 34 out, 48 kHz only, 24-bit. | Stereo WAV to a USB drive. | Mac: class compliant (maker). iPhone and iPad: not stated by the maker, not tested yet. |
| Yamaha DM3 and DM3 Standard | Up to 18 in and 18 out, 48 or 96 kHz. | Stereo WAV or MP3 to USB storage. | Mac: Yamaha says its driver is required. iPhone and iPad: not supported by Yamaha, and not tested. |
| Yamaha MG10XU, MG12XU, MG16XU and MG20XUThe newer Yamaha MGX12 and MGX16 differ: Yamaha says iPhone and iPad recognize them, with up to 18 in on the MGX16 at 44.1 or 48 kHz. | Stereo only: 2 in and 2 out, up to 192 kHz. | None. | Mac: USB Audio Class 2.0 compliant (maker). iPad: yes with a camera adapter, stereo only (maker). USB-C iPhone or iPad: not tested yet. |
| PreSonus StudioLive Series IIIConsoles, 32R, 24R and 16R. | 64 in and 64 out (Native) or 34 x 34 (Compatibility), 44.1 or 48 kHz. 16R: 18 or more, depending on firmware. | Consoles: 34 tracks to an SD or SDHC card (up to 32 GB; SDXC not supported). Racks: stereo only. | Mac: works. iPad: class compliant (PreSonus support); the 64 x 64 mode crashes some iPad apps. PreSonus lists the iPhone in a general statement; not tested by us. |
| Mackie DL32S, DL16S and DL32SE | 32 in and 32 out (DL16S: 16 x 16), 48 kHz. | None. | Mac: class compliant; current macOS not listed by Mackie. iPhone and iPad: not tested yet. |
| Mackie DL32R | 32 in and 32 out, 48 kHz. | Up to 32 tracks with current firmware (older units may show 24 until updated), 16 or 24-bit at 48 kHz, as one multichannel WAV per take, to a spinning USB hard drive formatted by the DL32R (no thumb drive, no hub). The drive and a computer can't be used at the same time. | Mac: class compliant; current macOS not listed by Mackie. iPad: yes, with a camera adapter (manual). iPhone: not tested yet. |
| Zoom LiveTrak L-12, L-20 and L-20R | L-12: 14 in, 4 out. L-20: 22 in, 4 out. 44.1 or 48 kHz only; no USB audio at 96 kHz. | SD card: 14 tracks (L-12) or 22 (L-20), WAV up to 24-bit 96 kHz. | iPad and iPhone: yes, named by Zoom, with the rear Class Compliant Mode switch on before power-on and a Lightning camera adapter. USB-C: not tested yet. Mac: install Zoom's driver. |
Three ways to record every channel
- To a computer over USB. The mixer acts as a USB audio interface, and a DAW records each channel to its own track. On a Mac, most of the mixers above need no driver.
- To a card or stick in the mixer. Some mixers, or an option card in them, record many tracks to an SD card or a USB drive with no computer at all. Many others record only a stereo mix this way.
- To an iPad, iPhone or Mac with an app.A class-compliant mixer can send its channels to an iPad or iPhone over a USB cable. Few makers name the iPhone, so the table says "not tested yet" where nobody has checked.
The mixer powers nothing on the phone or tablet through its USB audio port. For a long show, use a powered USB-C hub, or a camera adapter that passes power through, so the iPhone or iPad charges while it records.
Where ShowRecorder fits
ShowRecorder records every USB Channel from any class-compliant mixer, one WAV file per channel, on a USB-C iPhone or iPad. Names and colors from the mixer (Mixer Link) work only with the XR18 and MR18 and the X32 and M32. The X32 and M32 have been tested only against an emulator so far.