Would this work Mixer + Audio interface

Axe_meister

I have an old Yamaha MM1402 14 Channel mixer and have a Presonus 26c 2in 4 out interface coming.
I was wondering if I could set it up as follows.
Instruments/Mics into the Desk (For phantom power, pre-mix EQ, etc)
Output to Presonus In via the ST-Out.
Presonus Output 1 & 2 to my Studio Monitors.
So far all good and a normal setup.
Now given I have a separate set of outputs on the Presonus, could I connect these to the input channels on the Mixer?
I.e. in the DAW set a track or two to output to the second set of outs, which then goes into the mixer, I can then EQ add external FX, etc and record on separate tracks in the DAW? 
Sort of like an FX loop?

Or would you just not bother with the desk, mix everything in the box, and just use the second set of outputs to go to a seperate set of Monitors.
Or for the same functionality just, loop back the outputs back in the to the inputs.

Alternatively, as I would only ever record one or two instruments at the same time.
Instrument into Presonus for recording.
All four outputs to mixer So I can easily switch between different monitors, or in a live situation with backing tracks I could have
Drums on channel 1, bass on 2, Keys on 3 and acoustic on  4, with live Vocal and guitar on on separate mixer channels so I can get a decent live mix (not that that is going to be a possibility soon), or even loop back into the interface as an external mix with physical sliders for the final Stereo mix

Axe_meister

Or could I use it this way.
Interface output 1 to mixer input 1
Interface output 2 to mixer input 2
Interface output 3 to mixer input 3
Interface output 4 to mixer input 4


Instrument to mixer input 5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14 --> Routed to Pre-fader Aux 1 --> Interface Input 1
Unfortunately the desk does not have a stereo Aux Send so I won't be able to record two instruments at once
or record a stereo instrument unless I plug in directly into the interface 

Desk output to monitors

If I have say 8 channels of Drums in the DAW I route them to a Single Drums bus which goes to interface output 1
Likewise I could have 4 Guitars  going to a Guitar bus on interface output 2
A bass channel and keys channel going to a bass+keys bus also going to output 2
A Main vocal bus going to output 3
Multiple Backing vocal channels going to a backing vocal bus going to output 4
This way I could get a seperate mix whilst recording.

The master bus on the DAW would go to Output 1 and 2 but turned down.
For the final mix (in the box) I route everything or the sub busses to master bus which will be on outputs 1 and 2.
 

octatonic

Can I be frank?
Mixers at that level don't improve the sound, you just get more noise and you get crosstalk.
It isn't like mixing on a large format console, which is all about workflow, with 'sound' coming in second.
It has largely been replaced as a methodology too- because recall is more important.

You would lose the ability to recall mixes for no tangible improvement in workflow (because the mixer isn't big enough) or sound (because it isn't high enough quality).
I know there is a tendency to want to use a piece of gear if you have it but I really (REALLY) don't think this is one of those examples where it will get you anything meaningful.

I have a couple of small mixers in the studio (3 of them).
I use them to submix line level sources (synths) in places of the studio where long multicores would be a trip hazard.
I mostly try to have one input per device though and as soon as I can afford to I'll add more interface channels and hard wire them.

Musicwolf

Keep it 'in the box'.  As Octatonic says, mixers in that price range do nothing to improve the sound.   If you need physical faders then get a control surface.

Stratavarious

Yep.. logic remote or DAW control app. even better you can carry it to where you are playing/recording if working solo.

mike257

I'd agree with the other comments, I struggle to see how you benefit from putting the desk in to this equation. Sending a track from the computer out through the converters in to the desk to EQ it, then sending it back through another stage of conversion and in to a mic preamp gives you loads of potential places to cock up your gain staging and degrade your overall sound quality and signal-to-noise ratio.  The basic EQ plugins included with your DAW will give better results than sending it on that unnecessary round trip. 

If it was a high end board with great preamps and EQs I could see the value in doing it, but with a desk like that you won't get an improvement in quality and if anything you'll be unnecessarily complicating your recording and mixing workflow.