MPC 2500, daw & analog mixer... quite confused!!

Hi everybody!

First of all, much respect for all you MPC heads!!
And second, thanks for yout time reading this!!

I've got the MPC 2500, an audio interface with 2 mono in's (edirol) and cubase!

I'm thinkin to buy an analog mixer (yamaha mg 166 c, with many inputs) to be able to use the 8 outputs on the mpc.
Now, cause I'm a noob in wires and stuff like that, i'm thinking about the possible set up and I'm quite confused...

Ok, the 8 out's of the mpc go into 8 channels on the mixer, but where I have to plug my monitors? in the mixer or in my audio interface?

My idea of work flow:
- in cubase i program via midi the sounds in my mpc
- then when I press play on cubase my mpc plays, each track go into separated channels in the mixer, and while mpc playing I mix the beat
- then I record my beat in cubase (main out of the mixer --> in's of audio interface)
- ok, now on one track in cubase I have my beat mixed
- on another track on cubase I have the pre-recorded vocals

...and now?

if I plug monitors in the audio interface, I leave the mixer alone and I mix on cubase:
- track 1: my beat (pre-mixed on the mixer)
- track 2: vocals
and done!

if I plug the monitors in the mixer, I guess I have to set the output of my audio interface go in one channel of the mixer, but it will generate noise or phasing? I mean, the circle of the sound in and out 2 things... sorry for ignorance!!

or: the 8 outs of the mpc go into 8 channels of the mixer, and in the channel n. 9 of the mixer go the output of my audio interface (for the vocals), so I can mix them all together, but it's ok with the sound routing?

if you can help, please do it!!

you can hook up the monitors to the outputs of the edirol interface directly if you intend to use that interface and your computer at any time you make music.
but if you hook up the monitors to the mixer you can make music with your other gear if you do not want to use the interface or the computer.

normally all your instruments, samplers and microphones go into inputs on the mixer and the outputs of the mixer go into the interface inputs. that is the way in.

you did not specify how many outs your interface has so i´m assuming it has two outs.
these two go to the monitors directly. this is the easy way.
or
these two go to the mixer into tape return (or two track in) and the monitors are hooked up to the main outs or to the control room (cr) outs. this is the common way.
or
you hook up the outputs of the interface to a stereo channel of the mixer. that way you can use the eq and fx of the mixer for your sounds from the computer. but be aware not to produce a feedback loop if you do this!!! this is the versatile way.

as you see there is more than one way to hook up things. none of them is wrong but some have advantages over the others.

a good place to gain some basic knowledge (besides this forum) is tweakheads lab right here: http://tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

peace, jo

Uao, thanks, now I got all the options, I ll buy the mixer and I ll try, thanks!!!