[linux-audio-user] hardware mixing - what it _actually_ is?

[linux-audio-user at music.columbia.edu]

hi community.

i am choosing a sound card for my new box, an i found myself totally obscured about such thing as hardware mixing. so, please help me to clarify:
(0) what it _actually_ does? and
(1) in particular, (how) can it help in live performance?

some details: i'm choosind between echo (mia midi or gina 3g) and m-audio (delta series) cards. the only thing used for live performance is csound driven by hardware midi controllers.

thanx in advance.

p.s. yes, i did pretty much googling etc before writing here.

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