Reply to Necessary to use the software mixer with Traktor Pro?

This is probably a stupid question, but here goes.

So while I've been DJing with vinyl for a while, I'm getting tired of how expensive it's become and how much of a pain it is to carry a huge record bag around, and I'm playing with the idea of switching to digital vinyl.

But the set-up confuses me. If I'm using a laptop, do I absolutely need to use the software mixer? I just want to run a different audio source through the turntables, but replacing a hardware mixer with an on-screen mixer isn't really something I have an interest in doing.

Is it possible to still use a hardware mixer without turning my laptop into a single-channel source?