Best
Studio Mixer For Live Recording
-
Overall: Best for Professionals Who Are Looking For The Most Advanced Wireless Technology
-
Best Feature: Comes With Built-In Tri-Mode WiFi Router
-
TedScore: 10/10
Best
Overall Digital Mixer
-
Overall: Best for Professionals Who Do Big Concerts
-
Best Feature: Has An Intuitive And A Very Interactive Interface
-
TedScore: 10/10
Best
Portable Mixer
-
Overall: Best for Musicians looking For An Easy-To-Setup Digital Audio Mixer
-
Best Feature: Can Connect Up To 10 IPads Simultaneously
-
TedScore: 9/10
If you’re shopping for a digital mixer and feeling overwhelmed by all the options, we are here to help!
Most Digital Mixers are very flexible because they have a lot of stereo inputs and stereo outputs. But they can be quite complicated…
In this article, we will talk about all the factors involved in choosing a digital mixer, as well as the list of the best digital mixers we have selected for you.
With no further ado, let’s mix some music!
How we picked the best digital mixers
Here are the things that we considered while picking the best digital mixer for you:
Budget
Digital mixers tend to be more expensive than analog mixers. They provide an input channel, USB connectivity, wireless control, and other additional features to give you the best sound quality.
Not all of us can afford these channel digital mixers, so we have included some budget-friendly digital mixers (also known as cheaper mixers!). However, if you are a professional and need the most advanced digital mixer, we have also included the more expensive ones.
Channel count and type
The number of channels in an audio mixer is also called frame size, and we have selected the mixers with the best frame size. The larger the frame size, the more input signals it can handle without issue.
For example, you can connect 24 audio inputs to the mixer with a frame size of 24; hence, it is better to have as many input channels as possible.
We have also taken care of the mixer channel type. For example, if a digital mixer has 24 audio inputs, we have ensured that in our opinion, it has enough mic preamps.
Features
There are many digital mixers in the market. They all have different sets of key features. Channel digital mixers have features like:
- Ability to save and recall
- Synchronising with a lighting controller
- Complete automation
- Multitrack recording
- Handling playback tracks from the computer
In the digital mixers given below, we have selected the best digital mixers for live sound with the best features to provide you with the best experience.
Onboard processing
Digital mixers can process a large number of audio signals. This is one of the most important factors when choosing the best digital mixer in 2023. We considered how many processors the mixer has and its effects and quality. More internal effects result in the best mixes for you.
Customer experience
The best truth comes from the users who have used the products. We have researched the internet to find the customer experiences of the digital mixers we have mentioned in this article.
Only the best customer experience products were chosen, so you don’t have to worry about their reputation.
Now let’s answer a few questions about channel digital mixers.
Digital Mixers Q&A
Do I still need my audio interface if I have a digital mixer?
No, it is not required. A digital mixer can work as a built-in audio interface for you.
Digital mixers have USB outputs that allow you to send audio inputs to your computer or other output devices, which results in better flexibility.
Not all mixers have this feature, so check before you buy.
Are digital mixers more difficult to use than analog ones?
Both digital and analog mixers have their advantages and disadvantages. However, there are numerous parallels between the two.
An analog mixer is indeed easier to use and learn than digital audio mixers. You’ll have to sit down and figure out many things if switching from an analog to a digital mixer.
Does the sound on a digital mixer sound harsh compared to an analog one?
Digital and analog mixers all do the same thing, but how they do it is the main difference.
Some analog mixes have a beautiful warm sound, and that’s why they’re still loved in this primarily digital world. However, it doesn’t mean that all digital mixers sound harsh.
How Do Digital Mixers Work?
The working of a digital mixer is actually very simple. The three steps that digital mixers take to operate are as follows:
Routing
As the name implies, the input signals are directed for the internal effects or to the internal buses. A bus is responsible for output channelling after receiving the input signal.
Mixing
In the case of audio mixing, a summing amplifier comes into the picture. A summing amplifier works on a very fundamental algorithm and processes the input.
