Digital Mixing Desks

There's a relatively clear range of options available to anyone who is planning on buying a digital recording mixer. Nevertheless, the various devices have an array of different functions and features, which it's best to understand before making the leap and buying one.

To help you find the mixing desk that's right for you, there's this compact buyer's guide, as well as our many other guides for anyone interested in studio gear and recording techniques.

If you have any specific questions, the Thomann Studio department is also on hand with advice and support at studio@thomann.de, via web chat, or by phone on +49 9546 9223‑30.

Sometimes, even with the best advice in the world, you might still order a mixing desk that's not quite right. This is exactly why we offer our 30‑day money‑back guarantee, to allow producers to test their new gear properly. Once you've found the right device, our 3‑year Thomann warranty ensures that you can enjoy it with complete peace of mind.

Does every studio really need a digital mixer?

There are certainly studios that don't use mixing desks at all. In many cases, physical audio interfaces and audio software can handle many of the functions of a digital mixer. A mixing desk, however, can handle a wide range of tasks – with high audio quality, near-endless flexibility, easy operation, and all at a surprisingly reasonable price.

Digital mixers don't just sum signals (in other words, mix them); they almost always amplify microphone signals as well. Extensive EQs and compressors are nearly always on board too, along with other effects such as reverb and delay. It's also quick and straightforward to create headphone mixes for multiple musicians.

Digital desks can also function as effective monitor controllers. On top of that, they offer a wide range of options for DAW control. Increasingly, mixers also integrate the features usually found on a dedicated audio interface. When used together with computer software, some sound engineers rely purely on DAW controllers, which don't handle any audio signal themselves. In home recording, some musicians prefer multitrack compact studios instead.

What should a modern recording digital mixer be capable of?

• Microphone preamps: almost always
• EQ: always
• Dynamics: always
• Reverb and delay: always
• Monitor controller: always
• Internal recording capability: usually
• Audio interface function: some models
• Motorised faders: almost always
• DAW controller: almost always
• Recallable settings: always
• Automation: nearly always

Advantages of digital over analogue mixing desks

Digital recording mixers have a far more comprehensive range of features than their analogue counterparts. Just looking at the EQ options makes this more than clear: Most analogue mixers don't have a dynamics section, and almost never include additional effects. DAW control options are also rarely to be found on analogue desks. You can't use them as audio interfaces either, and of course analogue devices won't offer digital connectivity. Automation and memory storage are standard on digital recording consoles, while with analogue desks these features are, if available at all, only very rudimentary.

Analogue mixers are often said to have a better sound than digital ones. However, this is a myth dating back to the early days of digital technology. With very high‑end and exceptionally expensive analogue mixers, that might still be partly true. But more and more digital desks now include effects that emulate vintage effects in the same way DAW plug‑ins do.

What many users value when choosing a digital recording console is the sheer range of resources they can now access. The number of physical inputs and outputs is, of course, fixed. But you can use a large number of different effects at the same time, feed buses, and create subgroups – and routing is often much more flexible than on analogue desks. In many cases, additional hardware I/Os can be retrofitted via expansion slots, in exactly the formats you need.

As noted, digital technology makes routing is extremely flexible. This allows producers to create a large number of subgroups, or to use AUX sends for effects and headphone mixes. And the digital infrastructure means routing's often not hard‑wired, but instead capable of complex signal paths from input to output – if needed.

One of the biggest advantages of digital mixers is that there doesn't have to be a separate hardware control for every single function: Many knobs and buttons can take on multiple roles. This allows the desks to be very compact. A common approach is to select a channel and then adjust its settings using convenient control elements: Endless encoders are especially useful, as they don’t "jump" when suddenly assigned to a different parameter. The current value is often shown visually using an LED ring. In many cases, a large central display also helps, for example by showing the EQ curve of a channel.

One important thing to note is that the number of faders you see doesn't necessarily correspond to a mixer's actual number of channels: In almost all cases, it's much higher. As such, different layers may show channels 1 to 16, 17 to 32, or 33 to 48, even though there are only 16 physical faders. And because the faders are motorised, they automatically move to the correct position when you switch layers. What's more, many controls are treated with a special touch‑sensitive metal coating: As soon as you touch one, the display shows the relevant information. This makes using these sometimes complex devices that much easier!

So don't worry: Over the many years that digital mixing desks have been around, they may have become more powerful — but they've also become very easy to learn.

What's the difference between recording mixers and mixers for DJing or live use?

The requirements for mixers used in live applications are fundamentally different from those in professional studios and home studios. However, modern digital mixers are often so comprehensive that they can comfortably handle both use cases. If the digital mixer is used in a rehearsal space, the boundaries are between the two settings are more fluid anyway. DJ mixers, it should be noted, are something entirely different from recording mixers – in terms of connections, processing options, and ultimately their intended purpose.

For studio use, DAW control and dynamic automation are important, which is why it's often possible to synchronise mixers with audio software. On the other hand, dedicated live digital mixers are often lacking when it comes to studio monitoring options, although there is plenty of crossover, which can be confusing. This is why the Thomann shop lists only recording mixers that are genuinely suitable for studio use.

What types of mixers are there?

The typical example has a console layout and is designed to sit on a desk. The faders are usually located at the bottom, with channel controls such as EQ and compressors above them. The master section, where the monitoring level is set, is either positioned on the right or towards the top. Some desks are compact enough to be fitted into a 19‑inch rack.

When mixers dispense with almost all physical controls, they can be built in extremely compact formats, as pure processors. These units will all fit into a 19‑inch chassis and have to be operated via software or another digital console. In a studio environment, this tradeoff is generally less practical. However, there are useful expansions that originally come from the world of live music: If you connect a stagebox, the audio inputs and headphone outputs can be located in the actual recording room. This often means you only a single digital cable, keeping analogue signal paths very short!