With podcasts on the rise in 2020, many people are moving the production of their shows to their home or a remote location. We’ve put together a list of the best mixers ranging from budget to professional level mixers.
Best Budget Mixers for Podcasting
The Yamaha MG10 is a great mixer for those on a budget. It’s a small, reliable mixer with a quiet noise floor for its price point. It has a variety of features that are usually found in more expensive mixers.
Another benefit of this unit is that it is relatively portable and easy to set up for off-site events or remote locations.
Features of the Yamaha MG10:
- 10-Channel standalone mixer (no USB or effects)
- Featuring studio-grade discrete class-A D-PRE preamps with inverted Darlington circuit – providing fat, natural sounding bass and smooth, soaring highs
- 3-band EQ and high-pass filters give you maximum control and eliminate unwanted noise, resulting in a cleaner mix
- 1-Knob compressors allow easy control – resulting in livelier guitars, punchier bass lines, a tighter snare and a cleaner vocal sound.
- MG Series mixers feature a rugged, impact-resistant, powder-coated metal chassis.+48V phantom power
The Mackie 402 is another great option and the price is under $100. It does have fewer features than the Yamaha, but it is cheaper in price. Many audio experts would argue that it is better in quality due to the brand.
However, if the recording is not taking place in a professional recording environment, this won’t notice the difference in audio quality between the Mackie and the Yamaha.
Features of the Mackie 402:
- 4-channel mixer featuring Mackie signature high-headroom/low-noise design
- 2 boutique-quality Onyx mic preamps
- Improved RF rejection perfect for broadcast applications
Best Mid-Range Mixer for Podcasting
The Behringer Xenyx 1204 is a mid-range mixer full of features that can do the job for any podcaster and team out there that needs a lot more channels and the full set of mixer features.
There are six fader-controlled channels and more if needed. Four of those are phantom powered XLR channels so a range of co-hosts can be on top quality microphones with high quality audio.
This is available in USB also so that the audio can go straight from the computer for direct recording or it can be used as a digital recorder if necessary.
Features of the Behringer Xenyx 1204:
- Premium ultra-low noise, high headroom analog mixer
- Neo-classic “British” 3-band EQs for warm and musical sound
- Maximum input level+12 dBu @ +10 dB gain Maximum input level 30 dBu
- Faders: 9 x 60mm Throw
Best Professional Level Mixers for Podcasting
The Mackie ProFX8 is a professional level mixer, and an incredibly reliable piece of equipment with amazing quality. The Mackie is similar to the Behringer listed above, but actually has one less channel with 5 main inputs with 4 of them being XLR. It has most of the same features, except for compression which is something that can easily be added in post-production.
However, the Mackie does have better pre-amps, experts say that there’s more reliability and a 7 band EQ to really enhance your sound in live production.
Features of the Mackie ProFX8:
- 4 low-noise Mackie Vita mic preamps add life to any input
- ReadyFX effects engine with 16 effects including reverbs, delays, and choruses
- 7-band graphic EQ for tuning mains or monitors. Operating Temperature: 0 ̊ – 40 ̊C
- Aux output for monitor mixes, venue 70-volt systems, and more
- 3-band EQ and 100Hz low-cut filter on all channels.Power Consumption:20 watts
Next, the Zoom LiveTrak L-8 Portable Mixer is a great piece of equipment that’s compact and portable for creating podcasts or producing music on the go or at various events. The LiveTrak mixer has been optimized for its portability and is incredibly easy to set up so that it’s users can record the session in minutes.
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Features of the Zoom LiveTrak:
- 8-Channel digital mixer ( 6 combo, plus 2 TS inputs )
- 12-Track simultaneous recording, 10-track playback
- Mix-minus function preventing audio feedback from dial-in guests
- 6 assignable sound pads, with 13 preset sounds
- Battery operated with four AA batteries or a USB power supply
Finally, the Rodecaster is a pricey mixer made for professional podcasters. The quality is what people have come to expect from the makers of the Rode Procaster microphone. It has a wide variety of incredible features. The Rodecaster is one of the priciest mixers on the market but is definitely worth it for quality.
Features of the Rodecaster:
- 4 high-quality mic channels power studio condenser mics and conventional dynamic mics and feature automatic level setting and one-touch recording to a microSD card
- 8 programmable sound effects pads allow instant triggering of SFX, music, and more; record audio direct to the pads from any input or add files from your computer
- Interview remotely by simply connecting your phone via Bluetooth or with a TRRS cable; automatic “mix-minus” audio prevents echo being heard by callers
- Connects to computer via USB to record using your favourite recording software or stream live; separately record multiple tracks for editing in post-production
The number of podcasts and radio shows have increased exponentially in the past few years and this year alone and the need for mixers has gone up. All of the mixers listed above are great options for remote recording and every experience level and budget.
VoiceAmerica’s Mixer Recommendations
Vice President of Broadcast Operations, Ryan Treasure recommends the Zoom LiveTalk L-8 for those who are tech and audio professionals. It’s a great piece of technology with a great quality. For users that aren’t as proficient with mixers, Treasure recommends the Rodecaster for an easy set up right out of the box.
