Do I Need a Mixer for Home Recording?

Producing music in a home studio has never been more accessible or cost effective than it is today. One of the main configuration options that impacts the core of your recording rig is whether you want an audio mixer, or mixing board, to be the heart of your home studio.

The mixer-less studio option is a significant evolution to the world of audio recording and music production, primarily because what it has done is removed the main barrier that kept you and i from recording and producing our own music. The cost of the vintage mixing console you’ll see in pictures of professional studios may be more than what you paid for your house...

Technological advances in both computer processing and recording software has led to the computer based DAW. Quite simply, the mixer-less recording system is the stripped down components of a mixing board that receives, amplifies, and then sends the signals to your Sound Card/Audio Interface, which converts the signal into digital audio and is then edited “in the box,“ or in your DAW software.

In fact, even in high end pro studios, the mixer-less recording system is being used by integrating large control surface/hybrids in place of massive analog mixing boards.

Here is a list of pros and cons for each route. I personally think that the mixer-less recording system is hands down the most effective, cost efficient, and flexible route for the home studio - in todays world of powerful computing and incredible DAW software.

Mixer Based System

• Great for bands. lots of channels.

• People who are less tech savvy, or have an analog background/prefer to work with hardware and less with software.

• Can be expensive, and have some distinct disadvantages.

• When something breaks, its going to be harder to get support.

• You have to learn a proprietary system, and then when you upgrade, you might have to learn a whole NEW thing.

Mixer-Less Recording System

• This means NO analog mixer for each track to pass through.

• Mixing done ”in the box.”

• Powerful computer does the work.

• Great for one man band. Great for exploration.

• The most cost effective.

• Lots of support. Just hop online to some support forum or search google, for the issue, and most likely you can find an answer quickly.

• You learn interchangeable pieces and functions, for the most part, because although some interface styles and button layouts will be different, the functions are mostly the same.

So the answer to your question is no, you do not need a mixer for your home studio. In fact going “mixerless,” offers many benefits that a mixer based studio does not. Whatever way you choose, evaluate your needs, the long-term potential growth, and do your research.

To learn about analog and digital mixers, read -> understanding the audio mixer.