Why you need a mixer, and 5 good mixers for under $100

Recording a single instrument to your computer is easy, but it can become difficult quickly if you don't have a mixing board, otherwise known as just "mixer".

A mixer's job is really simple - to allow multiple instruments or microphones to be plugged in so you don't have to constantly keep switching cords from one instrument to the next.

It's best to use a mixer that's small so it doesn't take up half your desk, and use one that has a good layout that's easy to use.

Below are 5 mixers under $100 that are all good.

• Behringer Xenyx 502 - I own this mixer personally, as do many others. Small, easy, feeds audio without complaint and gets the job done. Oh, and the best part? It's cheap.
• Behringer Xenyx 802 - This is the same thing as the 502 except with more inputs where you have 6 instead of 4. Useful if you want a mixer to record a band with.
• Behringer Xenyx 1202FX - Yes, I know I'm listing a lot of Behringer stuff here, but it's just that good. Just like the 502 and 802, except this one has 12 channels.
• Soundcraft Notepad 124FX - The additional option on this one is that it has built-in effects you can use. How many? Over 100 of them. Very cool.
• Alesis MultiMix 8 - Not as feature-packed as other mixers, but it does have 12-segment LED meters which gives you more precise control over sound levels. There are some people who would take many-segmented meters over other features, and if that's what matters to you, the S-8 definitely delivers.

Published 2012 Jan 23