If a mixer can fit in your backpack or even your pocket, we consider it a compact mixer. However, don't be fooled by the size: their performance as well as their portability will compare favorably with all the larger desktop and console mixers.
These mixers below are popular in the context of podcasting and live performance, and the majority are inexpensive—but of course there are exceptions, especially if you want a product that functions as an audio interface and a built-in recorder.
We compiled this list to assist you in determining which compact mixer best suits your needs.
The Volca Mix is a four-channel analog mixer perfect for connecting up to three Korg Volca units. Each channel has a single-knob Lo/Hi-cut filter. In true Volca fashion, it also has a built-in stereo speaker and DC outputs that can supply power for your other machines.
Sturdy metal construction, rock-solid terminals, and smooth knobs make the Mix8 "built like a tank" as Mackie would put it. This eight-channel mixer features two of Mackie's legendary preamps, a three-band EQ on all channels, and RCA inputs/outputs for recording.
Soundcraft's Notepad mixers combine high-end analog components, well-known Harman digital signal processing, and a built-in USB audio interface. Complete with auxiliary sends, three EQ controls per channel, and studio-quality effects by Lexicon.
This touchscreen-operated digital mixer was designed with Eurorack users in mind. Each input channel is DC coupled, so you can patch a module directly from its audio output straight into the Bluebox. Each track offers control of volume, gain, four-band parametric EQ, pan, mute and solo functions, and reverb and delay effects for added depth. Users can also record multiple tracks—6 stereo or 12 mono, or the main mix—onto a regular microSD card.
TX-6 is a 6-channel stereo mixer that'll fit in your pocket, packing in a built-in equalizer, filters, compressor, auxiliary send, cue, and digital effects. It can also be used as a USB-C audio interface with an internal rechargeable battery. There are a few extras you wouldn't expect to find in a mixer, like a built-in sound generator with four waveforms, and a four-track drum machine for making music on the move.
The SiX gives you a pair of recording channels, including SSL's award-winning mic preamps boasting wide gain range, phantom power, high pass filter, and separate line-level input which can be switched to instrument level. Each channel has a one-knob compressor circuit based on the classic SSL Channel Compressor. It also features a two-band SSL EQ, and the G Series Bus Compressor on the main bus.
