[Is No One Doing This??] Recorded the Sound Differences Between Mixers!!

Up until now, I’ve recorded and uploaded comparison audio samples across various categories such as passive PA speakers, powered PA speakers, column speakers, studio monitors, and even power amplifiers. But this time, I finally took on the challenge of comparing mixers.

• PA Speaker (Passive)
• PA Speaker (Powered)
• Column Speaker
• Studio Monitor
• Power Amplifier

When it comes to mixers, there are numerous models available, varying by manufacturer, analog vs. digital, number of channels, series (grade), presence of effects, and size, among other factors.

I’m sure many people have wondered just how different the sound can be. However, not many have the equipment to test it out themselves, and even in stores, it’s rare to find setups where you can compare multiple mixers—usually, you might only find two or three at most.

So, I decided to give it a try! I recorded comparison audio samples of different mixers!

This time, I kept all other elements like microphones and sound sources under the same conditions, and recorded the mixer’s main output into an audio interface.

[Recording Environment]

[Sound Source Playback]

Sound source in a USB memory → UCD200 (DJ mixer with USB input) → Splitter → JBL/308P MKII

For the sound source, I used a song that I asked professional musician Ryoji Saito to create as a wake-up tune for a crowdfunding reward some time ago. (He’s always been a great help to me!)

[Sound Source Recording]

Warm Audio/WA-8000 → Mixer → ZOOM/H6 (audio interface) → Computer (Audacity)

• The WA-8000’s height is set at the tweeter position of the 308P MKII
• The top of the WA-8000 is 124 cm from the ground
• The distance between the WA-8000 and the 308P MKII is 100 cm
• H6’s gain is set at 2

[Mixer Settings]

• Gain is set near the 0 position using PFL
• Channel fader near the 0 position
• Master fader near the 0 position
• Levels are fine-tuned by visually monitoring the recording waveform in Audacity and listening through headphones to ensure it doesn’t overload.

*For models without SOLO, PFL, or faders, I used the PEAK indicator (if available) and my ears to set it as close as possible without distortion (Please forgive any minor inaccuracies).

The pictures show panels of the Soundcraft/EFX12.

Recording, switching mixers, setting levels, recording... I repeated this process for four hours.

The results are now available on SoundCloud.
Please take a listen.

How was it?
When I listened carefully, I (at age 42) felt there were subtle differences, like the depth in the low range, the presence in the mid-range, and the clarity in the high range. Which sound you prefer is entirely subjective and varies from person to person. But personally, I felt that the more expensive digital mixers like the Behringer X32, QSC TouchMix-16, and Soundcraft Si iMPACT stood out for their clear and large-scale sound. On the other hand, I was reminded that smaller, less expensive mixers like the CLASSIC PRO AM502 and Soundcraft NotePad-5 also put up a good fight. I hope you can use this as one piece of information when choosing a mixer.