Digital Mixer for Live Sound: Features and Benefits

Digital mixers have transformed live sound production through integrated processing, scene recall, and remote control capabilities. What once required racks of outboard gear now fits within a compact console. Understanding digital mixer capabilities helps bands and engineers maximize these powerful tools.

Integrated Processing

Digital mixers include dynamics processing—compressors, gates, and limiters—on every channel. This eliminates the need for external processors that analog consoles require for similar functionality.

Equalization on digital mixers typically includes parametric EQ with four to six bands per channel, plus high-pass and low-pass filters. Graphic EQs on outputs provide system tuning capability.

Effects processing integrated into digital mixers provides reverbs, delays, and modulation effects. Multiple effect engines allow different processing for different purposes simultaneously.

The processing quality varies by manufacturer and model. Premium consoles offer processing rivaling dedicated outboard units; budget consoles provide adequate but less refined processing.

Scene Recall

Scenes store complete mixer configurations—all fader positions, EQ settings, routing, and processing parameters. Recalling a scene instantly restores the saved state.

Different songs may need different settings. Scene recall enables song-by-song optimization without manual adjustment of dozens of parameters.

Venue presets store system configurations appropriate for different room types. A club preset and an outdoor preset provide starting points for different environments.

Show files combine multiple scenes with all settings for a complete production. Loading a show file recalls everything needed for that event.

Selective recall allows recalling only certain parameters from a scene. This preserves some current settings while updating others—useful when partial changes are needed.

Remote Control

Tablet and smartphone apps control digital mixers wirelessly. Engineers can walk the venue while adjusting the mix, hearing results from various audience positions.

Behringer X32 and Midas M32 use the free Mixing Station app. Allen & Heath uses dLive MixPad and SQ MixPad. Yamaha provides various apps for their console lines.

Multiple devices can connect simultaneously, allowing separate control of FOH and monitors from different tablets.

Wireless control liberates engineers from the FOH position. Standing in the audience while adjusting levels provides perspective impossible from fixed mix positions.

Digital Stagebox Integration

Digital mixers often connect to digital stageboxes, replacing analog snakes with lightweight network cables. Audio converts to digital at the stage, traveling as data to the console.

This integration reduces cable weight and simplifies setup. A single CAT5/6 or fiber cable replaces heavy copper snake bundles.

Signal integrity remains constant regardless of cable length within system limits. Digital signals do not degrade like analog signals over long runs.

Redundant network connections on professional systems provide backup if primary connections fail.

User Interface Considerations

Layer systems manage many channels on limited fader counts. A 32-channel mixer might have 16 physical faders showing channels 1-16 on one layer, 17-32 on another.

Custom layers allow grouping frequently used channels regardless of input number. Put lead vocal, kick, snare, and bass on one layer for quick access.

Touchscreens provide direct parameter access. Tap a channel to access its processing; adjust by touch. Touch interfaces speed workflow once familiar.

Physical controls still matter. Hardware faders and knobs provide tactile feedback that touchscreens cannot match. The best interfaces combine touch and physical controls.

Popular Digital Mixer Options

The Behringer X32 brought professional digital mixing to affordable price points. Its extensive feature set and wide adoption make it a common choice for bands and venues.

Allen & Heath SQ series provides premium quality in a portable format. Superior preamps and processing appeal to quality-focused users.

Yamaha TF series emphasizes ease of use with touch-focused workflow. Automatic functions assist less experienced operators.

PreSonus StudioLive series integrates with recording software, appealing to bands wanting simultaneous live mixing and multitrack recording.

Soundcraft Si series offers familiar analog-style workflow with digital benefits. Engineers preferring traditional console layout appreciate this approach.

Learning Curve

Digital mixers require learning their specific interface and workflow. Features that speed work once learned can slow progress during the learning phase.

Manufacturer tutorials and documentation accelerate learning. Most manufacturers provide video training and detailed manuals.

Practice time on the specific console before critical shows prevents surprises. Borrowing or renting the mixer for rehearsals builds familiarity.

Basic functions—gain, fader, EQ—operate similarly across platforms. Advanced features like scene management and effects routing vary more between manufacturers.

Reliability Considerations

Digital mixers rely on software that can potentially freeze or crash. Quality consoles from established manufacturers demonstrate high reliability.

Backup systems matter more when a single device controls everything. An analog backup mixer provides insurance against digital failure.

Firmware updates provide improvements but can introduce issues. Update between shows with time to test, not immediately before performances.

Power conditioning protects sensitive digital electronics. Clean power prevents the glitches that dirty power can cause in digital systems.