Passive PA Mixers

Live PA setups should always include a passive PA mixer, this helps to accurately place each of the sound signals in your overall mix. This can take a fair amount of practise to get it right, although once you have learned the art behind a good mix you will be able to produce a similar mix at all future performances. The mixers are built to resist the pressures of live use including all transportation between performance venues.

Buy Passive PA Mixers

If a passive mixer is used alongside an active speaker system, it will lend a small amount of the power from the amplifier within. Additionally if used with a passive system, the external amplifier used to operate each speaker will also draw power to the mixer itself. There are mixer-amplifiers available elsewhere in the store that combine these aspects, but we are specifically focusing on the passive PA mixer.

A 4 channel mixer is advised for small groups of singers or perhaps to make a karaoke night or choir practise sound more professional. XLR cables are the most common microphone connection, most mixers have many XLR inputs built into them for convenience. Connecting multiple separate microphones to a 4 channel microphone mixer allows you to change the level of volume and effects such as echo, individually.

Microphone Mixers

As mentioned, a microphone mixer allows control over each channel by separate volume dials for you to blend with other channels such as instrument lines or other vocals. The larger the mixer, the more channels you can combine, if working with two or more vocalists you can balance the vocal signals from the microphones very easily. Mixers will usually have multiple ways to manipulate the sound signal received, some even with onboard effects for extra reverb/echo.

Mixers consist of vertical channel strips, which often have the physical input somewhere on the strip so users are aware which signal they are working on. Once the input is connected, you can alter the sound to your requirements using the available means, usually a combination of twistable dials and pushable buttons. You may have heard the phrase sound check before, this essentially is an opportunity for mixer users to finalise levels prior to a live performance.

The sound engineer using the mixer will individually request the musicians to play how they would normally while keeping an eye on the coloured indicator bars, ensuring they are not clipping into the red. Once this individual sound check is done, they may also request all of the musicians to play together, including any vocalists to get a better representation of the fine sound. Again, engineering live sound via a mixer takes practise and patience, research some live sound tips and stick with the rehearsals to see quicker results.