How do you tie together several different instruments into a single, cohesive sound when you need to amplify everyone? The trusty audio mixer is your secret weapon to making any music group sound clear and balanced. Whether you are playing live or making a recording, an audio mixer is one of the most important pieces of equipment you can buy.

What kind of audio mixer should you buy? That is the $100 question – or the $1,000 question, depending on what your budget and needs are. Sound mixers come with many different price tags for hobbyists and professionals alike. While each one does the job of bringing multiple instruments and sound sources together, they all have different specs and features that may be more or less useful to you.

To decide what you need, it helps to have a shopping guide you can refer to. That is where BestReviews comes in. To save you time and money, we have compiled this audio mixer shopping guide and review based on hours of research.

If you need to purchase your first audio mixer or upgrade an existing one, this guide will help you identify and understand the important features you may need. Read on to see what kind of audio mixer can take your sonic masterpieces to the next level.