Finding the best DJ mixer is challenging at the same time confusing. Challenging because you got to familiarize yourself with all the features of the mixer and look for the one that has all the necessities onboard.
On the other hand, it’s confusing because there are a lot of brands and models offered at the same price range with the same things you want in a mixer. So, how do you select the one true ‘best?’
First, we’ve come up with the list of our best DJ mixers. It includes the popular and the best choices of the DJs out there. We give a short review along with the pros and cons to help you get to know these mixers from the users’ feedback and experiences.
Second, at the end of this article, we provide some helpful tips on how to really choose the one that fits your preferences. These tips work for us and it may work for you too. After all, though we are looking for the same DJ mixers, we might be seeing it differently according to our preferences.
So, why don’t you make a quick read of our review and see our recommendations at the end?
Contents
Here are our top picks for the best DJ mixers in 2024
- Numark M6 USB Mixer
- Behringer Xenyx X1204USB Premium Mixer
- Yamaha MG06X 6-Input Compact Stereo Mixer
- Pyle PMXAKB1000 Stereo Mixer
- Behringer Xenyx X1222USB Mixer
- Behringer Pro Mixer VMX1000USB
- Mackie PROFX12V2 12-Channel Compact Mixer
- Behringer Digital Pro Mixer DDM4000
- Pioneer DJ DJM-450 Mixer
- Pioneer DJ DJM-S9 Battle Mixer
Also Great | Editor's Choice | Budget Pick |
Numark M6 USB Mixer
Simple, easy to use, yet feature-packed DJ mixer is what every professional DJ needs. All of these plus more can be found in the Numark M6 USB Mixer.
Not only is it equipped with peripherals to work with any standard audio sources (turntables and CD players), it can also be connected to computers via USB. It has four input channels with gain, three-band EQ and LED metering for each channel.
Record your music to your computer, then add voiceover with the dedicated XLR mic channel with secondary mic input on channel four.
It has phono/line inputs for audio sources like turntables and CD players and master, Booth, record and headphone outputs. Connect to either your Mac or Windows PC to use along with your favorite music-player software.
- Easy to use and sounds really great
- Reliable and durable
- EQ controls are very useful
- Headphone jack and line outs aren’t working properly
- Had some problems with a crossfader
- Cue will be overpowered by PGM in headphones out
Behringer Xenyx X1204USB Premium Mixer
Perfect for small live-performances and home-based recording setup, Behringer Xenyx X1204USB Premium is just what you need for your home studio.
It has four mono channels with phantom-powered XENYX Mic preamps, four ‘one-knob studio-grade compressors, three-band British-style EQ and two stereo input channels.
It has two AUX sends per channel, a pre-fader for monitoring applications, a post-fader for external FX devices and all channels have Clip LEDs and mute or alt 3-4 function.
Take advantage of its stereo/audio interface to connect your mixer directly to your computer. It has balanced output for XLR connections, two multifunction mix outputs with return routing, a separate control room/phones output with multiple input source capability.
With all these inputs and outputs, its features and the fact that it’s built in Germany, it’ll surely be worth the buy for your music set up.
- AUX and FX channels work well
- Sound is very good
- Better internal connections producing less noise
- USB input isn’t easy to control
- Preamp is better than expected
- Headphone jack output is louder on the left than on the right
Yamaha MG06X 6-Input Compact Stereo Mixer
Cheapest on the list, Yamaha has offered a budget-friendly DJ mixer packed with some features a DJ needs. From its design to technology, and now offered at the price point anyone can afford, this sets Yamaha MG06X 6-Input Compact a place in your shopping list.
It’s easy-to-use six-channel standalone mixer with SPX digital effects onboard, unfortunately, no USB connections.
This features a studio-grade Class A D-PRE preamps, which are reliable enough to provide fat and natural-sounding bass, as well as smooth and soaring highs.
It comes with a three-band EQ and high-pass filters you can take full control over eliminating unwanted noise to get the clean mix you want. Also, features one-knob compressor helps you get punchier bass lines, a tighter snare, clearer vocals and more.
- Provides phantom power for condenser mics
- Has switchable phantom power
- Balanced XLR inputs
- No AUX input for an external effects processor
- Great mixer if it has RCA inputs and outputs
Pyle PMXAKB1000 Stereo Mixer
Why suffer from all the cluttered wiring and cables when you can just simply connect your DJ mixer via Bluetooth? Pyle PMXAKB1000 gives you the versatility to connect wirelessly to your iOS and Android devices for wireless music streaming.
This mixer is equipped with two ¼-inch mic out, two switchable RCA A/V inputs for DVD, CD, VCD, and similar source player, three RCA audio output, and two RCA video I/O.
This mixer has digital key controls that help you raise or lower the key of the source music to match the vocal range of the one who sings it. Key changes can easily be backtracked to their original state.
There’s a front panel rotary control center that helps you make changes to the volume, balance, and range of your mic together with the echo and tone of your music.
- Easy to use and sound is so clear
- Good for starters
- With lots of adjustments
- Impressive with no background noise
- Limited inputs
- Some users need more
- Quite difficult to set up at first
- Bluetooth connection is great
- But only up to 30feet
Behringer Xenyx X1222USB Mixer
Achieve premium-quality sound recordings and music production with Behringer Xenyx X1222USB. It comes with the maker’s mic preamps known to deliver pristine performance. With four channels and two of them accepts XLR and Line-level inputs, this might be the one mixer you need for your live gigs.
Moreover, all the mono channels have three-band EQ and ‘one-knob’ compressors to achieve the punch and clarity of your music.
This compact mixer includes a 24-bit Multi-FX processor with 16 editable presets, which include chorus, reverb, delay, pitch shifter, chorus, multi-effects and more. Aside from a useful tool for gigs, it might be great equipment for professional-quality recordings.
It has a USB/audio interface built into the system along with all the recording and editing software you can quickly use to make DJing and mixing more enjoyable.
- User-friendly
- Even beginners can easily set up and use this out of the box
- Knobs and controls are of high quality
- Feature-packed
- Professional mixer
- Produces hiss when used
- Especially on the XLR inputs
- Problem with the mute buttons
Behringer Pro Mixer VMX1000USB
Built to connect directly to your computer, Behringer Pro Mixer VMX1000USB Professional takes your music to the next level. This seven-channel ultra-low noise mixer comes with phono preamps, built-in USB interface and massive software bundle (including Audacity and Podifier) to name a few pro functions.
Each channel is equipped with a three-band kill EQ with EQ on/off switch on the stereo channel, gain control and level meter.
Since it’s compatible with Mac or Windows PC, you can easily make recordings and playback of any digital file straight to your computer via USB cable.
It also features the super-smooth and high-longevity ULTRAGLIDE faders, VCA-controlled faders, adjustable crossfaders with awesome surround effect to make each performance remarkable. With its rugged construction, you can ensure longevity and reliability from this Behringer mixer.
- Enough inputs for whatever your needs are
- Versatile and worth the price
- USB sound card is great to get music from your computer
- Emits loud and distracting hum noises
- Sliders are difficult to manipulate
- Can’t run two separate audio outputs
Mackie PROFX12V2 12-Channel Compact Mixer
Got tons of features for your mixer with Mackie PROFX12V2 12-Channel Compact Mixer. With six low-noise Mackie Vita preamps for your guitar, keyboard and other gears you want to add, it’s really an advantage given its price not so high.
It comes with a ReadyFX effects engine that offers 16 effects, including reverb, delays and chorus effects (for guitar only).
This mixer is designed to take on those huge and expensive mixers with its seven-band graphic EQ which you can either assign to your main outputs to fine-tune your PA or to the AUX output to get rid of feedback in the monitors.
As the name suggests, it has 12 channels with three-band EQ and 100Hz low-cut filter to further shape your inputs. There are USB inputs and other terminals that can accommodate your laptop or MP3 player, a headphone output and phantom power for your condenser mics.
- Everything works great and easy to use
- LED metering is accurate
- Compact and lightweight for small live gigs
- No input level control for RCA or USB inputs
- Has only one monitor output
- Line level inputs don’t have enough gain for wireless mics
Behringer Digital Pro Mixer DDM4000
With high-quality construction coupled with mind-blowing features, who doesn’t want to get the Behringer Digital Pro Mixer DDM4000? It’s divided into five channels with samples, four FX sections, dual BPM and digital crossfaders.
It boasts four phono/line stereo channels, two mic inputs and programmable band EQ with kill functionality.
This DJ mixer is versatile in terms of integrability as each stereo channel can take up to eight signal sources connected simultaneously. More importantly, the BPM counters are accurate and ultra-fast to have an automatic BPM synchronization of the sample, FX and external devices via MIDI.
Finally, it has flexible digital crossfader adjustments, reverse button and BPM-sync crossfading.
- Each button
- Knob and the backlight is programmable
- No humming
- Only amazing sound quality
- Faders and knobs function well
- Takes time to familiarize the tons of buttons
- Mixer randomly freezes and needs restart
- Mic jack port location is a little awkward
Pioneer DJ DJM-450 Mixer
With pro features inherited from the popular Pioneer DJM-900NXS2 professional mixer, Pioneer DJ DJM-450 is the next big name in DJ mixers. It offers smoother mixing with the very intuitive EQ that allows you to balance the highs, mids, and lows in each channel.
With its robust construction and reliable Magvel faders, you can enjoy smooth control and manipulation even for long-term use.
This two-channel mixer is perfect to be integrated with other multiplayer gears and turntables. It features the four studio-quality Sound Color FX and eight Beat FX types with parameter control, giving way to boundless possibilities in mixing and DJing.
It’s 64-bit digital signal processor is just the key to enjoy that warm, high-quality audio from either an analog or digital sound source.
- Great build and sound quality
- Magvel faders really do the job well
- Has color and beat effects
- No MIDI control or Vinyl control
- No booth output
Pioneer DJ DJM-S9 Battle Mixer
Quite expensive and the pricier on the list, but still, if you trust Pioneer in your career, grab its Pioneer DJ DJM-S9 Battle Mixer. This two-channel mixer has Serato DJ Pro onboard along with exciting controls like the configurable Magvel fader, customizable FX buttons, Filter FX, Style Levels, and two built-in USB sound cards.
The magnetic Magvel crossfader gives you a smooth response. The Filter FX allows you to add high or low pass filters to FX per channel. Additionally, you can also use the Serato DJ to take control of the DUB Echo, Noise and Pitch. The style levers, on the other hand, is the feature you need to turn effects on or off.
- Solid and sturdy construction
- Great Magvel crossfader with adjustments
- Has dual USB ports for multiple users
- Cannot be combined with multiple Serato DJ or Pioneer DJ effects
- Quite expensive
HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST DJ MIXER – BUYING GUIDE
Yes, we’ve mentioned earlier that finding the perfect DJ mixer can be both challenging and confusing. However, as we searched for the best products in this list, we came up with a technique on how to approach the problem.
Although this will not make your hunting quicker, this will give you more chance of getting that ‘one’ DJ mixer you really need. Plus, if you choose one from the list, guaranteed that you have a great DJ mixer. Without further ado, here are the aspects we checked in choosing the best DJ mixers.
Functions and Controls
Some mixers offer overwhelming controls, but it’s important to really know what you need. If you’re in doubt, we have listed on our DJ mixers for beginners lists some basic functionalities a DJ needs from a mixer.
The list might help you decide and find the mixer with just enough buttons and controls, with inputs and outputs for your need in your applications.
Photo Credit: Artem Beliaikin via The Product Analyst
Number of I/Os
The basic connectivity you need is the RCA output and XLR output. The former allows you to connect to recorders and other similar devices, while the latter connects the mixer to a sound system.
USB connectivity is one important connection nowadays to easily and effortlessly connect to your computer. Wireless connectivity is also in, with Bluetooth- and Wireless-enabled mixers currently in the market.
Bundled Software
Some mixers are designed to be used with a particular software. Like the Pioneer DJ DJM-S9 Battle Mixer, for example, it’s bundled with the popular Serato DJ Pro software.
However, even if the mixer you’re eyeing at has software onboard, it’s very important to explore if it’s compatible with other software, as well. Or, if the software is un-installable or unupgradable. Lastly, check if the software is learnable (if you haven’t used it yet) and has all the features you need in the software.
Be inspired by this YouTube video and really choose that ‘one’ DJ mixer that serves your purpose well. No matter how pricey that mixer is, if you can afford and you think you can make money out of it, then go for it. These and more are just some things you can learn from the video. So, watch now!
OUR CHOICE
We’ve come to the end of these reviews and it’s time for us to give you our best choice. Actually, there are two best DJ mixers that we are eyeing for — the feature-packed Behringer Xenyx X1204USB Premium and Numark M6 USB Mixer.
While the former has tons of the features you need in a DJ mixer, the latter offers something most mixers don’t have. In this day and age, especially for touring DJs, it’s important to keep up with the demands. And, for our needs and application, we go for Numark M6 USB Mixer.
However, our choice might not be the best for you. But, even if it’s the one, or the other, given the fact that they’re among our list, they’re worth checking out. So, make the wisest choice.