Audio mixers, or sound consoles, are electronic sound mixing boards used to combine two or more audio signals, before directing them to the output channels connected to the device.
Sound consoles do a great deal more than just combining different audio signals they allow users to optimize the sound output in a number of ways adjusting various sound levels, enhancing sound with special effects and equalization etc, allowing for unmatched control over the end product.

When there is a need for high quality sound control and output, audio mixers are an essential item for audio team. Mixing desks are used on stage in live concerts to combine the sound input from various musical instruments in to a stereo master mix. For TV and movie studios, sound consoles are essential to combine the various sounds from the numerous different microphones that will be used.

Audio mixers are available in a wide range of different shapes, sizes and designs, beginning with smaller units designed for portability, right up to the enormous sound consoles used in recording studios. The term audio mixer actually refers to any kind of sound mixing board, whereas a sound console is usually a device which sits permanently on a desk.

Technicians usually differentiate audio mixers according to how many channels they have. Fairly standard in the recording industry is the 12-channel mixer, in which you can hook up a total of 12 input sources. Sound consoles can also be more specified â?? for example, a 24 x 4 x 2 mixer has 24 inputs, 4 sub-group channels and 2 output channels.