Line mixer
A line mixer is a mixing desk that only accepts line level signals. It doesn't have any preamps, so can't boost input from a microphone.
Line mixers tend to be designed for rough, "good enough" monitoring rather than for recording actual mixes on. As such, they tend to be smaller and less featureful than other mixing desks, although this isn't an inherent requirement.
Nevertheless, if you make purely electronic music in a home studio, a humble line mixer may well be sufficient.
Quotes
I just really like small things. Big mixers are a ripoff. I can't imagine spending £100,000 on a mixer for 20dB less hiss. Turn the treble down at the output and you've saved yourself a hundred grand. You have extra features, but the sheer size outweighs those advantages. You can't reach everything.
— Richard D. James (Aphex Twin), 1993[1]
References
- "Cagey, Canny, Krafty" Phil Ward, Music Technology, Jul 1993, pp. 52—58
Types of hardware: Drum machine | Line mixer | Sampling workstation | String machine
