Behringer Xenyx 802 Mixer

Behringer Xenyx 802 – Compact 8-Input Analogue Mixer

The Behringer Xenyx 802 is the classic small-format analogue mixer for jobs that need real controls rather than software menus: a solo performer, a small podcast setup, a rehearsal room, a keyboard submix or a compact PA. It provides eight inputs in total, with two Xenyx microphone preamps for microphones and instruments, stereo line channels for keyboards and media players, and the routing essentials – an auxiliary send, a stereo return, tape inputs and outputs, and separate main and control room outputs.

Everything is a knob or a fader in front of you, which is why mixers of this size keep earning their place long after larger systems go digital.

Key features

• 8-input analogue mixer in a compact desktop format
• Two Xenyx microphone preamps with low noise and high headroom
• 3-band British EQ on the input channels for musical tone shaping
• One post-fader auxiliary send per channel for effects or monitoring
• Stereo auxiliary return for external effects processors
• Phantom power for condenser microphones
• Main mix outputs plus separate control room outputs
• 2-track tape inputs and outputs for recording and playback devices
• Headphone output with its own level control

The British EQ idea

The 3-band equaliser on the Xenyx 802 follows the British EQ tradition associated with the large analogue consoles of the 1970s: broad, musical curves that make useful changes quickly rather than surgical corrections. A little low-end weight on a voice, a touch of presence on an acoustic guitar, harshness rolled off a keyboard – these are one-knob decisions on a desk like this, made by ear while the music is playing. For live and rehearsal work, that speed matters more than precision tools you would never open mid-set.

Routing that covers small jobs properly

The auxiliary send feeds an external effects unit or a monitor mix, and the stereo return brings effects back into the mix without consuming a channel. Tape inputs and outputs connect a recorder or a laptop for capturing the main mix or playing backing tracks. Control room outputs let a pair of powered monitors or a recording feed run at a level independent of the main mix feeding the room, and the headphone output follows for checking details.

Where it fits

Podcasters use the two mic preamps and EQ to keep voices consistent. Solo musicians mix a microphone, an instrument and a backing track through one small PA. Studios keep one as a keyboard or drum-machine submixer. The metal chassis and sealed rotary controls suit equipment that travels in a gear bag and works on arrival.

The Xenyx 802 is not trying to be a recording console or a digital system. It is a dependable small mixer that does the fundamentals properly, at a size and cost that make it easy to justify owning.

Power comes from the included external supply, and the mixer’s low power draw and silent, fanless operation suit it to quiet rooms: a podcast recorded next to the desk will not pick up the mixer itself. With no menus and no boot time, it is ready the moment it is switched on.