The MOTHER of all LINE MIXERS // Roland M-480 Rackmount Line Mixer

Alright so after months of searching for a rackmount mixer for my studio desk, months of scouring the internet for details and recommendations, I finally pulled the trigger on the Roland M-480. This thing is an absolute behemoth. Definitely NOT the right choice for someone who's shy on space... or is it?!

For 6U of rack space this thing is actually pretty damn efficient. It's got 48 independent 1/4" mono inputs which is as far as I know, the most amount of inputs ever put into a rack mixer. It's got an [A] and a [B] mix- you can use either one by itself to create a subgroup of channels to send to one of your two stereo master outputs (Master or Sub) OR select both [A] & [B] for a stereo input for that particular track. 24 stereo inputs is crazy- I don't even have the room to fit all that gear although I'm sure I will one day. Room to grow!

At $350, this thing was a steal. I'm able to send all of my drum machines, samplers, sound modules, and synthesizers through it to capture the 'mixer sound' as well as having the convenience of not having to plug things in every time. I do have a patch bay too but I must admit, even patching things got a bit tiresome after a while.

It's got four FX sends, two AUX sends, returns, two master outs, and even a stereo input on the front of the unit. It's also got a CUE which is wild for a mixer. It really does seem like this thing was made with performance in mind, for electronic musicians. It's an older mixer from the 90's I believe and was Roland's flagship rack mixer that sold originally for ~$3,000. I love the vintage atheistic. The colors and layout just scream 90's.

I believe these things are pretty rare these days, however I do see them pop up on Reverb and eBay every now and then. And as always, there's usually one or two sitting available for way more than they should be selling for (looking at you //ARMENS lol).

Do you use a line mixer in your studio? How do you use it? I've been considering using it for summing during mastering... maybe an idea for another video 🤔 Let me know in the comments!

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