Can You Daisy Chain Mixers

Yes, you can daisy chain mixers, but it’s not as simple as linking a few units together and hoping for the best.
 
Daisy chaining mixers is absolutely possible, and it’s something audio engineers and home studio owners do all the time to expand their input count.
 
You can daisy chain mixers to combine multiple sound sources into one master output, but you’ll need the right cables, the right mixer settings, and a basic understanding of signal flow to make it work without noise or distortion.
 
In this post, we’ll cover exactly how you can daisy chain mixers, the best methods to use, potential pitfalls to avoid, and whether it’s the right choice for your setup.
 
Let’s dig in and get those channels flowing.
 

Why You Can Daisy Chain Mixers

The main reason you can daisy chain mixers is that most mixers are designed with flexible routing options that allow signal to flow out of one unit and into another.
 
When you daisy chain mixers, you’re essentially treating one mixer as the “main” board and the other as a “sub-mixer” that feeds into it.
 
This setup is super common in live sound, podcasting, and even small recording studios where a single board just doesn’t have enough inputs.
 
Here’s why daisy chaining works and how to pull it off cleanly.
 

1. It’s All About the Outputs and Inputs

To daisy chain mixers, you need to connect the output of one mixer to the input of another.
 
The most reliable way to daisy chain mixers is by using the main outputs or an auxiliary output on the first mixer and sending that signal into a stereo channel, tape input, or line input on the second mixer.
 
You can daisy chain mixers using XLR cables, TRS cables, or even RCA cables depending on the connections your mixers support.
 
For the cleanest signal, stick with balanced TRS or XLR connections whenever possible because they reject noise over longer cable runs.
 
When you daisy chain mixers this way, the second mixer acts as the master volume control for everything, and the first mixer becomes your expander.
 

2. Gain Staging Is Critical When You Daisy Chain Mixers

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they daisy chain mixers is cranking the volume too high on both units.
 
If you daisy chain mixers and push the output of the first mixer too hot, you’ll clip the input of the second one, causing nasty distortion.
 
The trick is to keep the first mixer’s output at unity gain, which is usually around the 0 dB mark, and then adjust the input gain on the second mixer to match.
 
When you daisy chain mixers with proper gain staging, you’ll get a clean, noise-free signal that sounds just as good as a single mixer.
 
Start with the channel faders down, bring up the main output on the first mixer slowly, and watch the meters on the second mixer to avoid hitting the red.
 

3. Aux Sends Give You More Flexibility

You can daisy chain mixers using the main outputs, but using an aux send is another great option.
 
If you daisy chain mixers via an aux send, you can control exactly which channels from the first mixer go to the second one.
 
This is perfect if you want to send only certain instruments or microphones to a separate effects unit or a monitor feed while keeping the main mix intact.
 
Many live sound engineers daisy chain mixers this way to create separate headphone mixes for musicians without messing up the front-of-house sound.
 
When you daisy chain mixers with aux sends, just remember that the aux output is usually mono, so you might need two aux sends for a stereo feed.
 

Best Methods to Daisy Chain Mixers

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about the actual methods you can use to daisy chain mixers.
 
There’s more than one way to connect two boards, and the best choice depends on your gear and what you’re trying to achieve.
 

1. Using the Main Outs to a Stereo Line In

This is the most straightforward way to daisy chain mixers.
 
Take the left and right main outputs from the first mixer and plug them into any available stereo line input on the second mixer.
 
You can daisy chain mixers this way on almost any budget-friendly audio console, and it’s the easiest method to wrap your head around.
 
Just make sure both mixers are plugged into the same power source to avoid ground loops, which can cause a nasty hum when you daisy chain mixers.
 

2. Connecting Via an Effects Loop or Insert

Some mixers have insert points or effects sends that can also be used to daisy chain mixers.
 
If your first mixer has a dedicated sub-group output, you can route multiple channels to that group and then send the group output to the second mixer.
 
This method is handy when you want to process a group of channels separately, like all the drum mics, before they hit the main board.
 
When you daisy chain mixers through a sub-group, you get more control over levels and EQ without affecting other channels.
 

3. Digital Mixers and ADAT or USB Connections

If you’re lucky enough to own digital mixers, you can daisy chain mixers using ADAT lightpipe connections or USB audio interfaces.
 
Digital mixers let you pass dozens of channels between units without degrading the signal at all.
 
You can daisy chain mixers digitally and route individual tracks right into your recording software, which is a game-changer for podcasters and musicians.
 
This is the cleanest way to daisy chain mixers, but it requires both units to have compatible digital I/O ports.
 

Common Problems When You Daisy Chain Mixers

Daisy chaining isn’t without its quirks, and there are a few common issues you’ll want to plan for.
 
Knowing what can go wrong when you daisy chain mixers will save you a ton of frustration.
 

1. Noise and Ground Loops

The biggest enemy of any audio setup is hum, and it’s super common when you daisy chain mixers.
 
If you plug the two mixers into different power outlets, you can create a ground loop that results in a low-frequency buzz.
 
You can daisy chain mixers without hum by using power conditioners or making sure all your gear is on the same circuit.
 

2. Double Amplification

When you daisy chain mixers, you’re effectively amplifying the signal twice, once in the first mixer and again in the second.
 
This can cause the noise floor to rise, so you’ll hear more hiss in the background.
 
To reduce this, keep the first mixer’s output low and raise the level on the second mixer instead.
 

3. Phase Issues

If you daisy chain mixers and then accidentally route the same microphone back to both mixers, you can get phase cancellation.
 
This will make some frequencies disappear or sound hollow.
 
Always double check your routing when you daisy chain mixers to make sure each source only appears once in the signal path.
 

So, Can You Daisy Chain Mixers?

You can daisy chain mixers, and it’s a fantastic way to expand your input capacity without buying a massive new console.
 
Whether you’re a live sound tech running a festival stage or a home recordist trying to track a full band, daisy chaining gives you the flexibility you need.
 
You can daisy chain mixers with just a couple of cables, but remember to watch your levels, avoid ground loops, and always keep gain staging in mind.
 
So go ahead and hook up that second board, and enjoy the extra channels.
 
Daisy chaining mixers is a trusted trick in the audio world, and now you know exactly how to make it work for you.