Rolls MX153 Mix Mate Half-Rack 5-Input Mic / Source Mixer with Phantom Power

Rolls MX153 Mix Mate: Two Mics and Three Stereo Sources in a Half-Rack Mixer

The Rolls MX153 Mix Mate is a half-rack five-input mixer that blends two microphones with three stereo line sources into a single stereo output, purpose-built for background music and paging. It targets the everyday small-venue need to keep music playing while a microphone talks over it, without the cost or size of a full console. Two balanced XLR mic channels each carry level, tone, and switchable phantom power, while three stereo RCA inputs handle media players, tuners, and computer feeds. A front 1/8-inch jack on channel three makes plugging in a phone or media player quick. In just 6.5 by 1.5 by 5 inches of half-rack space, the MX153 covers mic-over-music for clubs, churches, schools, and restaurants.

Two Balanced XLR Microphone Channels

The MX153 provides two balanced XLR microphone inputs, each with its own Level and Tone controls and a 600 ohm balanced input impedance. A balanced input carries the audio on two conductors, so noise picked up along a long cable run to a podium or ceiling mic cancels at the input, which matters when the mic sits far from the rack. Independent level controls let a paging voice and a second announcer both sit at the right volume in the mix, while the per-channel tone control shapes each voice for clarity. With up to 60 dBV of mic gain, the channels can bring a quiet lavalier or a distant mic up to a usable level. For an install where announcements have to cut cleanly through music, those two proper mic channels are the heart of the MX153.

Individually Switchable +12V Phantom Power

Each MX153 mic channel offers individually switchable +12 VDC phantom power, set by DIP switches, so either channel can run a condenser microphone that needs powering. Phantom power sends DC up the same balanced cable that carries the audio, feeding the microphone's electronics without a separate supply at the mic. Twelve volts runs the compact electret and back-electret condensers commonly used for paging, podiums, and installed ceiling mics. Because phantom is switchable per channel, you can power a condenser on one input while running a dynamic that does not want DC on the other. For a venue mixing a handheld dynamic with a phantom-hungry gooseneck, that per-channel phantom is what lets one mixer serve both.

Three Stereo Sources Plus a Front Media Input

The MX153 accepts three stereo line sources on RCA inputs, with a front-panel 1/8-inch jack on channel three for quickly connecting a phone or media player. Three separate stereo channels mean a tuner, a CD or media player, and a computer or video feed can all stay patched at once, each with more than 10k ohm input impedance so none is loaded down. Leaving several sources permanently connected lets an operator simply raise the one the moment calls for rather than swapping cables. The front media jack handles the common case of a staffer walking up with a playlist on a phone. For a room that switches between a music service, a TV feed, and a live playlist, those three source inputs remove constant re-cabling.

Shared Bass and Treble on the Source Channels

Sources 1 and 2 share Bass and Treble tone controls, while Source 3 offers a dedicated level control, giving the MX153 tone shaping over its main program feeds. Adjusting bass and treble at the mixer lets an operator warm up or brighten music to suit a room without touching the source device. Because the tone controls act on the combined source channels, a quick tweak balances the overall music tone against the mic. Source 3's straightforward level control keeps a third feed simple to ride. For a restaurant or club dialing in background music that has to sound right across a space, that source tone shaping is a useful touch beyond raw mixing.

Stereo Output in a Rugged Half-Rack Build

The MX153 sends its blend out on a stereo RCA main output from a 6.5 by 1.5 by 5-inch half-rack chassis that weighs about 2 pounds, powered by an included 12 VDC PS27 adapter. The stereo RCA output feeds a house amplifier or powered speakers with the combined mic-and-music mix. A half-rack footprint is deliberate, since a background-music-plus-paging job does not need a full console and rack or shelf space is usually scarce. The metal chassis stands up to the knocks of a working AV rack, and six DIP switches configure phantom and other features cleanly. Paired with a rack tray, two half-rack units fill a single rack space. For a crowded AV closet, that compact, rugged build is what lets real mixing fit.

Background Music and Paging for Small Venues

The MX153's core job is background music with paging for clubs, churches, schools, and restaurants, mixing tuners, media players, and video with live mics in a half-rack footprint. A restaurant can run a music service on the source inputs and keep a paging mic ready on an XLR channel to make announcements. A school or house of worship can leave several program sources wired and simply bring up a presenter mic when needed. Because each mic channel is phantom-capable and tone-adjustable, voices sit clearly over the music instead of fighting it. For any small venue that lives on background music but occasionally has to talk to the room, the MX153 does both from one compact box.