Reddit reviews Mackie 402VLZ4, 4-channel Ultra Compact Mixer with High Quality Onyx Preamps

In your situation, I'd get a good mixer, like this one or this one, and out of those mics, I'd skip all of them and get a good dynamic mic instead. I use the AKG D5 and love it. I used the audio technica ATR2100, shure SM57 and SM58 as well, and liked the D5 over all of them.

Edit; Actually, reading your post again, a good usb audio interface will do you well too, though you won't have as many adjustments as a mixer will give you.

You're unlikely to find a mixer that has those inputs built in. Your best bet would be to use adapters for all those sources and just plug those in on the 1/4in jacks. Keeping in mind though that you should also look for mixers that support panning individual channels; each jack on a mixer typically just supports mono audio, so you'd have to send it back to left / right.

For example, I use a Mackie 402 on my desk. If I want to plug in a stereo line on channels 1 and 2, that "STEREO PAN" button has to be enabled to keep it from mono'ing them both.

Off the top of my head, something like the X Air series supports linking two channels and simultaneously controlling them + L/R panning them, for multiple channels, which you would probably need with your amount of inputs. A quick look and the Mackie ProFX12 would also probably suit your needs. Both of these are probably a little overkill for exactly what you need, but generally they both have the ability to properly handle your sources once they're in 1/4in form.

I'm kind of going on at length on this because I 100% did not consider it as a problem to be aware of when buying my mixer for my purposes and just lucked out that everything works.

For those adapters, a bluetooth receiver and appropriate cables for that particular unit, optical converter, and if "A/V audio" means RCA, just slap that RCA-1/4 from earlier in as well.

I have one of these mixers that I use for blending all my shit together also lets me play through headphones if I want.

I can think of three alternatives:

1. Small Mackie/Yamaha mixer. Something such as this already has two unbalanced inputs (tape) or two balanced inputs (line)
   
   
2. A pre-made device. Such as this or this
   
   
3. If remote power is a problem something like this could work, and this happens to be one of my favorite handy "adapters"
   
   The only possible downside I see with your idea is attenuation. You may not get a "hot" enough signal at the far end. A couple solutions I provided are powered and have some sort of trim/gain controls, so you might be better off with them. As far as the "no boxes on the ground", i'm not sure what you are getting at. Compact? Tamper proof? Weather resistant? What is the purpose there? It could be as simple as a outdoor electrical box and stuff whatever you need inside of it.
   
   
   I think if you were to better expand on what you were trying to accomplish I could provide some better answers.

what do you mean? how do i get the music i'm singing over to come back through the mixer without running a line back into the mixer? this is the mixer

A basic USB mixer like this Behringer (with external power supply) should handle the monitor switching. Mackie (not USB until it's around $300) and Alesis are higher end (better featured, sounding, durable) and will cost around 3x as much. Plug the computer via USB (the mixer is now your new soundcard), and the POD through the line-ins. I recommend getting active monitors, ideally used to maximize your budget. Get cables from monoprice.

there is a Makie mixer with better preamps that will run quieter, the 402VLZ4 and the larger 802VLZ4.

But I promise you that what you really want is an interface, not a mixer. this one is very popular and will allow two mics. there are more expensive ones with more inputs. Then for a mixer, use a DAW. Reaper is free and fully functional.

Well in this hypothetical, assuming my friend doesn't live in a van down by the river, couldn't we share his amp, iPhone, tablet or computer while we jam? But if you're going to jam with your friend at his house and he only has a single input on his amp, perhaps he was equally foolish and bought a Fender frontman 10G then I guess I need a 1/4" Y splitter for $5.00.

https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-YPP-118-inch-Dual-Cable/dp/B000068O56/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1480701257&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=1%2F4+Y+splitter

But if that's what I do, if that's how I play guitar, then there are other types of gear I'd spend money on:

https://www.amazon.ca/Behringer-MX400-Ultra-Low-Noise-4-Channel/dp/B000KGYAYQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480701616&sr=8-1&keywords=4+channel+mixer

https://www.amazon.ca/Mackie-402VLZ4-4-Channel-Compact-Mixer/dp/B00EDRUQXC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1480701709&sr=8-2&keywords=4+Channel+mixer

Any of these three purchases are for gear that I will use and reuse if I become a professional musician. The Frontman 10G, I will discard into the trash bin when I get a good practice amp or rig.

For the mic?

In that case, get an MXL 770 and a Mackie 402VLZ4.

(I'm a producer if you can't tell)