powered/nonpowered???

[mndog75]

I just bought a yamaha mg10/2 mixer(do i know what im doing, no) anyway I have a little tascam fourtrack and it helps with mic power,more than one instrument being recorded,and it just looks cool to have ( you know it makes me feel like im doing something) enough joking, I was told that it is not powered, what does that mean and how does that effect what i am doing?? also I really dont see a need for the thing, in the manual it pretty much says dont mess with eq, dont mess with post, etc, if thats the case why even buy one???

 

[Track Rat]

It means it only has a line level output and will not drive speakers (read PA) without a power amp. In the recording world, this is a very good thing.