Field location audio mixers

S

skessler

Member
Which would be the best bang for the buck at the 350 range? I will be doing a series of shorts and hopefully a feature in the near future any help would be greatly appreciated.


Shawn Kessler
Digital Film Pictures
 
How many channels will you need? Are you going direct to camera, or using a field recorder. Would something that attaches to the camera be a convenience, or inconvenience?

-R
 
Thanks for your response rer,
For the stuff coming up soon just 2 imputs but future project probubly more like 4 max. My budget doesnt opt for a recorder yet but that is high on my list of things to get for sure. as far as the camera goes im pretty open on that part
as I have found creative ways to atachethings to my GyHD-1oo. I will be shooting 24p onto a Dr hd 100 no worries though plenty of room for other stuff.
 
If you're just looking to add more XLR inputs that will attach to the camcorder with volume control, then you can use these from juicedLink with a Rode VXLR adapter:
http://www.juicedlink.com/index_files/CX_camcorder_XLR_microphone_adapter_audio_mixers.htm


The 2 input MixPre is a favorite, but sounds like it's a bit beyond your price range:
http://www.sounddevices.com/products/mx2master.htm

The only other thing I can think of that might be in your price range is the Azden FMX-20:
http://www.azdencorp.com/shop/customer/product.php?productid=93303&cat=3&page=1


Hope this helps ...

-R
 
mixers

mixers

the prmix looks like a good option I may go for that one I alredy know ill have to spend a little on a DAT recorder for good recording so ide rather sink my cash in that over the mixer thanks for your help man what state are you in?

Shawn
 
"prmix" - you mean MixPre?


" thanks for your help man what state are you in" - state of confusion ... California ...


-R
 
skessler said:
the prmix looks like a good option I may go for that one I alredy know ill have to spend a little on a DAT recorder for good recording so ide rather sink my cash in that over the mixer thanks for your help man what state are you in?

Shawn
Click to expand...

DAT is obsolete. Folks who have had them for years still use them, but there's no sense in buying one now. The newest trend is solid-state, so look for machines that record to SD or CF cards. The other up-side is that they're less expensive and they offer higher-resolution recording (24-bit, up to 182kHz).

The Zoom H4 is great if you use line-in (the XLR ins - preamps - are a little noisy). The Fostex FR2LE is another good option.

As for mixers, the MixPre is a great device. If you are working with only two mic-level inputs, it will do you just fine. But there's a lack of flexibility beyond that. Since you know that you might need more inputs later, you might look at the MixPre's bigger sibling, the SD302. With three ins and flexible outputs, it will give you some wiggle room for now.

$350 for a good field mixer is an expectation that you cannot fulfill. Consider the lower cost of the solid-state recorders and see if you can't budget for a better mixer that way.
 
Stay away from the Azden - I have used it and it is truly crap. If you're really insistent, I own one and would be very happy to sell it to you.

Phil
 
My personal opinion is to stay away from anything made by Azden. They try to position their products as professional, and they are consumer at best, damaging at worst. I have the FMX-20 and one other in the FMX series.

Phil
 
ptalsky said:
My personal opinion is to stay away from anything made by Azden. They try to position their products as professional, and they are consumer at best, damaging at worst. I have the FMX-20 and one other in the FMX series.

Phil
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up. I was interested in their FMX-32. I heard from another guy as well that said stay away from Azden. What about their shotgun microphones? I was interested in their SGM-1X. Any thoughts?

Also what don't you like about the FMX-20. Mind sharing a little more insight/details.

Nicole
 
Something that hasn't come up is portability. If you will always have a place to plug in around you can save a lot of $ on an acceptable mixer. If you need battery power it just about doubles the price at the same quality.
 
Hey...
can u then suggest a good 4 channel field mixer....apart of course from the Azden....
cheers
 
eureka said:
Hey...
can u then suggest a good 4 channel field mixer....apart of course from the Azden....
cheers
Click to expand...

In around the same price range as the 4 channel Azden is a pretty decent model from Sign Video called the ENG44. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of some of the higher end models, but it is provides a clean sound, limiters, and has bright LED level meters. Not bad for around $500 http://www.dvcreators.net/signvideo-eng-44-portable-mixer/
Next step up if you have the bucks.... Sound Devices 302 for a 3 channel if you can swing it.
 
eureka said:
Hey...
can u then suggest a good 4 channel field mixer....apart of course from the Azden....
cheers
Click to expand...
someone was just recently selling a PSC m4 on this forum.
The thread is still on the 1st page.

If its in good working condition it would be miles above
what you're looking at.
 
Why not consider renting a quality professional mixer like the SD 442 - 4in/2 out and all the features you would ever need in a mixer... This is a much better way to go than looking at stuff like Azden... yea it's cheap, it's also crap quality. IF you are only going to use up to 3 inputs you could rent their SD302 3in/2 out mixer which I am damn glad I started out with.

You could rent for maybe 200/wk range... and save your money for the SD442 down the road.

Good luck.
 
Another question is how serious are you about sound? And I don't mean whether you want "good" sound, that is sort of a given but do YOU want to do sound? If it's just a stand in till you can get someone else to "do sound" because you want to be a director/ DP/ editor etc. Then either don't spend the money or get something with a good resale value. You can find MixPre's used in the $350 range and the value will hold. Azden will drop like the blue book after you drive out of the lot. PSC should hold up pretty well. The only one I used I hated (nothing to do with sound quality but the metering was just awful coming from the MixPre) , but they should sound decent and they are used a bunch in the video/ broadcast / ENG area. Ten years ago you couldn't touch a portable mixer (I'm stretching the definition to fit Mic Pre's with limited routing like the MixPre) under a grand. Now there are a number of options in the $500 - $1,000 range that are VERY good. Again if you can have AC around you can save a LOT of cash.
And if you don't want to do sound long term but need something better than the cameras mic pre's there are some micro mixers by folks like Behringer, Sampson that can be or are battery powered and may be better than the camera and are virtual tossaways. You don't want them if it's a long term thing but... But if you don't want to do sound then take the money you are willing to spend and put it toward a "sound person", or do a deal with an aspiring sound person. I know more than one filmmaker that basically bought a piece of equipment because for the time of the shoot it was cheaper than renting and part of their "crew deal" was the under paid DP. sound person, etc, was given the equipment after the wrap. Barter is great, especially if you have some leads on good deals.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top