Info on BeachTek Website for new adapter at DVinfo.net

Bryan Beasleigh · January 2nd, 2004, 02:39 PM

http://www.beachtek.com/dxa8.html

Frank Granovski · January 2nd, 2004, 04:39 PM

What's the price going to be, Bryan? It looks like a nice unit.

Bryan Beasleigh · January 2nd, 2004, 04:57 PM

$399 US list

Frank Granovski · January 2nd, 2004, 05:38 PM

Are you getting one? How much better is it than the one you already have?

Bryan Beasleigh · January 2nd, 2004, 06:27 PM

I have a Sound Devices 302 mixer, which is a whole lot better than this unit. One thing that my 302 doesn't have is this degree of portability though. This attaches to the bottom of any camera.

Carlos has a similar unit that is available for the same money. I posted a link to that one earlier in the week. Carlos is a gentleman, in that he doesn't use this site to push his wares. If you ask him, i'm sure he would give us a blurb on his product. Rumor has it that he would also offer a discount to Forum members. He already offers a healthy discount to students and teachers.

If you're comparing it to a basic beachteck (which i still have) it's a whole new ball game. With preamps, limiters and phantom you can use pretty well any mic with better results. The preamps in this rig are most likley head and shoulders above those in a consumer / prosumer video camera.

Frank Granovski · January 2nd, 2004, 08:09 PM

Thanks, Bryan. I had no idea Carlos had mixers for sale. I'll look for that thread.

Is this the thread? http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=18872

Dan Brown · January 2nd, 2004, 08:21 PM

This product has mic level outputs, I assume. And the gain adjustment is +/- 12 dB. This seems pretty limiting. The gain range is really 0-12 dB. The sensitivity of dynamic and condenser mics is wider than that. Also, if you wanted to plug a line level device into the XLR inputs (like the output of a wireless receiver or a field mixer) there isn't enough attenuation to reduce the line-level to mic voltages. With the other Beachteks, like my DXA-6, there's 50dB of pad to run line levels into the mic level cam inputs.

Am I missing something?

Bryan Beasleigh · January 2nd, 2004, 09:11 PM

Dan , i see your point, a dynamic can be at -55db while a hot condenser can be as high as -30 db. Harry Kaufman is no fool and talks to Jay Rose and others to get a better feel for the market. There is a notice on the site that specs are forthcoming ASAP. Harry did say that the output was -35db.

Call him and ask how this unit will handle a line level input. Bear in mind that in some instances I have to pad the output of my $1100 Sound Devices unit. There is no such thing as a unit that will do everything. Pads are cheap.

Dan Brown · January 3rd, 2004, 07:26 PM

I meant no criticism, just a newbie curiousity question based on my limited studying and thinking about "good" audio into MinDV cams. I agree that the Beachtec DXA-6 is a fine product and fills a real need out here (at least it does for me). If Beachtec thinks there is a market for this new product, I believe them. I'll be interested in reading the specs.

On the other hand, my next cam will have dual XLR inputs with 48v, line level inputs, and plenty of selection, gain and control options.

Bryan Beasleigh · January 3rd, 2004, 08:12 PM

Dan, Don't appologize, you were right to mention that. I kinda thought it but said , "nah" they must've meant somthing else. I certainly hope they meant something else.

Boyd Ostroff · January 3rd, 2004, 08:44 PM

It's interesting that the photo on their website shows the DXA-8 attached to a PDX-10. The PDX-10 has its own XLR block with phantom power, although it isn't on the camera in this picture. It connects through the hotshoe which presumably offers some advantages to using the miniplug. PDX-10 owners are an unlikely market for this product since its audio is already highly regarded; I wonder why they don't show it on a VX-2100?

Frank Granovski · January 3rd, 2004, 09:05 PM

Quote:

I wonder why they don't show it on a VX-2100?

Perhaps the VX2100 isn't available in Canada yet? (Always answer a question with a question, which leads to more questions.)

:-))

Rainer Halonen · January 3rd, 2004, 09:19 PM

It's available in Toronto at the store where I bought my GL2 this week...

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : Perhaps the VX2100 isn't available in Canada yet? (Always answer a question with a question, which leads to more questions.)

:-)) -->>>

Bryan Beasleigh · January 3rd, 2004, 10:19 PM

Rainer
Welcome to the group, I'm up the highway another 20 minutes.

Harry was in a hurry to get something on the web site. I don't think it matters what camera it's on.

Where did you buy from, Vistek, Dvshop , Merkle or Henry's. That's pretty well all we have here.

Rainer Halonen · January 4th, 2004, 07:29 AM

Henry's. I checked Vistek, Merkle, and Henry's. Henry's had GL2's on sale until Dec 31...

Their website shows them having VX2100's in stock in their Toronto store.

January 2nd, 2004, 02:39 PM	#1
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Info on BeachTek Website for new adapter http://www.beachtek.com/dxa8.html

January 2nd, 2004, 08:21 PM	#7
Dan Brown Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 235	This product has mic level outputs, I assume. And the gain adjustment is +/- 12 dB. This seems pretty limiting. The gain range is really 0-12 dB. The sensitivity of dynamic and condenser mics is wider than that. Also, if you wanted to plug a line level device into the XLR inputs (like the output of a wireless receiver or a field mixer) there isn't enough attenuation to reduce the line-level to mic voltages. With the other Beachteks, like my DXA-6, there's 50dB of pad to run line levels into the mic level cam inputs. Am I missing something? __________________ dB

January 3rd, 2004, 07:26 PM	#9
Dan Brown Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 235	I meant no criticism, just a newbie curiousity question based on my limited studying and thinking about "good" audio into MinDV cams. I agree that the Beachtec DXA-6 is a fine product and fills a real need out here (at least it does for me). If Beachtec thinks there is a market for this new product, I believe them. I'll be interested in reading the specs. On the other hand, my next cam will have dual XLR inputs with 48v, line level inputs, and plenty of selection, gain and control options. __________________ dB

January 2nd, 2004, 04:39 PM	#2
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	What's the price going to be, Bryan? It looks like a nice unit.

January 2nd, 2004, 04:57 PM	#3
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	$399 US list

January 2nd, 2004, 05:38 PM	#4
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Are you getting one? How much better is it than the one you already have?

January 2nd, 2004, 06:27 PM	#5
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	I have a Sound Devices 302 mixer, which is a whole lot better than this unit. One thing that my 302 doesn't have is this degree of portability though. This attaches to the bottom of any camera. Carlos has a similar unit that is available for the same money. I posted a link to that one earlier in the week. Carlos is a gentleman, in that he doesn't use this site to push his wares. If you ask him, i'm sure he would give us a blurb on his product. Rumor has it that he would also offer a discount to Forum members. He already offers a healthy discount to students and teachers. If you're comparing it to a basic beachteck (which i still have) it's a whole new ball game. With preamps, limiters and phantom you can use pretty well any mic with better results. The preamps in this rig are most likley head and shoulders above those in a consumer / prosumer video camera.

January 2nd, 2004, 08:09 PM	#6
Frank Granovski Outer Circle Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hope, BC Posts: 7,524	Thanks, Bryan. I had no idea Carlos had mixers for sale. I'll look for that thread. Is this the thread? http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=18872

January 2nd, 2004, 09:11 PM	#8
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Dan , i see your point, a dynamic can be at -55db while a hot condenser can be as high as -30 db. Harry Kaufman is no fool and talks to Jay Rose and others to get a better feel for the market. There is a notice on the site that specs are forthcoming ASAP. Harry did say that the output was -35db. Call him and ask how this unit will handle a line level input. Bear in mind that in some instances I have to pad the output of my $1100 Sound Devices unit. There is no such thing as a unit that will do everything. Pads are cheap.

January 3rd, 2004, 08:12 PM	#10
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Dan, Don't appologize, you were right to mention that. I kinda thought it but said , "nah" they must've meant somthing else. I certainly hope they meant something else.

January 3rd, 2004, 08:44 PM	#11
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,802	It's interesting that the photo on their website shows the DXA-8 attached to a PDX-10. The PDX-10 has its own XLR block with phantom power, although it isn't on the camera in this picture. It connects through the hotshoe which presumably offers some advantages to using the miniplug. PDX-10 owners are an unlikely market for this product since its audio is already highly regarded; I wonder why they don't show it on a VX-2100?

January 3rd, 2004, 09:19 PM	#13
Rainer Halonen Tourist Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Holland Landing, ON, Canada Posts: 4	It's available in Toronto at the store where I bought my GL2 this week... <<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : Perhaps the VX2100 isn't available in Canada yet? (Always answer a question with a question, which leads to more questions.) :-)) -->>>

January 3rd, 2004, 10:19 PM	#14
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Rainer Welcome to the group, I'm up the highway another 20 minutes. Harry was in a hurry to get something on the web site. I don't think it matters what camera it's on. Where did you buy from, Vistek, Dvshop , Merkle or Henry's. That's pretty well all we have here.

January 4th, 2004, 07:29 AM	#15
Rainer Halonen Tourist Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Holland Landing, ON, Canada Posts: 4	Henry's. I checked Vistek, Merkle, and Henry's. Henry's had GL2's on sale until Dec 31... Their website shows them having VX2100's in stock in their Toronto store.