Mix Pre D Advice at DVinfo.net

Sean Seah · June 13th, 2011, 10:01 AM

Hi Folks, I use the Sennheiser 416 directly to the Marantz 661 and it has be a great combo. However I'm thinking of going another step to use a field mixer . Is that useful in improving the audio quality? I'm looking at Sound Devices Mix-Pre D since it has an output for DSLR.

Another application is recording audio from church mixers. I use a PAD now but sometimes it still clips if we do not set it well when the range can be very big. Would the mix-pre D help since it is unclippable? mixer > mix pre D > marantz 661 or Zoom H4n

Thanks!

Sean Seah · July 5th, 2011, 07:16 PM

Has anyone had the chance to work with the original mixpre then?

Matthew Capowski · July 6th, 2011, 11:10 PM

I went from a Zoom H4n to the Zoom + a SD302. Very large difference -- I could never go back to just the Zoom.

Tom Morrow · July 8th, 2011, 12:30 AM

If your levels are set properly, there shouldn't be much of a difference. I have used the old Mixpre and don't see any appreciable SQ difference versus using my Zoom h1 as a preamp.

But the Mixpre makes it a lot more feasible to get the levels right with the calibration features and better meter.

The unclippable feature is designed more for avoiding catastrophe than as something you would use normally; the 10:1 clipping ratio is in the same league as speaker protection circuits, much higher than the 2:1 to 3:1 typically used for compression.

I think of the mixpre "unclippable" feature as providing "analog-like" clipping rather than digital brick wall clipping.

Sean Seah · November 15th, 2011, 09:28 AM

reviving this old thread as the mix pre D is now available. Anyone with comments? The key issue i'm having is my audio files get clipped digitally. I'm no sound expert. All i know is the G2 wireless is paired with a SKM wireless mic, and fed directly into the 5D2. I know that doesnt work and it clips like crazy. Thinking of putting the mix pre D to manage the clipping and setting the 5D2 to manual gain.

One thing i cant figure out is the volumes can vary so much even when i record directly to the zoom H4n or Marantz PMD661. Is there anyway i can reduce that? Will the mixpre D take care of that? Many times i get issues with parts of the audio being very low and parts are to the max. I cant normalize the clip at one go. End up breaking the entire clip and normalizing manually.

Sean Seah · December 1st, 2011, 07:32 AM

Just to report that I bought the mix pre D finally and it ROCKS! The pre amps are excellant. One thing i cant figure out is why the limiter is at 4dB. I thought it would clip but at one outdoor recording it saved the day. I had a G2 wireless hooked onto a groom. The G2 was fed into the mix pre D and output (line) to a marantz pmd661.

The solemnizer had no mic and the couple shouted their vows. The limited kicked in place (i wasnt monitoring it as i was shooting). The audio came out really good and clean with no distortion. Thank god i had used it.

The TA5 cable to the 5D2 also works well. Just need to remember to set the levels to manual at the lowest point.

Steve House · December 1st, 2011, 09:33 AM

Check your manual. The limiter threshold is adjustable from +6dBu to +20dBu.

Rick Reineke · December 1st, 2011, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean Seah

One thing i cant figure out is why the limiter is at 4dB.

I would assume the factory default is around +16dBu, which is good to catch unexpected peaks. You have most likely misunderstood dBFS and dBu measurements,

Sean Seah · December 7th, 2011, 06:12 PM

thank u! Yes i got confused between the two units. Will do some homework.

Mikael Couderc · December 10th, 2011, 03:11 AM

Hi Sean,

Glad you're liking your MixPre D. SD units are really top class, aren't they?
If you don't mind, I'd like to know if you'd do me a favor and check something for me, since I've asked the question in various other fora and no one seemed to own both devices and hence was able to answer my query:

-I've used a 661 for a couple of years now, along with a mixpre (non D) version.
Right now, they're connected via analog XLR, but I'd like to invest in the new MixPre D (which offers AES3 output) and hook them up digitally. However, the 661 only offers SPDIF input, which is the consumer version of AES.
Can you check if it's possible to go from a Mixpre D AES out into a PMD661 SPDIF in, via a short lenght RCA to XLR cable? (75 or 100ohm shouldn't make a difference for a short lenght)
I know some devices accept a AES signal on their SPDIF input without any issue, but I've also heard of fussy ones not locking in to the signal, or misinterpreting the extra 4 bits in the AES signal (clicks and pops)

It'd be very easy to check this myself, only no store in France seems to carry both items simultaneously on their shelves!!! Ah, good old France :-)
I'd really appreciate it if was possible for you to check this for us.

Also, if I may suggest, if this works, you should consider doing that yourself, since that would save you the trouble to calibrate the devices, and you'd get a very clean signal path. Just my humble opinion...

Thanx,

Mikael

June 13th, 2011, 10:01 AM	#1
Sean Seah Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,498	Mix Pre D Advice Hi Folks, I use the Sennheiser 416 directly to the Marantz 661 and it has be a great combo. However I'm thinking of going another step to use a field mixer . Is that useful in improving the audio quality? I'm looking at Sound Devices Mix-Pre D since it has an output for DSLR. Another application is recording audio from church mixers. I use a PAD now but sometimes it still clips if we do not set it well when the range can be very big. Would the mix-pre D help since it is unclippable? mixer > mix pre D > marantz 661 or Zoom H4n Thanks! __________________ Firewerkz Films SGP

July 5th, 2011, 07:16 PM	#2
Sean Seah Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,498	Re: Mix Pre D Advice Has anyone had the chance to work with the original mixpre then? __________________ Firewerkz Films SGP

July 6th, 2011, 11:10 PM	#3
Matthew Capowski Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 43	Re: Mix Pre D Advice I went from a Zoom H4n to the Zoom + a SD302. Very large difference -- I could never go back to just the Zoom. __________________ http://www.davidbohmsociety.org

July 8th, 2011, 12:30 AM	#4
Tom Morrow Major Player Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 416	Re: Mix Pre D Advice If your levels are set properly, there shouldn't be much of a difference. I have used the old Mixpre and don't see any appreciable SQ difference versus using my Zoom h1 as a preamp. But the Mixpre makes it a lot more feasible to get the levels right with the calibration features and better meter. The unclippable feature is designed more for avoiding catastrophe than as something you would use normally; the 10:1 clipping ratio is in the same league as speaker protection circuits, much higher than the 2:1 to 3:1 typically used for compression. I think of the mixpre "unclippable" feature as providing "analog-like" clipping rather than digital brick wall clipping.

November 15th, 2011, 09:28 AM	#5
Sean Seah Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,498	Re: Mix Pre D Advice reviving this old thread as the mix pre D is now available. Anyone with comments? The key issue i'm having is my audio files get clipped digitally. I'm no sound expert. All i know is the G2 wireless is paired with a SKM wireless mic, and fed directly into the 5D2. I know that doesnt work and it clips like crazy. Thinking of putting the mix pre D to manage the clipping and setting the 5D2 to manual gain. One thing i cant figure out is the volumes can vary so much even when i record directly to the zoom H4n or Marantz PMD661. Is there anyway i can reduce that? Will the mixpre D take care of that? Many times i get issues with parts of the audio being very low and parts are to the max. I cant normalize the clip at one go. End up breaking the entire clip and normalizing manually. __________________ Firewerkz Films SGP

December 1st, 2011, 07:32 AM	#6
Sean Seah Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,498	Re: Mix Pre D Advice Just to report that I bought the mix pre D finally and it ROCKS! The pre amps are excellant. One thing i cant figure out is why the limiter is at 4dB. I thought it would clip but at one outdoor recording it saved the day. I had a G2 wireless hooked onto a groom. The G2 was fed into the mix pre D and output (line) to a marantz pmd661. The solemnizer had no mic and the couple shouted their vows. The limited kicked in place (i wasnt monitoring it as i was shooting). The audio came out really good and clean with no distortion. Thank god i had used it. The TA5 cable to the 5D2 also works well. Just need to remember to set the levels to manual at the lowest point. __________________ Firewerkz Films SGP

December 1st, 2011, 09:33 AM	#7
Steve House Inner Circle Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Posts: 5,742	Re: Mix Pre D Advice Check your manual. The limiter threshold is adjustable from +6dBu to +20dBu. __________________ Good news, Cousins! This week's chocolate ration is 15 grams!

December 7th, 2011, 06:12 PM	#9
Sean Seah Trustee Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Singapore Posts: 1,498	Re: Mix Pre D Advice thank u! Yes i got confused between the two units. Will do some homework. __________________ Firewerkz Films SGP

December 10th, 2011, 03:11 AM	#10
Mikael Couderc Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Montpellier, France Posts: 81	Re: Mix Pre D Advice Hi Sean, Glad you're liking your MixPre D. SD units are really top class, aren't they? If you don't mind, I'd like to know if you'd do me a favor and check something for me, since I've asked the question in various other fora and no one seemed to own both devices and hence was able to answer my query: -I've used a 661 for a couple of years now, along with a mixpre (non D) version. Right now, they're connected via analog XLR, but I'd like to invest in the new MixPre D (which offers AES3 output) and hook them up digitally. However, the 661 only offers SPDIF input, which is the consumer version of AES. Can you check if it's possible to go from a Mixpre D AES out into a PMD661 SPDIF in, via a short lenght RCA to XLR cable? (75 or 100ohm shouldn't make a difference for a short lenght) I know some devices accept a AES signal on their SPDIF input without any issue, but I've also heard of fussy ones not locking in to the signal, or misinterpreting the extra 4 bits in the AES signal (clicks and pops) It'd be very easy to check this myself, only no store in France seems to carry both items simultaneously on their shelves!!! Ah, good old France :-) I'd really appreciate it if was possible for you to check this for us. Also, if I may suggest, if this works, you should consider doing that yourself, since that would save you the trouble to calibrate the devices, and you'd get a very clean signal path. Just my humble opinion... Thanx, Mikael