Anyone has used the ENG-44 field mixer? at DVinfo.net

Maximo Salaberry · February 11th, 2006, 10:22 PM

Has anyone used the ENG-44 field mixer?

It is sold by signvideo
http://www.signvideo.com/fpamxr.htm
I did a web search on it and there seems to be close to nothing on it. Has it just come out?

Kevin Wild · February 11th, 2006, 10:53 PM

Wow, never saw this. I would also be very interested in any reviews anyone finds. Seems very cheap...maybe you get what you pay for? It sure does have all the features of the Sound Devices 302...but the sound?

KW

Maximo Salaberry · February 12th, 2006, 10:34 PM

What makes me suspicious of their quality is that here are only two places that sell it. Are other vendors leery of customer returns? So far I have not fond any reviews anywhere to confirm.

Gareth Watkins · February 13th, 2006, 02:00 AM

Hi All

I don't know about this mixer but I have their XLR Pro that I got from Zotz video in Oregan...

the chap there reckons their gear is way better than Beachtek... I can't comment on that but I am very happy with both the quality and the performance of the XLR Pro adapter...

Maybe send an e-mail to the guy at Zotz he was very helpful when I was looking for kit and seemed knowledgable....

Having looked at the Sign Video site a few times I'd think this must be a fairly new item int their range.. hence maybe why it is not stocked in many places.

Regards

Gareth

Maximo Salaberry · February 13th, 2006, 12:18 PM

It's made by sign video ( i was on the phone with them) and apparently it has just been released which would explain why no one know about it.

Does anyone have experience with the products manufactured by Sign Video? Are they good quality?

Maximo Salaberry · February 13th, 2006, 01:07 PM

http://www.equipmentemporium.com/Art...usingENG44.htm

I was told that the Mixpre may have better audio, but that for what I need (docs with dialogue) this may be more than enough, plus it appears to be a real mixer, 4 XLR input, one XLR for booom operator and LINE level in and out. Very tempting!! although I'm a bit scared to be one of the first users.

Jim Feeley · February 13th, 2006, 01:22 PM

I can understand your hesitation to be the first one on the block to try this. It might be good...we just don't know...

If nothing else, you might want to at least compare the ENG-44 to the low-cost mixers from PSC:

http://www.dvaudio.com

Jay Rose liked their DV ProMix 3 when he reviewed it for DV mag back in May 2004 (when I worked at DV mag, btw). There's a link to the review on this page:

http://www.dv.com/reviews/hardware.jhtml

And you could always keep your eye out for a good used mixer from Sound Devices, Wendt, or someone similar. Just because you're doing docs, don't cheap-out on your mixer. Audio is the least-expensive way to improve the production quality of your project...I know you know this, but we are just talking about a few hundred dollars here...

Best,

Jim "owns two Sound Devices mixer and an older one from PSC" Feeley

Oleg Kaizerman · February 13th, 2006, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Feeley

I can understand your hesitation to be the first one on the block to try this. It might be good...we just don't know...

If nothing else, you might want to at least compare the ENG-44 to the low-cost mixers from PSC:

http://www.dvaudio.com

Jay Rose liked their DV ProMix 3 when he reviewed it for DV mag back in May 2004 (when I worked at DV mag, btw). There's a link to the review on this page:

http://www.dv.com/reviews/hardware.jhtml

And you could always keep your eye out for a good used mixer from Sound Devices, Wendt, or someone similar. Just because you're doing docs, don't cheap-out on your mixer. Audio is the least-expensive way to improve the production quality of your project...I know you know this, but we are just talking about a few hundred dollars here...

Best,

Jim "owns two Sound Devices mixer and an older one from PSC" Feeley

dont know about what kind of preamp it has but .
no- attenuation on the inputs , so if you have big wave -you are droning :-)
no headphones selector
no external /internal power selector
no pick indicator
no ms
no mic attenuators on xlr outs
sadly to say - find used wendt

Larry Vaughn · April 9th, 2007, 07:16 PM

One of these 302's is for sale on e-bay right now.

Ralph Keyser · April 10th, 2007, 01:24 PM

I have second hand information about the ENG-44. A sound mixer friend of mine used one recently on a very low budget indie feature, and she did not have very complimentary things to say about it. Her main complaint was that she found the pre-amps to be very noisy, which really limited the amount of gain she could get out of the mixer. In addition, there are a host of what she termed "annoyances" such as a meter dimmer that only had two positions: bright and dim, left-right pan switches instead of pots, single frequency low-cut filters, no way to solo single channels, etc.

Your requirements and expectations may be different.

Brett Sherman · April 12th, 2007, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maximo Salaberry

Does anyone have experience with the products manufactured by Sign Video? Are they good quality?

I bought an 8x8 S-Video router from them for an installation I did a few years back. It has performed well, no problems. However, a mixer is a more sophisticated piece of equipment. So I might have some hesitation there. Noisy preamps can reduce audio quality very quickly. I've bought stuff from Equipment Emporium before and have found their advice helpful. Why not call them and see what they say about it.

Ty Ford · April 12th, 2007, 06:00 PM

OK. I reviewed it for TV Technology months ago. The preamps were not noisey. Either she had a bum one or was using mics with incredibly low output. I specifically had tthem cranked all the way up and they were fine.

It doesn't have a peak flasher, but it found using the limiter threshold light worked pretty well.

It has balanced mic/line outputs.

It's lightweight.

It's really inexpensive.

I own a Sound Devices 442. The ENG-44 is no 442, but for its price, what $579 or something like that, it does a really nice job. They sell it direct to keep the price down. I'd use one to wade into the surf rather than take my 442.

If you can't afford a 442, get a 302.

Regards,

Ty For

Oleg Kaizerman · April 13th, 2007, 03:31 AM

if you can avoid that one - avoid it :-)

Adam Letch · April 13th, 2007, 03:45 AM

can you expand?

Ty was pretty happy for it's price point, how would you rate this versus say a beachtek?

Thanks

Adam

Oleg Kaizerman · April 13th, 2007, 04:30 AM

there are few things missing on that one

good preamps
sealed potensiometers - ( humidity)

good monitor section
preamp attenuation
to hi low cut fq point
pick metering .
no overload indication on inputs
input limitters
the output limiters alwais on !!!!!
12 v phantom power
no ms decoding .
the phantom appears on line inputs ( good only for recording gunshots - may fire unbalance outs )

price point crap - was made for videots - not really for sound people .

about how does it compare to beach teck - it doesnt as it 2 different minded devices .

February 11th, 2006, 10:22 PM	#1
Maximo Salaberry Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 66	Anyone has used the ENG-44 field mixer? Has anyone used the ENG-44 field mixer? It is sold by signvideo http://www.signvideo.com/fpamxr.htm I did a web search on it and there seems to be close to nothing on it. Has it just come out?

February 12th, 2006, 10:34 PM	#3
Maximo Salaberry Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 66	Too good to be true? What makes me suspicious of their quality is that here are only two places that sell it. Are other vendors leery of customer returns? So far I have not fond any reviews anywhere to confirm.

February 13th, 2006, 12:18 PM	#5
Maximo Salaberry Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 66	MAde by signVideo It's made by sign video ( i was on the phone with them) and apparently it has just been released which would explain why no one know about it. Does anyone have experience with the products manufactured by Sign Video? Are they good quality?

February 13th, 2006, 01:07 PM	#6
Maximo Salaberry Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 66	webpage on the ENG 44 http://www.equipmentemporium.com/Art...usingENG44.htm I was told that the Mixpre may have better audio, but that for what I need (docs with dialogue) this may be more than enough, plus it appears to be a real mixer, 4 XLR input, one XLR for booom operator and LINE level in and out. Very tempting!! although I'm a bit scared to be one of the first users.

April 9th, 2007, 07:16 PM	#9
Larry Vaughn Major Player Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 201	sound devices 302 One of these 302's is for sale on e-bay right now.

February 11th, 2006, 10:53 PM	#2
Kevin Wild Major Player Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 540	Wow, never saw this. I would also be very interested in any reviews anyone finds. Seems very cheap...maybe you get what you pay for? It sure does have all the features of the Sound Devices 302...but the sound? KW

February 13th, 2006, 02:00 AM	#4
Gareth Watkins Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: France Posts: 578	Hi All I don't know about this mixer but I have their XLR Pro that I got from Zotz video in Oregan... the chap there reckons their gear is way better than Beachtek... I can't comment on that but I am very happy with both the quality and the performance of the XLR Pro adapter... Maybe send an e-mail to the guy at Zotz he was very helpful when I was looking for kit and seemed knowledgable.... Having looked at the Sign Video site a few times I'd think this must be a fairly new item int their range.. hence maybe why it is not stocked in many places. Regards Gareth

February 13th, 2006, 01:22 PM	#7
Jim Feeley Supports LPFM Radio Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern California USA Posts: 170	I can understand your hesitation to be the first one on the block to try this. It might be good...we just don't know... If nothing else, you might want to at least compare the ENG-44 to the low-cost mixers from PSC: http://www.dvaudio.com Jay Rose liked their DV ProMix 3 when he reviewed it for DV mag back in May 2004 (when I worked at DV mag, btw). There's a link to the review on this page: http://www.dv.com/reviews/hardware.jhtml And you could always keep your eye out for a good used mixer from Sound Devices, Wendt, or someone similar. Just because you're doing docs, don't cheap-out on your mixer. Audio is the least-expensive way to improve the production quality of your project...I know you know this, but we are just talking about a few hundred dollars here... Best, Jim "owns two Sound Devices mixer and an older one from PSC" Feeley

April 10th, 2007, 01:24 PM	#10
Ralph Keyser Major Player Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico USA Posts: 287	I have second hand information about the ENG-44. A sound mixer friend of mine used one recently on a very low budget indie feature, and she did not have very complimentary things to say about it. Her main complaint was that she found the pre-amps to be very noisy, which really limited the amount of gain she could get out of the mixer. In addition, there are a host of what she termed "annoyances" such as a meter dimmer that only had two positions: bright and dim, left-right pan switches instead of pots, single frequency low-cut filters, no way to solo single channels, etc. Your requirements and expectations may be different.

April 12th, 2007, 06:00 PM	#12
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	OK. I reviewed it for TV Technology months ago. The preamps were not noisey. Either she had a bum one or was using mics with incredibly low output. I specifically had tthem cranked all the way up and they were fine. It doesn't have a peak flasher, but it found using the limiter threshold light worked pretty well. It has balanced mic/line outputs. It's lightweight. It's really inexpensive. I own a Sound Devices 442. The ENG-44 is no 442, but for its price, what $579 or something like that, it does a really nice job. They sell it direct to keep the price down. I'd use one to wade into the surf rather than take my 442. If you can't afford a 442, get a 302. Regards, Ty For __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog

April 13th, 2007, 03:31 AM	#13
Oleg Kaizerman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: israel Posts: 296	if you can avoid that one - avoid it :-)

April 13th, 2007, 03:45 AM	#14
Adam Letch Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 414	Why Oleg can you expand? Ty was pretty happy for it's price point, how would you rate this versus say a beachtek? Thanks Adam

April 13th, 2007, 04:30 AM	#15
Oleg Kaizerman Major Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: israel Posts: 296	there are few things missing on that one good preamps sealed potensiometers - ( humidity) good monitor section preamp attenuation to hi low cut fq point pick metering . no overload indication on inputs input limitters the output limiters alwais on !!!!! 12 v phantom power no ms decoding . the phantom appears on line inputs ( good only for recording gunshots - may fire unbalance outs ) price point crap - was made for videots - not really for sound people . about how does it compare to beach teck - it doesnt as it 2 different minded devices .