Recommendations for a $500 field mixer.
I have looked at the PSC DV promix lines as well as the Sign Video and Rolls.

What all do you guys think?

Just as a brand name I've heard very good
things about the PSC stuff. Rolls I'd be
more cautious about. I don't think
it's junk but I think they cut corners to bring
it in at a certain price range, as compared
to PSC and Sound Devices level of build.

Others may have more experience with them
all.

Check out this site www.equipmentemporium.com

They specialize in audio gear for video production and give some pretty good advice in terms of equipment, including field mixers (see: Sales/Mixing Panels).

At your price range they recommend the ENG-44 ($529) awhich they seem to praise, and the DVProMix3 ($495), you can always check other source for other opinions.

Being in Europe I can't buy from them, but over the years I've often looked at their site for an opnion on sound gear, so I never hesite to recommend the site to others.

best of luck

Check out my recent thread here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=77147

I talked to B & H yesterday, and while they said it was close they advised the Rolls (the Sign was out of stock anyway). The sales guy I talked to was very helpful (and not on commision) and he said that the Rolls was just the most popular and that he'd never seen one come back or had any complaints on it. It also had trim controls and a bag, which the sign lacked.

It should be here on Friday... I can let you know how I like it when it gets here.

I have the Rolls you're referring to and it's very high quality. Dual analog monitor VU meters, limiter, noiseless, switchable (!) battery compartments, high quality build. It's all you could ask for in a field mixer and more.

Combined with an MKH-416, it's deadly.

Well I'm hoping it works pretty well with my ME-66 and a few M2's also :).

Another vote here for the Rolls. I love mine.

I'm curious how my remote substitute for a wired mixer compares with the field mixers described here. I use the BeachTek DXA-8:

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

and monitor the levels in the camcorder. What limitations do I have with this setup that a field mixer would improve on?

A vote here for the PSC Promix 3. I have owned it for over a year, and love it. Nice quiet pre amps, and very accurate and responsive meters.

I use it with several setups, mostly use matched pair of NT5's with phantom power and NT3 mic with phantom power (sometime battery). Fed into digital recorder (R-09, and next time testing out my NEW Samson Zoom H4 with it), and also fed into my wireless transmitter to send to camera.

Jim,

That seems like a fine box, but I needed four channels - to mix 3 lavs down to one channel and put the boom on the other.

How many inputs do you need? If you only need a single channel the SoundDevices MM1 is an inexpensive way to get some control over gain, a fantastic limiter, phantom power, and a rolloff switch. It's not a mixer, but it is true professional gear that will make you a happier person and improve your chances with women.

Jim,

That seems like a fine box, but I needed four channels - to mix 3 lavs down to one channel and put the boom on the other.

ENG-44

Ty Ford