For a mere $1,300.00 (from Trew Audio), it better be more than awesome :-)

Mike

"For a mere $1,300.00 (from Trew Audio), it better be more than awesome :-)"

Welcome to the world of "pro" field audio kit. Yes this stuff is awesome. For the application kit designed for field audio work blows everything else clean out of the water. Took me a while to grasp this. S/N is the key, rugged construction is vital. This kit will outlast several generations of cameras and is a good investment. There are not many bargains even with old battered 2nd units.

Bob.

Yes, that Sound Design is a great mixer .. at a equally great price.

But is it necessary for this application? The original poster wasn't all that revealing in his intended use ... how often? .. under what conditions?

If it's only for an occasional shoot .. indoors (he said it did not have to run on batteries) ... you can get by with something a heck of a lot cheaper.

"you can get by with something a heck of a lot cheaper. "

Absolutely.
Care to recommend something, if so you're a braver man than me.

Had my butt kicked more than once when cheap kit that I said would be good enough failed to perform to expectation.

If anyone can find me a cheap preamp or mixer with 'equivalent noise' specs as good as the Sound Devices gear I'll buy it. I look after my kit and I only use it occasionally so it doesn't have to be built like a tank. I've looked and asked, most kit built for studio use doesn't even list S/N figures. I've mostly not had to deal with this as I use hot condensor mics that I can get close to the sound source.

Without knowing for certain if Ulf's situation is the same as mine I'm loath to recommend anything other than the best money can buy. If it is the same then for sure, Behringer kit is good value for money and very cheap.

Bob.

""you can get by with something a heck of a lot cheaper. "

Well, there's this one for $529, but it doesn't have a lot of the features of the 302. I certainly wouldn't go any lower on the food chain, because if anything can possibly go wrong in the field, it will.

The Sound Devices MixPre has two inputs and the same quality guts as its bigger brothers. It's a great, tiny, affordable mixer.

The MixPre is great but it's only a 2-channel mixer and Ulf needs 3 inputs.
The PSC DV Promix 3 ($470 at B&H) is another one to look at.

Mike

Thanks, all - got something to work with now :-)

/Ulf

I own the Sound Devices 442 4-channel unit. That being said, PSC also makes some pretty good stuff for a bit less than SD.

David

Presonus makes a Firebox that looks very good for its price ($ 300 at B&H)
Link to Presonus' Firebox product page

It has 6 ins and 10 outs.
Here's Presonus' short description:
The FireBox is the most powerful 24-bit/96k FireWire recording interface that fits in the palm of your hand. The FireBox is a complete 24-Bit/96k personal recording studio combining two high quality PreSonus microphone/instrument preamplifiers, 24-Bit/96k sample rate and Steinberg's Cubase LE 48-track recording software. The FireBox is the perfect hardware and software combination for a powerful professional-quality and compact computer-based studio.

Can be powered externally or over the Firewire bus. It's a good box. Just disregard the Cubase bundle. Use your Vegas.

I got the bigger brother (10 ch - Firepod), bought from HHB, in the UK. Bought on advice from this very forum.

Tor

The Firebox is a computer audio interface, not a field mixer.

I have a http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=364536&is=REG&A=details&Q=Rolls MX422[/link]. It's actually pretty good.

The PSC DV Promix 3 ($470 at B&H) is another one to look at.
===============
The user reviews on that one seem to be very good and it works on two 9V batteries batteries as well.

I found this place in the UK that is selling it for around the same price as B&H.

John

Laurence,
Firebox is not a field mixer because it doesn't run on batteries. Ulf has not told us what kind of fields he is contemplating but he did say batteries were not essential. He wants to use it with his Edirol, which makes me think he wants something small. The Firebox is very small and very good. If Ulf has power available, the Firebox should serve him well.
Then again, if he goes for something that does run on batteries he has freedom to move all over Sjelland and beyond, picking up the sweet sound of Faxes (from Jylland) being opened everywhere.
Tor

if he goes for something that does run on batteries he has freedom to move all over Sjelland and beyond, picking up the sweet sound of Faxes (from Jylland) being opened everywhere.

You know Denmark quite well, TorS :-) Have you been here?

I fond The PSC DV Promix 3 in Denmark - it was $950 - prices are so high - I think I could pick it up at B&H with a cheap flight ticket for that price.

The most I will do at a start is indoor, so I think I'll start out with a cheap mackie 402 VLZ3 taht is quite small, 7.3" x 5.8" x 1.6" that can handle 2 mics and a line too. It only cost $200, and when I have saved some more money, I can go with a "true" portable mixer.

Thanks for all input...

/Ulf

"Firebox is not a field mixer because it doesn't run on batteries."

Field-worthiness does not depend on whether or not something runs on batteries. Heck, if that were the case, my $59 3ch Art Promix would qualify as a field mixer. It actually sounds really good when I need a couple of more inputs. But I wouldn't bet my month's pay on it on location.

A "field mixer" is a specific class of instruments, usually high-priced, that are built to withstand heavy use, physical shock, dust, moisture, and high transient overloads in commercial settings. The firebox is a consumer computer audio interface intended mainly for home recording. I would no more use one in the field than my Art Promix.

You know Denmark quite well, TorS :-) Have you been here?

He's from Aalborg!

(Just kidding, inside joke.)

musicvid,
You're probably right about the definition of field-worthiness. I don't want to make a long discussion on that. My point is that Ulf, the OP, might be happy with something slightly below whatever the going definition of field-worthiness describes. I read that from his original post. And judging from his latest, he is.

Yes Ulf, I have been to Denmark several times. Last time was the summer of 2003 (I think) driving around Jylland with my family. Lovely!
Normally I live in the South West part of Norway (Stavanger), so we're not that far away. Now I live in Madagascar where there was a coup d'etat last week. All the Americans in non-emergency jobs at the US embassy and the families of all personnel has been evacuated! It breaks my heart to see what this disruption is doing to Madagascar's prospects in tourism, mining and oil. 70% of the people live on less than a dollar a day and now all the international players have frozen their aid because the current regime is unacceptable.
How did I get started on this? I'm in the middle of it. Sorry.
Good luck, Ulf. As long as the mikes are close to the source you're okay.

Tor

Torsie?!?? You take care my friend!! You owe me a beer on the South Bank!!! And I'll hold you to it.

Grazie

Grazie
My first thought was: All right but not Stella, as France is possibly the ultimate force behind this coup. But then I remembered, Stella is not French, it's Belgian! Certainly Sir. A pint on me next time certainly.
(Or if you are in Cape Town by the end of June maybe another poison.)
Tor

Ok, Tor - Stavanger - I know that. we have an office of the company in where I work, in Kristiansand:
www.boston.no

Thanks for all help...Give me a shout next time you come to Copenhagen :-)

/Ulf

Certainly Ulf. I'll let you know when I'm in town, even if it's only for changing planes at Kastrup. Might not be this year though, unless the current unrest in Madagascar escalates and we have to evacuate suddenly.Then I don't know where the route will take us. Right now it's calm here, but that might not last.
Tor

Look at the Rolls MX124 Promix IV 4 XLR inputs to two stereo outputs. A sound guy from one of the networks was using two to gain added inputs and to route to two cameras. His high priced stuff was setup, underneath these two units, turned on, with no inputs being used! He swore me to secrecy as he said he used these tiny battery powered field mixers with phanton power very frequently.

Check this mixer out here.

David
http://www.NewsVideoTeam.com