Location sound mixer question

Bendybones · 6th March 2010

Hi All,

Can anyone recommend an alternative mixer to an SQN?
Or a trustworthy resource for 2nd hand gear? (TV-Bay?)
What crucial features should I look out for on a location mixer?

I would ideally get a 4channel mixer but 2 will do if price/quality dictates.
If it really is more advisable to get SQN for quality / compatibility reasons I could always borrow money I suppose.
Otherwise my budget for the mixer is $350-$700

The (potential) project is a documentary which will involve a traditional Irish music band, and the usual interviews etc.
The band needs to be recorded as best as possible while playing in the pub.

I know the Zoom R16 would be a very unconventional choice but is there anything crucial it doesn't have.
I know it has no line-up tone but as it is handling recording itself I thought this wouldn't matter, right?

Thanks,
B

jjb · 7th March 2010

The R16 is limited to 44.1k when used as a standalone recorder.

summer_room · 7th March 2010

Hi,

For mixing in the field, Sound Devices is a popular engineer choice in sfx/movie-audio.
Sound Devices, LLC | Professional, Portable Audio Products

Sonosax, also high quality:
SONOSAX

Filmtech, Wendt and Cooper are other popular ENG (Electronic News Gathering) mixers

Plus, search this tag:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tags/...y-remotesters/

...and check out this forum:
Taperssection.com - Index

-jon

tourtelot · 8th March 2010

Your budget, as you are probably aware, is very low. I would suggest that if you thnk that you are in the audio capture game in any form for the long haul, do yourself a favor and borrow the maney needed to buy a proper mixer. You will not get a working, solid SQN for anywhere close to $700.

My choice for a quality mixer at the lowest price would be a used PSC M4 or even a used Shure FP32. Both of these fall into the "barely okay" realm for pros, but the M4, if it's been taken care of is the better choice of the two, IMHO.

Sound Devices 442 mixers are plentiful right now and are still considered the Swiss Army Knives of ENG mixers. The numbers for sale are the result of the availability of the brand new SD 552. I paid $1800 for mine and felt I got a really good deal.

Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice.

D.

Bendybones · 9th March 2010

I didn't realise I wasn't subscribed to the thread and just got these replies now. Great!

The Shure FP32 was recommended above but would the FP33, FP31, FP42 be similarly good models?

Reason I ask is that I found quite a few 2nd hand so it should be easy to pick one up.

Matti · 9th March 2010

Forget the Shure and go to
BB List and look at
Item Reference No. 24334 Filmtech LSP4, much better + lots of possibilities
and for that price a good deal.

Matti

Roland · 10th March 2010

I would say that your budget is unrealistic. For this type of work you need decent limiters and people like SQN, Sound Devices etc have made their name producing high quality kit designed to do the job. It's possible that with digital multitrack you can apply the limiting later in post and get away with it. If I was buying for this work now, I would be using either one of the above or the Nagra VI. If the feed is going to camera and you are using more than two sources you will need the decent limiters or the result will be poor. Perhaps hiring would be a better solution until you have enough budget to get the right kit?

Roland

6th March 2010	#1
Bendybones Gear Head Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 51 Thread Starter	Location sound mixer question Hi All, Can anyone recommend an alternative mixer to an SQN? Or a trustworthy resource for 2nd hand gear? (TV-Bay?) What crucial features should I look out for on a location mixer? I would ideally get a 4channel mixer but 2 will do if price/quality dictates. If it really is more advisable to get SQN for quality / compatibility reasons I could always borrow money I suppose. Otherwise my budget for the mixer is $350-$700 The (potential) project is a documentary which will involve a traditional Irish music band, and the usual interviews etc. The band needs to be recorded as best as possible while playing in the pub. I know the Zoom R16 would be a very unconventional choice but is there anything crucial it doesn't have. I know it has no line-up tone but as it is handling recording itself I thought this wouldn't matter, right? Thanks, B

7th March 2010	#3
summer_room Gear nut Joined: Dec 2007 Location: Copenhagen, Denmark Posts: 146	Hi, For mixing in the field, Sound Devices is a popular engineer choice in sfx/movie-audio. Sound Devices, LLC \| Professional, Portable Audio Products Sonosax, also high quality: SONOSAX Filmtech, Wendt and Cooper are other popular ENG (Electronic News Gathering) mixers Plus, search this tag: http://www.gearslutz.com/board/tags/...y-remotesters/ ...and check out this forum: Taperssection.com - Index -jon __________________ Educated classical musician Amateur audio engineer (classical & jazz location recording)

8th March 2010	#4
tourtelot Gear addict Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 458	Your budget, as you are probably aware, is very low. I would suggest that if you thnk that you are in the audio capture game in any form for the long haul, do yourself a favor and borrow the maney needed to buy a proper mixer. You will not get a working, solid SQN for anywhere close to $700. My choice for a quality mixer at the lowest price would be a used PSC M4 or even a used Shure FP32. Both of these fall into the "barely okay" realm for pros, but the M4, if it's been taken care of is the better choice of the two, IMHO. Sound Devices 442 mixers are plentiful right now and are still considered the Swiss Army Knives of ENG mixers. The numbers for sale are the result of the availability of the brand new SD 552. I paid $1800 for mine and felt I got a really good deal. Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice. D. __________________ Douglas Tourtelot, CAS Seattle, WA "Recording sound is merely problem solving. Solve one problem and move on to the next"

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7th March 2010	#2
jjb Gear Head Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 48	The R16 is limited to 44.1k when used as a standalone recorder.

9th March 2010	#5
Bendybones Gear Head Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 51 Thread Starter	I didn't realise I wasn't subscribed to the thread and just got these replies now. Great! The Shure FP32 was recommended above but would the FP33, FP31, FP42 be similarly good models? Reason I ask is that I found quite a few 2nd hand so it should be easy to pick one up.

9th March 2010	#6
Matti Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2004 Location: Finland Posts: 3,756	Forget the Shure and go to BB List and look at Item Reference No. 24334 Filmtech LSP4, much better + lots of possibilities and for that price a good deal. Matti

10th March 2010	#7
Roland Lives for gear Joined: Oct 2002 Location: St Leonards on Sea, England Posts: 2,133 2 Reviews written	I would say that your budget is unrealistic. For this type of work you need decent limiters and people like SQN, Sound Devices etc have made their name producing high quality kit designed to do the job. It's possible that with digital multitrack you can apply the limiting later in post and get away with it. If I was buying for this work now, I would be using either one of the above or the Nagra VI. If the feed is going to camera and you are using more than two sources you will need the decent limiters or the result will be poor. Perhaps hiring would be a better solution until you have enough budget to get the right kit? Roland