Have you asked this @ JW? That's the most likely place I know of to get an answer from someone who has actually bought one.

Hello dears,
I wonder if the eq’s of the Sound Devices 8 series are in the analog domain and if one can use the effects on the direct out mixed sound, bypassing the AD conversion, to use it as an analog mixer so to speak?
I am looking for a solution to record eq-d sound to a tape and dsd which did not pass trough PCM.
If yes, how do they sound, did anybody experience it?
Thanks a lot,
Warm greetings!

The manual describes the high-pass filters as '1st stage analog (before preamp), 2nd stage digital', and given that the rest of the EQ (i.e. after preamp) is fully graphically programmable in the manner of a normal digital desk, it's hard to imagine that it's anything but digital.

In any case, this seems like an extremely expensive solution to a relatively simple problem. If portability isn't paramount, what's wrong with any hardware EQ?

If you want a portable, highest-quality analog mixer with EQ, buy a Sonosax. Might even be cheaper than a Scorpio

Thanks for your answer ithinknot :-)
I was aming at the 833, I do have a MixPre 6 that goes into a camera, if the 833 could be remplacing it and doing the eq job it could be the most ergonomic/economic solution. But I am afraid you are right, it will have to be a sonosax or an old Studer or Cooper or? Any other ideas?
Thanks a lot for your suggestions.
Greetings !

About using the Scorpio, can it mix post to stereo after recording tracks from a session. Need to record individual tracks on location and mix later at studio.
>got this nice reply from support at Sound Devices: "The 8-Series (833, 888 and Scorpio) can record ISO channels so you can gain flexibility in post. You can record ISOs in a Polywave or Monowav Format".

Hello all,

Now that the Scorpio has been available for some time, I was wondering if anyone has some experience using one in a specifically classical/acoustic music recording context? If so, any impressions would be most welcome, particularly regarding:

1) Its new 8-series preamps

2) Use of the unit within a Dante network

3) The new remote control system they've introduced

Regarding the Dante point, I'm specifically wondering whether such a flexible unit could be viable for smaller-scale recordings where the number/quality of built-in preamps are sufficient, but could also occasionally function as the core of a larger system with an additional Dante preamp/AD, monitoring the Scorpio's inputs off a laptop + monitoring setup in a control room etc.

Many thanks in advance for any input.

It seems like the Sound Devices 888 might be a good fit for that kind of use model. One can record eight channels using the internal preamps on "ordinary" jobs, but add an 8 channel Dante stage box when needed. Or ignore the internal preamps on big jobs and just put a Millennia HV-316 on stage. Also if one happened to be working with a Dante-based house PA, one could take digital splits of the sub-groups, money channels, and still have a few analog channels of your own for house mics. Sixteen record channels covers 90% of everything I do, anyway.

David L. Rick
Seventh String Recording

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, David. The basic scenario(s) you describe is exactly what I had in mind and, for my taste, seems like a pretty workable approach.

One thing I've been wondering about is Sound Devices' new SD-Remote app for controlling the 8-series. Functionally, it seems pretty capable, but the idea of Bluetooth control from a significant distance makes me a little nervous. If I recall correctly, Paul Isaacs did say that the remote app can also work over a wired USB connection. I wonder if a USB-Ethernet extender would be one way to remotely control the device from (e.g.) a control room, on larger-scale jobs. Perhaps another can of worms not worth opening for other reasons

I've never taken the Dante certification classes, but I'd be inclined to keep other traffic off my audio network. USB extenders employing a dedicated CAT 5 cable or fiber optic cable do exist, though. I sometimes use one of the former type to carry video from a Canon SLR back to my DAW in the green room so I can see what's happening on stage.

David

Yes indeed, I was planning (hypothetically) to use my switch's "control" VLAN (which I already have set up for the Grace m108's remote port). I sent a question in to Sound Devices today about whether or not this is viable, in case there are any issues not immediately apparent with using such an extender. I'll be curious to hear what they say.