Mackie and Sound Device Preamp

[King Cheung]

Dear All,
How would you compare Mackie and Sound Device Preamp?
I know both of them are famous about their Preamp.
Thanks a lot in advance.

 

[Randall Nott]

It depends on your budget and what you're trying to accomplish. But generally, the SD's are more suited to field recording and mixing, whereas the Mackie's are better suited as a cart mixer or studio console. I assume you're referring to the Mackie ONYX series.

If you're just looking for an opinion comparing the sound, I think the SD's get a flatter response, and the Mackie's are colored a little more on the low end. They both have a very clean sound.

 

[King Cheung]

It depends on your budget and what you're trying to accomplish. But generally, the SD's are more suited to field recording and mixing, whereas the Mackie's are better suited as a cart mixer or studio console. I assume you're referring to the Mackie ONYX series.

If you're just looking for an opinion comparing the sound, I think the SD's get a flatter response, and the Mackie's are colored a little more on the low end. They both have a very clean sound.

Thanks a lot, Randall.
I am thinking to purchase an ONYX, first, for monitoring the sound through firewire between FCP in Macbook Pro to Adam A7X.
Second, I am thinking to use this ONYX to dub ADR, but my sound man seems preferring to use SD to do so, but it will be quite difficult about cabling.
Any thoughts, as I am really inexperienced in ADR?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Tom Visser]

The Sound Devices preamps are great, first class really in clean an uncolored preamps. The Mackie Onyx are the only class of preamps from Mackie that do not get complete disdain from the typical experienced audio engineer. They (Onyx) are actually fine, but sound people just have to get over their prejudice against mackie before using them. If you mixer / engineer wants to use the Sound Devices preamp for ADR sessions, let him. It is actually an outstanding idea, because that was the preamp used for location work. The cabling should not be an issue at all, all the Mackie boards allow for line level inputs.

 

[Randall Nott]

With ADR you ideally want to recreate the same environment you originally recorded in, unless you're looping and foleying everything. So you want the same mics, cables, the same mixer, pre-amps, recorder, etc., and similar recording space. Cabling isn't really an issue because in most cases your recording in from a microphone(s) to your recording device (computer or field recorder) and dumping to your NLE through some form of USB. This is post, not broadcast. If your composing a music score while running from your NLE, then, yeah, the firewire is a nice connection.

The ONYX was designed for recording small live concerts and other usually theatrical events where you want to be able to send an EQ'd mix to the house, but capture the dry tracks to later EQ in post. If you're videoing/filming these kind of events then those live tracks are a no brainer. But it does require setting up ahead of time, and working with the house sound people if you aren't providing it. You may have to use sends from the main board which might not be what you expect.

The ONYX also has uses as an on set cart mixer, especially if you have more than eight sound sources. But remember it has to be tethered to a computer or other recording device, so your sound man isn't going to be moving much.The ONYX's big advantage here is it is quality sound for a lower price than the Sound Devices.

The Sound Devices mixers and recorders are inherantly more versatile, whether your using a 302 mixing to your camera's line in up to bridged 788s. You get dependable results. If your doing documentary, eng, run and gun stuff, or indie film, you can scale to your needs. And the price scales accordingly. If budget is no object, forget Sound Devices and get Aaton or Nagra.

If all you need is a boom mic and a Beachtek, the rest of this may be overkill anyway. But also, always have backup sound. There are times you can't run cable, and your wireless will interfere with their wireless. That's when Edirols, tascams, fostex and zooms come in handy. I still use my Edirol r-4 for when all I can get is a stereo board feed. That on two tracks and a Rode NT-4 on the other two sometimes make a nice mix. My old Edirol r-1 placed casually on a podium has more than once captured dialog they wouldn't say while the mics were on.

And whether it's live event or scripted dialog, record the rehearsal, record the rehearsal, record the rehearsal. If it's on a set and the scene is wrapped, take the actors to a quieter part of the set and run the scene once more for sound. Get the wild sound, the atmosphere sound, and come the day before or after for the environment sound. This wil help to avoid ADR or mix it more easily.

Again, your choice comes down to how and why you're bringing sound in. For the most versatility, I'd side with your sound guy. Mackie has more bang for the buck, but Sound Designs has more bang. Eventually, you'll probably want both.

 

[King Cheung]

Thanks a lot, Randall and Tom. Both of you give me very valuable advices.
Thanks!

 

[Marc Wielage]

Another huge issue for film or digital video sound is that the Sound Devices mixers are easily powered by DC on location. All the Mackie mixers that I'm aware of are strictly AC, requiring an inverter. I have used Mackie mixers for certain projects, but I think for a hectic on-the-go shoot, the SD mixers are far more versatile (albeit more expensive). I would also give the edge to SD for headroom, especially the 552, which is stellar.

The Onyx mixers are also very heavy (20+ lbs.) and very deep (over 20", at least for the bigger models), and that's hard to fit on a standard-size soundcart. The only time I might concede using an Onyx would be for a huge reality show all being shot in one place, where you had to worry about 16 or more wireless mikes. Either that, or a live concert. And in those cases, I'd use Metacorder to record it all (with external timecode).

But for regular drama or comedy, with fewer than 6 speaking parts, then I'd go for an SD mixer like the 552.