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Sound Devices mixpre-D for sound backup question

Joel Arvidsson

Joel Arvidsson

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If you record with two microphones, can you output both mic 1 and mic 2 in both the outputs. I want to send mic 1+ mic 2 to the camera but at the same time send both microphones to a seperate audiorecorder for backup.
Can i do this with mixpre-D? Also there is no way to listen to the audio from the camera playback yet. So another recorder would definitely ease my blood pressure.
 
Yes, it's definently possible. Just put the pancontrol switches on th MixPre-D to "C" and both signals will be routed to both outputs. However, I would strongly advice to record the mics separetly, for easier editing of audio in post. You can use the "Tape Out" for sending a (two channel, although unbalanced) signal to a backup recorder and use the XLR:s to connect to the RED camera. It's also possible to listen to the camera audio in the MixPre-D. Just connect the headphone output of the camera to the "Tape return" on the MixPre and the you can switch between listening directly to what comes in to the mixer and what comes ut of the camera.
 
So you mean by panning the audio to the center I get a stereo track with mic 1 and 2 but they already "compiled together" instead seperate tracks?

But since a stereo have two tracks. Can't you have mic 1 in track 1 and mic 2 in track b and send that to output 1.

Then you do the same for the second output.
 
When you put the pan control at the "C" position both inputs are sent to both outputs. It is possible to send two separate inputs to one single output. Just pan each input to R or L depending which output you would like to use. The "Tape Out" and "Mic Out" outputs the same signal and mix as the main XLR output. However, like I said, to make it easier in post I would strongly recommend recording them separately.

When you say "do the same for the second output" what do you mean, more specifically?
 
If you record with one mono mic you get one track with audio and one empty. I want to use that empty layer to store the other mic.

I want to plug in mono mic 1 to xlr 1 and mono mic 2 to xlr input 2.

Then I like the mixer to put mono mic 1 in left channel and mono mic 2 in right channel.

Then I want the mixer to output this to both xlr 1 output and xlr 2 output.

Xlr 1 output I plug in the red camera and xlr 2 output I plug in to like a separate recorder.

Is this possible. For post I se no problem since mic 1 is on left channel and mic 2 is on right channel. But maby you cant do this.

Second, if this is a bad idea. What is the better way to use two mono mics and record to 2 different sources?
 
It is possible to send both inputs to both outputs. However, if you do this you sum both input 1 & 2 to a single mono signal, since the XLRs are balanced and can only carry one mono track on each output. Which in turn makes the audio more difficult to edit, since the two track would no be separated on the camera/recorder. If you use the digital AES output, then you can send a digital 2-channel signal to the recorder. I do believe that the analog only L-XLR output is disabled when you use the AES output, but I'm not certain of this.

To record two separate track, you need to use both XLRs to send L and R channels separately to camera. Then you could use the "Tape Out" (which outputs the same thing, just an unbalanced signal) to connect to the external recorder.
 
Thanks Mattias for your help. I wonder if you know any other mixer that will do this. To let me use two mics and send them to both camera and external recorder on separate tracks.

Cant you just use a xlr y cable in both the outputs of the mix pre or does this sound like a bad idea?

I like the size of the mixpre-d and would be satisfied with it if we had audio in camera while playback. I would like to record to camera to skip the extra hassle with synching. I know you can use plural eyes but
I would love to just get everything synched in camera at once. Is the tape out any good? NAB is around the corner so the best would be to find a plan b until then.
 
Joel Arvidsson said:
Thanks Mattias for your help. I wonder if you know any other mixer that will do this. To let me use two mics and send them to both camera and external recorder on separate tracks.
Click to expand...
Get the 302. Far more mixing and output options.

http://www.sounddevices.com/products/302master.htm

Realistically, at some point, you have to employ a sound mixer and let them be responsible for sound on your projects. Trying to do everything yourself is crushingly difficult and can result in disaster. Recording on a separate recorder will also yield better sound quality than recording audio on the camera -- and I'm not criticizing the Red alone; I feel this is true with all​ digital cameras.
 
Wich recorder do you recommend?
 
I'm a bit curious. How does the 302 have more output options than the MixPre-D? To me it seems that the 302 to only have main XLRs + tape/mix out whereas the MixPre-D actually have main XLRs, tape out and mic out. But I might be mistaken, I have not worked too much with the 302.

I do agree on always employing a sound mixer person whenever it is possible. It will yield far better results and it's also nice to have someone around who knows how to solve any audio issues that might arise.
 
Depends on what is important for you. Mobility, quality, something else?

My mini setup at the moment is a MixPre-D + a Zoom h2. I just connect the Tape Out to line in on the Zoom and it works like a charm. It does 24bit/96k too, which is very nice. Maybe not as good quality as using say, a Sonosax miniR82 (which I would get if I had piles of cash just laying around) or a 744, but for most things it works very well.
 
I have the same setup. Works great!

Mattias D. Valenca said:
Depends on what is important for you. Mobility, quality, something else?

My mini setup at the moment is a MixPre-D + a Zoom h2. I just connect the Tape Out to line in on the Zoom and it works like a charm. It does 24bit/96k too, which is very nice. Maybe not as good quality as using say, a Sonosax miniR82 (which I would get if I had piles of cash just laying around) or a 744, but for most things it works very well.
Click to expand...
 
Do you think this gives better sound than the sound recorded to the red? Nice to hear the tape out has good audio quality. Do you think its possible to hear any difference if you were to use the xlr outputs instead going to a zoom h4n?
 
Mattias D. Valenca said:
I'm a bit curious. How does the 302 have more output options than the MixPre-D? To me it seems that the 302 to only have main XLRs + tape/mix out whereas the MixPre-D actually have main XLRs, tape out and mic out. But I might be mistaken, I have not worked too much with the 302.
Click to expand...
Correct, but it has more mixing options. The third input can be very helpful. (I've used the 552 a great deal, and it's the best mixer I've ever seen in a package this small -- plus has a built-in 2-track recorder.) The 552 actually has ten sets of outputs: XLR, TA3, two tape outputs (mini plug and TA3), plus a 1/8" mono mike output, plus five direct outputs (one for each input). I routinely use at least half of these on even a simple shoot.

I do agree on always employing a sound mixer person whenever it is possible. It will yield far better results and it's also nice to have someone around who knows how to solve any audio issues that might arise.
Click to expand...
I agree completely. I'm mainly concerned with throwing too much responsibility on the camera crew, because realistically, lighting and dealing with grip gear and camera mounts is a hard enough job as it is, without them also having to worry about sound. Forcing them to do sound as well will result in bad sound and an overworked crew, in my opinion.
 
Yes, that one seems to be the correct one to use. Should work fine for the XLR inputs on the H4n. Just make sure you calibrate the levels correctly so that the test tone on the MixPre-D corresponds to -18dBFS on the H4n.
 
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