Sound Devices aims for DSLR market with MixPre-D and Pix

US-based manufacturer Sound Devices has unveiled the MixPre-D, a compact and portable audio mixer aimed at field-recording applications. The new product follows in the tradition of the company’s original MixPre, though the company has described it as offering an ‘infusion of extensive digital technology’.

Two studio-grade mic/line-switchable inputs with limiters, high-pass filters and selectable phantom power are said to be at the heart of the compact mixer, while the unit also boasts a wide variety of output options. Included is mic/line-switchable balanced XLR plus a 3.5mm aux-level output.

Adding a different note to the product however is the inclusion of a consumer mic-level on a locking TA3 connector, designed specifically for DSLR-type inputs, and intended to reflect the growing use of DSLR cameras for shooting video. Digital outputs include balanced AES3 on XLR and USB for computer connections.

Other features include an MS stereo matrix, a tone oscillator, an internal slate microphone, return monitoring of both analogue and USB audio, a high-gain headphone output and the option of using two AA batteries for power.

Meanwhile the manufacturer has also announced Pix, its first range of portable hard-disk audio video recorders. The range comprises two models, the Pix 220 and Pix 240, with audio circuitry based on Sound Devices’ 7-Series digital audio recorders.

Both models can be connected to cameras with HDMI and can record directly to QuickTime using Apple’s ProRes or Avid’s DNxHD codec. The Pix 240 also includes an HD-SDI input and simultaneous SDI and HDMI outputs, plus a built-in Ambient Clockit time code generator/reader with Genlock output, AES3 inputs and an external eSATAp connection.

Shipping: Now
Web: www.sounddevices.com