Sonosax M2D2

[Trey LaCroix]

SX-M2D2 Product Announcement

The SX-M2D2 is a lightweight 2 channels high resolution dual-domain microphones preamplifier with integrated USB audio Class 2. Compact, low power, battery powered, the SX-M2D2 embeds similar high performance dual A/D converters than the SX-R4+. This product is the ideal companion for various mobile environments. Its ergonomic has been carefully designed for convenience and easy of operation.

Inputs / Outputs

• 2x mic/line inputs on TA3, electronically balanced, with phase reversal, 48V phantom, LF cut and level control on the front panel
• 1x AES3/AES42 on TA3, transformer balanced input with phase reversal, 48V phantom, LF cut and level control on the front panel
• 1x line output on TA3, 2 channels analog unbalanced
• 1x AES3 output on TA3, 2 channels transformer balanced with ASRC (48/96/192k)
• 1x USB audio 2 channels input/output on micro USB type B connector
• independent line/headphones stereo output on mini-jack

Performance

• 135 dB (A-weighted) overall dynamic range
• THD < 0.001%
• 90 kHz overall frequency response @192kHz
• 24-bit 48/96/192kHz

Powering

• external DC 9-18V on Hirose 4-pin
• external DC 5V on micro USB
• removable lithium-ion battery, charged with external DC input
• intelligent energy management

User interface

• 128×64 monochrome OLED display
• two rotary encoder for gain control
• intuitive menu navigation

Mechanical

• Machined aluminum housing
• overall dimension: 74 x 28 x 130 mm (2.9’’ x 1.1’’ x 5.1’’)
• weight 300g (0.44lbs) with battery
• mounting holes on both sides
• optional mounting bracket for still camera

Note: preliminary specifications, subject to change without notice

[Mobilemike]

Woohoo this looks awesome!

 

The only thing I'm not a huge fan of is not having any balanced analog outputs. Any chance of making that analog output a TA5 so that we can get balanced signals?

 

AES is nice to have but for me I will use analog much more often. 

 

Love the mini-jack output as well - that will be perfect to get two extra channels on my MixPre-6. Specs say headphone/line out. Will you be able to switch it between the two modes? I'd rather not have whatever headphone amplifier is there in the signal path when using this as a line output. 

 

Looking forward to it!

-Mike

[The Immoral Mr Teas]

As someone seriously hoping this appears (and very happy that Sonosax offers preliminaries for feedback) here is my immediate feedback.

 

As a field recordist often out in the 'middle of nowhere' and WEEKS or more away from simple replacement parts - I am a huge fan of simplicity and conformity for common/essential tasks. This and several other reasons would make me want standard XLRs for the two inputs. Extra cables are bad enough - losing the extra cable is (all too often) a disastrous nightmare.

 

Would be more than happy to make up space by having the AES3/42 on XLR1 if so : no great reason for an extra connection for a 2 channel unit? Expect others might have good reason to disagree but have to say I don't know what it may be.

 

Not so bothered on not having balanced analogue outputs but might expand its user base (could increase other uses - I am well aware that this is designed as an input accessory for the SXR4), nor output connector.

 

Looks good. And good to think that a series of small '+2' modules might expand the R4+

 

Still think there is perhaps a strong potential market for a (same footprint/body as the AD8) AD4+4, being 8 AD converters but with just four of them having preamps in front of them. A compromise between cost and those who might need the converters just at line level (which I've seen at least once here).

 

Jez

[IronFilm]

Any hints at price?

[daniel]

6 hours ago, The Immoral Mr Teas said:

As someone seriously hoping this appears (and very happy that Sonosax offers preliminaries for feedback) here is my immediate feedback.

 

As a field recordist often out in the 'middle of nowhere' and WEEKS or more away from simple replacement parts - I am a huge fan of simplicity and conformity for common/essential tasks. This and several other reasons would make me want standard XLRs for the two inputs. Extra cables are bad enough - losing the extra cable is (all too often) a disastrous nightmare.

 

Would be more than happy to make up space by having the AES3/42 on XLR1 if so : no great reason for an extra connection for a 2 channel unit? Expect others might have good reason to disagree but have to say I don't know what it may be.

 

Not so bothered on not having balanced analogue outputs but might expand its user base (could increase other uses - I am well aware that this is designed as an input accessory for the SXR4), nor output connector.

 

Looks good. And good to think that a series of small '+2' modules might expand the R4+

 

Still think there is perhaps a strong potential market for a (same footprint/body as the AD8) AD4+4, being 8 AD converters but with just four of them having preamps in front of them. A compromise between cost and those who might need the converters just at line level (which I've seen at least once here).

 

Jez

Jez, no more likely to find a working XLR in the 'middle of nowhere' than a TA3. Probably find a cola can (empty), AA batteries (flat), AK47 bullet (casings), USB cable (broken) and maybe some goats:

https://goo.gl/images/PyeiM4

The good thing about TA3/5 is they are almost as easy to solder as XLRs but considerably lighter and so easier to carry spares. XLRs would also have meant connectors on the 1 side of the unit (like the DNS2) which makes it harder to fit in a compact bag, imho.

At least it's got T power tho... oh.

 

[engaudio]

2 hours ago, IronFilm said:

Any hints at price?

Not cheap (expect around nzd$1500 but that's pure speculation.. ) , as a biased rx4+ owner it'll sound awesome and make your boom mics sound simply fantastic. I'm very impressed with the quality of my mkh50/dpa4017 through the rx4+ preamps so far, what's more I'm often asked by long term clients "what did I do?"... 

 

Grant.  

16 hours ago, Mobilemike said:

The only thing I'm not a huge fan of is not having any balanced analog outputs. Any chance of making that analog output a TA5 so that we can get balanced signals?o have but for me I will use analog much more often. 

 

 

As most of us are running cables 6inches or so into a mixer/recorder, unbalanced analogue isn't really an issue.

But that's the theory..

Me, I'll be using AES.

 

[janreijer]

I would like to see a Dante connection in there...

[dolo72]

I would also like to see balanced outs, mainly because it would increase the potential market for Sonosax in a big way i.e. computer AD/DA for music. I would mainly be using AES out in the bag or on the cart with SXR4+ and the analogue for iem/possible mic pre for wireless boom or simple straight to camera jobs. It would be nice if the faders could be used as controllers in the SXR4+ but no biggie. Apart from that it looks great size/function and i know the mic amps are very very awesome already. 

[dactylus]

Do we have an update for the release date and pricing yet?    

[engaudio]

2 hours ago, dactylus said:

Do we have an update for the release date and pricing yet?    

There was a mention of delivery at the end of the year or early next..

Best to follow Sonosax on FB for updates.

https://www.facebook.com/sonosax/

or

https://www.sonosax.ch/category/news/

[dactylus]

Thank you!

 

[David Lawrence]

Any update on a potential release date?

[Vincent R.]

 

1 hour ago, David Lawrence said:

Any update on a potential release date?

 

Well they said about now:

 

 

 

[IronFilm]

"Beginning" of 2019 is vague enough it might still be next month (or even the month after!)

[Whippoorwill]

I'd love to see this sooner rather than later...

[Patrick Tresch]

I do hope for June. 

[Patrick Tresch]

A working prototype is going to be on display at AES Dublin. 

 

https://m.facebook.com/sonosax/photos/a.793234320768591/2112274115531265/?type=3

Edited March 18 by Patrick Tresch

[Patrick Tresch]

There are news from the M2D2 in this great report from Adorama at 20'05''

 

 

 

 

[chrismedr]

thanks for the link.

so it seems to use a 18650 type of battery - no mention of run time as far as I could see, but should be fairly long.

[Patrick Tresch]

On 4/27/2019 at 12:38 PM, chrismedr said:

thanks for the link.

so it seems to use a 18650 type of battery - no mention of run time as far as I could see, but should be fairly long.

 

With 2 mics fed with 48V phantom power, I’ve heard that the battery will last between 4 and 5 hours. 

 

Pat