Sound Devices MixPre-6 II

[inspire]

New Sound Devices MixPre-6 II user here 😇

This great recorder will become my second main recorder next to Tascam Portacapture X8. The first tests are positive. Only batteries are spending this device with appetite - it must be taken into account.
I also have activated three plugins there, like Musician Plugin, Ambisonics Plugin and MixAssist Plugin.

2x SupraCell Sony NP-F970 batteries and a dual charger for these (SONY NP-F970 Dual) ordered, since I plan to do field recordings where no 220V power supply is available, I need a reliable power source that lasts at least 3 hours!

Anyway, the sound quality and Headphone Out is superb!

There are some rocks that you have to get used to and I do it! For example, I would very much like to use Wingman App to play down the recorded material, but no, I have to go to the device and manually suit the menu to do it, which is very annoying to be honest.

My first concert recording with this comes in the church with a choral recording. I am very excited because everything is well planned!

This is my very first test to record four channels with this device (2+2 total two stereo channels or pairs) and the remaining 6 microphone I will record with the help of Portacapture X8, which unfortunately must be handy synchronised because it does not know anything about Timecode. I hope, it will not be issue as I will use instruments for synchronisation, such as clapping hands. I will write about my observations on this subject in the near future, any feedback is welcome.

For example, I would be interested, if Sound Devices MixPre-6 II can share Timecode with Tascam FR-AV2, which I dont have and how well this combination would work.

 

I spent some time learning my new "toy," and there's definitely still a lot more to learn!

One thing that felt unusual was that all the channels I actually want to record must be armed with the ARM button, so that "Arm" is red; otherwise, the channel simply won’t be recorded. Once I figured that out, things started making sense!

I also struggled for a while to exit Musician Plugin mode, but eventually, I discovered that I needed to create a new project. During project creation, it asks whether I want to set it up as "Music" or "Audio." When I selected "Audio," I was then able to go to System -> Mode and switch to Advanced Mode, which I needed in order to record in 32-bit float format.

[Display Name]

21 hours ago, inspire said:

Sound Devices MixPre-6 II can share Timecode with Tascam FR-AV2, which I dont have and how well this combination would work.

you should without any problems be able to route TC out from the 3.5mm output on the MixPre 6-II and connect it to the TC in on the FR-AV2. 

[inspire]

Thanks! If I put one device connected TC to recording, then whether the other will also start recording itself? Or should both must be put separately? Logically taking TC is TC and from there the control signals do not go. However, it would be convenient if both of them were able to start and stop with one button press.

—

I have a new user question when I read a manual concerning linking channels. Can anyone explain it (Quoted from manual: https://guides.sounddevices.com/mixpre-ii/  :

Quote

Stereo Pair Linking

Control the level of both the first and second channels with the first (odd-numbered) Channel knob. The second (even-numbered) Channel knob functions as a balance control.

Do I understand correctly that with the second button I will change the balance between L and R? Should it be located in the middle then in case of stereo microphone, as the balance is in the middle in case of the stereo microphone?

Edit. That is exactly how it works, it turned out today during the testing!

 

 

[inspire]

Does anyone use and how are you satisfied with USB Controllers?

According Online user guide has been supported by these and I will go to the store tomorrow to investigate them:

AKAI MidiMix

Korg NanoKontrol 2

Korg NanoKontrol Studio

Novation LaunchControl XL
I think that instead of being fit in menus, such a helping tool could be useful?

[borjam]

I own the AKAI Midimix and I have used it to record some rehearsals with a musician friend.

 

However, a caveat you should keep in mind. The faders nor are not motorised. When using it, make sure to turn all of the faders and encoders for the channels you are using so that the recorder learns their position. Once you have donde that, do not operate the recorder´s faders or change the gain from the recorder menus.

 

It can be useful also if you are doing something like, say, mixing a radio programme with several speakers, although in that particular case you will love the MixAssist plugin.

[inspire]

Thanks! I went through the Estonian stores today, but none of them had anything in stock.

I was actually thinking about the same model! Is it possible to assign Gain to one of the rotary knobs? It feels inconvenient to adjust it through the menu because my finger barely manages to hit the right spot on the screen.

It would be great to adjust it with a rotary knob for large changes and use the fader for fine-tuning. Does it work that way?

One more thing I’d like to ask, which feels quite unfamiliar to me, is the recorded track format. I’m not used to the Poly WAV format at all! How do others deal with this? Is it some kind of standard?

I would actually prefer to have separate track files, and since I’m using two stereo microphones, I’d like to have two separate stereo files for them. But I don’t know how to do that!

I tried using Reaper DAW to split the tracks into separate mono files, but that seems like an odd approach. Is this really the intended workflow?

Also, I couldn’t find a good way to convert 32-bit float files. It seems that Sound Devices Wave Agent (which is free) doesn’t support converting 32-bit float files—at least not as far as I can tell.

[Rick Reineke]

A PCM Poly Wave file is the same as a standard wave file except there is more than one track and is often a 'Broadcast Wave Format' file with metadata, time-code stamp and such.  A BWF has the same <.wav> extension as the garden variety Wave file.

[borjam]

From top to bottom the rotary encoders are mapped in the way you would expect in a mixing desk.

 

Gain (this only works in advanced mode)

High cut

Pan

 

These recorders can store individual tracks and a stereo mix. For example I do field recording and I don’t need the stereo mix so I just record the individual inputs (known as ISOlated channels).

 

 

[borjam]

As for the multi channel WAV file>

It may seem a bit odd, but I think Sound Devices does some sort of confidence monitoring (an educated guess). That explains why they use a multi channel WAV file and it also explains why their recorders are so pesky about SD card compatibility. And the multi channel file reduces I/O load due to file system fragmentation.

 

The advantage is, they avoid a scenario in which you spend a day recoding audio only to find it ruined due to a defective card. I think they read it back.

[inspire]

I received my 2x SupraCell Sony NP-F970 batteries and a dual charger for them today. Here are some pictures.

The Sound Devices MX-LMount is a good fit for these. I was debating whether to get the more expensive single-slot Sound Devices MX-LM1, but the dual-slot version seems like the right choice!

I also wondered if the unit would fit inside the Orca OR-270 bag I ordered, and it turns out it fits perfectly, even with these batteries!

A few more great discoveries – a soft-tipped stylus works really well and is a huge help!
Additionally, I can use the Star (*) button for Mute/Solo, which is quite useful.

I also feel like I now want to disable the stereo mix.

 

 

 

 

 

[inspire]

A tool softie-tipped stylus, without which I would have ordered a USB Controller because with my finger to draw main Gain from the screen is very difficult.

And one bad thing that it can't play down the recordings made with 32 bit depth in the headphones - in this case, either USB output or raise a memory card to the computer to listen the recording. It is quite bad if the producer wants to listen quickly how the recording sounds.

 

 

 

[Display Name]

Nice with the stylus. 
 

The GUI is quite cramped. Not poorly designed but tricky on the tiny screen estate for a grown man’s fingers. 

[inspire]

Just for information that I had a long recording that lasted four hours and it took 10% of both batteries so that such batteries were a small overkill, but I am pleased. There was connected four phantom-powered condensator microphones.

Sound quality - very good!! 😀