Mixer vs Recorder

[Brian Reynolds]

Mixers and recorders are 2 separate things with totally different uses….
What was your intended use?
Noisy pre amps?
What mics are you feeding into it and under what situations?

[Eric Brandle]

In the past I’ve used an h4N and a Rode NTG-2. I’ve used this combination to record sound effects and dialogue. The majority of my difficulties have been recording dialogue via boom in exteriors.

Regardless I’ve had issues with extremely low levels. I’m looking to make a major upgrade and I’m trying to get as much info as possible.

I’ve been looking at the Fostex FR2-LE from a recorder perspective and the Rode NTG-3 or the Sennheiser or the MKH 806.

[Brian Reynolds]

Here are some links that might give you some more insight into the subject…
https://forums.creativecow.net/search.php?q=why+pros+use+mixers&f%5B%5D=30

[Eric Brandle]

Ok, given the information on mixers. What would be a good recorder to pair with one?

[Brian Reynolds]

OK more questions………..
The next decision is how many tracks do you need?
Whats the intended work flow?
Are you mixing tracks on site or just ISO recording each track separately?
Internal HDD / SSD or removable CF / SD Card?
Time code or Non Time code?
How deep is your wallet?
Does the unit need to be financially viable or doesn’t it need to pay for itself?
What does your market place need?

Some of the brands that might be suitable…. Sound Devices, Zaxcom, Tascam, Edirol, Marantz and many others.

[Eric Brandle]

First off, thanks for the feedback.

Minimum is two tracks, never mix on set, SD card is fine, time code would be nice.

Wallet is getting shallow after mics, I would love a unit that pays for itself but this is really a hobby so not likley.

In the end I need to upgrade the equipment I’m currently working with due to noise and low levels.

All in one package I’ve been seriosly considering the Fostex FR2-LE. It sounds like I could add the mixer at a later stage if I need to.

[Brian Reynolds]

It comes down to what you want to do with it..

Most of my work is Corporate, Broadcast, Commercial mostly direct to camera with perhaps 25% DSLR shoots. Mostly 1 or 2 mics to seperate tracks.
I run a SD442 mixer with 2 feeds of L/R to xlrs for cameras, as well as a feed to a Marantz PD670 recorder with direct outs of each input when needed. My Mics are 3x Senni G2 radio mics, Senni 416 + misc others.
With DSLR work I record to a H4n and just hand over the SD card at the end of the shoot while I retain the backup copy on the PD670.
(With a dream of getting a SD664 in the future)

Other guys in town use a Shure FP33 mixer as a direct to camera mixer with an Olympus or Sony recorder as backup.

Another uses SD302 with a H4n as the recorder.

Another guy uses a Tascam DR680 as a recorder but struggles with the direct to camera shoots, and often hires a mixer.

Another uses a SD788t recorder but charges more to cover the cost of the equipment, and then has to go back to the studio to transfer files or charges lots for the removable cards.

So it sort of comes down to you and what you want to do with it.

[Malcolm Matusky]

Tascam DR680, I love it.

Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com

[Eric Brandle]

Thanks for all the feedback. I’m going to start another thread addressing my issues with the H4N because that set-up will be in my quiver regardless of what I add.

[Craig Alan]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Field-Mixers-Preamps/ci/15272/N/4232861277

for under a thousand if two inputs is enough than the Sound Devices MixPre-D Compact Field Mixer is great. For $1300 the 302 is an industry standard that has all but replaced the Shure FP33.

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