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Sound Devices MixPre-D – is it working properly?
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And I am also using Sony MDR-7506 headphones. My experience is that the MixPre-D noticeably improves such devices as a Zoom H4 and H5n which seem to have pre’s that are a bit ‘harsh” to my ears. When run through the mixpre prior to the recorders, the output seems more rounded at least to these ears. For comparison, I do not seem to need the mixpre for my Marantz PMD661. The pre’s in that seem fine.
Again, make sure you are using fresh batteries or plugged into AC.
Al
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This is very hard to diagnose from even a detailed description. Audio is a chain and any component of the chain can add noise. To isolate the problem you need to swap out each variable to see if it corrects the problem.
Try a different mike. Try a different interconnect .My experience with the mixer is that it is underpowered. Better when providing phantom than dynamic mikes. But I understand why you are setting gain at 100%. I find that SD mixers generally are very quiet and boosting the gain doesn’t usually add noticeable noise. If you posted a sample I think it would be easier for anyone trying to tell you if it was a defective unit would have a better understanding of how much hiss is in the signal. Ive had trouble with that mike as well. The way it screws apart and can create problems in certain units.
Are you shooting indoors or out? Cause for indoors I prefer the Audio-Technica Hypercardioid Condenser Microphones.
Mac Pro, macbook pro, Imacs (i7); Canon 5D Mark III/70D, Panasonic AG-HPX170/AG-HPX250P, Canon HV40, Sony Z7U/VX2000/PD170; FCP 6 certified; FCP X write professionally for a variety of media; teach video production in L.A.
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Sent it off to Sound Devices for service and they said it’s working properly. Were even nice enough to waive the service fee since they didn’t have to take it apart.
I guess I didn’t know what to expect when using one of these units. With my Tascam DR-100 I’d set the (I’m assuming digital) gain to Medium – anything higher gave me too much noise – and then would have to crank the gain way up in post. Never ran into any appreciable extra noise doing this, but I suppose I had the gain pretty low.
I assume there is no such thing as a pre-amp without *some* self noise. Does everyone always use a de-hiss, de-noiser or some other cleanup tool in post? I figured out how to capture a sound print of the amp noise in Audition using the hiss-reduction tool. Seems to work pretty well.
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[Jonathan Hardison] “Does everyone always use a de-hiss, de-noiser or some other cleanup tool in post?”
I’m using my MixPre-D with Oscar SoundTech 802 lavs (almost always with the OST XLR power supply, but when there’s no other way I use Sennheiser G3 radios with the 802s), an AT 4053b, a Sennheiser MKH 416, and an E-V RE50N/D-B dynamic reporter’s mic. Serviceable stuff, but clearly not state-of-the-art. I typically take the output from the MixPre-D’s unbalanced mic output directly into camera (if the cameras could take XLR line-in, I would, but they can’t). But I calibrate the main camera with the MixPre-D’s 1kHz tone resulting in negligible noise from the camera.
After I figured out how to set my system up, do proper gain staging on it, and record dialog well (mic placement), I’ve never needed to remove hiss from my dialog. I have used de-noise applications/plugins for unwanted background noise (HVAC, traffic, etc.), but not to remove any pre-amp hiss from either MixPre-D or camera, or for that matter microphone self noise. Never had a client mention it, ask for it, or complain about it.
IMHO, the least likely source of hiss is your MixPre-D. And SD has given your unit a clean bill of health. Time to start looking other places.
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Just read the updates on this. Yes, Bruce is right, the SD is likely not the cause of your problem. You mentioning the Tascam is more likely the cause. I have both and the Tascam’s are noticeably more noisy than the SD. Follow Bruce’s advice and set it up to isolate each part of the chain. Notice his discussion of calibrating the HDSLR to the SD with the 1kHz tone. That’s real good advice. Try calibrating the Tascam to the tone from the SD. Good luck!
Al
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Even though SD serviced your unit, let me answer as you asked using my MixPre-D: “I notice when I have the headphone level set to 0db and have no mic connected or a mic connected and not set to phantom power (my mic needs phantom power) I start to hear a little noise/hiss with the gain pot set to 11 o-clock and hear noticeable noise/hiss from 1 o-clock to max gain.”
Using no mic plugged into Input 1 with 48v turned on, I got the same results as you did, meaning yes there is normal preamp self noise at 11 and 1 o’clock. Using a Sennheiser MKH8020 (very low self noise) I heard similar self noise as you did, only probably less due to the mic I used.
The point is that all preamps have self noise, the more you pay, generally the less there is. SD uses excellent components and make great preamps designed for battery powered field use. The MPD mixer is without question very good in all respects. Hard to find a field mixer with better specs or performance. The SD 302 is slightly better on paper but I doubt you could hear the difference. You have a best-in-class professional piece of gear, quit worrying, it’s awesome.
Little known fact: you can buy a $30 Apple USB Camera to Lightning adapter, with a short USB cable plug it into the USB output of the MPD, plug the Lightning connector into an iPhone, fire up RodeRec or other recording App, and record awesomely high quality sound! Also only way I know to get stereo sound INTO an iPhone.
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Just came across this post while looking for info on the same problem. MixPre-D has been silent until today where it started exhibiting the same characteristic hiss/buzz. It is louder on the return circuit which I suspect is an indication of a power circuit problem, possibly a filter capacitor.
Sure we can fix it in post, you don\’t work to a deadline do you?
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