(re) Review of Sound Devices MixPre-3 II Multichannel Recorder Review - Advanced mode

[Rja4000]

Never thought about it since Totalmix is only available for iPads. Gonna try it out over the weekend. I think the Neutron Recorder App supports multiple tracks on an android phone. But who knows how stable that one works.

Totalmix will not work, but if the thing is pre-configured, you should be able to record.

Let me know.
I wanted to give it a try.

 

[G|force]

Any opinions on the discontinued Tascam HS-P82 field recorder? Has anyone here ever used one?

 

[Ifrit]

Any opinions on the discontinued Tascam HS-P82 field recorder? Has anyone here ever used one?

Used it occasionally, don’t like it because of relatively noisy mic pres and convoluted controls.

 

[G|force]

Used it occasionally, don’t like it because of relatively noisy mic pres and convoluted controls.

Thats a shame that they didn't put better pres in it.

 

[artbur]

Totalmix will not work, but if the thing is pre-configured, you should be able to record.

Let me know.
I wanted to give it a try.

I can confirm, you can record multiple channels from the BF Pro in CC mode with an Android phone. I tested a few apps, some would crash others had trial versions that wouldn't let me record audio etc. However, with the trial version of USB Audio Recorder Pro I successfully recorded 4 channels at the same time https://www.extreamsd.com/index.php/uarp-trial I have no idea how stable this recording software is. You can either record one stereo pair, all channels or a number of stereo pairs, so either 1/2, 1/2/3/4, 1/2/3/4/5/6 etc., you can't choose 1/2 and 5/6 without 3/4.

 

[artbur]

I couldn't find a mixpre-6 version 1 for a reasonable price. However, I just bought a used Zoom F8 in great condition and with accessories for the equivalent of 280 Euros. Hopefully it will be delivered before the weekend. It also doesn't have the 32bit float shenanigans.

The manual says nothing about THD, it is supposed to have a dynamic range of 120dB (A-weighted). Looking forward to testing it. If it performs poorly, I should be able to sell it without a loss. Will let you know once I've run some tests.

 

[RexrothPigeon]

It also doesn't have the 32bit float shenanigans.

Are you sure? afaik zoom f8 does have 32 bit floating point recording.

 

[artbur]

Are you sure? afaik zoom f8 does have 32 bit floating point recording.

If I'm not terribly mistaken only the F8n Pro version has 32bit float, unlike the F8 and F8n.

 

[artbur]

I have run some quick tests in RMAA, line out from the Adi-2 Pro FS into the Zoom F8: line in (+23.5 dBu) and mic in (+4 dBu).

Find attached the detailed reports. On a Russian website, they measured similar results: https://prosound.ixbt.com/interfaces/zoom-f8.shtml (and https://prosound.ixbt.com/interfaces/zoom/f8/2444.shtml) you can use your browser's translation tool ;-)
I don’t know why the frequency response rolls off at 20 Hz, reaching almost -1 dB on my unit but not on the one measured by that website. I made sure no HPF was enabled. Edit: Now I know why, the DAC filter "SD Sharp" in the Adi-2 Pro was responsible. No such roll off when using the "Sharp" or "SDLD" filter. Edit 2: Must have been a glitch in the RME device, now that I changed the filters a few times the "SD Sharp" filter also works as it should, no weird roll off anymore.

 

[jerryfreak]

It would be nice to have an all-in-one solution or at least not have to bring a macbook and babyface on top of the 442. That's why a mixpre-6 ii would be I nice solution, if the ADC performance wasn't so bad. Zoom is at least as bad and tascam is outright embarassing. Even the higher end Sound Devices recorders have questionable THD+N performance. Even the Zaxcom recorders don't reach 100dB THD+N.

Isn't there a battery powered 4+ channel recorder out there with comparable specs to the babyface pro? I mean the babyface can also be operated standalone with a powerbank, but it's not a recorder.

i saw your f8 measurements. i have a F8N pro (and an F3) that i can test with RMAA fed by a topping D90SE or RME UCX II. what are you basing the tascam take on? anything ive measured (from the handheld DR-2D to the DR100 mk iii) has been really good
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[artbur]

i saw your f8 measurements. i have a F8N pro (and an F3) that i can test with RMAA fed by a topping D90SE or RME UCX II. what are you basing the tascam take on? anything ive measured (from the handheld DR-2D to the DR100 mk iii) has been really good
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I did the usual 1kHz REW and RMAA measurements and also compared the noise floor of some real recordings taken with the x8, BF Pro and other devices, where I matched the input gain. I'll look it up tonight and upload the RMAA reports.

I speculate that the DR-100 MkIII performs better because they used better ADCs than the dual gain implementation used in the X8. When it changes from one to the other gain setting there is either an instant performance hit or gain, depending on the direction you turn up/down the gain. And the saturation/clipping point where the distortion starts going crazy is very early on, around -10dBFS for Mic in and line in even earlier.

 

[artbur]

Here is the best I achieved with the X8's "Mic in" with a +2.5dBu 1kHz input signal from the BF Pro:

Here is a stepped sine test with Mic in:

And here is the RMAA result (PDF), also Mic in, +2.5dBu signal: