My Favorite Audio Interface Is A Portable Recorder? MixPre 3 II
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- čas přidán 3. 07. 2024
- In this video I share the reasons why the Sound Devices MixPre 3 II portable audio recorder is actually my current favorite USB audio interface. It won't be right for everyone, but it is perfect for me and is fantastic for certain use cases. Since it is technically a portable recorder, people may not even consider it when looking for an audio interface. So I decided to make this video pointing out why it's currently what I use.
- Jak na to + styl
This is a high quality high functionality mixer recorder with available software to further extend functionality. The reason it costs more than others is because of it's pre-amps as well as mix of features that match it up to computer or camera or stand alone. Time syncing is but one feature.. It's a commercial quality device with some prosumer features. It may cost more now, but thats because those who know are always looking to pick up used ones that might appear. I got mine used from someone who needed to sell their equipment. The only downside is it's power hungry. But there are many options to power it so it's not hard to get past this. Of all my various equipment this is one piece that is always reliable and consistent, and from time to time software updates come out to improve it further.
Excellent audio recorder! I was so impressed I bought TWO! 😜
This - right here. I use the Mix Pre 3 II as an audio interface and portable recorder. I really enjoy the whole experience with the device. I also like how easy it is to transfer audio from the Memory Card to the Computer via the USB cable.
Thank you for sharing. !
Thank you so much for sharing! I had issues with feedback since the MixPre was sending the whole LR Mix. I didn't notice the Output options since I was in custom mode! Once I changed that to Advanced, I saw Outputs and was able to fix my problem!
Cool! Glad I could help.
That is a cool looking device and pretty sure I need one.
It's a shame the price has gone up so much the last couple years. But it's a good piece of kit, if you can justify it.
I've bought this "thing" about 1.5 years ago, when it was a lot lower priced. I have it as a mobile device in my practice and record live hypnosis sessions for my clients. The way I work, I often scream into the mike during the recording, and even though I record with 24bit, I haven't managed to clip so far. The limiters are incredible. I record in an untreated room and the quality is fantastic for the price and purpose. It's been one of my best investments.
Yeah, I got mine right after they came out. Unfortunately the price has only gone up since then. I've used mine a ton too. It has been great.
I love how they've straight up slapped a smartwatch SPI screen on there. Seen those sold in China by parts suppliers exactly with rounded corners. And after all why not, given it's not to the detriment of any quality of life and only to the benefit, helps resolve driver/app lock-in, the screens are quite detailed and there probably shouldn't be any glaring reliability/durability/repairability issues with them either.
If you do need external speakers you can plug in powered monitors via the XLR mic inputs. They can be configured as outputs in the menu. This is how I use mine and it sounds fantastic.
How?
Didn’t find anything in the menu?
@@WolfDieterHaselsteiner Hi, I cannot remember right now as it’s been a while but I can get back to you once I’ve had a look. Van Wolff
Or simply use the line output with an adapter cable?
Very detailed and easy to understand explanation. Why is there 3 Tracks(L,R and Ch1) when I record a boom on Ch1? What is the meaning of L, R additionally with Ch1? My setup is just one MKH416 connected to CH1 on MixPre3 and I am trying to record talking head.. Is there any additional benefit in quality of audio output or editing workflow if I use all 3 (L,R and Ch1) in final Video? Is it OK to record on Ch1 without the L and R? Should I just get rid of L and R? Is L and R really required for single Mic setup? What is the purpose of L and R?
The L and R is a stereo mix of all the inputs. If you are recording with multiple mics, you can adjust each of their levels separately from the gain, and those levels would be how loud they are in the L & R stereo mix of all the inputs. If you are only recording with a single mic, you can still use the stereo mix (L&R), but there's not much point.
So how do you mix audio for a film project if there is no master monitor out?
There is a headphone out. I generally monitor with headphones. However, while I've never done it this way, others have pointed out that the XLR jacks can be set as line outputs.
How to connect studio monitors to this? No balanced individual line outs
I've never tried this, but another commenter said that you can configure two of the XLR jacks as outputs to feed audio to powered monitors.
So I'm warming up to using my Mix Pre 3 ii as an audio interface, due to issues driver issues I'm having with my Focusrite 2i4. The issue I'm facing now is if I want to run the Mix Pre 3 ii through my hardware chain I currently have (dbx 286s mic processor + live mixer) OR if I should just record the audio straight and post process later. I've avoided audio software so far mainly due to the expense. Do you use any additional hardware with your Mix Pre?
I don't use any additional hardware, but I don't really do any post processing either. Sometimes I throw some mild compression on it (using Davinci Resolve, not a dedicated audio program), but that's really only so I don't have to worry about the random spikes here and there being bothersome, depending on what I'm doing. I have a saved compression setting that drops anything that goes above -10db or so by something like 2:1. I don't use it to really compress the dynamic range much, I use it more like a limiter. If I watch its reaction, it only kicks in once in a while. Honestly, I don't even really need it when using the MIxPre 3 II, because it has a good limiter built in, but I still enable it sometimes.
It really depends on what you are doing and what your desired outcome is. I'm mostly recording dialogue for my videos. Having some particular, exact sound isn't super important to me, as long as it sounds okay. I like a simple workflow. I also mostly record in a sound booth, so I don't really need a noise gate or anything like that. Sometimes I record outside or in my garage, but I use mic choice and placement to get good enough audio, and I don't generally edit that audio either. But that's me. Your wants/needs may be totally different.
If you have a result you are going for and your 286s and live mixer is working to achieve that for you, I don't see a reason to change, unless there is some benefit to you that moving to software post processing will achieve.
In fact, I recently almost completely stopped using the MixPre 3 II as an audio interface. Why? Not because I switched to something else. When I record into a computer I still use the MixPre. I just find myself using it as a recorder instead. Rather than firing up the laptop and recording into a DAW, I just record right on the MixPre. When I'm done, I copy the files onto my editing computer. This saves me the time of rendering and exporting the files from my DAW before transferring them to my editing computer. It also frees up space when I'm recording at the desk in my booth because I don't need the laptop on the desk.
@@bigtb1717 Thanks for the response. I browsed through your videos and noticed that you also have the 286s.
I currently use the 286s with a Focusrite 2i4 and a Heil PR-40 (instead of a SM7B) mic for gaming. The main reason for the 286 is the gate - it eliminates keyboard and mouse noises.
I originally bought the Mix Pre 3 to be used along with my cinema camera, but I'd like to use it for VO work with a decent condenser mic - I don't particularly like the "broadcast mic" sound. I guess the issue now is the quality will depend on treating the room for good acoustics. When you record, are you using some sort of makshift booth? It's sounds like VO even though it looks live.
I do record in a makeshift booth that I made myself. Whenever I'm recording at that desk, as I am in this video, I'm recording "live" as it were, but that desk is in the booth I made. I just made a little "phone booth" kind of enclosure (a little bigger than a phone booth, but not a ton) where the walls are made of 2x4s with Rockwool insulation between the "studs". Then I wrapped them in felt to hold the insulation in and make it look a little less crap in my spare room, lol. Basically, I just made five "panels" this way, and then arranged them together to make three walls, a ceiling and a moveable panel for the "door." Then I put a desk and a little stool in there, ran a power cord under the one side and record in there. It was a pretty cheap way to make a relatively well sound-treated space. I eventually mounted a small camera on an arm, bolted to the wall. Much better than when I was crammed in there with a tripod, lol.
When I record in the garage I use all kinds of different methods, depending on what I'm doing. Most often I use a lavalier mic or a shotgun mic to record my voice-over, though once in a while I'll record the voiceover after the fact in my sound booth.
If you have an untreated space, the main thing is to get the microphone close to you. This increases the signal to noise ratio, with the signal being your voice and the "noise" being everything else. Even if you don't treat the whole room, putting something on the wall in front of you (in the direction you talk) can help reduce your voice reflecting off the wall in front of you, reducing reverb. Reducing other noises (like the keyboard) is mostly going to be about getting those noises further from and more directly behind the mic, and getting the mic closer to you so you can use a lower gain, improving the voice to everything else ratio.
Great video! I have the sound devices usb pre 2 and I’m looking to upgrade. How complicated is the mixpre 3 to set up going into a PC and simply recording raw audio? No limiters or rolling off sound. I appreciate your time!
It initially seems daunting, but after a bit of messing around in the menus, it sort of clicks. It’s not bad. It’s just a matter of setting USB mode to audio and picking which two inputs get routed to USB. Limiters are actually enabled by default, low frequency rolloffs are not.
In what way are you hoping for an upgrade? Sound quality wise, I don’t think one is really better than the other. I think the USBPre2 also has a tiny but more gain. Don’t get me wrong, both are good, but the main reason I switched to using the MixPre over the USBPre2 is the fact that it has an on/off switch, lol.
Thanks for the info! I read a couple reviews that said it was a little daunting to use. I’ve had my usb pre 2 for over a decade. Sometimes you just wanna upgrade to new gear. But I don’t need much as far as bells and whistles. Although the limiter and roll off could come in handy potentially. But given that the sound quality is not much different I may just stick with my USB pre 2. I will think things through. Greatly appreciate your input!
Holy cow! That thing is *not* for amateurs. $1000 on a cheap day.
If you don't need 32bit, I prefer the Zoom Podtrak P4. 1/5th the cost, and very high quality. (And 4 inputs).
But that MixPre 3 is very pretty!
Nice review. Cheers!
Are you in the US? Seems to be $900 in the places I look, but your point definitely stands. It's not cheap. I almost didn't even make the video because the price has gone up so much. It's a shame everything has gone up so much lately. It was $650 when I bought mine, which is still hardly cheap, but not as bad. I use the portable audio recorder functionality for work, not just CZcams, so it obviously makes more sense for me than for some others. Just thought it might be a fun video.
Thanks. Take care!
Ooh I thought I wanted one, but probably not at $1000
Yeah, the current price of $900 is far from cheap. What exactly are you in the market for? There are lots of other good recorders/interfaces out there.
@@WaybackRewind Gen 1 MixPre3s don’t have 32-bit float but those Kashmir’s preamps would make one think so. I’m so tempted to get a Gen2 but the Gen 1 already sounds so good.
I’m sure Gen1 MixPre3s are much more affordable used these days.
Great video! You demonstrate a lot of really great benefits of using the MixPre 3 II as an audio interface. I'm hoping to be able to use mine as such but I'm having very confusing problems from the very start that I'm hoping you or someone in the comments can illuminate. Every tutorial I see suggests that I should just be able to connect my MixPre to my computer (Windows 10) and it will just appear in my Playback and Recording devices. This has not been the case for me. I have the USB-C setting to Audio on the MixPre so Windows makes the sound when I connect and disconnect the MixPre but it doesn't show up in my devices or in my Sound settings. I've been researching this for a few days and haven't found anyone having a similar issue. Is there something that I'm missing? I really appreciate any help.
What USB cable are you using? Does the MixPre power up and seem to be working like normal when you plug it into your computer? I know you said it doesn't show up on the computer, but the MixPre should power up and function normally (menus, and even the ability to record). If it doesn't, then the computer may not be supplying enough power over the USB port.
Other than that, I'm not sure. It shouldn't require any specific drivers. I've plugged mine into two different Windows machines and it worked on both with no issues. I did use a cable that had USB C on one side that plugged into the MixPre and two USB A ports on the other side, so it could draw power from both ports.
@@bigtb1717 Hey! Just noticed your reply. I was able to get to the bottom of the issue and it came down to changing the USB Audio setting and using an outdated ASIO driver. The one that I was lead to on SoundDevices's website by going to MixPre 3ii > Downloads > Drivers was outdated. I found an updated driver elsewhere on SD's website by just googling "MixPre 3ii ASIO driver."
Any advice on how to configure to record from an Iphone (eg ex WhatsApp, Skype, FaceTime Audio, phone) with the mike connected for questions?
If you can get an adapter for the phone to output via a 3.5mm jack (or if it already has a headphone jack), you can use the 3.5mm input on the MixPre as one of your channels and one of the XLR inputs as the other channel.
Can it record from USB. In other words, can I use it to record several channels coming FROM my DAW or other device over USB? This review makes it clear that it can work as an interface to send several channels TO a computer but never mentions if it also works with the computer as the source.
Yes, but only two channels. When setting up the inputs you have the option of USB 1 or USB 2. So you could send up to two channels of audio into the MixPre 3 II for recording on the MixPre. It supports three total inputs, up to two of which could be coming in via the USB C port.
mixPre6 can accommodate a sennheiser Ambeo mic.
The 32bit float does not work on Windows OS?
The standard USB audio driver Windows uses does not support 32 bit float directly. You can still record 32 bit float on the MixPre and utilize the files in any program that supports them on Windows. But when using the MixPre as a USB audio device in Windows, Windows doesn't support 32 bit float via the standard drivers. It's possible there are different drivers you can find or it's possible that Windows will (or even already has) updated their standard drivers to support 32 bit float. But as of the last time I checked, it didn't. At least, on Windows 10. I can't say for Windows 11.
Great video! Any idea on how I could use this as an audio interface in 32 bit free float and be able to use software like audacity to record and analyze the recordings? Also can this be used a vlf recorder/sdr radio similar to how people sometimes use built in audio cards with no input as a way to receive vlf signals. I have a lom priezor vlf antenna connected via xlr that Ive used with the mixpre to listen to vlfs from things like power sources.
I believe Audacity natively supports 32 bit floating point audio. So you would simply put the MixPre 3 II into 32 bit float mode and then use it as an interface with Audacity.
These mixers are shielded specifically to minimize any interference from outside sources. With nothing connected to any of the inputs you would likely just hear the electronic noise of the pre-amps and circuitry of the mixer itself. I don't think you could reliably pick up or listen to outside signals.
@@bigtb1717 thanks for the detailed answer, I should have specified that I intend to use it with the priezor which is essentially a open source passive antenna for electromagnetic listening, as you mentionned the device does fairly well at filtering out any noise from emfs. In my case ive had a bunch of fun listening to the sounds, however now I would like to take those recordings and be able to analyze them. Im trying to turn the mixpre into an software defined radio. Id imagine the 32 bit free float would allow to extract lots of information from the signals/sounds.
32 bit floating point recording just allows for a wider range between the loudest sound you can capture and the quietest sound you can capture. If the sounds you are recording don't have a lot of dynamic range, you probably won't gain much from the 32 bit recording. However, if they do have a wide dynamic range, the 32 bit mode could allow you to record the louder (stronger signal) sounds while preventing the quieter sounds from being lost in the noise floor.
@@bigtb1717 Wouldn't the 32 bit depth and higher sampling rate also mean there is technically more information or resolution, granted only if the sound is as you said, of a high dynamic range could i then do something useful with that information? I don't know maybe I'm being foolish in trying to turn an audio recorder/interface into a DIY sdr radio, just though it would be cool to try.
A higher sampling rate (for instance, 96KHz rather than 44.1Khz) allows for a "smoother" gradient to the digital waveform. For frequencies within the human hearing range we can't generally hear much difference once you get above 44-48KHz sample rate. If you are trying to capture frequencies above 22KHz or so, then higher sample rates can help. Also, if you are trying to apply effects (like slowing the speed or changing the pitch of a sound, etc.), having a higher sample rate may help reduce artifacts.
As for bit depth, this is an oversimplification, but think of it like a bucket. If your "bucket" is only 16 bits deep and you try to fit 24 bits worth of data into it, some information will be lost. But if the bucket is large enough to hold what you are putting in it, moving to an even larger bucket doesn't add anything to what's in there. It just means you have to carry around a larger bucket (larger file sizes). In other words, if the sounds you are recording fit within the dynamic range of 24 bits, going to a larger bit depth doesn't add any information to the signal.
Is it windows 7 compatible
It is a "USB compliant Audio Device," so there is a good chance it would, but I can't say for sure. I haven't had Windows 7 for a long time, so I don't have any way to test it. Sound Devices is usually pretty good about answering questions. It might be worth giving them a shout.
Super sad, that USB output is 2 channels only. Zoom F series can output all mic channels.
....So your basically using it as a recorder lol. (with all the stuff you said your not doing)
Basically, lol. At this point, I literally do just record internally instead of into a laptop.