Topic: Sound Devices MixPre 101

[chinariderstl]

Hi, I just picked up a used MixPre in the YS and just started playing around with it.  I quickly read through the manual (link included below), and have two questions right off the bat.  Any help and/or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

1. There are two "Pan Switches (Input Assignment)" on channels 1 and 2 on the front.  According to the manual, these do the following, "Three-position switch pans inputs to Left, Center (both left and right) or Right outputs."  So, if I am going to place my mics in either a ORTF or DIN stereo config, would I want each switch set Center or should I hard pan each one?  Set channel 1 (I am assuming the Left channel) to (L)eft and channel 2 (assuming the Right channel) to (R)ight?

2. I am going to run this in front of my PCM-M10 and run 1/8" stereo out into the 1/8" stereo line in on the M10.  There are two 1/8" jacks on the device, Tape Out and Tape RTN (Tape Return).  Question is, which do I want to jack in to?  Based on the descriptions below, I believe Tape Out is what I want, just looking to confirm.

According to the manual:

Tape Output
3.5 mm TRS stereo output (unbalanced) can be used to feed consumer level DAT, Mini-Disc, and CD recorders.

Tape Return Input Connector
3.5 mm TRS stereo (unbalanced) connector allows external audio sources to be monitored in the MixPre Headphone circuit.

http://www.sounddevices.com/download/guides/mixpre_en.pdf

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciate.

Thanks, Chris.

Also, here are a couple pics I snapped.  Thanks to twoodruff for the pre-amp and Ted for the nice cable work, both the stereo mini and the DVD power cable!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/77691613/2012-12-18%2017.23.03-920.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/77691613/2012-12-18%2018.00.00-920.jpg

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/77691613/2012-12-18%2018.00.17-920.jpg

Note: The little black things between each device are rubber coasters I found.  They act as nice little shock absorbers and keep everything in place.

[bryonsos]

Pan 1 left and 2 right. Yes, the tape out > M10. You'll also want to engage the attenuator pads on your mics. It has input transformers that make it run HOT! Love mine, loads of clean transparent gain. Enjoy!

[chinariderstl]

Sweet, thanks Bryon. 

[bryonsos]

You're welcome. I set my M10 at 4.5 and adjust the MixPre so that it "tickles" the 2nd red light. This should put you in the -12 to -6 range. I start out with the MixPre set ~11:00. The gain knobs are sensitive too, don't make dramatic adjustments. A little goes a long way.

[Toke]

I agree with everything Byronsos said, with the exception I don't need to pad my mics.  I'm running the Bussman BSC2's.  I've had to go down to ~9 o'clock at a loud show like Red Rocks, and up to !1 o'clock at an acoustic show in a smallish venue. Tickling the second red light with the m10 at 4.5 and 24 bit give plenty of headroom for post.

Very happy with this setup!

[Chimney Top]

Tickling the second red light with the m10 at 4.5 and 24 bit give plenty of headroom for post.

This is how I set the Mixpre last weekend and the wav file was slightly brickwalled.  KM184> Mixpre > DR-100 (tape out/line in -10db).  The red light was activated every 5-8 seconds.

[bryonsos]

Tickling the second red light with the m10 at 4.5 and 24 bit give plenty of headroom for post.

This is how I set the Mixpre last weekend and the wav file was slightly brickwalled.  KM184> Mixpre > DR-100 (tape out/line in -10db).  The red light was activated every 5-8 seconds.

Bummer. I've never seen a red light with these settings, only pulsing greens on the M10. Maybe your DR-100 is more sensitive

[ellaguru]

gain for days on this thing.  i use pads on my mg210's with the mix pre as well..

[Erick del Valle]

1. There are two "Pan Switches (Input Assignment)" on channels 1 and 2 on the front.  According to the manual, these do the following, "Three-position switch pans inputs to Left, Center (both left and right) or Right outputs."  So, if I am going to place my mics in either a ORTF or DIN stereo config, would I want each switch set Center or should I hard pan each one?  Set channel 1 (I am assuming the Left channel) to (L)eft and channel 2 (assuming the Right channel) to (R)ight?

1= Left, 2 = Right

2. I am going to run this in front of my PCM-M10 and run 1/8" stereo out into the 1/8" stereo line in on the M10.  There are two 1/8" jacks on the device, Tape Out and Tape RTN (Tape Return).  Question is, which do I want to jack in to?  Based on the descriptions below, I believe Tape Out is what I want, just looking to confirm.

Tape Out > Line in (M10)

Tape Return < line Out (M10) (if You want to listen the signal in M10 connecting the headphones only in Mixpre (switch Tape-Return))

To calibrate both units:

Run 1 Khz tone in mix pre, in M10 record pause (recording monitor) lift until the peak level meter displayed -12dB (I prefer to use -14dB per security)

Saludos!

[cd2go]

1= Left, 2 = Right

2. I am going to run this in front of my PCM-M10 and run 1/8" stereo out into the 1/8" stereo line in on the M10.  There are two 1/8" jacks on the device, Tape Out and Tape RTN (Tape Return).  Question is, which do I want to jack in to?  Based on the descriptions below, I believe Tape Out is what I want, just looking to confirm.

Tape Out > Line in (M10)

Tape Return < line Out (M10) (if You want to listen the signal in M10 connecting the headphones only in Mixpre (switch Tape-Return))

^^sounds right^^

To sync my pre and deck, I used the 1kHz tone switch on the pre, then set my deck to -20 so I only have to look at the pre to know where the levels are recording. I am using the XLR outs on the pre so I'm not sure if that's what you should do with the aux level output you are using--can someone else chime in here?

Enjoy the MixPre, I think it's an underrated preamp for taping, especially considering its durability and ease of internal or external powering