Topic: Sound Devices MixPre-3 and 6, Part 6

[Niels]

Can anyone give me a guesstimate re. how long I can record 2 channels w. phantom utilising enelope pros in a 8 battery sled (MX-8AA)?

I am considering a MixPre 3, but not if I have to sacrifice compactness with the L mount sled or add complexity with external usb batteries.

thanks.

[prepschoolalumniblues]

I usually run off an external Anker USB-C Powercore battery (it’s tiny!) but I forgot it at a recent Marco Benevento show and had to use my backup AAs. I think I got around 100 minutes running two channels of P48... which unfortunately was about ten minutes before the end of the show. If it had been two sets I could have easily swapped batteries without a problem but unfortunately it was one marathon set. To the MixPre-3’s credit, it saved the recording in progress when it shut down. However, I think this all goes to show that powering just off AAs is risky given how power-hungry it is — definitely consider the Anker route.

Can anyone give me a guesstimate re. how long I can record 2 channels w. phantom utilising enelope pros in a 8 battery sled (MX-8AA)?

I am considering a MixPre 3, but not if I have to sacrifice compactness with the L mount sled or add complexity with external usb batteries.

thanks.

[dogmusic]

Can anyone give me a guesstimate re. how long I can record 2 channels w. phantom utilising enelope pros in a 8 battery sled (MX-8AA)?

I am considering a MixPre 3, but not if I have to sacrifice compactness with the L mount sled or add complexity with external usb batteries.

thanks.

I ran my MixPre 6 with 8 ENELOOP PRO AA's in a MX-8AA while recording 2 channels with phantom at 24/192 for 5 hours 8 minutes.

[morst]

2 channels with phantom at 24/192 for 5 hours 8 minutes.

around 100 minutes running two channels of P48

it depends on how "power hungry" the mics are, as well as the battery type and number. Dogmusic ran the 8x AA sled, Prepschoolalbl didn't specify 4 or 8?

[dogmusic]

2 channels with phantom at 24/192 for 5 hours 8 minutes.

around 100 minutes running two channels of P48

it depends on how "power hungry" the mics are, as well as the battery type and number. Dogmusic ran the 8x AA sled, Prepschoolalbl didn't specify 4 or 8?

My mics were AT4022’s. Tech sheet says: “48V DC, 3.0 mA typical”.

[prepschoolalumniblues]

Oops — I was actually just using 4 AAs. Sorry I missed that. Hope some additional anecdata might still be helpful to someone.

These were Studio Projects C4s.

2 channels with phantom at 24/192 for 5 hours 8 minutes.

around 100 minutes running two channels of P48

it depends on how "power hungry" the mics are, as well as the battery type and number. Dogmusic ran the 8x AA sled, Prepschoolalbl didn't specify 4 or 8?

[aaronji]

I ran my MixPre 6 with 8 ENELOOP PRO AA's in a MX-8AA while recording 2 channels with phantom at 24/192 for 5 hours 8 minutes.

That's pretty much in line with my experience. I have never run them all the way down, but with 8 Eneloop Pros powering a pair of DPA 4015Cs (2.8 mA) at 24/48, I have recorded 3 hours and 40 minutes or so and still had half of the battery indicator lit. I would guess somewhat better than 5 hours total. I have recorded many shows this way, incidentally, but since I got an Anker USB-C battery, I use the Eneloops as a backup to the Anker.

[jerryfreak]

Oops — I was actually just using 4 AAs. Sorry I missed that. Hope some additional anecdata might still be helpful to someone.

These were Studio Projects C4s.

all other things being equal, 8 batteries will run for more than twice as long as 4 batteries due to maintaining higher voltage

[Niels]

Thats cool - thanks all!
I was hoping to hear that 8 AAs would be able to provide a comfortable 3 hours, which seems to be the case.
I prefer a self-contained unit, as I tend to make mistakes when too many cables, cords and connections are in play - as simple as possible for me.

[morst]

Thats cool - thanks all!
I was hoping to hear that 8 AAs would be able to provide a comfortable 3 hours, which seems to be the case.
I prefer a self-contained unit, as I tend to make mistakes when too many cables, cords and connections are in play - as simple as possible for me.

I love my Anker USB-C pack, but you DO have to push the button to turn it on. I looked at my machine the other day and it said something like "INTERNAL BATTERIES LOW!" so I hit the button on the Anker pack to make it power up, and all was well. Later when I checked the voltage on those alkalines, they were at 1.42 volts each.

Incidentally, this was the same power cycle when I got the card speed error. Doubt it's connected but EVIDENTLY WE ARE ALL BETA TESTERS at our own expense.
Thanks, SD.
 

[aaronji]

I love my Anker USB-C pack, but you DO have to push the button to turn it on.

I have been using the Anker PowerCore 10000 PD with my MixPre. One nice feature of this battery is that it automatically turns on when the recorder is powered up (that’s true regardless of whether you plug it in before or after turning on the SD). Obviously, it has a much smaller capacity than the Ankers recommended by SD, but it is also considerably smaller and lighter.

[jerryfreak]

Thats cool - thanks all!
I was hoping to hear that 8 AAs would be able to provide a comfortable 3 hours, which seems to be the case.
I prefer a self-contained unit, as I tend to make mistakes when too many cables, cords and connections are in play - as simple as possible for me.

The foolproof method is an eight AA pack loaded with fresh NIMH and a 10,000 Milliamp external usb-c. even if your usb-c gets unplugged it switches seamlessly to AAs

alkaline are really not suitable except in an emergency

[relefunt]

I usually run off an external Anker USB-C Powercore battery (it’s tiny!) but I forgot it at a recent Marco Benevento show and had to use my backup AAs. I think I got around 100 minutes running two channels of P48... which unfortunately was about ten minutes before the end of the show. If it had been two sets I could have easily swapped batteries without a problem but unfortunately it was one marathon set. To the MixPre-3’s credit, it saved the recording in progress when it shut down. However, I think this all goes to show that powering just off AAs is risky given how power-hungry it is — definitely consider the Anker route.


————

Which Anker Powercore battery is tiny? Mine is kind of big. Thanks!

[prepschoolalumniblues]

Anker PowerCore 10000 PD... “tiny” is a slight exaggeration, but it’s a ton of juice in a package that’s smaller than my phone in both length and width... I’ve used bigger batteries in the past and this one is somehow both smaller and more powerful. I charge it with the Scosche HPDC8C8 Powervolt 36W and an Anker cord. For some reason my Anker plug didn’t charge the PowerCore. These were all Wirecutter recommendations by the way — a great site to check out.

I usually run off an external Anker USB-C Powercore battery (it’s tiny!) but I forgot it at a recent Marco Benevento show and had to use my backup AAs. I think I got around 100 minutes running two channels of P48... which unfortunately was about ten minutes before the end of the show. If it had been two sets I could have easily swapped batteries without a problem but unfortunately it was one marathon set. To the MixPre-3’s credit, it saved the recording in progress when it shut down. However, I think this all goes to show that powering just off AAs is risky given how power-hungry it is — definitely consider the Anker route.


————

Which Anker Powercore battery is tiny? Mine is kind of big. Thanks!

[Chomps]

Any Gefell users run actives via PFA with the 10II?

I'm looking to hear samples as I an considering making the change to the Mix Pre.

Thanks!