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Gear / Technical Help => Recording Gear => Topic started by: jnorman34 on October 04, 2017, 11:56:34 PM
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I have read about 2000 posts now about the mixpre and usb and sleds and hirose and still haven’t figured out the best way to power my mixpre6. I have an anker 20000mah usb-c powerbank recommended by SD, and it works fine, but it is huge and awkward and the usb-c cable sticking out bothers me and doesn’t seem all that secure. The hawk woods adapter for L batteries is $155, but may be the answer. Anyway, what is the most elegant solution you have found?
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I know this is personal preference, but for me it is USB C. I have a bunch of USB C style batteries in different sizes and mah's and even the smallest will only be half way down usually less after a typical show. I don't mind the USB C attachment at all, as I have a bunch of decks that use USB mini or micro which is basically the same and I have never given it a second thought. That said my MixPre6 deck is in a portabrace and I recently tried and like using a short USB C male to USB C female cable which stays always attached, so all I do is attach the USB C cable coming from my battery to that. The portabrace keeps the USB C cable firmly in place and there is really no way it can be pulled out with all the velcro and flaps.
For me the kicker is that I am not willing to give up the battery pack as a backup, which while it may not last long, and which I probably will never need, is still there if a battery fails and IMO a backup is always good. I always use an external battery along with with internal batteries on all my decks, even in low pro situations. In all non low pro situations, I keep an extra battery in the bag in case of a failure, although other than 2 of the original tekkeons, I have never had a battery fail during a show. It may be overkill, but it gives me comfort to have 2 power sources.
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Thanks for your comments, Dallman.
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It depends on your definition of elegant.
I mostly use the 8 battery sled but supplement it with a USB-c battery if I am at a festival or longer show. Powering via USB-c doesnt bother me. I usually use a monoprice USB-c battery. Its thin and fits nicely into my case. I like it better than the anker personally.
I also have the LMount sled and Hawk-woods dummy sled to DC 12v connector. I don't have any LMount batteries to use in conjunction with it, otherwise this would make for a nice setup because you could hot swap if needed...
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have you looked into the right or left angle USB cables?
I've downsized to a DR70D, and run a small USB/cellphone battery velcro'ed to the bottom of the recorder. It is connected by a short right angle at both ends USB cable. It it tight to the rig, and I'm not even slightly concerned about it coming disconnected.
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have you looked into the right or left angle USB cables?
I've downsized to a DR70D, and run a small USB/cellphone battery velcro'ed to the bottom of the recorder. It is connected by a short right angle at both ends USB cable. It it tight to the rig, and I'm not even slightly concerned about it coming disconnected.
The cable I use is left angled, and it slightly hits the XLR cable, but that helps keep it snug. Some might not like the fit, but again in my portabrace nothing is moving around. Right angle would cover or make it difficult to use the power button. Up angled would also appear to interfere with the power button. Down angle might be the best choice, but it could interfere with the stereo out 3.5mm jack, if some are using that while recording and it would depend on thickness of the input cable. There is just not much real estate around the USB C input. There is no clear best choice, it largely depends on how you arrange your gear. Straight out might just be the best option, and I only see it as a problem for those who use this deck for >:D, which for me is just not what this deck is designed for. But again, everyone here has different tastes habits and styles.
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have you looked into the right or left angle USB cables?
I've downsized to a DR70D, and run a small USB/cellphone battery velcro'ed to the bottom of the recorder. It is connected by a short right angle at both ends USB cable. It it tight to the rig, and I'm not even slightly concerned about it coming disconnected.
The cable I use is left angled, and it slightly hits the XLR cable, but that helps keep it snug. Some might not like the fit, but again in my portabrace nothing is moving around. Right angle would cover or make it difficult to use the power button. Up angled would also appear to interfere with the power button. Down angle might be the best choice, but it could interfere with the stereo out 3.5mm jack, if some are using that while recording and it would depend on thickness of the input cable. There is just not much real estate around the USB C input. There is no clear best choice, it largely depends on how you arrange your gear. Straight out might just be the best option, and I only see it as a problem for those who use this deck for >:D, which for me is just not what this deck is designed for. But again, everyone here has different tastes habits and styles.
I was way more unhappy about the USB-C before I got the right angle cable. I do still wish there was a hirose, but this is at least better.
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I'd said this in the main MixPre3/6 thread: I find my MixPre-3 with the SD L-battery sled to be pretty elegant with NP-F550 size batteries.
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i bought the Hawkwoods SD-2 adaptor for mounting the Sony batteries...way better form fit than the Sound devices adaptor...keeps batteries parallel to deck versus perpendicular with the sound devices adaptor....Hawkwoods also has the SD-1 which gives you a Hirose adaptor
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Thanks guys - I did pick up an angled usb-c cable but it interferes with the xlr input. The sd sled with two 570s is a contender. The hawk woods sd2 also looks good, though is spendy. Will two 570s last longer than one 770? The 970 seems like it would be a bit bulky with the sd2 adapter. What kind of PS do you use with hirose?
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You can pick most any battery with variable voltage and have a TS cable maker spin you a custom hirose cable
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After making my comment the other day I realized I'd not tested how long my L batteries last. So, I did a quick practical but thoroughly unscientific test this afternoon. With my MP-3 and a pair of phantom powered omni lavs; gain at 40 on both channels; recording 24bit 96khz, ISO tracks only; two 3/4 charged NP-F550 batteries in SD's dual L battery sled gave me just over three hours of record time; on top of the recording time, there was also about a half hour when I stopped the recorder but left it powered on while I took a phone call. Yes, I know the test is flawed; no need to enumerate on that. FWIW.
One advantage of the SD L sled is that one can hot swap the batteries.
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It's puzzling to me that these new recorders were made so as to require a sled to use L batteries when the 7 series was designed to use them without a sled. IMO, they should have been designed to use L batteries without a sled.
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Maybe this:
https://www.cabletechniques.com/product-page/mx-powersled-external-dc-power-adaptor-for-sound-devices-mixpre-3-6
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It's puzzling to me that these new recorders were made so as to require a sled to use L batteries when the 7 series was designed to use them without a sled. IMO, they should have been designed to use L batteries without a sled.
7 series is for professionals.
Mixpre is for dslr audio.
The sound great. But they also cost very little. Hence the trade offs.
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It's puzzling to me that these new recorders were made so as to require a sled to use L batteries when the 7 series was designed to use them without a sled. IMO, they should have been designed to use L batteries without a sled.
7 series is for professionals.
Mixpre is for dslr audio.
The sound great. But they also cost very little. Hence the trade offs.
I like having the option to run with the 8 AA mount for stealth or the L-battery mount for open taping. The only thing I wish Sound Devices had available would be a vertically mounted single L-battery mount but that's a minor nitpick given that the 2-battery mount will run with either one or two batteries mounted.