aeta 6 track recorder

[H₂O]

Here's a video: http://vimeo.com/40839170


Around the 6 minute mark he says the full version will be around $6k.

Unfortunately per the official price list from Aeta (attached above in the thread) the full blown version is $7785

[StuStu]

Here's a video: http://vimeo.com/40839170


Around the 6 minute mark he says the full version will be around $6k.

Unfortunately per the official price list from Aeta (attached above in the thread) the full blown version is $7785

I'm wondering if they'll possibly lower the price in time. It happens sometimes with newly introduced gear. It would make sense to me that they might have better success with a price tag that is more competitive with the SD and Sax. Wishful thinking? [size=78%] [/size]

[myke2241]

Got pricing back from Pro-Sound and it is much more than I was expecting - I guess import taxes kill it:

These prices are w/o Timecode enabled:
4MINX 2 Mixer + 2-track recording  $5,150
4MINX 4 Mixer + 4-track recording  $5,775
4MINX 6 Mixer + 6-track recording  $6,375
4MINX 8 Mixer + 8-track recording  $7,125 (may include timecode - got price from another TS member)

I was originally not a fan. but after doing a little bit of research it seemed like a good option. I E-Mailed Aeta which took more then a week to get back to me (Bad sign). The person who was in charge of US sales actually never responded (Another bad sign). when i finally got the pricing and i was really let down. Timecode is a additional $675! WTF!!! the only thing reasonable was the track upgrade options pricing. Aeta needs to rethink this product line and figure out how to make them competitive with the big players!

There is actually nothing wrong with those prices and they are certainly in the same ball-park as the competition - assuming the competition to be Nagra, Aaton Cantar and Sound Devices.

The Nagra VI is, I think, $9,000 in the US - this makes the AETA 4MinX about $3,000 cheaper - so, the prices are in the same ball-park as the competitors.

In Europe it's competitive, coming in cheaper than the SD 788T and the Nagra VI.

It's only in the US that Sound Devices have a competitive advantage as they are made in the US - Nagra, AETA and Aaton all have Customs Duty to pay in the US as well as the cost of shipping it accross the Atlantic.

I totally disagree. That is not competitive at all. I don't care what the pre's sound like. This is a beta product with a very small user base from a company that hasnt been around that long making decks. the fact is that even in the markets it sells well in, it is still being out sold by its competitor. there is no way to get around that!

[John Willett]

I totally disagree. That is not competitive at all. I don't care what the pre's sound like. This is a beta product with a very small user base from a company that hasnt been around that long making decks. the fact is that even in the markets it sells well in, it is still being out sold by its competitor. there is no way to get around that!

I certainly would not call it a "Beta product".  I admit that when it was first launched the firmware did need a bit of work, but that has all been sorted a while ago with lot's of input from experienced broadcast/film sound recordists.

AETA have been around for several years and are highly regarded.

OK - they are not as well known as their competitors, but the 4MinX is certainly not that expensive.

The 6-track version is £2,999 in the UK and the 8-track version is £3,168.

This compares to £5,725 for the Nagra VI and around £5,000 for the SD 788T.

Like the 788T, the 4MinX can accept AES42 digital microphones - it also has an option of "Soundfield" microphone monitoring (the Nagra VI has this as well).

So, seeing as it is 30% to 40% cheaper than the Nagra VI and 788T, I cannot accept that it is "not competitive".  Really.

[H₂O]

At £2999 that is only around $4800 which is much more reasonable.

Aeta too exp in US
SD too exp in Europe

They are pricing themselves out of the local markets is the problem

[John Willett]

At £2999 that is only around $4800 which is much more reasonable.

Aeta too exp in US
SD too exp in Europe

They are pricing themselves out of the local markets is the problem

More like shipping across continents and duty that do it.

Anything that sells in the US for $1,000 will normally sell in the UK for £1,000 - that's about 50% more.

I assume it's similar going the other way.

[myke2241]

At £2999 that is only around $4800 which is much more reasonable.

Aeta too exp in US
SD too exp in Europe

They are pricing themselves out of the local markets is the problem

More like shipping across continents and duty that do it.

Anything that sells in the US for $1,000 will normally sell in the UK for £1,000 - that's about 50% more.

I assume it's similar going the other way.

forget about the 788T. compare the 4Minx to the Nomad, Maxx or the new SD 664. a field mixer would rarely purchase the 4Minx. i dont think i need to explain why. but when it comes to pricing and being competitive....

4Minx
6 Track Recorder with TC option £3699
http://www.pinknoise-systems.co.uk/Aeta_4_MinX_Mixer_and_Multitrack_recorder--product--828.html

Nomad 6
6 Track Recorder with Zatnet £3960
http://www.pinknoise-systems.co.uk/Zaxcom_Nomad_6_Track_Mixer_recorder--product--1041.html

The SD 664 and Maxx are actually even cheaper. 664 being $3900 and the Maxx with 6 track recorder and AES inputs comes in at $2985. With aggressive pricing like that the 4Minx is in trouble out of the gate regardless of how good it is.

[H₂O]

I don't see Aeta selling to many units over hear in the states - there are 2 kind of video/sound production buyers I see - lower end where the SD line dominates and Zaxcom may dent a little and the high end where Nagra and Aaton dominate (some sonosax in this ring as well) - I don't see them getting into the higher end at this point unless the can differentiate there product better - they are priced out of the lower end

There is no VAT in the United States and import taxes are no more then 10% (I think they are around 7% for gear like this or so but I am pretty sure it varies from originating country to country)

[John Willett]

I agree about the US where SD and Zax are so cheap compared to their European price.

And European made stuff is so much more expensive than in Europe.

But in Europe it is the other way round - and the AETA is the equal of Nagra and Aaton in sound quality.

And comparing AETA to Zax is a bit like comparing Mercedes to a Ford 

[myke2241]

I agree about the US where SD and Zax are so cheap compared to their European price.

And European made stuff is so much more expensive than in Europe.

But in Europe it is the other way round - and the AETA is the equal of Nagra and Aaton in sound quality.

And comparing AETA to Zax is a bit like comparing Mercedes to a Ford 

i wouldnt say that. i clearly pointed out there isnt a huge price difference between. The Nomad runs circles around Aeta. you seem to forget mostly field mixers are going to be buying these. so although having great sounding pres is one thing. Reliability and functionality is more important. The 4minX would not be able to compete on as big of a scale in the field because of Zaxcom's Zaxnet.

[John Willett]

I agree about the US where SD and Zax are so cheap compared to their European price.

And European made stuff is so much more expensive than in Europe.

But in Europe it is the other way round - and the AETA is the equal of Nagra and Aaton in sound quality.

And comparing AETA to Zax is a bit like comparing Mercedes to a Ford 

i wouldnt say that. i clearly pointed out there isnt a huge price difference between. The Nomad runs circles around Aeta. you seem to forget mostly field mixers are going to be buying these. so although having great sounding pres is one thing. Reliability and functionality is more important. The 4minX would not be able to compete on as big of a scale in the field because of Zaxcom's Zaxnet.

I take your point, but reliability of the AETA is good, I would say better than Zaxcom; though Zaxcom's ergonomics are good and I am hearing good things about Zaxnet.

Though, if I had to choose only SD or Zaxcom, it would be SD all the time.

[John Willett]

Having now had a much closer look at the AETA 4MinX - it is actually a lot better than I initially thought it was.

It has 10 inputs (4 x Mic/line, 2 x Line, 4 x AES3/AES42) which can be mixed in any way you like onto 8 channels - or - mix in any way you like on to 6 channels and use the last 2 channels for a stereo mix.

It is the only recorder that has the option for using both Digital microphones and a Soundfield microphone with Soundfield monitoring.

It is the same high quality level as the Aaton Cantar and Nagra VI at a much lower price level.  It is even a good deal cheaper than the SD 788T.

It also is the right size - not so small that it becomes fiddly to use (without buying external control panels), or too large that it can become unwieldy in a bag.

AETA had lots of help from professional sound engineers in refining the software - and the current version is very different from the initial unit from 2011 (but anyone with an initial unit would have been able to update it to the latest version with firmware updates).

The more I see it, the more impressed I am.

[OOK]

At 6200$ in the states it isn't exactly cheap, but it certianly looks like a quality recorder.  OOK

[John Willett]

At 6200$ in the states it isn't exactly cheap, but it certainly looks like a quality recorder.  OOK

That sounds high - in the UK the starting price is £2,499 and even the maxed out 8-track version, including time-code board and Soundfield monitoring is still under £4,000.

What version is the $6,200 price for?

[H₂O]

You can find the US prices here


http://taperssection.com/index.php?topic=139573.msg1982245#msg1982245

It's cheaper to buy it in the uk and have it shipped the US then buying it in the US