Topic: New Sound Devices MixPre II-series coming?

[Dillon]

My biggest complaint with the Mixpre6 is the battery sled.  It's plastic and dislodges easily.  Makes me nervous.  Recently the the plastic clip broke, it still works but I have to use a rubber band.  Other than that it's a solid product.

[IronFilm]

On my humble Zoom F1...

Zoom's hold implementation on the F8/F8N is superficially attractive in that the menu allows one to select which functions are locked and which are not when hold is engaged.  However, the fatal flaw that makes it useless is that to engage/disengage hold one must use a key combination which involves pressing buttons that can stop the recording.  Not going to risk that.  Good idea on selection options, but very questionable engage/disengage implementation.

False, not true at all!

You can just hit "8" and the F8n/F8 will be locked while recording. No need to go anywhere near touching the "stop" button! :-)

Very handy when in a drop bag scenario, if you're worried about the camera/director/whoever accidentally (or not!) stopping your recorder.

[Gutbucket]

Thanks for that correction. It is indeed true in all modes.. except when in record, apparently - a detail of which I was unaware which alleviates the concern. 

From the user manual p.190 - List of shortcuts:

[stop] + [8]  = Use to disable the keys set with "Key Hold Target".
During recording, the [stop] key does not need to be used.

In other words- use of the the stop button is required to engage/disengage hold at all other times.

[Paul Isaacs]

MixPre Version 4.01 has just been released today for all MixPre Gen I and Gen II models.

Changed

Limiter settings are now available in Custom Mode setups with Gain set to Advanced (MixPre-3 II, MixPre-6 II, and MixPre-10 II).

Fixed

Improvements to SD card writing performance (all models).
AAC rendering of Music Projects no longer results in error (applies to all models with Music features).
Files with only Track R recorded now playback correctly (does not apply to M models).
Record Buffer Errors no longer occur after cycling power while using Record Run timecode (MixPre-10T only).
Various stability issues no longer occur when switching in and out of 32-bit float operation (MixPre-3 II, MixPre-6 II, MixPre-10 II).
Brief gap in LTC timecode output signal no longer occurs during a record split (MixPre-3 II and MixPre-6 II).
Timecode no longer drifts or stamps to the file with an offset. (MixPre-3 II and MixPre-6 II)
Various performance improvements.

[3mdk5]

Perhaps that is why B&H have them on sale now?  $400 off the 10T, $150 off the 6...

[IronFilm]

Thanks for that correction. It is indeed true in all modes.. except when in record, apparently - a detail of which I was unaware which alleviates the concern. 

From the user manual p.190 - List of shortcuts:

[stop] + [8]  = Use to disable the keys set with "Key Hold Target".
During recording, the [stop] key does not need to be used.

In other words- use of the the stop button is required to engage/disengage hold at all other times.

Which is a sensible approach, as when not recording those buttons on the Zoom F8n/F8 need to be used for other things! (in this case arming/disarming channel

[IronFilm]

Perhaps that is why B&H have them on sale now?  $400 off the 10T, $150 off the 6...

Yes, and the MixPre10 Gen2 saw a BIG price drop.

I honestly feel even $400 off the MixPre10T Gen1 isn't enough.

[adrianb]

I've sort of answered my own earlier question regarding battery life on the II series by buying one.

Using 8 Eneloop batteries in my new MixPre-3 II, powering two Sennheiser 8040 mics, timecode switched off, recording just two ISO tracks at 32-bit float and I got just a couple of minutes over 5 hours.

"That'll do for me" I thought, since I use it for ambient recordings so rarely need more than an hour or two.

However, before selling my old MixPre-3 I thought I would repeat the test. Same setup, but with tracks at 24-bit, and I got just a few minutes short of 6 hours. Better than I imagined. I suspect this is because recording 32-bit float uses 20% more power, maybe I need to repeat the test at 24-bit on the II.

I've always been annoyed at the battery life of the MixPre-3, but never wanted the inconvenience of external power solutions. I suspect my annoyance has simply been a result of my own indiscipline, leaving batteries in the sled and finding they only last for a couple of hours when I pick it up.

(This is what I love about my Sony recorders. I can leave them in the car for months and they just work when I want to use them).

I am impressed with the 32-bit float. I will find it very useful for what I do, recording thunderstorms etc. I can happily report that 32-bit files work in Audacity.

[jerryfreak]

low self discharge batteries would help your cause

[Gutbucket]

Eneloop = low self discharge NiMH

[adrianb]

Perhaps when I leave Eneloop AA batteries in the sled attached to the MixPre they are being drained even with the MixPre powered off. I can think of some more tests to do now!

[adrianb]

I've been having enormous fun trying to break this thing in 32-bit float by playing music at high volumes and cranking the gain up so that the levels are permanently off the scale, and then dialling it back to be totally listenable in Audacity. Perhaps I am being a little immature with this new toy, which is little different from my old toy.

But it makes me think that the moment 32-bit float becomes available in a small recorder such as the M10 then there's going to be some ecstatic tapers of the stealth variety. 

[jerryfreak]

But it makes me think that the moment 32-bit float becomes available in a small recorder such as the M10 then there's going to be some ecstatic tapers of the stealth variety.

well the tentacle, albeit mono, will lead this charge

[Gordon]

Does anyone have firmware v4 (not 4.01) handy? I need to roll back to test something. Got my 6 II today and having major issues (more on that later when I can post videos).

On the download page hitting "previous version" does nothing.

[adrianb]

I've got v4 on my new unit. What major issue is it? Should I refrain from updating to 4.01?

Also, I've noticed that I can get the MP3 to playback 32-bit float recorded files in the unit itself. It can play 24-bit files okay, but I can't get it to play the 32-bit float files on the machine that's recorded them. Any ideas anyone? They play okay in Audacity and VLC.