Choosing an Audio Mixer (page 2)

Advanced Mixing for Video

If your productions include more than the occasional family video, you might need some of the advanced features found on the best mixers.

If you want to add special sound effects like echo or pitch shifting to your video, you'll need an external sound processor. In most cases, you have to use a cable to carry the signal from the sound source to the processor, and another to carry the signal from the processor to your edit VCR or mixer. Some top- of-the-line mixers make adding these special effects much easier by providing an effects send and return bus, also called an auxiliary send bus.

With an effects bus, you connect the external sound processor to the mixer, instead of the VCR or sound source. By adjusting knobs or faders in the mixer's control section, you determine what sounds go to the external processor, and how much of the processed sound gets added to the final mix. It eliminates having to plug and unplug all those cables every time you want an interesting audio effect in your video. It's very slick. Serious videographers find it essential for creating great soundtracks.

High-end mixers also may have EQ circuits that cover a broader frequency range than lesser models. Instead of a bass and treble control for each channel, some mixers may have two or three controls for just the low-range frequencies, and two or more for the high end. This gives you very precise control of the tonal balance of an incoming sound.

If you use a condenser microphone, you know that it needs a battery to operate. Some mixers provide what's called phantom power for condenser mikes so you don't need to worry about a battery.

Although you may need only one or two inputs now, chances are good that as your video production skills grow, so will your audio expertise. As it does, you may find yourself wanting more low- level or high-level inputs on your mixer. Some models offer inputs with a button to switch between low- or high-level signals. That means you can connect two sources to each channel, and use the button to select which one to use in the mix. It's a nice feature because it lets you expand your production setup without having to plug and unplug cables all the time.

The Right Mixer for You

You know the features on many of today's popular mixers. Now you want to know how to pick one that will work for you, right? Start by looking at how often you edit videos now, and how you think that might grow in the next few years. Then think about the kinds of videos you edit, and what kinds of sound tracks you want to create.

If you want to narrate your videos after you edit them, you'll probably want a mixer with at least one low-level or mike input. If you want to add music from a CD or cassette, you'll want at least one high- level signal input.

Videographers who only edit a few videos a year, and don't expect that to change anytime soon, might consider a good entry-level mixer. Azden makes the Cam 3 mixer ($80), with 2 mike inputs and a high level CD or tape input. It's a perfect fit for the occasional videographer who doesn't need many bells and whistles, but wants great sound tracks.

If you need more than three inputs, consider Audio-Technica's AM200 ($250). It's a four-channel stereo mixer capable of mixing a variety of low- and high-level sources for video productions. It also has some digital sound effects built in, including lasers, bombs, snare drums and telephones.

A number of special effects generators and video mixers include basic audio mixers that might suit your needs. If you don't already have a video mixer, you might be able to solve two problems with one box. Sima makes the Video Ed/it 2X ($225) with a simple video switcher, microphone, cables and one high-level input.

How many different sound sources do you use during editing? Two? Three? Ten? The ideal mixing setup is to connect each sound source you might use in an editing session to a separate input or channel in the mixer. If a mixer doesn't have enough inputs to connect everything you want to use, you can expect to plug and unplug a few audio cables during edit sessions.

If you have lots of potential audio sources, consider getting a mixer with eight or more inputs.

Peavy's Unity 1002-8 ($400) has eight switchable inputs, stereo output and a three-control EQ on each channel.

Mackie offers the 1402VLZ ($599), which has 12 channels, stereo output and auxiliary send for using external effects.

Don't Forget: Sound Matters

In a video, scenes that don't have clear sound tracks to accompany the visuals leave audiences frustrated or bored. If viewers can't easily hear what's going on in a scene, they're less likely to make sense of what they see. If they have to strain to understand voices or other sounds, it takes away some of their enjoyment of the video.

A mixer can help you 1) restore the natural balance between sound and pictures in a video, 2) blend a variety of sounds to create a dense, rich soundtrack, and 3) create smooth transitions from one sound to the next. Doing all of these will help capture the viewers' imagination and keep them entertained as they watch your video.