MixPre-D: Basic Question

[Laguna Hiker]

I'm new to field mixers, and I've got a very basic question about the MixPre-D. I understand that it has two balanced inputs and two line-level balanced outputs. I'd like to use the unit for its pre-amp, low-cut filter, and limiter functions, mainly in two-mic interview situations. I particularly want to be able to control gain levels separately from the camera, since I will probably be using a sound person to control field audio.

I am recording to a Panasonic AC130, which has two balanced inputs. I don't want to mix the sound in the MixPre-D to one channel, or to a stereo output–I'd like to keep Channels 1 and 2 separate in the output from the unit, so that each channel can be routed into the same input channels on my AC130. Final mix and balancing will be done in post.

There is one other reason I like the MixPre-D: I also like its digital outputs, which makes it handy for VO work on a computer.

Here are my questions: Can the MixPre-D output unmixed audio as I've described above? Does it make sense to do this sort of thing with a unit like the mixPre-D, or is there a better approach to capturing field audio? Thanks for your help.

[rs170a]

First of all, I'm jealous as that's a very sweet field mixer 🙂

 

This is from page 6 of the user manual so my initial thought of setting the switch on CH. 1 to L and Ch. 2 to R should work but I'd send an email to Sound Devices to confirm this.

 

The MixPre-D is a two-output-bus mixer. Each input can be “hard panned” between the left and right output bus making it easy to use the MixPre-D in either stereo or dual-mono operations. Because dialog is often recorded in mono, each output connector can be used to send signal to separate cameras or recorders. The MixPre-D’s XLR Outputs, Tape Outputs, Stereo Unbalanced Mic Outputs,and AES Digital Output share the same program content and pan assignment.

 

Mike

[Author]

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