Soundman saga, part 2, the mixer

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Nino

Well-known member
Well, I found a good pool of soundmen, at least enough to get a good rotation and keep everyone busy. The problem however is that none of them has never seen a Cooper104 mixer and this is creating a lot of confusion, but they all know the PSC mixer, except me of course. So I'm looking to add a PSC AlphaMix. I've seen the specs and features and it looks good, I particularly like the internal power distribution off the NP battery. If anyone knows anything about it, please, please let me know, particularly about the bad things.

thanks gang
 

dinosaur

Well-known member
Nino,

The PSC AlphaMix is a nice 4x2x2 mixer for the price.

The pros: Internal NP1 power is the best feature, very low self noise (quiet s/n ratio), 2 breakaway cable outputs that are great for 2 camera shoots. Pre fades & DC outs for powering your Lectro Rx & Tx and 48v for all inputs. No switches hidden on the bottom like the old "Wendt" M4.

The cons: The LCD meter can get "sunburned" or sometimes hard to see in bright sunlight or if you're wearing polarized sunglasses. There is no longer a "master" gain pot like the PSC M4mk2. The fader knobs are a little looser than most, but they do the job. Some small switches are easy to inadvertantly throw. The battery metering system is not the best. You don't get much of a low voltage warning before the battery quits.

All in all, the AlphaMix is a fine ENG mixer.

Another mixer that is becoming quite popular is the Sound Devices 442. Its also a great mixer, but it does not have internal NP1 power.

The Wendt 5 is a good mixer too. In the tradition of the old PSCM4/Wendt4 only with 5 inputs. It still has the line/mic switches on the bottom. How often do we use five inputs?
 

cameragod

Well-known member
I don’t think you should make a discission just based on batteries. If it were me, I would go the Sound Devices 442. What a good mixer. Played with one last week and was very impressed. Loved things like the way it drops the level to the headphones by 20db when you use tone.
 

joecam147

Well-known member
Nino, I've had the PSC and the Sound Devices 442. There is no comparison, the 442 blows the doors off anything from PSC and in my book is the best mixer available for the money from anybody. I believe it rivals the Cooper you currently have and is significantly cheaper. Of course I'm biased because I own the 442 but I work with a serious sound 'purist' who traded his Cooper for a 442. Its better laid out and lighter and you cannot beat the display in daylight or indoors, it's smokin. The 442 is a great mixer at an excellent price point and has whatever you will ever need for inputs/outputs and is the mixer to get for mixing sound. That said the PSC is great with power distribution and internal NP1 but you really didn't want a mixer for powering, you want it to mix sound. Hands down the 442 is the way to go, its also fairly easy to run for those uninitiated, eventually even they will see the beauty of this mixer as they get used to it.
check out their website soundevices.com or something like that its worth it.
 

dhart

Well-known member
Don't know if I can add anything really important to this discussion since my sound guy is running a Shure 33-A. But Frezzi makes a little gizmo that can use external NP1's to power the Shure and it runs it all day no problem. It also has additional power feeds for wireless receivers. Any since I use IDX lithium ION batteries weight is not a problem. It's a lot easier than feeding all those 9V's into the equipment. Since BetacamSP is an analog audio recording system I'm sure it has much lower recording specs than any of these high end audio mixers, however it would be a good investment for digital, if we ever get there.
 

Nino

Well-known member
Thanks guys,

My real objective is to make my soundmen job a little easier, which in turn will make my life easier. I have a Cooper mixer that’s been serving me very well but not many of those around and not too many soundmen are familiar with it. I also have to admit that the Cooper with the NP power distribution, wireless receivers, transmitter and the rest of the junk in the sound bag is a bit intimidating and heavy especially for soundmen with a bad back, and I have yet to find one with a healthy back and without a protruding belly. For these individuals I also have a small and very lightweight Sound Devices 2 channels mixer. Now I figure that an in-between easy to use mixer like a PSC, and some gift certificate for a fitness club would go a long way to make everybody happy.
I’m just afraid that a 442 would put me back in the same predicament as with the Cooper.
No decision made yet.
 

cameragod

Well-known member
I usually hire sound people with their own kit. The rate is a little bit higher but it means they have the mixer set up that they like. One sound guy I use looks like a male model. He is ok as a soundman, there are better technically, but you would not believe the bookings from female producers we get asking for him.
“We just need some GV’s.”
“So no sound guy?”
“No.”
“Good he needs time to buy some new shorts. The old ones are all a bit tight now.”
“Umm maybe we should book him just in case.”

Sorry Ivan but your sound dog can’t compete in that department.
 

Tippster

The Fly on the Wall
Question for you:

Are you guys doing really high end EFP or film shoots? It boggles my mind that someone would buy a $3200 Sound Devices 442 mixer for ENG when you can buy one of these for $1315.39 (love that EXACT price!) BTW - we power ours with a BP-90. That'll last as long as a NP-1B, won't it?


I mean - isn't that like buying a Porshe Cayenne when a Jeep Cherokee will do just fine? I guess the old standard Shure mixers aren't sexy enough...
 

dinosaur

Well-known member
Yes, most of us are doing high end ENG/EFP work and would like to have a porsche to do the job instead of a chevy. No excuses made on location is a major reason.

The FP42 is a solid mixer, but all of us who have used Shure mixers from the FP31 and FP32 on up, have seen Shure's products surpassed by other manufacturer's that listen to our wishes for features and improvements. The FP42 is not really a true ENG field mixer especially with
bottom facing the I/Os and the permanent AC cable dangling away. The FP42 is more effective as a field editing mixer or rack mounted in an RF or Sat truck. Shure's sales engineers never understood why many of us don't see the FP42 as a valid replacement for the FP33. Shure FP mixers are also notorious for dirty pot problems and a high level of self noise.

Now that some of us are recording HD at high sample rates a "quiet" mixer is a must. The Coopers, 442, Wendts & PSCs just fit our needs much better.

The newer generation 4 & 5 input mixers all have 10 pin ENG breakaway outputs in addition to
2 main XLR outs. Some have 12v outs for powering wireless units, some have more than one headphone and/or tape outs, most have more functional controls for phantom powering etc than the Shure provides. It all comes down to features, features, features or we'd all still be using the FP33s. Its worth the extra cash to have a versatile mixer that acts like a Swiss Army knife that can do whatever you need on that unforseen occasion when you need an added feature.
 
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