Sounddevices 302 vs. 442
 

I have a sound job this weekend(3 day video on Radiology...zzzzzz), so I figured it was about time I made the leap to a decent mixer.I'll be running into one of the cameras and a back up to my Edirol R-09. I ordered a SD 302 from B+h, and started playing with it. I then realized (after going back on SD's web site) that the 442 has two main features (that I would have wanted) missing from the 302.
1-4 direct outs, and
2-panning.
Also being a musician, I hate to be limited to a stereo only out put, and only hard left or right panning.. Plus Iwould have liked the option to use a mixer with an Edirol r-4, and have 4 seperate tracks.I decieded to return the 302 and bite the bullett for the 442, but realized that I had scratched the surface of the 302 (minor, but visible),pushing it into the Poratbrace bag, and that B+H wouldn't accept it as a new return.
My firend ( a local pro sound guy) told me he'd lend me his 442 if and when I needed it. I guess I could also drag my Motu traveller and laptop with Nuendo to a gig where I need multi track...
I guess that the moral of the story is - do the reasearch and make sure you know what you're getting.
Bruce S. Yarock
www.yarock.com
P.S.- There's also the option of buying a mix pre and linking with the 302. I guess that would give me 4 seperate outs.

I'll do you a favor and take that 302 off your hands... for $50 :)

Really, I don't think you would end up using any panning other than L-R-C for most circumstances. As far as the direct outs... you might want them one day, but you won't now, so upgrade later when you need to. Be happy with a cool mixer.

If you do decide to sell, I'm betting you could easily get $900-1000 for your 302, so you won't have lost too much money.

I have a 302 and love it, but if I had the money I'd much rather have a 442. The first time you're on a three camera shoot you'll wish you had those direct outs. It comes up for me fairly regularly. Also, the knobs and switches on the first channel of the 302 are kind of difficult to access. It's a tradeoff for the very small size. One other thing — the 302 limiter works well, and is transparent, but you can't really hit it too hard. I've heard that the limiter on the 442 (okay, this is just hearsay) is more forgiving. I know for certain that the limiter on the MM1 is. This isn't meant as a knock on the 302. It's a lovely mixer and will serve you well. I'm just saying, if the extra money isn't a problem, there's plenty of reasons to opt for the 442, even if you don't think you'll ever need four channels.

By the way, I don't believe you can link the the 302 to a mix pre (using the tape out on the 302). You can link the mix pre to the 302, but not the other way around unfortunately, or I'd have bought one myself for the three camera shoots I was just talking about.

Tim,
Thanks for the encouraging words.It is a great mixer, but if I hadn't scratched the 302, I would have returned it and gotten the 442.

Marco,
Are you saying that you can link the mix pre to the 302 via the tape in?
I was thinking that with the addition of the mix pre, I could two more seperate inputs and two more out puts. It would be kind of cumbersome running two mixers, but i guess it would be a possible soulution if you wanted two more direct outs ( the outs from the mix pre).
Bruce S. Yarock
www.yarock.com

MixPre Tape Out -> 302 Mix In.

MixPre main outs behave as direct outs, and the daisy chain adds two more input channels to the 302 to give its stereo output a mix of all 5 inputs.

Steve,
So if I wanted 4 direct outs, I could add a mix pre to my set up. The drawback I see to the stereo outs of the 302 is that it's either hard left or right. But at least by adding a mix pre, I'd have 4 seperate outs, correct?
Does the mux pre have the same limiyers as the 302?
Bruce S. Yarock
www.yarock.com

I haven't used the mixpre, but I don't think the limiters are software selectable. Yeah, you could get extra outputs with the setup you describe, but you'd be stuck with using the mixpre as the main mixer, which is a shame. The 302 has better meters, and as I mentioned, the limiters are software selectable.

The MixPre main outs would carry the two MixPre inputs. The 302 main out would carry a mix of the 3 302 inputs plus the 2 MixPre inputs, giving you the equivalent of a "502" mixer and if you take into account the 2 MixPre main outs as well, you could think of the end result as a "522" mixer.

Marco,
I guess I'll use my 302, ans if I need the 4 direct outs and panning, I'll borrow my friends 442 , or use my Motu traveller, compressor/lomiter and laptop.
Bruce S. Yarock
www.yarock.com