Info on BeachTek Website for new adapter
 

What's the price going to be, Bryan? It looks like a nice unit.

$399 US list

Are you getting one? How much better is it than the one you already have?

I have a Sound Devices 302 mixer, which is a whole lot better than this unit. One thing that my 302 doesn't have is this degree of portability though. This attaches to the bottom of any camera.

Carlos has a similar unit that is available for the same money. I posted a link to that one earlier in the week. Carlos is a gentleman, in that he doesn't use this site to push his wares. If you ask him, i'm sure he would give us a blurb on his product. Rumor has it that he would also offer a discount to Forum members. He already offers a healthy discount to students and teachers.

If you're comparing it to a basic beachteck (which i still have) it's a whole new ball game. With preamps, limiters and phantom you can use pretty well any mic with better results. The preamps in this rig are most likley head and shoulders above those in a consumer / prosumer video camera.

Thanks, Bryan. I had no idea Carlos had mixers for sale. I'll look for that thread.

Is this the thread? http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=18872

This product has mic level outputs, I assume. And the gain adjustment is +/- 12 dB. This seems pretty limiting. The gain range is really 0-12 dB. The sensitivity of dynamic and condenser mics is wider than that. Also, if you wanted to plug a line level device into the XLR inputs (like the output of a wireless receiver or a field mixer) there isn't enough attenuation to reduce the line-level to mic voltages. With the other Beachteks, like my DXA-6, there's 50dB of pad to run line levels into the mic level cam inputs.

Am I missing something?

Dan , i see your point, a dynamic can be at -55db while a hot condenser can be as high as -30 db. Harry Kaufman is no fool and talks to Jay Rose and others to get a better feel for the market. There is a notice on the site that specs are forthcoming ASAP. Harry did say that the output was -35db.

Call him and ask how this unit will handle a line level input. Bear in mind that in some instances I have to pad the output of my $1100 Sound Devices unit. There is no such thing as a unit that will do everything. Pads are cheap.

I meant no criticism, just a newbie curiousity question based on my limited studying and thinking about "good" audio into MinDV cams. I agree that the Beachtec DXA-6 is a fine product and fills a real need out here (at least it does for me). If Beachtec thinks there is a market for this new product, I believe them. I'll be interested in reading the specs.

On the other hand, my next cam will have dual XLR inputs with 48v, line level inputs, and plenty of selection, gain and control options.

Dan, Don't appologize, you were right to mention that. I kinda thought it but said , "nah" they must've meant somthing else. I certainly hope they meant something else.

It's interesting that the photo on their website shows the DXA-8 attached to a PDX-10. The PDX-10 has its own XLR block with phantom power, although it isn't on the camera in this picture. It connects through the hotshoe which presumably offers some advantages to using the miniplug. PDX-10 owners are an unlikely market for this product since its audio is already highly regarded; I wonder why they don't show it on a VX-2100?

Perhaps the VX2100 isn't available in Canada yet? (Always answer a question with a question, which leads to more questions.)

:-))

It's available in Toronto at the store where I bought my GL2 this week...

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : Perhaps the VX2100 isn't available in Canada yet? (Always answer a question with a question, which leads to more questions.)

:-)) -->>>

Rainer
Welcome to the group, I'm up the highway another 20 minutes.

Harry was in a hurry to get something on the web site. I don't think it matters what camera it's on.

Where did you buy from, Vistek, Dvshop , Merkle or Henry's. That's pretty well all we have here.

Henry's. I checked Vistek, Merkle, and Henry's. Henry's had GL2's on sale until Dec 31...

Their website shows them having VX2100's in stock in their Toronto store.