Budget portable mixer
 

I've been looking at four budget portable mixers - does anyone have any advice on which is best:

Azden FMX-32 3 channel mixer
Rolls MX-422 4 channel mixer
Sign Video ENG-44 4-Channel Mixer
Shure M367 6-Input Portable Mixer With Limiter/VU Meter

I don't know a great deal about field mixers I'm afraid - it'll be used primarily with 2 x Sennheisser wireless lavs a wireless handhel reporter mic and a Rode NTG-1 shotgun.

thanks

We recently bought an ENG-44 and have had excellent results using shotgun and lav mics.

We purchased from Fred Ginsberg of Equipment Emporium in California - the man who wrote the book for the Nagra - and who had considerable input in the design of the ENG-44 (as I recall).

Anyway, you should get some good info from their website, which is extremely informative about many things sound.

Fortunately we had a sound operator who knows her stuff (happens to be an Aussie by the way - now living in NZ - but came to the States to show us a thing or two.

The main thing is - practice practice practice before you do the shoot:-)

http://equipmentemporium.com/

Best.

Michael Knight

Oh yeah...and read the instructions:-)

First, I'd strike the Shure M367 off the list - it's excellent, but not really a field mixer. It's small enough, but would work best on a table, not hanging on your shoulder. They have field mixers, but more costly than your other choices.

Don't know much about rolls & azden - I know there have been some reviews here recently, look for them.

There's some great info on the SignVideo ENG-44 here http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=73051

I'm happy with the Rolls
 

I got the Rolls MX422 about 3 weeks ago and I'm very happy with the results.

I'm also using two Sennheisser wireless lavs, a wireless handhel mic and a Sennheisser ME66 shotgun with a wireless adaptor..

Thus far I have no complaints.

With the ENG-44, can you set that up any way
you'd like, such 3 inputs into 1 output, with
the 4th input going straight through to
output #2? Or set it up with 2 inputs
into each output? What I'm wondering
is if you can configure it however you'd like?

How does the gain work on that ENG-44?
Is it per input channel? Of is the
gain on each output? How much gain
is available?

What's the next step up in price above these models
listed by the original poster? Sound Devices?

Does that Shure even offer preamp gain?

Sound Devices MixPre... then the 302? the 302 is a pretty good mixer.

I believe the Shure M367 has mic/line switches - that's it for preamp gain.

Correct. Each of the six XLR inputs are switchable to mic or line. Mixer also has phantom power. They are great mixers, but I agree with another comment above that they are not the best for film or video. Shure makes other models just for that application. I do use mine to mix audio into my FX1 when doing event recording at hotels and have be very happy with the results.

The more I see about the ENG-44 the better
value it looks.

I recently got the Rolls 422. It works great with my Rode NTG2 and NT3 mikes.

Stephen H

ENG Mixer
 

I just finished a week of shooting a documentary in NY with the ENG-44...worked flawlessly, the audio was excellent....read the thread Seth posted for my previous review, but I think its a good purchase.

eng-44, light, easy to use.

How's the preamp hiss?

I didn't hear any.

Ty

Mixer (ENG-44)
 

I didnt hear any hiss at all coming out of this mixer.....I have recorded a total of maybe 21-22 hours with this unit (mostly dialogue) since I got it about 3 weeks ago and all of the audio was outstanding.