Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

This is a great little mixer. It's compact size in no way leaves out the important parts of an EFP mixer. I've used this mixer on an indie feature the other day and it produced excelent sound with almost no noise or hum. It can send your mics phantom power and the batteries can be alkaline or lithium. I'd say it's the tool to do the job right.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

This is a great, small, and simple to use product.
If you want better quality audio and still be compact. This is the piece for you.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

I worked on several projects previously using Sound device mixers. The 4 channel mixer is much better than the 302, but if compared with the price and size and the if you need more channels. 302 will be more than enough for documentaries.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

A little history first. I first encountered this product while taking a film class at a local community college. And when I went to research it to see if the equipment the college was using was decent, I was surprised that it was better. As a class we all had a chance to use it and learn the basics. And I was impressed by all it could do I started saving money for it, it took about a year to finally muster up the cash to pay for one. I usually record my churches preachings and some special events via a small HD camcorder and the way I'm going to use it is by connecting it to the main mixer and being able to control my audio volume and monitoring it without having to disturb the audio guys. One thing that I found intriguing was that the RTN input can become an extra 4/5 channel with left side/right side or both to choose from, for those auxiliary/mp3/line-in devices. This can be setup thru the menu which isn't too hard to do, it takes a few minutes to figure out. There's a few minor nuances like hard to reach switches, battery life, which is expected in a portable power house mixer, but nothing big enough that would make this product not worth buying.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

Great mixer with great features.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

I produce & direct documentaries - typically with small crews. This mixer gives incredibly clean sound, and makes even a one-microphone setup sound better than feeding audio direct to the camera. Really elevates the work.

Uses AA batteries, but goes through them in a hurry. Switching to a block battery in the future.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

Over the years, bad audio has caused me more problems than bad video. For the small crew, audio's always an afterthought and unless you have a dedicated audio guy, nobody really cares…until it's too late. "Why didn't I have enough level? Where'd that hum come from? Whatdaya mean you only got camera mic audio? I didn't realize he was overdriving so badly!"

When it came time to buy a personal mixer, at first I didn't want to spend the big bucks. Then I realized that our Shure FP-33s at work (which are beginning to show their design age) have outlasted every camera we have ever had, and will outlast every future camera we will ever own. The reason is simple: good pro audio gear will always deliver the audio you need and give you the tools you need to set levels properly, monitor both the mixer and the camera and provide seamless limiting to avoid overdriving. A piece of cut-rate equipment will eventually let you down, if not in performance, then features. There will come a time when you will want to do something your less expensive mixer simply can't do.

When I realized how long I will use a mixer and how I may want to "grow" into the mixer's features, it was a lot easier to drop the bucks on a pro mixer. For the kind of production I do (one camera with one, maybe two, mics, doing lots of high-pressure executive interviews) this purchase will be my last field mixer…unless I need to support something that needs more than three inputs.

So, which one to buy? Time and again, the reviews on every lower priced mixer I looked at said, "It's okay, but it's no Sound Devices." So I looked at the 302.

Its design (especially the really-flexible LED-VU meter) inspires confidence. It's built like a rigid aluminum brick that is surprising small and light for all its capabilities. Its switch and button layout are just right.

The 302 has warning LEDs for every important parameter:

- Overloading the input trim? An LED lights.

- Bumping up against the limiter? An LED lights (for each channel).

- Did you use the manually adjustable output to change the output level to something other than Line Out? An LED lights right next to the output XLR connectors telling you "YOU'RE NOT SENDING LINE OUT!"

- Are you overloading the headphone monitoring because the camera's monitoring volume is too high? A HP-overload LED lights.

- Did you leave the unit on? An LED lights to remind you you're killing the batteries.

- Batteries getting low? The LED blinks—and you can pick which voltage that LED blinks, based on what kind of battery is powering it.

- Want to use external power? Get a Hirose HR10-7P-4P click-lock connector and whatever kind of battery you want to attach to it between 5-18 VDC.

- Want to check voltage for both internal and external power sources? Press the BATT button and the VU meter becomes a Volt meter.

- The LED VU meter has four brightness levels from "dim" to "dazzling" for viewing in broad daylight. Believe me, you will see the VU meter no matter what light you're working in.

And talk about flexibility: there are eighteen arcane parameters (more if you count sub-levels of adjustment within each of those parameters) that can be adjusted via the Setup Menu. Things like "Split-Ear Monitor." (This sums the Return from the camera into the left ear and the 302's R program to the right ear, should you want to set the mixer up for this.) Download the manual from SD to read about them all.

But this flexibility comes at a cost: it's a bit confusing to make all these adjustments using only the LEDs of the VU meter and three buttons. You have to study the manual, have it next to you, and experiment a lot before you become comfortable making these adjustments. Fortunately, there is a Default Restore setting that can restore 1) User Default; 2) Factory Default; or 3) Custom Default. It would be better if there was an LCD screen that showed you these parameters in English, but that's a different machine.

The Headphone Monitor selector switch has an amazing eleven positions for monitoring, plus the aforementioned Split-Ear monitoring (that sets up in firmware). At the twist of a knob, you can hear what the camera's getting or hear what the mixer is sending, listen to each mic individually or hear M/S stereo if you're recording that way.

A key accessory for any pro mixer is a "Breakaway cable" that runs from the mixer to the camera and also sends the camera's headphone monitor return back to the mixer. You can accomplish the same thing with two mic cables and a stereo mini cable, but they tangle easily. This breakaway cable is built of Canare model MR202-4AT cable that has four individual shielded mic cables inside its flexible outer sheath. Only three of the four shielded inner cables are used: two have male and female XLR connectors and one has two male stereo mini plugs on it. The XLRs feed the Line Out from the mixer to the camera's Line In and the mini stereo feeds the camera's Headphone Out back to the Return In on the mixer. The official Canare Breakaway cable sold at B&H is pretty expensive, but that's because it has an additional multi-pin connector in the middle, about three feet from the camera end of the cable, that lets you rapidly "break" the cable from the camera without unplugging the two XLR and mini connectors. This allows the cameraman to run to the next location in a hurry if necessary. When the audio guy catches up, he just snaps the cable back together and you're back in business. The cable is only 15 feet long, though…fine if you're both on your feet, but a little short in my opinion for some location shooting. I built one from bulk MR202-4AT cable and Neutrik connectors that's about 18'-20' long that doesn't have the breakaway connector. It works great.

The tone generator outputs 1K at 0dB for setting up the camera's input properly, while simultaneously muting the mic inputs. (I usually set the camera to -20dB so there's plenty of headroom.) Now I know that if I hit 0 on the 302's meter, I have 20dB more headroom on the camera and if I overdrive the VU on the 302 a bit, the camera won't go into distortion. But even if a loud transient comes, the 302's input and output limiters come to the rescue smoothly and seamlessly. No more crackling audio. Output limiter thresholds are manually adjustable between +4 and +20 dB in 1dB steps, if desired. Input limiters are normally active, but can be defeated if desired. Again, you'll need to read and understand the manual, then figure what the blinking setup LEDs mean before you do this.

The other position of the Tone switch activates a built-in slate mic so you can verbally slate the take.

There are bass roll-off switch settings for each input at 80 and 160 Hz to attenuate air conditioning and other low frequencies before they cause trouble.

Each mic can be hard-switch-panned Left, Center or Right. No pan pot.

Three different phantom powering switch positions are available: "DYN" (0) for dynamic mics that don't need power; "PH" for normal phantom powering (12 or 48VDC switchable); "T" for mics like our old Sennheiser shotguns that need T-type power. (This is great: no need to haul the clumsy Sennheiser T-power supply around and worry about its battery life.)

The 302 updates the Shure FP33's classic design. The FP33 is simply from an analog past while the 302 is geared to today's digital recording world. For instance, the 302's meter ballistics are adjustable: Peak; VU; Peak+VU; Peak-Hold+VU. The LEDs can respond instantaneously as Peak or more averaged VU.

User friendly touches abound: you see that battery tube sticking out the right side where the three internal AA cells go? You'd think that would get in the way, but it's just the opposite. The tube sticks out about as far as an XLR plug when a mic cable is plugged in. So when you need to change batteries, the screw-off tube cover is right there, easy to find and grasp. The cap has a chain so you can't lose it. The tube is sealed so even if the cells leak, they won't corrode the innards. Compare that to the FP-33 that has a battery compartment on top that you can't get to when it's in its case; and that the FP33 also takes two 9 Volt cells, which are a pain to stock compared to the much more common AA cells.

About the only con is that it only has a mini-stereo output for headphones and it comes out the left side. I bought a small right angle mini-stereo male-female elbow so the headphone connection is accessible from the front. It does come with a mini to ¼" adapter that also solves this "problem."

Overall, I love this mixer. It's super quiet, delivers excellent gain, the pots are absolutely noiseless and smooth, yet stiff enough not to be moved accidentally, and I always know what it's doing and its battery state. It has singlehandedly reduced the pressure on me during high stress executive interviews and always brings home good audio.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

Our department has a couple of Shure FP33 3-channel field mixers that have served us well for years and years. When it came time to buy the mixer that I would use, I looked at a bunch of lower priced and lowered featured mixers. Parting with the big bucks for a really top notch pro unit like the 302 seemed so extravgant, but every time I read the reviews they said, "Mixer X is a good unit, but it's no Sound Devices 302."

Then I looked at the Shure FP33's and realized they had outlived every camera our department's used in the last twenty years and were still going strong even though their design is beginning to show some age. Cameras come and go, but good audio is simply good audio. You plug the best mic you can into the best mixer you can afford and it will deliver clean, quiet professional audio year after year with very high confidence.

So I got the 302 and can't be more pleased. If you're handling a room full of radio mics, this is too small, but most of my shoots have only one person talking, maybe two or three max.

The key to a great setup is the Canare breakaway cable that sends the mix to the camera and allows you to monitor the return from the camera's headphone out. That single cable (that's really two mic cables and a mini-stereo return in a single sheath) allows a clean tangle-free path to the camera and fast setup.

The mixer itself is a marvel of engineering. It's built like a brick, the pots are smooth and quiet, the line output can be padded down to whatever output you want. Internal and external power are totally flexible with user-settable warning voltages that cause an LED to blink when the batteries fade. There's also an LED that's on whenever the power switch is on, so you don't kill your batteries because you forgot to turn it off when you're done. This sounds insignificant, but losing power in the middle of a shoot is a sure way to failure.

The 302 sets up so fast and reliably that I never leave it behind unless I'm by myself and handholding. It's really quiet and puts out a consistent signal that's always right. It has excellent limiters so I don't overdrive the digital inputs that are so unforgiving if driven to distortion.

I could go on and on, but this I know: I will be using this mixer with whatever camera I will be using far into the future, regardless of that camera's cost, format or complexity. It'll still have an XLR-in and be looking for a first class audio signal. The 302 will be able to do the job..

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

Great, compact mixer. I shoot documentaries and find it invaluable.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

I work full time as a freelance location mixer having been an A1 or A2 on shows airing on every broadcast and cable network. I tend to work four to five days each week and for six years now the 302 has been my go to mixer providing many many hours of reliable clean sound day after day and year after year. It's been with me in many countries around the world and through many challenging sound environments from Katrina in New Orleans (and 12 other storms before and after) to the high Swiss alpen to the dessert expanses. It's provided sound for many network live shots and fortune 500 CEOs in sit down interviews. There's only one SD302 and for me it's my first choice for size and weight when I don't need four or five channels from my 552 or 442. The cost is fair for the quality you'll get and the years of confident service it will provide. Your reputation depends on it and the 302 delivers.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

Using it for field audio for video going into an HVX-200.
Sound is great, just a little tough to get it set up at first and controls for the menu are not that intuative. But is a great product for the price.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

Great little mixer, very clean audio & easy to see meters. Our primary use is for on-location, broadcast video production.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

There are quite a few audio mixers out there. All have some pros and cons. I have used many of them from time to time and all of them "work," but I have always found that you generally get what you pay for - so if you can live with any given feature set of a mixer, and cost is the concern, then this might not be for you. I used to think that I could get away with not having three channels, or no return audio from the camera to monitor, etc. But in the end, it is worth saving up the money until you can get a mixer of this caliber. It can do many things, and be programmed to do even more. It is built like a tank. Its small, and has extremely quiet preamps for the microphone inputs. Although other mixers might be okay, I simply got tired of always sacrificing in some area and then wishing "if I only had this..." This mixer is one of the best in the industry, and the performance from it proves it. Cameras and video formats come and go, but this mixer will last many years and be the centerpiece fo a strong field audio package.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

I have been testing this unit vigorously and it is superb, the sound quality and the many configurations it has will make you use this unit again and again, albeit a bit pricey you will find it that you will not have to upgrade any time soon or if you projects grow and more inputs are needed then another can be linked, the combination of the materials and the size makes this unit low-key but versatile, Please read the manual before operating, it will make your life easier and it will give a jist of what this unit can do, Line level, mic level, etc no problem! 12-48 phantom power, I use a NP-1 battery linked to a BDS v3 power distribution box and the battery life is outrageously long, I've been testing it for three weeks now and the battery is at 60% providing phantom power to an AT897. For those that are on a tight budget I recommend it anyway since its a unit that will take your project to pro level in a flash, I can relate to how the price was three times more than the hours but I believe it is a crucial instrument if you want to have the best audio you make. Practice is needed to now where the functions are and maybe a stylus is you have big fingers, the function buttons are small-slide switches and for big fingers it could be an issue. Four styles of metering will give you plenty of info, Midside stereo capable and linkable to other similar units makes this instrument upgrade-ready, worth the xtra money, monitor the channels and the camera and other outputs with plenty of headphone volume, record up to three units at the same time, I output to 2 ss recorders and the camera or record straight to the computer if needed, I'm satisfied.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

Having used the 302 for the first time for a feature film I was astounded by the quality and the recorded results.
The pre-gains are a great addition - compared to the discontinued Shure FP-33 - and permit easy level setting.
Clean sound, good outputs, and more features than similar models.

Three gripes (see cons):
1) The faders do not "close" cleanly, i.e. at the end of a fade-out it goes "phffftt" with the sound breaking off suddenly at about -45 to -50 dB.
2) Activating the battery meter is erratic: pressing the button produces, mostly not, a reading, or not. I've tried pressing it quickly, holding it, tapping it, swearing at it, mostly to no avail. The manual isn't helpful either.
3) Now the 3.5mm phone jacks seem to become popular. They are junk! Where are the days of the 1/4" professional headphone plugs? Or are we all going down the i-Pod way/drain?
BTW: It's little brother - the 2-channel Mixpre - comes with a decent headphone socket.
I am amazed by the long battery life (2 days shooting) even with one or two phantom channels on all the time.

Overall recommendable, if they fix the bugs.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

No complaints with this unit. I have used it in overseas documentaries in a variety of environments. This mixer works well and sounds great.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

It works very well...Specially for any event...parties.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

All I can say, is I tried the PSC DV Promix 3 just to see if I could forgo the expenditure and still get quality.

I really can't see what the others see in that mixer to give it such a high rating. The quality is mediocre at best and personally, I think you might be better without a mixer if you are looking to save money.

Compared the the 302, the PSC DV Promix had lots of noise, cheap feeling controls, and, umm, lots of noise.. You don't have to be a professional to recognize the difference.

If you are like me, and you want at least three inputs, the ability to mix phantom and dynamic mics and the other basic features you'd expect to find in a field mixer, then save your money and get the 302.

If you care about your finished product, and you believe sound is an integral part of your work, then you have to buy this mixer.

If you are really on a budget, then opt for the SD Mixpre which only offers two channels and half the price. I am pretty confident the sound quality will be comparable.

Forget the other brands at the lower price points.

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

This thing has every audio feature I've ever needed on location, and it sounds great. Possibly built by aliens - can't say, but it's great nonetheless!

Comments about Sound Devices 302 Portable 3 Channel Field Mixer:

I've used this mixer on many gigs and it's never failed me. It's built like a tank, which gives a lot of confidence (unlike the semi-plastic cheaper ones you see). Used well it should last decades (hey... amortize THAT!).
Not crazy about the weird way of changing internal settings (via the LED light codes).

This unit is quiet, solid, and reliable. You'll be glad you spent the extra for it when the shot is really critical.

Like my grandpa always said: buy once, cry once.