Comparing Sound Devices 442 & Shure FP-42
Dougdances
I am doing research to buy my first mixer and am considering either a
Sound Devices 442 or a Shure FP-42. I have the cash for the Shure
mixer but would have to put the Sound Devices mixer on a credit card.
Given the difference in price could someone please tell me, in your
experience, what's the difference between these two mixers?
Thanks in advance,
Doug
Eric Toline
The difference is night and day in audio quality and flexibility. Get
the 442, there are many good used ones on here for sale between $1700-
$2000. Best long term investment you can make. You might also want to
checkout the new 552 from Soundevices with the built in CF recorder, a
bit more but depending on your potential needs might be the best way
to go.
Eric
glen
There will be a lot of these available on the used market
soon as folks upgrade to the 552.
Charles Tomaras
"Dougdances" <dougd...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:4905ebe6-a12b-4a72...@e18g2000vbe.googlegroups.com...
Really not much of a comparison. Buy a used SD 442. Better EVERYTHING.
Better preamps, better headphone amp, better metering, more output
capabilities including multiple stereo outputs, mono mic output, direct
outputs. The 442 has been the "Swiss army knife" of field audio for many
years.
Philip Perkins
I had an FP42 back in the day, heavily modified it for location and
over the shoulder work and used it daily for 3-4 years.
You've been advised above to look for a used 442--which I agree with,
and here is why:
--the FP42 is a very solid, relatively simple mixer, but it was
designed for table top or rack mount use. In order to make it
location friendly, I had to attach strap brads to the sides, remove
the AC power supply, have an engineer wire a DC input,
a tape return with a selector switch (the mixer has NO tape return
stock) and add a multipin connector for a video camera snake.
There were other mods as well. Only then was it really usable for
location video audio--goofy I know but in those days Sound Devices was
just a gleam in Jon Tatooles' eye. One can accomplish this kind of
thing with an FP42 with outboard boxes as well (we did this with Shure
M267 and M67 mixers earlier) but it is a kludge.
--the FP42 is from the design era at Shure that made mixers that were
pretty hard to overload, but were kind of low-fi and noisy.
The founders of Sound Devices used to work at Shure, helped design the
FP32a and F33 (huge leaps in quality from the old stuff)
and then decamped with the design of the FP22, which became the
MixPre.
Mixers like the 442 (and 302) are very well built, hold their value,
and more importantly continue to work well for years and years--if you
intend to work in this business for a good while then a mixer like the
442 is a very good investment--it will help you on every job you do.
Philip Perkins
Nic Stage
> the 442, there are many good used ones on here for sale between $1700-
> $2000. Best long term investment you can make. You might also want to
> checkout the new 552 from Soundevices with the built in CF recorder, a
> bit more but depending on your potential needs might be the best way
> to go.
SD card, not CF card. :)
Nic Stage
Sound Devices, LLC
608-524-0625 ext. 238
Jon Tatooles
FP22, FP51, M267, and a number of other noise generators. The dynamic
range and noise improvement of the FP32A/FP33 (same basic circuit
between those two mixers) vs the FP32/FP42 was huge! The change to a
dual-stage input gain on the later Shure mixers made a huge difference.
I still see many of the older Shure mixers in use in all kinds of
places. The FP51 is still loved by many because of its 40 dB+ of gated
ducking (think, "HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!!!!!"). They still work, and can
be reasonably quiet if hit with a Mack truckload of signal level, like
someone screaming "HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!!!" into an SM58 from 1 mm...
Jon Tatooles
Sound Devices, LLC
Dougdances
Thanks Philip,...
I understand the new 552 is a recorder. If I were to buy a 442 do you
think it essential that I were to buy a recording device for it, and
if so do you have any recommendations?
Doug
Eric Toline
It's still a card. You're lucky I didn't say a cassette or 8 track
tape.
Eric
cmassey
output mixer with a recorder built in. That recorder is there for
essentially backup, transcription, but not a full featured recorder by
any means. What you get in the mixer alone would be worth the extra
money over a 552! If you think your future includes recording two
track on a SD card, with no TC output for jamming, TC in only, then
the 552 is the ONLY way to go. Less wires, less weight, less
hassles. And that is what it is all about.
cleve
Douglas Tourtelot
Jon Tatooles
would have been an RE15 in the booth.
Jon
Nic Stage
> think it essential that I were to buy a recording device for it, and
> if so do you have any recommendations?
>
> Doug
It really depends on your application. While you didn't state that you
were specifically looking for a 7-Series recorder, you might find our
recent tech note illuminating:
http://www.sounddevices.com/notes/general/552-or-7-series/
Nic Stage,
Sound Devices, LLC
608-524-5668
Philip Perkins
> I respectfully disagree. If you are going the Buchanan Hammer route, it
> would have been an RE15 in the booth.
>
> Jon
>
>
>
> Douglas Tourtelot wrote:
> > RE635, Jon.
>
> > D.
>
> > Tatooles" <j...@nospam.sounddevices.com> wrote:
>
> >> Back in the day, I had the pleasure of discontinuing the FP32, FP42,
> >> FP22, FP51, M267, and a number of other noise generators. The dynamic
> >> range and noise improvement of the FP32A/FP33 (same basic circuit
> >> between those two mixers) vs the FP32/FP42 was huge! The change to a
> >> dual-stage input gain on the later Shure mixers made a huge difference.
>
> >> I still see many of the older Shure mixers in use in all kinds of
> >> places. The FP51 is still loved by many because of its 40 dB+ of gated
> >> ducking (think, "HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!!!!!"). They still work, and can
> >> be reasonably quiet if hit with a Mack truckload of signal level, like
> >> someone screaming "HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!!!" into an SM58 from 1 mm...
>
> >> Jon Tatooles
> >> Sound Devices, LLC
Nah--the RE15 actually has to be aimed. The 635 can be talked at from
any direction
(like while you are hammering that nail).
Philip Perkins
Douglas Tourtelot
the earphone out of your Wollensak cassette recorder and use them as an
earphone. MUCH less versatile. Try that with your Royer ribbon!
D.
BTW, I have a mint RE635 in my kit; mostly gets used by the props
department.
On 10/20/09 1:39 PM, in article MemdnZYxgPG...@giganews.com, "Jon
Martin Harrington
ffc5ea63-8c3c-4047...@o13g2000vbl.googlegroups.com,
"Dougdances" <dougd...@gmail.com> wrote:
Well, actually, the 552 is a 5 channel mixer with a recorder function, not a
recorder with 5 inputs.
Martin H