Legendary audio pro kit makers Sound Devices announced their brand new MixPre-3M and MixPre-6M multitrack audio recorders with built-in USB audio interface designed specifically for musicians. Video professionals and sound pros are already familiar with the MixPre-3 and MixPre-6 recorders; now the M variants share a similar, ultra-portable MixPre series stance and can record up to 12-tracks of studio-grade audio (up to 96kHz/24-bit), while at the same time integrating key features like overdub, track laying, punch in/out, bounce, reverb, vocal air, and metronome.
Available now for $549 and $799, the MixPre-3M and MixPre-6M are the newest members of the versatile MixPre M-Series for music creators and performers. Much like the existing MixPre series, the new M-Series feature Sound Devices’ world-class Kashmir mic preamps and ultra-low-noise A-to-D architecture — offering the tone and warmth of analog recordings desired by all musicians and audiophiles.
The M-Series can also stream multiple channels of audio via USB to a computer, which is ideal for music composers working with a DAW.
The Mix-Pre M-Series have been precisely engineered to offer extreme flexibility and premiere sound quality for musicians, while setting a new standard for what’s possible from an audio recorder.
Here are a few ways you can use the MixPre M series recorders:
- Track-laying and overdubbing a multi-layered song without a DAW
- Premium-quality USB audio interface for any DAW
- Streamlined tracking-to-editing workflow in a DAW
- Mixing and recording small ensemble live performance
- Playback of multichannel pre-recorded backing tracks
- Recording live events, concerts, and band rehearsals
MixPre-3M Highlights
- 12-track recorder, up to 3 tracks at once
- 3 x Kashmir mic preamps with analog limiters
- High-performance USB audio interface (5-in/2-out)
- 3 XLR inputs and a 3.5mm Aux in connector
- Ideal for singer/songwriters
- Records up to 24-Bit/96 kHz
- Records to SD/SDHC/SDXC
- Record to or Mix on Device or Computers
- 48V Phantom & Plug-In Power
- 3.5mm Headphone & Unbalanced Outputs
- User-Programmable Setups
- Pan, Gain, Fader, Limiters & FX
- Battery Sled & USB-C PSU Included
- Price: $549 (B&H)
MixPre-6M Highlights
- 12-track recorder, up to 6 tracks at once
- 4 x Kashmir mic preamps with analog limiters
- High-performance USB audio interface (8-in/4-out)
- 4 XLR/TRS inputs and a 2-ch 3.5mm Aux/Mic in connector
- Ideal for songwriter/band member
- Records up to 24-Bit/96 kHz
- Records to SD/SDHC/SDXC
- Record to or Mix on Device or Computers
- 48V Phantom & Plug-In Power
- 3.5mm Headphone & Unbalanced Outputs
- User-Programmable Setups
- Pan, Gain, Fader, Limiters, Phase & FX
- Battery Sled & USB-C PSU Included
- Price: $799 at B&H
The M-Series’ musician-friendly, touch-screen interface lets musicians quickly get vocal melodies, instrumental hooks, and rhythms down. Use the built-in reverb and vocal air effects to easily add character to the sound of instruments and vocals.
The bounce feature can be used to free up tracks to allow the layering of more instruments or for rendering in effects. After laying and overdubbing tracks, musicians can mix their song using dedicated knobs to control levels, pans, solos, and mutes. Render recordings for uploading to website/social media, sharing with band members or exporting to a DAW for further production.
You can connect instruments and/or mics easily via the XLR/TRS inputs or the Aux in connector. Any of the physical inputs, including USB, can be conveniently routed to any track, eliminating the need to plug and re-plug inputs just to record to a different track. The built-in metronome can also be selected as an input, so users can record its click to a discrete track.
If you are an existing MixPre-3, MixPre-6 and MixPre-10T owner, Sound Devices has also released a Musician Plugin, which is priced at $99 giving all the musician-inspired features of the M-Series, including overdub, punch in/out, track laying, bounce, reverb, vocal air, and metronome into your existing MixPre-3/6/10 device.
The plugin can be purchased from Sound Devices’ new online store – store.sounddevices.com.
Sound Devices also recently released MixPre Series Firmware v2.21, which brings new features to the MixPre series pre-amps and recorders.
Firmware 2.21 for the MixPre Series includes:
New Features for MixPre-3/6/10:
- Increased maximum number of cue markers to 99 per file for Audio Projects and 99 per song for Music Projects.
- Cue Marker Names are now readable by compatible DAWs e.g. Adobe Audition, Reaper.
Fixed issues:
For all models:
- Windows 7 and 8 were not able to import or read MixPre .wav audio files.
- Wave file header was not always being updated for file splits.
Head over to Sound Devices’ support page to download the free firmware update.
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