AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, AUGUST 11, 2016 — Sound Devices, LLC is pleased to announce that it will be showcasing its 688 mixer/recorder with MixAssist and Dugan automixing capabilities to an international audience at IBC 2016 (Stand 8.B59). In keeping with Sound Devices’ commitment to giving production sound mixers the tools they need to help them mix in increasingly complex production settings, the inclusion of the Dugan Speech System, along with Sound Devices’ MixAssist, makes the 688 the “go-to” automixing tool for field production applications.
“We announced the 688 with Dugan automixing at this year’s NAB and are excited to bring it to the international production community at IBC 2016,” says Jon Tatooles, Chief Business Development Officer, Sound Devices, LLC. “We added Dugan to the 688 because it’s a great option. Both the Dugan Speech System and our MixAssist algorithms have the same goal, turning off unused mics. The inclusion of Dugan automixing gives the sound mixer a choice, situation dependent, on which automixing tool best suits their application. ”
Getting a great production mix can be challenging in many field applications. Unscripted dialog, multiple characters, and wide-and-tight multi-camera coverage often require the use of wireless lavalier mics and multi-track recording. In these situations, automixers improve intelligibility, reduce noise and reverberation, and maintain consistent overall gain as microphones are turned on and off.
“Automatic mixing is going to be helpful wherever you have multiple mics,” says Dan Dugan, CEO, Dan Dugan Sound Design, Inc. “In field recording you often have many mics and automatic mixing makes it much easier for the operator. The sound you get is like one mic being handed around. I am a Sound Devices user myself, and it’s certainly my choice for field recording. I’m very pleased that Sound Devices was interested in incorporating my automixing into the 688. I think it’s a perfect match because it adds another feature to what is already a really fabulous line of products.”
Dugan automixing is widely used in broadcast television applications, in dialogue recording for TV and motion picture production, and in house of worship (HOW) applications. It also is a good choice for teleconferencing, video trucks, and theater applications with multiple wireless microphones on stage.
“We’re proud to be the first and only field production mixer that offers Dugan automixing,” adds Tatooles. “The Dugan automixer defines state-of-the-art, as it improves speech intelligibility and increased gain before feedback. The way the Dugan system works results in a very natural mix just right for on-air applications. Adding automixing from an industry powerhouse like Dan Dugan Sound Design enhances a product that’s already great.”
MixAssist from Sound Devices can be used for mixing many speech-specific applications, including reality TV productions; a variety of broadcast TV programs, such as game shows, debates, and panel discussions; wireless multi-mic dialogue recording for TV and motion picture production; sound applications for various corporate needs; HOW capture; and more.
The 688 features six high-bandwidth mic/line XLR inputs, each complete with phantom power, high-pass filter, analog input limiter and variable pan, plus six additional line-level TA3 inputs for added flexibility in complex productions. All inputs are assignable, pre- or post-fade, to eight-output buses: left/right plus Aux 1-6. The main left/right mix is available to three outputs simultaneously via transformer-balanced XLR and Hirose outputs. For recording, the 688 offers 16-track, polyphonic, or monophonic broadcast WAV and MP3 file recording to SD and CompactFlash cards. All common sampling rates are supported, including 192 kHz on up to six tracks.
Founded in 1998, Sound Devices, LLC, designs both Sound Devices audio products and Video Devices video products. Sound Devices offers portable audio mixers, digital audio recorders and related equipment for feature film, episodic television, documentary, news gathering, live-event, and acoustical test and measurement applications. Video Devices offers digital video monitors, recorders and related products that address a range of video productions, including fast-paced studio applications, live sports, and events, as well as mobile, TV, film, and documentary productions.
The Sound Devices, LLC, headquarters is located in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Additional offices are located in Madison, Wisconsin, Chicago, and Berlin. For more information, visit the Sound Devices and/or Video Devices websites: www.sounddevices.com and www.videodevices.com.
