Azden FMX-DSLR Users Guide

FMX-DSLR

2-Channel Portable Audio Mixer

Thank you for purchasing an Azden product.

Please read this manual thoroughly before using this
product.

Introducon

The Azden FMX-DSLR is a 2-channel portable mixer with built-in preampliers that will enable you to aach external micro-

phones and other audio gear to any DSLR camera with a built-in mic jack.

The FMX-DLSR uses exceponally low noise, wide bandwidth preampliers for superb audio. It allows you to connect a wide

variety of audio devices including wireless systems, sound boards and professional condenser microphones that require 48V

phantom power to operate.

The FMX-DSLR is equipped with the AGC On/O switch that will allow you to control the wild swings of the Auto Gain Control

(AGC) that plague most cameras. With the switch in o posion, it will reduce noise during quiet moments of recording.

The mixer mounts to the boom of the camera and can also be mounted to any standard tripod.

Before You Begin

1. These instrucons refer to the use of this mixer with the DSLR cameras unless otherwise noted.

2. Always perform a few test recordings and check playback on the camera to be sure that the audio is captured as expected.

Since there is no headphone jack on most cameras, you cannot monitor what is being recorded by the camera.

3. Please read and understand the use of the AGC On/O feature before using this funcon.

Setup Guide

1) Install 4 “AA” baeries in the mixer (not included).

2) Mount the FMX-DLSR to the camera using the CAMERA MOUNTING BOLT (○20). Line up the mounng bolt on top of the

mixer to the tripod hole on the underside of the camera. Carefully turn the mounng bolt clockwise using a coin from the

boom panel of the mixer. Make sure the mixer is mounted squarely to the camera. Do not over ghten.

3) Connect the supplied mini-to-mini cable from the OUTPUT jack on the mixer (○15) to the MIC input jack on the camera. If

the MIC input jack on the camera is not 3.5mm mini-plug jack, source an appropriate cable that will allow the connecon.

4) Set the MIC 1/LINE/MIC 2 SELECTOR (○5) to either MIC 1 (XLR) or MIC 2 (mini plug) when connecng microphones or most

wireless receivers, or to LINE when taking a line level feed.

5) Connect audio sources to the mixer.

6) Set the MONITOR SELECTOR (○8) to OUTPUT to monitor the audio from the microphones during recording.

7) Set the GAIN switch(es) (○6) to your preference. HI is the normal seng for most microphones. If you are using very sen-

sive condenser type microphones or recording very loud sounds, you may have to set the GAIN switch to LOW to prevent

distoron.

Mode Seng Maximum Input Level Maximum Gain Input Impedance

LINE/AUX LOW +22dBu -22dB 19kΩ/10kΩ

LINE/AUX HI +6dBu -6dB 19kΩ/10kΩ

MIC 1/MIC 2 LOW 0dBu 0dB 2kΩ/2kΩ

MIC 1/MIC2 HI -16dBu +16dB 2kΩ/2kΩ

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8) Set the OUTPUT switch (○7) to MONO when using one microphone. Set the unused channel level control (○3) fully clock-

wise to disable it to prevent noise. When using two microphones, you should normally set the switch to ST for stereo to

keep each channel separated.

9) Acvate the 48V phantom power (○19) for only those microphones that require phantom power to operate. WARNING: Do

not acvate phantom power for dynamic microphones, condenser microphones that do not operate on phantom power,

wireless receivers, mixing boards or any unbalanced device as it may cause damage to both the mixer and connecng de-

vice.

10) Leave the AGC switch (○18) in ON posion for now. Before turning the switch to OFF posion to disable AGC, please read

“Using the AGC ON/OFF feature” in this manual for a detailed explanaon on how this feature works.

11) Turn the POWER switch (○1) on. The power LED (○2) should light green.

12) Adjust the input level control (○3) for each channel so that the output peak LED’s (○4) stay green. Decrease the levels if

they turn red.

13) Plug your headphones into the PHONES jack (○16) on the mixer and adjust the MONITOR level control (○9) to a comfortable

level. Be sure that you hear audio on both channels from the connected devices.

14) Do a test recording and playback to ensure that the captured audio is sasfactory.

15) To monitor the audio from the camera during playback, connect an AV cable with RCA plugs (not included but most likely

came with the camera) to the corresponding RTN (Return) input jack (○14) on the mixer. Aach the other end to the AV out­put of the camera. Set the MONITOR selector (○8) to RTN and you will hear the sounds from the camera from the PHONES

output.

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FRONT PANEL

MIC 1/LINE/MIC 2

Selectors

GAIN LOW/HI Switches

OUTPUT Mode Selector

Monitor Selector

POWER indicator

LEFT-SIDE PANEL

RTN Input Jacks

BOTTOM PANEL

Input Level
Controls

AUX (R) Input

Jack

PHONES Jack

PHANTOM

Switches

Output Peak LED

MIC 2 Input
Jack

OUTPUT Jack

POWER Switch

MONITOR Level
Control

Camera Mounng Screw

Ch-R XLR Input

Ch-L XLR Input

AGC Switch

Baery Compartment

Threaded Hole
for Tripod

Camera Mounng
Bolt

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○1 POWER Switch

○2 POWER Indicator LED: Green indicates power on and good baery condion. Red indicates low baery voltage.

○3 Ch-L, Ch-R Input Volume Level Controls

○4 Output Peak Indicator LED: When the output volume level is too high and the sound is distorted, the LED will light in RED.
Reduce the volume level by turning the Input Volume Level Controls ○3 counterclockwise.

○5 MIC 1/LINE/MIC 2 Selectors: Selects microphone or line level input on each channel.

○6 GAIN LOW/HI Switches: Change the gain level of each channel. Refer to the specicaons for the actual gain level of LOW/HI

for each input mode.

○7 OUTPUT Mode Selector: Selects the output mode between mono and stereo.

○8 Monitor Selector: Selects headphone monitoring from either the microphones during recording (OUTPUT) or playback audio

from the camera (RTN).

○9 MONITOR Level Control: Adjust the headphone volume level.

○10&○11 Ch-R and Ch-L XLR Inputs: Two balanced XLR inputs aach to microphones or other audio gear such as wireless systems

or sound boards.

○12 MIC 2 Stereo Input: 3.5mm mini-plug jack that, when a stereo microphone is connected, will distribute the sound to the both

L & R channels. When a monaural microphone is connected, the sound will be sent to Ch-L. Provides 3.5V input power.

○13 AUX (R) Input: Unbalanced 3.5mm mini-plug jack for connecng to a wireless receiver or other device that has a mini-plug
output cable. The sound will be sent to Ch-R. This input cannot be used simultaneously with the Ch-R XLR input (○10).

○14 RTN Inputs: RCA jacks for connecng AV cable to the camera to monitor the audio during playback.

○15 OUTPUT Jack: Unbalanced 3.5mm mini-plug jack for connecng to the camera. MIC level output.

○16 PHONES jack: Headphone jack to monitor the audio from microphones or camera.

○17 Baery Compartment

○18 AGC ON/OFF Switch: When turned OFF, disables the Audio Gain Control feature in the camera. Read “Using AGC ON/OFF

Feature” in this manual before using this funcon.

○19 Phantom Switch: Acvates 48V phantom power.

○20 Camera Mount Bolt

○21 Thread Hole for Tripod

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Using the AGC ON/OFF Feature

The Auto Gain Control (AGC) in the camera will vary the amount of gain depending upon the input signal level. During quiet

moments, the AGC will increase the gain, which will also increase the amount of hiss from the camera preampliers. The AGC

ON/OFF feature, when it is set to the OFF posion, will trick the camera’s AGC in order to disable the wild swings of the AGC. It

acvates an inaudible tone of 20kHz to the le channel that prevents the AGC from increasing the gain to its maximum level.

This reduces the hiss that normally occurs when the camera is recording audio during quiet moments. This inaudible tone is

recorded by the camera but can be easily ltered out if necessary. You can sll use the le channel for recording normal audio

at the same me that AGC switch is in the OFF posion.

The camera’s audio level meter may indicate some audio when there is no apparent sound with the AGC switch in the OFF posi-

on. This is because the audio level meter is sensing the 20kHz inaudible tone and you should not be concerned about.

You may also want to record audio only on the right channel and leave the le channel unused for the AGC control signal if this
tone presents a problem. In this case, you should set the OUTPUT Mode Selector (○7) to ST for stereo to keep the AGC signal

separated from the record signal.

It is important that you do a test recording and play back the audio to see if it is acceptable.

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Specicaons

Inputs

MIC 1/LINE: Two balanced 3-pin XLR connectors

MIC 2: 3.5mm stereo jack

AUX: 3.5mm monaural jack

RTN: Two RCA inputs for playback monitoring

Mode Seng Maximum Input Level Maximum Gain Input Impedance

LINE/AUX LOW +22dBu -22dB 19kΩ/10kΩ

LINE/AUX HI +6dBu -6dB 19kΩ/10kΩ

MIC 1/MIC 2 LOW 0dBu 0dB 2kΩ/2kΩ

MIC 1/MIC2 HI -16dBu +16dB 2kΩ/2kΩ

Outputs

OUTPUT: 3.5mm stereo jack +0dBu (at 2kΩ load)

PHONES: 3.5mm stereo jack -3.5dBu (at 32Ω load)

Output Impedance: 56Ω

Frequency Response

Main and Unbalanced Outputs: 20Hz - 30kHz (+0/-1dB)

PHONES Output: 50Hz - 20kHz (+0/-1dB)

Phantom Power

48V ±2V

Power Source

4 “AA” Alkaline baeries

Baery Duraon

Approx. 15 hours with phantom power o

Dimensions

L105mm x W105mm x H44mm / L4 1/8” x W4 1/8” x H1 3/4”

Weight

470 g (16.6 oz) including the baeries

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LIMITED TWO-YEAR WARRANTY

Azden Corporaon warrants, to the rst purchaser, that the Azden brand product purchased is free from defects in

material and workmanship. Azden’s sole obligaon under this warranty shall be to provide, without charge, repair

or replacement (at Azden’s sole discreon), within two years from the date of purchase. The cost to ship a failed

product to and from Azden or to its dealer shall not be covered by this warranty. A dated receipt acts to establish

the date of purchase and is all that is required for warranty service.

This warranty is the sole and exclusive express warranty given with respect to the product and all other warranes,

expressed or implied, are hereby excluded. Neither Azden, nor the dealer who sells this product, is responsible for

indirect, incidental or consequenal damages.

This warranty does not extend to any defect, malfuncon or failure caused by misuse, abuse, accident, Act of God,

faulty hookup, unauthorized modicaon, connecng this product to equipment for which this product is not in-

tended or defecve associated equipment. Please read your owner’s manual carefully.

AZDEN CORPORATION

147 New Hyde Park Road, Franklin Square, NY 11010

Phone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] Web Site: www.azdencorp.com

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Printed in USA