Sound Devices 633 User Manual

®

633

Field Production Mixer with

Integrated Recorder

User Guide

Legal Notices

Manual Conventions

Product specications a nd f eatures a re s ubject to
change without prior notification.

Copyright © 2018 Sound Devices, LLC. All
rights reserved.

This product is subject to the terms and conditions
of a software license agreement provided with the
product, and may be used in accordance with the
license agreement.

This document is protected under copyright law. An
authorized licensee of this product may reproduce
this publication for the licensee’s own personal use.
This document may not be reproduced or distrib­uted, in whole or in part, for commercial purposes,
such as selling copies or providing educational ser­vices or support.

This document is supplied as a technical guide. Spe­cial care has been taken in preparing the information
for publication; however, since product specications
are subject to change, this document might contain
omissions and technical or typographical inaccura­cies. Sound Devices, LLC does not accept responsi­bility for any losses due to the user of this guide.

Trademarks

The “wave” logo and USBPre are registered
trademarks; FileSafe, PowerSafe, SuperSlot,
MixAssist, and QuickBoot are trademarks of Sound
Devices, LLC. Mac and OS X are trademarks of Apple
Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Win­dows and Microsoft Excel are registered trademarks
of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other coun­tries. All other trademarks herein are the property of
their respective owners.

Symbol Description

>

+

i

⚠

This symbol is used to show the order
in which you select menu commands

and sub-options, such as: Main Menu

> Audio indicates you press the Menu
button for the Main Menu, then scroll to
and select Audio by pushing the Control
Knob.

A plus sign is used to show button or

keystroke combinations.

For instance, Ctrl+V means to hold the
Control key down and press the V key
simultaneously. This also applies to

other controls, such as switches and

encoders. For instance, MIC+HP turn
means to slide and hold the MIC/TONE
switch left while turning the Headphone
(HP) encoder. METERS+SELECT means
to hold the METERS button down as you
press the SELECT encoder.

A note provides recommendations and
important related information. The text
for notes also appears italicized in a dif­ferent color.

A cautionary warning about a specic
action that could cause harm to you,
the device, or cause you to lose data.
Follow the guidelines in this document
or on the unit itself when handling elec­trical equipment. The text for caution­ary notes also appears italicized and
bold in a dierent color.

FCC Notice

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) This device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause
undesired operation.

FCC Part 15.19(a)(3)

www.sounddevices.com

[e-mail]

633 User Guide • Rev 4-D • July 10, 2018

This document is distributed by Sound Devices, LLC
in online electronic (PDF) format only. E-published
in the USA.

Sound Devices, LLC

E7556 Road 23 and 33
Reedsburg, Wisconsin 53959 USA

Direct: [phone]
Toll Free: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Revision History

This table provides the revision history and cross-reference links to “what’s new” in this guide.

Rev# Date Firmware

Version

1-A Feb 2016 v2.11 Initial Ocial Release of Redesigned Publication

1-B Apr 2016 v2.11 Minor document edits; x broken cross-ref links.

3-A June 2016 v3.10 Includes Firmware feature updates for:

3-B July 2016 v3.10 Minor document edits: x page-numbering realignment.

4-A Sept 2016 v4.00 Added new chapter “Wingman” covering how to use the

4-B Feb 2017 v4.50 Added new chapter “MixAssist & Dugan Automixing” covering the

4-C Apr 2017 v4.51 Updated Wingman chapter with information on Wingman

Description

Includes Firmware feature updates for:

• CL-12 Integration: “CL-12 Linear Fader Controller” on page

151

• External TC User Bits: “Setting User Bits” on page 79

• QR Codes: “Viewing User Guide via Smart Phone QR Code” on

page 106

• Added new chapter on Remote Control of 6-Series mixers.

• In CL-12 chapter, added new section “Disabling Output Con-

trols” on page 165.

• In File Storage chapter, added new section “Changing the Take
Designator” on page 88.

Wingman iOS-based app that, when paired with the WM-Connect
Bluetooth® Smart USB dongle, enables remote control of any
6-Series mixer.

new Auto Mixer feature added to the 633.

Password.

3

User Guide

4

Table of Contents

Overview of Chassis

Front Panel ......................................9

Left Side Panel ..................................12

The LCD and User Interface

Meter Views ....................................15

Using Meter Views ............................16

Customizing Meter Views ......................16

Headphone Monitoring

Connecting Headphones .........................19

Selecting Headphone Source .....................19

Setting Headphone Encoder Mode ................20

Configuring the Headphone Preset List. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Power

Powering the 633 ...............................23

Using External Power ..........................23

Using Battery Power ..........................24

Voltage Ranges and Thresholds ...................24

Configuring Power Settings ......................25

Right Side Panel ................................12

Back Panel .....................................13

Accessing the Main Menu ........................17

Customizing the LCD and LEDs ....................18

Using LCD Daylight Mode ......................18

Defining Custom Headphone Presets ............21

Choosing a Favorite Headphone Preset ..........22

Using Headphone Source Shortcuts ................22

Headphone Peak LED ............................22

PowerSafe .....................................26

QuickBoot .....................................27

Forcing Power Off (Optional) .....................27

Power Consumption .............................27

Inputs

Physical Input Controls ...........................29

Activating an Input ..............................30

Accessing the Input Setting Screens ................30

Setting Input Source ...........................32

Setting Input High-Pass Filters ..................33

Setting L, R, X1, and X2 Routing ................33

Using a Track Name Shortcut ...................34

Inverting the Phase ...........................35

Outputs

Output Connections .............................41

Adjusting Output Gain ...........................41

Accessing Output Settings ........................42

Configuring Output Linking ......................43

Setting Output Type and Nominal Level ............43

Output Routing .................................44

MixAssist & Dugan Automixing

Auto Mixer Screen ..............................49

Turning the Auto Mixer On or Off ...............50

Assigning Inputs to the Auto Mixer ..............51

Overview of MixAssist ...........................51

Adjusting Trim and Fader Controls .................35

Adjusting Pan ..................................36

Accessing Input Settings ..........................36

Configuring Linking ...........................37

Configuring Phantom Voltage ..................38

Configuring the PFL Toggle Mode ...............38

Configuring Input to ISO Routing ...............39

Configuring Input Delay .......................40

Accessing AES Output Routing Screen ...........44

Accessing Aux (X1 - X4) Routing Screens ..........45

Configuring Playback to Outputs ..................47

Adjusting Output Delay ..........................47

Sending Tone to Outputs .........................48

Setting MixAssist Off-Attenuation ...............52

LCD Views During MixAssist Automixing .........53

Overview of Dugan Automixing ...................54

LCD Views During Dugan Automixing ...........54

5

User Guide

Limiters

Overview ......................................57

Enabling the Limiters ............................58

Recording

Using Media ....................................61

Using the Transport Control ......................62

Arming or Disarming Recording Tracks .............63

Accessing Recorder Settings ......................64

Setting File Type and Media Track Assignment ......65

WAV (Broadcast WAV) .........................65

MP3 ........................................65

Changing the MP3 Bit Rate .......................66

Slate Mic and Return

Disabling the Slate Microphone ...................71

Setting Slate Mic Gain ...........................72

Routing the Slate Mic ............................72

Timecode

Timecode ......................................75

Setting the Timecode Mode ....................76

Setting the Frame Rate ........................77

Setting Timecode Hold Off .....................77

Adjusting the Threshold .........................58

Linking Limiters .................................58

Setting the Sample Rate .........................66

F Sample Modes ..............................67

Setting the Bit Depth ............................67

Setting the Pre-roll ..............................68

Using the Slate Microphone ......................68

Playing Back Active Takes ........................69

Viewing Approved Media List via Smart Phone ......69

Using the Slate for Notation ......................73

RTN Monitoring ................................73

Jamming the Timecode ........................78

Setting the Timecode Generator ................78

Setting User Bits ..............................79

Setting Display Mode ..........................80

File Storage

File Structure ...................................81

Transferring Files to PC ...........................82

Take List and File List ............................82

Accessing the File List ..........................83

Deleting Files or Folders .......................84

File Storage Settings .............................84

Setting Folder Options ...........................86

Generating Sound Reports .......................87

Metadata and Take List

Take List Overview ..............................93

Accessing the Take List .........................94

Playing Takes ...................................94

Editing Metadata on the 633 .....................94

Using the Phrase List for Notes ....................95

System

Setting up Tones and Bells ........................99

Configuring Record/Stop and Warning Bells .....100

Configuring the Meters .........................101

Setting Meter Ballistics and Peak Hold ..........102

Setting Peak Hold ............................103

Setting up Date and Time Parameters .............103

Changing the Take Designator ....................88

Defining File Max Size ...........................88

Setting Scene Increment Mode ....................88

Setting Take Reset Mode .........................89

Setting File Playback Mode .......................89

Selecting a Default Playback Card .................90

Erasing / Formatting Media .......................90

Clearing Scene List ..............................96

Metadata Overview .............................97

Renaming or Deleting Previous Takes ..............98

Editing Metadata in Other Programs ...............98

Calibrating Faders & Pans .......................105

Using a USB Keyboard ..........................106

Viewing Shortcut Information ...................106

Viewing User Guide via Smart Phone QR Code .....106

Viewing Version Information ....................107

Updating Firmware ............................107

6

Quick Setup

Saving Settings ................................109

Copying Quick Setup Files .....................110

Deleting Quick Setup Files ....................110

Loading Previously Saved Settings ................111

Shortcuts

Front Panel Shortcuts ...........................113 USB Keyboard Shortcuts ........................115

Wingman Integration: 6-Series

Starting Wingman .............................117

Setting up Wingman Password ...................117

User Interface .................................118

Transport View ................................120

Connecting to a 6-Series Mixer .................121

Using Transport Controls ......................123

Designating Circle and False Takes ..............123

Using Meter Views ...........................124

Editing Track Names ..........................125

Arming/Disarming Tracks ......................126

Take List View .................................127

Editing a Take’s Metadata .....................128

Reports View ..................................129

Creating Sound Reports .......................131

About View ...................................131

Track View on iPhone or iPod Touch ..............132

Third-Party Remote Control

Control in the Palm of Your Hand ................135

iOS Remote Control Connection Diagrams .......137

iOS Remote Control Examples .................138

Web-based Wireless Remote Control ..............139

Web-based Remote Control Connection Diagrams 140

Web-based Remote Control Examples ..........141

Specifications

Analog Inputs .................................143

Digital Inputs ..................................144

Analog Outputs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

Digital Outputs/Recorder .......................145

Accessories

Electronic Accessories ...........................147

Cables and Connectors ..........................148

CL-12 Linear Fader Controller

Overview of Panels ............................151

Top: EQ & OUTPUTS Sections ..................154

Left: Channel Strip Section ....................155

Right: Buttons and HP Encoder ................157

Altered Functionality ...........................159

Feature Comparison Chart ....................159

CL-12 Sub-menu .............................160

Selecting One or More Input Channels ............161

Activating PFL of an Input .......................162

Setting SEL to follow PFL ......................162

Trim Level Adjustment on 6-Series ................162

Adjusting Trim Levels (688 only) ................163

Adjusting Trim Levels (664 only) ................163

Adjusting Trim Levels (633 only) ................163

Routing Input Channels .........................164

Adjusting Output or Track Levels .................164

Timecode and Sync .............................145

Power ........................................146

Environmental ................................146

Dimensions and Weight ........................146

Cases .........................................149

Software ......................................150

Configuring Output Meters (688 only) ..........165

Disabling Output Controls .......................165

Arming L, R, X1, X2 Tracks .......................165

Using the 3-Band Equalizer (688 only) .............166

Accessing the EQ Submenu ....................167

Bypassing EQ ................................169

Setting the Q-Factor ..........................169

Setting LF and HF Frequency Defaults ...........170

Setting LF and HF Filter Types ..................170

Setting EQ Routing ...........................171

Using High-pass Filters ..........................171

Naming Tracks .................................171

Configuring User Programmable Buttons ..........172

Adjusting CL-12’s LED Brightness .................173

Specifications ..................................173

7

User Guide

CS-633

Features ......................................175 Specifications ..................................175

Software License

8

Overview of Chassis

Front panel

The 633 chassis is made of light-weight
and durable metal.

The front panel of the chassis features
several easy-to-reach controls,
switches, LEDs, and a sunlight-visible
LCD screen.

Its side panels provide a variety of
connection options for ultimate I/O
exibility, and the back panel has
battery mounts for ultimate portability.

Front Panel

Topics in this section include:

Front Panel

Left Side Panel

Right Side Panel

Back Panel

The front panel provides the LCD as well as several buttons, switches, and
controls as dened in the following tables.

9

User Guide

Power Switch and LED

Menu Button

Headphone Encoder

Headphone Clipping LED

RTN/FAV SwitchMIC/TONE Switch

Slate/Tone LED

Select Encoder

Meters Button

Transport Control

Timecode LED

Power Switch and LED Powers 633 on and o, and indicates power status.

Timecode LED Flashes blue to indicate whether the internal timecode generator (and

Menu Button Provides access to the Main menu. Also used for various shortcut

Headphone Encoder Adjusts headphone level and monitor source. Also used for various

Headphone
Clipping LED

RTN/FAV Switch Toggles monitor source. Also used for various shortcut functions.

MIC/TONE Switch Toggle slate mic and tone generator. Also used for various shortcut

Slate/Tone LED Indicates slate mic is active or tone generator is locked on.

Select Encoder Multiple purpose rotary encoder. Also used for various shortcut

Meters Button Cycles between meter views. Also used for various shortcut functions.

Transport Control Controls playback and recording. Also used for various shortcut

Feature Description

QuickBoot) is active while the mixer is o.

functions.

shortcut functions.

Illuminates red to indicate headphone output is approaching clipping
level.

functions.

functions.

functions.

10

Also on the front panel, there are three sets of controls related to inputs, such
as pans, faders, and trims.

OVERVIEW OF CHASSIS

Fader (1-3)

Pan (1-3)

PFL (Left: 1-3, Right: 4-6)

Trim (1-3)

PFL status / Activity LED (4-6)

PFL status / Activity LED (1-3)

Mini-Fader (4-6)

Feature Description

PFL Switch By default, this switch has dual-functionality. It activates

Pre-Fade Listen (PFL) and displays Input Settings screen for
input 1-3 (slide left) and 4-6 (slide right). Slide again to de­activate. The functionality of this switch may be altered via
the Main menu’s Inputs > PFL Toggle Mode.

Fader (1-3) Adjusts fader level for inputs 1-3.

Mini-Fader (4-6) Adjusts fader level for inputs 4-6.

Trim (1-3) Adjusts trim level for inputs 1-3. Trim levels for inputs 4,

Pan (1-3) Adjusts pan between L and R tracks. Inputs 4, 5, and 6 are

PFL status / Activity LED (1-3) Indicates PFL status and input signal activity.

PFL status / Activity LED (4-6) Indicates PFL status and input signal activity.

MIC The slate microphone.

Does not aect Master Output signal. For momentary ac­tion, hold the switch for one second or longer. The input LED
ashes yellow when an input’s PFL is active.

5, and 6 are controlled via their respective Input Settings
screens.

routed to the L and R mix via their respective Input Settings
screens.

11

User Guide

Battery Compartment

XLR Inputs

TA3 Inputs Headphone Output

RTN Input

SD Card Slot

CompactFlash SlotUSB B Connector

Timecode I/O

DC Input

Main OutputsHeadphone

X1, X2 Outputs

Left Side Panel

Feature Description

XLR Inputs (1-3) Active-balanced analog microphone- or line-level inputs. Input 1 can

TA3 Inputs (4-6) Active-balanced analog line-level inputs.

also accept AES3 or AES42 (Mode 1) signal.

Pin-1 = ground, pin-2 = hot (+), and pin-3 = cold (-).

X3/X4 Output Multi-purpose auxiliary analog output. Two channels on unbalanced

Battery Compartment Holds six AA (LR6) batteries for backup powering. NiMH rechargeable

Right Side Panel

Pin-1 = ground, pin-2 = hot (+), and pin-3 = cold (-). Float pin 3 to
unbalance.

3.5mm TRS connection. Level can be adjusted from -30 dB (mic lev­el) up to 0 dB (sucient for driving headphones).

Tip = left, ring = right, and sleeve = ground.

cells advised. Top row inserted with negative (-) end facing out; Bot­tom row inserted with positive (+) end facing out.

12

OVERVIEW OF CHASSIS

Battery Mounts

Feature Description

USB B Connector Factory use and keyboard connection (with adapter).

CompactFlash Slot Accepts approved CompactFlash cards with the label-side toward the

rear of the mixer. Compatible with Type I and Type II cards. High­speed UDMA cards are recommended for higher track count recording.

RTN Input Unbalanced stereo 3.5 mm female connector for Return audio input.

Sleeve = ground, tip = left, ring = right.

X1, X2 Outputs Line, -10, or Mic level selected in Main menu OUTPUTS section.

(Pin 1 = Ground, pin 2 = Hot (+), pin 3 = Cold (-))
Float pin 3 to unbalance.

DC Input Accepts DC voltages from 10–18 V for powering.

(Pin 1 = Negative (–), pin 4 = Positive (+))

SD Card Slot Accepts SD/SDHC/SDXC cards with the notched corner oriented to-

ward the top of the 633. High speed class 10 cards are recommended.
Insert until it clicks securely in the slot. The card should glide smoothly
into the slot. Press to eject.

Timecode I/O Timecode input and output on 5-pin LEMO® connector.

Headphone Output A 1/4” TRS headphone output. Can drive headphones from 8 to 1000

ohm impedances to very high levels.

Main Outputs Transformer-balanced analog outputs on standard 3-pin XLR-3M con-

Back Panel

The back panel provides additional powering options for the 633 with two L-type
mounts for Lithium Ion batteries (not included):

Tip = left, ring = right, and sleeve = ground.

nectors. Can be set to send AES3 digital signals (1,2 and 3,4 on L and
R respectively) in Main menu OUTPUTS section.

(Pin 1 = Ground; pin 2 = Hot (+); pin 3 = Cold (-))
Unbalance by grounding pin 3 to pin 1.

Feature Description

Battery Mounts Battery mounts (B1 and B2) on the 633’s back panel are compatible

with Sony® L-Series batteries. Any capacity supported.

13

User Guide

14

The LCD and User Interface

Current Take

Active playback media

Media time remaining and audio le format

Power source and level

Unarmed track

Monitor (Headphone) information.

RTN levelSample rate information

Absolute recording time

SMPTE timecode

Powered off input

Armed track

Input limiting activity

Meter View

The LCD display is the primary source
of information when operating the 633.
All settings are congured via the LCD
display. All signal level meters can be
displayed on the LCD display.

This chapter describes meter views,

including the Main screen which is

displayed when no other screens
are active, the Main menu, and LCD
Daylight mode.

Other screens, such as the Input

Settings screen, are described where

applicable throughout the guide.

Meter Views

The 633 displays important metering information at a glance on its LCD. All
meter views provide various combinations of input, track, and return meters. By
default, the rst of three predened meter views is shown. This view is known
as the Main screen.

Topics in this section include:

Meter Views

Using Meter Views
Customizing Meter Views

Accessing the Main Menu

Customizing the LCD and LEDs

Using LCD Daylight Mode

The three predened meter views are:

• LR, X1, X2, 1-6 — This meter view (shown above) shows left, right, X1, and
X2 bus tracks as well as all 6 input tracks.

• LR, X1-X4, RTN — This meter view shows left, right, X1, and X2 bus tracks,
plus signal from X3, X4, and return.

• LR, 1-3 — This meter view shows left and right bus tracks as well as signal
from inputs 1-3.

15

User Guide

The following images show all three predened meter views.

i The time and date is displayed in place of the small RTN meter on the LR, X1-X4,

RTN meter view. Also, a fourth conguration (not shown) with only LR and inputs

1-6 is available as a display option for meter views.

Using Meter Views

Although the rst meter view is known as the Main screen, there are other
screens, which may appear on the LCD, such as the Main menu or the Input
Settings screen. Regardless of what screen is visible, returning to the Main
screen and its meter view is easy.

To return to the main screen at any time:

X Press the METERS button.

You can also easily switch to any of three dierent meter views.

To toggle between the three meter views:

X Press the METERS button. Each press of the button switches the display to

the next view.

Customizing Meter Views

While the 633 provides three meter views by default, all three may be custom­ized to display the information you deem most important. The second and third
meter views may also be turned o so that only one meter view is shown as the
Main screen at all times.

To customize the meter views:

1. Press MENU.

16

2. Turn and press the Headphone encoder to select SYSTEM > Meter Views.

3. Select the meter view you would like to change.

4. Select the display option for that meter view.

For more information on conguring the meters displayed in Meter Views, see

Conguring the Meters.

Accessing the Main Menu

MENU Button

Headphone Encoder

The majority of the 633’s settings are congured with the Main menu.

To access the Main menu:

X Press the MENU button.

The Main menu is made up of categories, each with its own set of
sub-menu options. Turn the Headphone encoder to navigate the
Main menu and press it in to select any category or sub-menu
option.

THE LCD AND USER INTERFACE

While sub-menu options are covered in more detail throughout this guide in
sections related to those options, the Main menu’s categories are provided with
brief descriptions in the following table.

category Description

POWER Settings related to external power sources. Also displays voltage level of

External DC, Internal DC (AA), and Li-Ion batteries (labeled B1 and B2).
See Conguring Power Settings for details.

INPUTS Settings related to channel linking, phantom power, PFL modes, input to

ISO routing, and input delays. See Accessing Input Settings for details.

OUTPUTS Settings related to linking, output types or levels, output sources, output

routing, and output delays. See Accessing Output Settings for details.

AUTO MIXER Settings related to automatic mixing. See MixAssist & Dugan Automixing

for details.

LIMITERS Settings related to input and output limiters. See Limiters for details.

RECORDER Settings to target recording media, WAV sample rate / bit depth, MP3 bit

rate, and recording pre-roll time. See Accessing Recorder Settings for
details.

TIMECODE Settings related to timecode synchronization. See Timecode for details.

FILE STORAGE Settings related to le storage and metadata. See File Storage Settings

for details.

SYSTEM Various system settings. See System for details.

CL-12 Settings related to the CL-12 linear fader controller. This sub-menu is

disabled (grayed out) unless the CL-12 accessory is connected to the
mixer.

QUICK SETUP Allows user to save and recall user settings to and from SD, CF, and

internal memory. Also allows resetting all settings to factory default. See

Quick Setup for details.

17

User Guide

Customizing the LCD and LEDs

Because the 633 is a portable eld mixer, it may be used in a variety of environ­ments, including some where lighting is an issue that requires adjustments to
the mixer. With some System settings, you can modify the brightness levels of
the LCD, the brightness levels of the LEDs, and even enable or disable the LCD
Daylight mode.

To set the LCD brightness level:

1. Press the MENU button.

2. Turn and press the Headphone encoder to select SYSTEM > LCD Brightness.

3. Turn the Headphone encoder to change the value from 10 to 100%. Then
press the encoder to make your selection.

By default, the LCD brightness level is set to 100%.

To set the LED brightness level:

1. Press the MENU button.

2. Turn and press the Headphone encoder to select SYSTEM > LED Brightness.

3. Turn the Headphone encoder to change the value from 5 to 100%. Then
press the encoder to make your selection.

By default, the LED brightness level is set to 60%.

Using LCD Daylight Mode

The default appearance of the LCD screen is a dark theme—white text on black
background. However, a lighter theme—black text on white background—is
available as an alternative mode, which can make viewing in bright conditions
easier. When enabled, the LCD Daylight mode may be toggled between dark
and light themes.

To enable or disable LCD Daylight mode:

1. Press the MENU button.

2. Turn and press the Headphone encoder to select SYSTEM > LCD Daylight
Mode.

18

3. Do one of the following:

X Select On to enable.
X Select O to disable.

To toggle LCD Daylight mode:

X SELECT + HP: simultaneously press the SELECT and Headphone encoders.

Headphone Monitoring

1/4”

The 633 provides a headphone output
on its right panel, several options for

headphone sources including up to 10

custom presets, plus a variety of other
customizable features related to audio
monitoring.

i An unbalanced 3.5 mm TRS connection

on the 633’s left panel, which is

primarily a multi-purpose auxiliary
analog output, may also be used for

headphones.

Connecting Headphones

Topics in this section include:

Connecting Headphones

Selecting Headphone Source

Setting Headphone Encoder Mode

Configuring the Headphone Preset List

Defining Custom Headphone Presets
Choosing a Favorite Headphone Preset

Using Headphone Source Shortcuts

Headphone Peak LED

Connect headphones to the 1/4-inch headphone output, located on the right
panel of the 633.

⚠ The 633 can drive headphones to dangerously high vol-

umes. Turn down the headphone gain before attaching
headphones or selecting a headphone source to prevent
accidental high levels. The range for headphone levels
may be set from OFF, -42 dB to +20 dB.

To adjust Headphone gain:

X Turn the Headphone encoder. The gain value will be dis-

played in the lower-right corner of the Main screen next to
the Headphone Source icon.

Selecting Headphone Source

The default list of headphone presets consists of six predened headphone
sources and 10 customizable presets. The predened headphone sources are:

Hp source Description

LR ST Master bus in stereo.

19

User Guide

LR Mono Master bus summed mono to both ears.

L Mono Left channel of master bus sent to both ears.

R Mono Right channel of master bus sent to both ears.

LR MS ST Mid-side stereo - master bus decoded MS stereo to headphones. This

X1X2 Aux bus in stereo.

To select a headphone source:

1. Press the Headphone encoder to display the list of available sources.

2. Turn the encoder to change the headphone source. Options include: LR ST,

3. Press the encoder to close the list, or wait two seconds and it will close on

Hp source Description

is not to be used if the inputs are already linked as an MS pair.

LR Mono, L Mono, R Mono, LR MS ST, X1X2, and HP Preset (1) through HP
Preset (10).

The headphone source changes immediately as it is highlighted in the list.

its own. The chosen headphone source is displayed in the lower-right corner
of the Main screen next to the Headphone Source icon.

Setting Headphone Encoder Mode

The default functionality of the Headphone encoder can be reversed so that the
Headphone encoder must be pressed before turning to adjust the headphone
volume, and headphone source can be selected by simply turning the Head­phone encoder.

To set Headphone Encoder mode:

1. Press the MENU button.

2. Turn and press the Headphone encoder to select SYSTEM > Headphone En­coder Mode > Preset/Vol. By default, this mode is set to Vol/Preset.

Configuring the Headphone Preset List

Presets can be excluded from this list to make preset selection simpler.

To edit the Headphone Preset list:

1. Press the MENU button.

20

2. Turn and press the Headphone encoder to select SYSTEM > Headphone Pre­set List.

The Headphone Preset List will be displayed; presets with a blue back­ground are visible, and presets with a black background are hidden.

3. Turn and press the Headphone encoder to toggle visibility of each preset.

HEADPHONE MONITORING

Assigned source

Favorite
Preset

Unassigned source

Right HP

Left HP

Defining Custom Headphone Presets

In addition to the six predened headphone sources, 10 options are available as
custom headphone presets.

To customize a headphone preset:

1. Press the Headphone encoder to display the list of available sources.

2. Turn the encoder to choose one of the 10 customizable preset options, such
as HP Preset(1).

3. Slide the MIC/TONE switch left or right.

The Headphone Preset Editing screen appears.

4. Turn the Headphone encoder to move the orange highlight to routing op­tions.

5. Press the Headphone or Select encoder to change the selected source be­tween O (black) and Assigned (blue).

i ISO sources will follow pre- or post-fade based on Input to ISO Routing settings.

6. (Optional) Do any of the following:

X Slide the MIC/TONE switch left to toggle MS decoding for this head-

phone preset.

X Slide the MIC/TONE switch right to toggle mono summing for this head-

phone preset (All active sources will be summed into both headphone
channels). This should not be used if inputs are already linked MS.

X Slide the RTN/FAV switch left to name the headphone preset.
X Slide the RTN/FAV switch right to toggle the favorite status of this head-

phone preset.

7. Press MENU or METERS to save the preset and exit the Headphone Preset
Editing screen.

i Only one preset at a time can be set as a favorite. Marking a preset as favorite will

remove the favorite status of all other presets.

21

User Guide

Choosing a Favorite Headphone Preset

A single headphone preset can be designated as a favorite. This favorite
headphone preset can be quickly accessed via the front panel. The following
procedure assumes the Headphone Encoder Mode is set to Preset/Vol. For more
information, see Setting Headphone Encoder Mode.

To choose a predened Headphone preset as favorite:

1. Press the Headphone encoder to display the list of available sources.

2. Turn the Headphone encoder to highlight the predened preset you want.
Options include: LR ST, LR Mono, L Mono, R Mono, LR MS ST, and X1X2.

3. Slide the RTN/FAV switch right to set the highlighted Headphone preset as
your new favorite.

Using Headphone Source Shortcuts

There are two headphone monitor shortcuts on the 633: RTN and the head­phone source set as favorite.

To monitor the favorite headphone source:

X Slide the RTN/FAV switch to the right.

To monitor RTN:

X Slide the RTN/FAV switch to the left.

RTN will be be displayed in the lower-right corner of the Main screen next to the
Headphone Source icon. For meter views that do include a large RTN meter, the
date and time is displayed under For meter views that do not include a large
RTN meter, a smaller RTN meter is displayed under the Headphone Source icon.

Headphone Peak LED

The Headphone Peak LED, located just left of the Headphone encoder, illumi­nates red to indicate headphone output is approaching clipping level. Monitoring
without a visual indication of headphone clipping can mislead a sound mixer
into thinking the output or return feeds are distorted.

22

Power

The 633 features a quad-powering

guration, which utilizes dierent

con
powering options, such as external DC
power, or it may be powered by six AA
batteries. Two rear mounts enable the
633 to be powered by Sony L-Series
batteries.

The 633 also incorporates exclusive
PowerSafe™ technology with smart
sensing of available power sources,
front panel power warning indication,

and an integrated 10-second power

reserve that safely stops recording and
shuts down in the event of a power loss.

Powering the 633

The 633 operates on either external DC power or battery power.

Topics in this section include:

Powering the 633

Using External Power
Using Battery Power

Voltage Ranges and Thresholds

Configuring Power Settings

PowerSafe

QuickBoot

Forcing Power Off (Optional)

Power Consumption

To turn on the 633:

X Flip the Power switch to the ON position.

The Power LED illuminates yellow then green. The Sound
Devices splash screen appears briey on the LCD, and then the
Main screen is displayed.

As part of the Main screen, the LCD displays a DC voltage indi­cator in the form of a battery icon that indicates the level and
type of the power source currently in use.

Normal Voltage

(Green)

Warning Voltage

(Yellow)

Low Voltage

(Orange)

Critical Voltage

(Red)

Using External Power

The 633 uses only one power source at a time, with external DC power taking
precedence over battery power. The order of precedence for power sources is:

Power LED

DC power (EX) > L-Series battery (B1) > L-Series battery (B2) > AA batteries (INT)

23

User Guide

Following after these power sources is PowerSafe circuitry and its 10-second
power reserve, before shutdown.

To connect an external power source:

X Plug a DC power source (not included) into the 10-18 VDC input on the

right panel.

i Pin-4 of the locking, Hirose connector is positive (+) and pin-1 is negative (-).

Using Battery Power

The 633 uses up to two L-Series (Li-Ion) batteries and/or six AA batteries as a
backup to external power. Several power capacities are available in the L-Series
battery type, ranging from 1000 mAh to 7000 mAh. Larger amp-hour batteries
provide more run time. Alkaline AA batteries may be used with
the 633; however, NiMH (or 1.5V Lithium) batteries are the
preferred type because they provide for longer run times
compared to Alkaline batteries.

To mount L-Series batteries:

1. Place the 633 on a stable surface.

2. Position the battery so the two terminals on the battery line
up with the tips of the two pins on the rear panel of the 633.

3. Press the battery against the unit and slide the battery
onto the pins. The battery retainer clip will spring up with a
satisfying click to let you know the battery is secure.

To insert AA batteries:

1. Unscrew the battery cap (counter-clockwise).

2. Insert six AA NiMH batteries (not included) into the battery tubes. Orient

the batteries with the positive (+) end facing in and the negative (-) end
facing out.

i With external power connected, depleted AA batteries may be removed from the

633 and replaced with new ones without aecting operations.

Voltage Ranges and Thresholds

Li-Ion battery

Pin

Pin

24

The DC voltage indicator provides power status information based on the
External DC Reference parameter, which denes the voltage range and warning
threshold for external DC power sources. Setting the External DC Reference to a
value appropriate for the type of external power being used maximizes runtime
with that source.

For instance, the indicator appears solid green when the active power source is

POWER

full or operating within the dened high voltage range. As the voltage depletes,
the indicator’s color changes from green to yellow (warning) to orange (low)
and to red (critical), based on the external power source’s range and threshold,
as shown in the following table:

If the active power source is removed or its voltage drops to the critical thresh­old, the 633 switches to alternative battery power or shuts down, according to
how its External DC Loss parameter is congured in the Power settings.

⚠ The DC voltage indicator ashes red when there are no other connected

backup power sources remaining with adequate voltage. When all power
sources are depleted, PowerSafe shutdown occurs automatically.

Configuring Power Settings

The 633 allows you to congure the type of external power source and what the
mixer should do in the event of an unintentional power loss.

To congure Power settings:

1. Press the MENU button.

2. Turn and press the Headphone encoder to select POWER.

The Power screen appears, from which numeric voltage levels of all con­nected power sources may be monitored. Disconnected power sources have
a black background and no voltage level. The power source currently in use
has a thick white border.

25

User Guide

3. Adjust the settings based on the following table:

Ext DC Ref Calibrates the power level indicator accord-

Ext DC Loss Choose what action the 633 should take

parameter Description options

• 12V Ext DC
ing to the type of external DC source. By
default, this is set to 12V Ext DC.

Select the appropriate option for the
external DC power.

when external power is removed or voltage
drops below the set threshold. By default,
this is set to Switch Power Source.

i If the Ext DC Loss setting is congured to Switch Power Source when

external power is lost, but there are no internal batteries with ade­quate voltage in the 633, then automatic PowerSafe shutdown will

occur.

• NiMH

• Expanded NiMH

• 12V Lead Acid

• 14V Li-ion

• Full Range

• Switch Power

Source

• Shut down

PowerSafe

When all connected power sources are depleted or power is lost unexpectedly,
the PowerSafe™ circuitry activates. The 633 displays a warning, stops any ac­tive recordings, nishes writing les, and shuts down. The PowerSafe battery
powers the 633 during this time. This feature ensures that les are protected
even in the event of unexpected power loss.

i The PowerSafe battery recharges from the active power source only when the 633

is powered on.

26

QuickBoot

QuickBoot™ circuitry is enabled for two hours after the 633 is powered down.
During this time, the 633 can turn on and start recording in less than two
seconds. Each time the 633 is turned on and o, the two-hour timer is reset.
Beyond the two-hour mark, QuickBoot is deactivated, so powering up results in
a normal, slightly longer boot-up process.

Within the two-hour time frame, while QuickBoot is enabled, the internal
Timecode (TC) generator continues to be active and the TC LED on the front
panel of the 633 blinks every two seconds.

Forcing Power Off (Optional)

In the unlikely event you need to manually force a complete shutdown of the
633, by-passing the PowerSafe and QuickBoot features, do the following:

To force power o:

POWER

1. Slide the Power button to the left.

2. Press and hold the MENU button for 5 seconds.

After the 633 is manually powered o, the QuickBoot is reset and the TC LED no
longer ashes.

i Manual shutdown will turn o the timecode backup battery, requiring timecode to

be rejammed and user bits to be reset upon next power up.

Power Consumption

Many factors inuence the rate at which the 633 uses battery power (current
draw). The following list highlights the larger current drawing functions.

• Microphone powering — The main source of extra 633 current draw. 48 V
Phantom can draw a large amount of current depending on what model
microphone is used. Two identical phantom powered microphones draw
twice as much current as one.

• Audio Recorder — The recorder, whether in record or playback, draws extra
current. Higher sample rate WAV recordings draw more current during re­cording.

• Digital Outputs — Disable digital outputs in the Main menu when they are
not needed since they draw additional current.

• Output level — Higher output levels into multiple, low-impedance inputs
increases current draw.

• Headphone Output circuit - High headphone output levels and low imped­ance headphones increase current draw.

• LED and LCD Brightness — Decrease LED and LCD brightness to reduce
current draw.

27

User Guide

28

Inputs

Fader (1-3)

Pan

PFL (Left: 1-3, Right: 4-6)

Trim

PFL status / Activity LED (4-6)

PFL status / Activity LED (1-3)

Mini-fader
(4-6)

The 633 has three full-featured audio
inputs on XLR-3F connectors, and three
additional line-level inputs on TA3
connectors.

Inputs may be used as either balanced
or unbalanced connections. There is no

change in gain between unbalanced and

balanced connections into the 633.

i For unbalanced connections, tie pin-3

to pin-1 of the XLR-3M connector of the

cable.

Physical Input Controls

Topics in this section include:

Physical Input Controls

Activating an Input

Accessing the Input Setting Screens

Setting Input Source
Setting Input High-Pass Filters
Setting L, R, X1, and X2 Routing
Using a Track Name Shortcut
Inverting the Phase

Adjusting Trim and Fader Controls

Adjusting Pan

Accessing Input Settings

Configuring Linking
Configuring Phantom Voltage
Configuring the PFL Toggle Mode
Configuring Input to ISO Routing
Configuring Input Delay

On the front panel, there are sets of controls related to inputs, such as pans,
faders, and trims.

The Trim, Pan, and Mini-fader controls may be pressed to retract the controls
into the front panel when not in use.

29

User Guide

Trim control

control Description

PFL Pre-Fade Listen (PFL) switch. Solos input signal in headphone moni-

Fader 1-3 Adjusts fader level for inputs 1-3.

Trim 1-3 Activates inputs 1-3 and adjusts trim level for inputs 1-3. Trim level

Mini-fader 4-6 Activates inputs 4-6 and adjusts fader level for inputs 4-6.

Pan Controls the Left/Right balance of the input signal to the stereo

PFL Status / Activity LED • Green: Signal present on input (pre-fade).

Activating an Input

tor and displays Input Settings screen.

i PFL monitoring only aects the headphone monitor. It does not aect

audio sent to the outputs or internal recorder.

for inputs 4-6 are controlled from their respective Input Settings
screens.

master bus. Inputs 4-6 are routed to the L/R mix via their respec­tive Input Settings screens.

• Red: Signal clipping on input (pre- and post-fade).

• Amber: Limiter engaged on input (pre- and post-fade).

• Blinking Yellow: Input soloed (PFL) in headphone monitors.

The 633 has three dedicated Trim controls on the front panel.

To activate inputs 1-3:

1. If the Trim control for an Input is recessed, push it in and it
will pop out.

2. Turn the Trim control clockwise until it clicks to activate the
input.

i The input is deactivated whenever the Trim control for that input is fully rotated

counter-clockwise.

To activate inputs 4-6:

1. If the Mini-fader control for an Input is recessed, push it in and it will pop
out.

2. Turn the Mini-fader control clockwise until it clicks to activate the input.

i The input is deactivated whenever the Mini-fader control for that input is fully ro-

tated counter-clockwise.

Accessing the Input Setting Screens

Each input has its own Input Settings screen. This screen provides access to the
input’s settings, such as input source, high-pass lter, and track routing, and
also displays information about the input’s gain and meter levels.

30