Sound Devices MixPre-3M User Manual
®
MixPre-3M
Multitrack Recorder | USB Audio Interface
User Guide
Legal Notices
Revision History
Product specications and features are subject to
change without prior notication.
Copyright © 2018 Sound Devices, LLC.
All rights reserved.
This product is subject to the terms and conditions of
a end-user license agreement provided in this guide,
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
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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 specications
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 use of this guide.
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This table provides the revision history for this guide.
Rev# Date Firmware
Version
2-A June 2018 2.21 Initial release
Description
WEEE Statement
If you wish to discard a Sound Devices
product in Europe, contact Sound Devices
(Germany) for further information.
MixPre-3M User Guide • June 2018
This document is distributed by Sound Devices, LLC
in online electronic (PDF) format only. E-published
in the USA.
www.sounddevices.com
support@sounddevices.com
Sound Devices, LLC
E7556 Road 23 and 33
Reedsburg, Wisconsin 53959 USA
Direct: +1 (608) 524-0625
Toll Free: (800) 505-0625
Fax: +1 (608) 524-0655
Table of Contents
Quick Start
Multitrack Recording Step-by-Step ........5
Intro
Powering
Flexible Powering Options .............11
Panels
Front Panel .......................13
Left Side Panel .....................13
Screens & Navigation
Home Screen ......................15
Main Menu Screen ..................17
Right Side Panel ....................14
Back Panel ........................14
Music Control Menu .................18
Input Channels
Accessing Channel Screen Settings ......19
Track Names .....................20
Setting Input Source ...............20
Enabling Monitoring ................21
Setting the Gain ..................21
Using Solo/Mute ..................21
Arming a Track ...................22
Understanding Pan ................22
Using Reverb ....................22
Rendering a Vocal Air Eect ..........23
Setting the Low Cut Filter ............23
Toggling Phase Inversion ............24
Stereo Track Linking .................24
Conguring Aux In Mode ..............24
Track Bank Selector .................25
Outputs
Adjusting Output Level ...............27 Headphone Output and Presets .........27
Metering
LEDs and Metering ..................29
Channel Knob Ring LEDs ............29
Channel Screen Meter ..............29
Meter View ......................30
Projects
Creating Projects ...................32
Import Recording ...................32
Opening Projects ...................33
Trashing Projects ...................33
Project History .....................34
Project Folder Structure ..............34
Sharing Projects ....................35
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User Guide
Recording and Playback
Formatting SD Cards ................37
Transport Controls ..................38
Record Arming ...................38
Working with Cue Points ..............39
Moving Cue Points .................41
Previewing Cue Point Positions ........42
Clearing & Deleting Cue Points ........42
Locating to Cue Marks ..............42
Punching In/Out ....................42
Bouncing ........................43
Metronome .......................45
Record Settings ....................46
USB
USB Audio Interface .................49
Low-latency Monitoring ...............50
USB File Transfer ...................50
USB Keyboard .....................51
USB Keyboard Shortcuts ............51
User Presets and System Settings
Saving and Recalling Presets ...........53 System Settings ....................54
Specifications
Audio Inputs ......................55
Audio Outputs .....................56
Recorder .........................56
USB ............................56
Touch Screen ......................56
Remote Control ....................57
Power ...........................57
Environmental .....................57
Dimensions and Weight ..............57
Software License
FCC & ISED Compliance Statements
4
Quick Start
Multitrack Recording Step-by-Step
This Quick Start chapter is meant as a “step-by-step, how-to” reference for
setting up the recorder and making music with the MixPre-3M right out of the
box.
For more information on features and steps mentioned in this procedure, refer
to later chapters in this User Guide.
To begin multitrack recording:
1. Connect power.
X Provide at least one power source, either batteries (via included sled) or
via USB-C.
L If using battery power, be sure to insert your Class 10 SD card into the SD slot
before attaching the sled to rear panel.
2. Power up the MixPre.
X Slide the power switch (left side panel) to On. The MixPre will boot and
light up.
3. Connect an audio source.
X Connect an audio source, either a microphone, line or instrument line-
level signal to one of the input jacks on the side panels.
4. Connect headphones.
X Connect your preferred headphones to the headphone jack on the right
side panel.
5. Format Media — The MixPre supports SD, SDHC,or SDXC, but the card
must be formatted by the MixPre prior to recording.
(A) Tap . The Main menu appears with multiple pages of settings.
(B) Tap (the Dots icon) to “page” through the sub-menu.
L The number of dots indicate the number of pages; the solid dot shows what page
is displayed.
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User Guide
6. Create a project.
(C) Tap SD Card > Edit > Format.
(D) Tap OK to conrm formatting of the card.
⚠ Warning - all data on the SD card will be erased!
(E) Tap to return to the Home screen.
(A) Tap .
(B) Tap Project > New.
(C) Tap Name to customize the name of the new project.
L If no custom name is provided, the MixPre creates new projects with unique
names, such as Song 1, Song 2, etc. by default.
(D) Tap Sample Rate to select from available rates.
(E) Tap Create.
7. Congure an input.
(A) Press the Channel knob associated with the track onto which you want
to record. For example, press knob 1 to record on track 1.
The Channel screen appears.
(B) Tap Input and use the HP encoder to select a source for the track.
Options include: Mic, Line, Aux In, and USB In.
(C) Select Phantom if your microphone, DI or other device requires +48v
phantom power to operate.
(D) Tap Back to return to Channel screen.
(E) Tap Arm to arm the track for recording. The circle on the button appears
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QUICK START
red when track is armed.
(F) To hear the input as you adjust gain, rst turn the Channel knob until
fader setting is 0dB. Then, tap Gain (on Channel screen) and turn the
HP encoder to adjust input sensitivity for the source.
If possible, adjust with signal coming in at the intended level and
observe the LED ring around the Channel knob. Aim for the LED ring
to remain green for the majority of the time. If unsure where to start,
set the gain to 35dB for mic sources, 10dB for line sources, and make
adjustments as needed.
L The Gain adjustment will time out after ve seconds.
(G) Tap the Dots icon to access “page” 2 of settings, such as Pan, Reverb,
Air, etc. Set any/all of them as desired.
(H) Enable Linking if your source is a stereo instrument such as a keyboard,
drum machine, or computer output.
(I) Tap to return to the Home screen.
8. Set up metronome.
(A) Tap .
(B) Page through submenu and tap Metronome. You will hear a preview of
the metronome in headphones while in this sub-menu.
(C) Make adjustments to the volume and to t your intended time signature
and tempo.
(D) Tap Count-in to select how many measures the metronome will count at
the beginning before recording begins.
(E) On page 2 of the Metronome sub-menu, tap On During... to determine
when you’ll hear the metronome. Options include: Count-in, Record, or
Play.
(F) Tap . The metronome preview will stop.
(G) Tap to access the Music Control menu. Then tap to activate the
metronome. The Metronome icon will illuminate orange when active.
L The metronome will only start when the MixPre enters record and/or play
according to the On During... settings previously congured.
9. From the Home screen, ensure the track number you intend to record is
red, indicating it is armed and ready to record. You should also see input
levels on the meter view.
10. Push REC button to record and play music!
11. Press Stop button to stop recording. Press it again (twice) to return to the
beginning of the recording.
12. Push Play button to playback the recording. During playback, you can
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User Guide
13. (Optional) Should you want to scrap the recording and try again, tap
14. To lay another track over the just-recorded track, congure an input and
15. After laying down all of your tracks, play your song and adjust track mix
16. When you have a mix that you like, you can easily share your le by using
change the track Level, Reverb, Air, Pan, Solo, and Mute settings.
L You can only use Air on one track at a time.
and then tap History. Using the HP encoder, rotate to highlight and select
Restart Song.
proceed from there. See step 7. Congure an input..
levels, pans, reverb, air, etc.
the Render feature.
(A) Tap and then tap Render.
(B) Select the format you want to use to render (export) the le. Options
include: Wav stereo, AAC stereo, or Wav All Isos.
This will perform a real-time render of your project. Feel free to
dynamically adjust mix levels, pans, reverbs etc during the render
process.
17. Most importantly, have fun creating music! No saving of the project need
be done, since the MixPre automatically takes care of that for you.
8
Intro
Hi and a big thanks for buying the MixPre-3M! At Sound Devices, we are passionate about great sounding audio. We’ve unleashed our design and engineering team, many of whom are musicians, and asked them to create a groundbreaking device that sets new standards for what’s possible from a super
compact and aordable, multitrack audio recorder.
From the ground up, we’ve designed the MixPre-3M to be a versatile tool for
musicians and singer/songwriters who want to record sound with unrivalled
quality. Whether you are gigging, multitracking a new song or capturing a live
performance, the MixPre-3M is your best friend on stage, in the studio, and out
on the road.
We’ve harnessed our storied heritage in portable recording to create an incredible piece of kit! We think that you’ll nd the unique mix of functionality, performance, size, ease-of-use, design and build quality to be an invaluable part of
your life and creative passion for many years to come.
The MixPre has been meticulously engineered to oer extreme exibility and
sound quality, operating in a variety of fundamental ways:
• 12-channel multitrack recorder/mixer, up to 96kHz/24-bit
• 3 simultaneous inputs including 3 ultra low noise mic preampliers
• 5-in, 2-out USB computer audio interface
The MixPre-3M includes many indispensable features for musicians including:
• Track Laying
• Overdubbing
• Punch In/Out
• Q-Points
• Track Bouncing
• Reverb and Vocal Air Eects
• Metronome
• Export
The MixPre-3M works in a similar fashion to a DAW such as Protools, Logic,
Cubase, Reaper etc, however, with its dedicated hardware it allows musicians to
focus on their art rather than getting bogged down in all the technical stu that
a typical computer-based system brings. Musicians and songwriters now have
an easy to use, portable tool for creating high quality, multi-layered songs anywhere and anytime that inspiration grabs them.
The MixPre-3M lets you record up to three tracks at once from either the three
XLR inputs, Aux in connectors, or USB inputs. The built-in metronome helps you
to keep your performance in time, while the reverb and vocal air eects add
character to your recording and can aid in inspiring a great performance. The
vocal air eect is an easily dialled-in combination of EQ and compression that
results in an airy sheen and intimacy to vocals, popular today with singer/song-
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User Guide
writers.
Of course, the possible uses for the MixPre-3M are virtually unlimited, but a few
common ones are:
• Creating a multi-layered song using the track laying and overdubbing fea-
• Mixing and recording small ensemble live performance
• Playback of multichannel backing tracks
• Recording live events, concerts, jam sessions, and so forth.
• Premium-quality 5x2 USB audio interface for any DAW application
The MixPre-3M’s versatility is augmented by the various powering options.
Whether you want to power the MixPre-3M from a USB connection, AA batteries, L-mount batteries, or optional AC wall plug adapter, it’s ready, willing and
able to go anywhere, anytime—always handling your audio needs with grace.
We sincerely hope that you enjoy working with the MixPre-3M as much as we’ve
enjoyed creating it! Please drop us an email at support@sounddevices.com
and share your experiences as we’d love to see how the MixPre-3M is furthering
your passion.
tures
10
Powering
Power Switch
Flexible Powering Options
In designing the MixPre-3M, we felt that it was important for it to be able to
operate in a wide array of applications and environments. To support that goal,
power can be supplied from several possible sources:
• Four AA NiMH rechargeable or Lithium primary batteries installed in the
provided 4-AA battery sled, called MX-4AA (included).
• Eight AA NiMH rechargeable or Lithium primary batteries installed in the
provided 8-AA battery sled, called MX-8AA.
• One or two Sony-type L-mount batteries installed in the optional L-mount
battery sled accessory, called MX-LMount.
• USB-C to USB-C cable connected to a USB-C host computer or AC wall
adapter.
• USB-A to USB-C cable connected to a USB-A host computer or AC wall
adapter.
• Dual USB-A to USB-C cable connected to a USB-A host computer.Use this
cable option if your computer is unable to provide adequate power for the
MixPre with only one USB-A port.
• MX-PSU AC wall adapter (included) to USB-C power supply.
L Batteries not included.
The power switch is located in the upper right corner of the left side panel.
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User Guide
To ensure Battery Status indicator displays accurate levels/status:
1. Tap .
2. Page through submenu and tap Power.
3. Select the type of batteries being used in the sled. Options include: NiMH,
Alkaline, L-Mount
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Panels
Recorder Transport Controls
Channel Knobs
Channel Knob Ring LEDs
Power Light
LCD
Power Switch
USB-A Port
XLR Inputs
3.5 mm Stereo Output
USB-C Port
Front Panel
Power light, Star button for shortcuts, Channel knobs, Channel knob ring LEDs,
backlit Transport buttons, and touch screen
The Channel knobs on the front panel have two purposes:
• Rotate to adjust the level of the selected track in the LR mix.
• Press to access the selected track’s Channel screen.
Left Side Panel
USB connections, XLR inputs 1-2, 2-channel 3.5 mm output, and power switch
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User Guide
HP Encoder
XLR Input
3.5 mm Headphone Output
3.5 mm Aux/Mic Input
SD Memory Card Slot
Battery Mounts
Allen wrench & anti-rotational pin
Right Side Panel
3.5mm headphone output, 3.5mm Aux/Mic input, XLR input 3, headphone
encoder
Back Panel
Battery mounts, SD memory card slot, Allen wrench (for ¼-inch-20-thread
captive screw), and anti-rotational pin
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Screens & Navigation
Status Bar
Q Icon & Cue NumberMusic Icon
Time Counter
Punch IndicatorRemaining Time
SD Card Icon
Track Bank Selector
Meter View
Limiter Indicator
Track Labels
L/R Mix Meters
Power Status Icon
Menu Icon
Metronome
The MixPre-3M has a sunlight-viewable, high-resolution, touch-screen-based
user interface. The touch screen interface displays the Home screen, Main Menu
screen, Channel screens and various other views.
For information on Channel screens, see Accessing Channel Screen Settings in
the Input Channels chapter.
There are several tap zones on the touch screen allowing you to easily interact
with the MixPre. As you become familiar with the user interface, changing
settings for inputs, outputs, recording and metering will become fast and
intuitive.
Home Screen
The Home screen view is the default view that appears on the touch screen
when the device is powered up. The Home screen looks like this:
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User Guide
You will nd on the Home screen numerous items, such as:
Music Notes icon Access the Music Control menu by touching this region of
Current name Displays name of current Music project.
Time counter Indicates the current song position in hh:mm:ss:tenths.
Q icon Indicates current cue number: 01, 02, etc. A cue point
Name Icon Description
the Home screen.
All songs start at 00:00:00:0. Access the Music Control
menu by touching this region of the Home screen.
stores a song position so that you can easily locate to
that point—ideal for quickly jumping to the start of a
verse, chorus, or bridge.
When stopped, tap the Q icon to open the Cue Points
menu, which provides access to the Cue List and other
options.
While recording or during playback, tap the Q icon to
create a cue mark at the current location in the song.
Cue marks may be set as Play In, Record In, Record Out,
or Stop cue points via the Cue Points menu.
For more information, see Working with Cue Points.
Power Status Icons
(Green USB)
(Orange USB)
(Green Battery)
(Flashing Red
Battery)
Menu icon Provides access to Menu screen.
Meter View Displays the metering for the 12 tracks and stereo mix,
Status bar Cycle status information by touching:
USB power source is ideal.
USB power source low. Brightness dimmed, USB-A port
disabled, 48v phantom on 2 channels only.
Healthy battery. Plan to change batteries when green
level drops to about ¼ full.
Battery power is critically low. Change batteries.
LR. White-outlined boxes surround meters to indicate
which tracks are being controlled by the Channel knobs.
Tap the L (left) horizontal meter to open Record
submenu and quickly adjust L&R Gain.
Switch track banks by touching dierent groups of
meters. See Track Bank Selector for more information.
• Song status: current bar position as well as Punch
and Metronome indicators,rendering status, and
remaining time: In idle or record, the remaining time
eld displays remaining time on the SD card. In play,
the eld displays remaining time to the end of the
song.
• Date & Time
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Main Menu Screen
The Menu screen is where most of the features and functions are selected and
set up.
To enter the Menu screen:
X Tap on the Home screen.
There are three Menu pages. These pages are indicated by the Dots icon
. Tapping it will toggle between the three Menu pages.
SCREENS & NAVIGATION
The Menu has its own submenus, which may be displayed by tapping them.
Page Submenu Description
1 Presets Lets you save and load user presets to and from SD card and
internal memory. Also allows resetting all settings to factory default.
1 Project Lets you create new projects, open or trash existing projects.
1 Inputs Provides settings for the 3.5 mm Aux/Mic input.
1 Outputs Provides routing and gain settings for the stereo output, as well as
ability to mute the stereo output.
2 Reverb Provides access to Reverb settings.
2 Metronome Provides access to Metronome settings.
2 Record Provides access to L&R Gain and AAC export quality.
2 SD Card Displays SD card and allows for format and empty trash card
functions.
3 System Provides settings for le transfers, setting and sending a tone
signal, limiters, Date/Time settings, adjusting LCD/LED brightness,
updating rmware, and viewing version and regulatory information.
3 Power Select the type of batteries (Alkaline, NiMH, L-Mount) being used to
ensure that the Power Status icon on the Home screen accurately
displays remaining battery level or power status.
To return to the main Menu from a submenu at any time:
X Tap .
To return directly to the Home screen from the main Menu:
X Tap .
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User Guide
Music Control Menu
The Music Control Menu provides fast access to the the Q-List, the Solo/Mute
screen, metronome on/o, project render, and access to project history.
For more information, see Working with Cue Points, Using Solo/Mute,
Metronome, Project History and Sharing Projects.
To access the Music Control menu:
X Tap in the top left corner of the Home screen.
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Input Channels
An input channel is the path an audio source travels before it can be mixed and
recorded along with other channels. In the MixPre-3M, think of an input channel
as the same as a ‘track’ in a DAW. An input channel can be fed by any of the
XLR mic/line sources, a 3.5mm Aux line/mic source (with or without plug-inpower), or from USB channels 1-4 from a computer.
You can also select the MixPre-3M’s mixer outputs, or a metronome click. With
its overdub capability, the MixPre-3M allows recording of up to 12 tracks, a
maximum of 3 at a time.
An input channel’s settings are adjusted in its Channel screen.
Accessing Channel Screen Settings
To access the Channel screen:
X Push in a Channel knob.
Each Channel screen provides two pages of settings—indicated by Dots icon. Tap
the Dots icon to switch pages.
Settings For More Information
Solo & Mute Using Solo/Mute
Arm Arming a Track
Input Setting Input Source
Monitor Enabling Monitoring
Gain Setting the Gain
Pan Understanding Pan
Reverb & (Vocal) Air Using Reverb & Rendering a Vocal Air Eect
Low Cut Setting the Low Cut Filter
Phase Toggling Phase Inversion
Linking Stereo Track Linking
Since the MixPre-3M has more tracks (up to twelve) than its three physical
Channel knobs, settings for tracks 4 and higher are accessed using the Track
Bank selector. For more information, see Track Bank Selector.
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