At IBC 2009 (Stand 8.E72), Sound Devices introduced a brand new addition to its best-selling line of portable mixers—the 552 Production Mixer, the company’s first to feature a fully integrated digital audio recorder.

Ideal for both simple run-and-gun applications and in complex multi-input/multi-output production setups, Sound Devices 552 is the most technologically advanced portable audio mixer available to date.

Designed specifically for professional sound engineers, Sound Devices 552 contains five precision, high-dynamic range, transformer-balanced microphone inputs with expanded gain and headroom. The studio-grade inputs have their own limiter, sweepable high-pass filter and pre- or post-fade direct output. At the heart of each microphone input lies a high-performance Lundahl input transformer, which provides freedom from interference in even the most severe RF and EMI environments that are encountered in the field.

Additionally, Sound Devices 552 has an integrated two-track, 24-bit digital audio recorder that writes Broadcast WAV files or MP3 files to SD and SDHC media. The recorder is ideal for applications where a high-quality, 24-bit local recording is required. Either the outputs or combinations of inputs and outputs can be assigned as record sources.

“The introduction of the 552 marks a new level of audio technology for field production,” says Jon Tatooles, managing director of Sound Devices. “The majority of our customers are full-time sound mixers and engineers who are conscientious of quality, size and weight. We can now offer them even more portability and flexibility with a single machine, thus reducing the weight of their kit and offering unparalleled audio quality. The 552 is the perfect centerpiece of a premium field production audio kit.”

Sound Devices 552 also allows for stereo linking of input pairs 1/2 and 3/4. With 44.1, 48 48.048, 88.2, and 96 kHz sampling rates, its four-track AES3 digital output runs at the same sample rate as the built-in recorder.

Featuring front-panel control of mic/line inputs and phantom status with LED indication at each input, Sound Devices new user friendly mixer is also designed with sunlight-viewable, 21-segment Peak/VU meters with zoom mode. The model is also equipped with voice-driven setup and option menu. Sound Devices 552 also features a mini USB port for field-upgradeable firmware and is powered by four AA batteries or an external 10-18 VDC.

The 552, like all Sound Devices products, is designed to withstand the physical and environmental extremes of field production. Its top and bottom chassis panels are made from molded, metalized carbon fiber for superior durability and weight reduction. The front panel is also gasketed for water resistance.

Sound Devices, LLC designs and manufactures portable audio mixers, digital recorders and related audio equipment for feature film, episodic television, documentary, news-gathering, and acoustical test and measurement applications. The eleven-year old company designs and manufactures from their Reedsburg, Wisconsin headquarters with additional offices in Madison, WI and Highland Park, IL. For more information, visit the Sound Devices website, www.sounddevices.com