Sound for Video Session: Sound Devices 633 Setup Basics

In this week's Sound for Video Session we walk through the basics of setting up your Sound Devices 633 for recording.

Links to gear we discussed or used to record this session:

Sound Devices 633 Audio Mixer/Recorder - my main pro-level recorder

Shure SM58 Vocal Microphone - I wanted to record this session with a dynamic microphone because there was a lot of wind outdoors and some gremlins watching TV upstairs. I don’t love the sound of this mic for recordings like this, especially on my voice, but it is a reliable mic and good to have one in the kit.

Panasonic GH5 Camera - This session shot on the GH5

Olympus 45mm f/1.8 Lens - This session shot with this lens

Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd

Sound Devices MixPre Sound Samples Comparison (MixPre, 633, Zoom F8)

In this episode, we have three sound samples to give you a sense for how the Sound Devices MixPre-6, Zoom F8, and Sound Devices 633 differ. The difference is not big in terms of timbre or self-noise. Have a listen!

If you’d like to listen to the original WAV audio files from the recorders, you can do that here.

Raw WAV sound samples from the Sound Devices MixPre-6 compared to the Zoom F8 and Sound Devices 633 so that you can hear the difference in timbre between the three. In each case we recorded in the exact same location (my unfinished basement with concrete floors, sound blankets, and ceiling with batt insulation covered by plastic sheathing). All three recorded with the DPA 4017b shotgun microphone.

Gear used to record this episode:

Sound Devices MixPre-6 Audio Recorder & Mixer

Zoom F8 Audio Recorder/Mixer

Sound Devices 633 Audio Recorder/Mixer

DPA 4017b Shotgun Microphone (my pro-level outdoor mic)

Sound Devices MixPre-3 The "Little Brother" of the MixPre-6

Copyright 2017 by Curtis Judd

Sound Devices 633: Why do the Pros Use Gear Like This?

Because I love sound and am aiming to take on more jobs as a mixer, I recently bought the Sound Devices 633 mixer/recorder. This is a much more capable mixer and recorder than my previous recorders including the Zoom F8, the Tascam DR-60DmkII, and others. The Sound Devices will be my primary recorder and the Zoom F8 my backup recorder.

One question I’ve heard several times, and indeed, a question I’ve asked myself is, why does a mixer/recorder like the 633 cost so much more than something like a Tascam DR-60DmkII. Why $3000 more?!

In this episode, we cover some of the features on the 633 that make it the type of device that professional sound recordists and mixers choose.