AlphaMix
Portable Audio Mixer
PSC ALPHAMIX MIXER FEATURE COMPARISONAS OF FEBRUARY, 2004

Copyright 2003
Professional Sound Corporation
Printed in the U.S.A.

PSC ALPHAMIX MIXER FEATURE COMPARISONAS OF FEBRUARY, 2004
The PSC AlphaMix Mixer offers the greatest, most flexible feature set in the 4channel ENG mixer market today. The chart below will allow you to compare themost important features of the top selling 4-channel ENG mixers on the market.
Items shown in bold offer a feature advantage over competing mixers. Allspecifications derived from product literature, company websites, etc at time ofcomparison.

ALPHAMIX

442

X4# OF INPUTS

4 XLR

4 XLR

4 XLR

MIC POWER

12T/48PH

12T/48PH

12T/48PH

LINE/MIC SWITCH

YES

YES

YES

CHANNEL LINKYES

YES

YES

CONTINUOUSLYVARIABLE GAIN

YES

YES

NOT AVAIL.

CONTINUOUSLYVARIABLE PAN POTS

YES

YES

NOT AVAIL.

PRE FADE LISTEN

YES

YES

NOT AVAIL.

INDIVIDUAL LINEOUTPUTS PER INPUT

YES

YES

NOT AVAIL.

INPUT CHANNEL (*1)
METERSPSC EXCLUSIVE!

NOT AVAIL.

NOT AVAIL.

REMOTE CONTROL (*2)
ST
OF 1 INPUTPSC EXCLUSIVE!

NOT AVAIL.

NOT AVAIL.

INPUT SECTION:

ALPHAMIX442

X4TONE OSC

YESYESYESSLATE MICYESYESYES

HP SELECTIONSYESYESYES

MIX BUSSYESYESNOT AVAIL.

LIMITERS

OFF/LINK/SEP

OFF/LINK/SEP

OFF/LINK

TAPE MONITOR (*3)

2 CAMERAS

2 CAMERAS

1 CAMERAMETERS (*4)

LCD

LEDANALOG V.U.

MULTI-PIN (*5)

2 HIROSE 10 PINSPSC EXCLUSIVE!

HIROSE 10 PINHIROSE12 PIN

TRANSFORMERS (*6)

YES, DUAL ISOLATED YES
SECONDARIES. THE
LARGEST, HIGHESTQUALITY IN THE
INDUSTRY!
PSC EXCLUSIVE!

NOT AVAIL.

MAIN FULLY (*7)
BALANCED OUTPUTS(NOT PSEUDO BALANCED)XLR’S L, R,
2 X 10 PINSXLR’S L, R,
1X 10 PINXLR’S L,R,
1X 12 PINAUX OUTPUTS (*8)

2 MIC/LINE
SWITCHABLE
PSC EXCLUSIVE!

1 MIC/LINE

1 MIC ONLY

FIELD CASE AND (*9)
SHOULDER STRAPINCLUDEDOPTIONAL($155.00 EXTRA)INCLUDED

BOOM REMOTE (*10)

PSC EXCLUSIVE!

NOT AVAIL.

NOT AVAIL.

NP-1 BATTERY (*11)

PSC EXCLUSIVE!

NOT AVAIL.

NOT AVAIL.

BUILT IN POWER (*12)
DISTRIBUTION

PSC EXCLUSIVE!
NOT AVAIL.
(SAVES YOU $280.00)

NOT AVAIL.

EXPANSION PORT (*13)

PSC EXLCUSIVE!

NOT AVAIL.

NOT AVAIL.

SUGGESTED (*14)
RETAIL PRICE$1895.00$2495.00$1695.00

GENERAL:OUTPUTS:OTHER FEATURES:

(*)NOTES:
1.
2.
3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Only the PSC AlphaMix offers individual LED meters per input channel. Thesemeters are incredibly handy for preamp level setting and PFM (pre fader metering)
functions. Once you use them, you will never want to work without them again!
Only PSC offers you a boom pole mounted remote control for the first input. Itmakes mixing while booming very easy. No other manufacturer offers this userfriendly feature!
Two camera shoots are an everyday occurrence. 10 pin Hirose connections forbetasnake cables are now the industry standard. If you offer two-camera support,
it might as well be done right! Only PSC offers two-camera support including
tape-monitoring functions on two Hirose 10 pins!
Every camera in the world is now equipped with LCD audio meters. Why?
Because they are consume little power and are easily sunlight readable. Your
mixer’s meters are supposed to match the meters on the camera right? So why
not use the same technology to begin with. Only PSC offers this meter
technology!
Two camera support should equal two 10-pin Hirose connectors. It’s simple
enough, but the other manufacturers don’t seem to get it. Why should you have tocarry two different style betasnakes? And, how reliable is a non-locking 3.5mm
tape return jack? You will never have to ask these questions when using a PSC
AlphaMix.
Output transformers with dual isolated secondaries need to be twice the size ofoutput transformers with single secondaries. The laws of physics can’t be broken,
no matter how hard our competitors try. PSC is the only company to offer true,
properly sized, dual isolated output transformers in an ENG mixer. For further
information on this subject, go to our web site and look at our “TransformerPhysics” page listed under the downloads section.
True balanced outputs offer signals of equal amplitude and opposite polarities.
Pseudo balanced outputs only offer balanced impedances. While this sounds
great in theory and works most of the time, it is nearly impossible to replicate theoutput impedance of an op-amp with a simple network of passive components up
through the RF frequency range. This detail seems unimportant until you use
your mixer with transmitter hops to the cameras. Then you will see the benefit oftrue, transformer balanced outputs over “impedance” balanced outputs. Why doother manufactures use impedance balancing?…because it requires less parts!
Some mixers offer a microphone level auxiliary output and some offer a line level
auxiliary output. Murphy’s Law will tell you that what you have on hand is theopposite of what you need at that time! The PSC AlphaMix is the only mixer tooffer two auxiliary outputs and they are both independently switchable for either
mic or line level output! Problem solved!
Let’s face it, you are not going to buy a new ENG mixer and leave it sitting at homein the cardboard box. These mixers are designed for run and gun applications
and thus require a sturdy field bag and shoulder strap.
Most manufactures
provide you with a bag and strap, some don’t and you have to buy this“accessory” separately. Keep this in mind when you look at the price of newmixers. PSC always includes a nice bag and strap with every AlphaMix.
Ever tried to boom with one hand while mixing with the other? Its hard work andthe results can sometimes be dangerous. Only the PSC AlphaMix comes with aconvenient boom pole mounted remote control for this purpose. Now you canboom with two hands when needed.
Nearly every mixer is now used with wireless and lots of them. These usebatteries at a rate that will cost you hundreds if not thousands of dollars over thelife of the mixer. The solution of coarse is to use a NP-1 rechargeable battery foryour mixer and wireless power needs. You can buy various accessory battery
adapters, etc to cobble together this function or you can use the PSC Alphamix,
which is the only mixer to include a built in NP-1 battery compartment at noadditional cost to you!

12.

13.

14.

While you are powering all of those wireless from one NP-1 battery, did you evernotice strange whines or tones coming from your system? They are caused byrunning everything directly off one battery without any RF filtering to quiet things
down. Most NP-1 battery caps do not include individually filtered outputs, but thePSC AlphaMix does. In fact, it’s the only mixer to offer filtered power distribution
as a built in feature!
Maybe someday you will have a need for more than 4 channels. Maybe you willneed 5 or 6 or 7. But do you need to purchase another complete mixer to makethis happen? Not if you own a PSC AlphaMix and the soon to be released
expansion module. Details of this exciting new product will be on our website
soon. Check back regularly.
Suggested retail price of the PSC AlphaMix includes the Boom Pole RemoteControl, Field Bag and Shoulder Strap and an Alkaline Battery tray. As well as allof the inclusive features found built into the AlphaMix. Buying a field bag andshoulder strap separately for those mixers not so equipped will add more than$150.00 to the price of your mixer purchase. Buying a NP-1 adapter with multiple 4
pin Hirose power outputs will cost you an additional $280.00. Think about thatwhen you price your next mixer.

We reserve the right to make changes to features and specifications without notice toenable future product improvements.

Copyright 2003
Professional Sound Corporation
Printed in the U.S.A.