Sound Devices 888 Mixer-Recorder

Overview
The 888 is a compact and lightweight portable mixer-recorder that offers unprecedented recording power. It features 8 ultra low-noise, 8-Series microphone preamplifiers, 16 channels of Dante I/O, and 20 tracks. With its highly extensible, full FPGA-based audio processing and six-way ARM multiprocessor system, the 888 allows for fully customizable routing and supports up to 16 channels of Dugan Automixing or MixAssist.

In addition to its impressive recording capabilities, the 888 offers various powering options, including dual L-Mount battery charging, NP-1 battery, or in-line power supply. It also has a built-in three band EQ, dedicated coms and slate, and the ability to record to three media simultaneously. With its compatibility with multiple USB control surfaces and the SD-Remote Android app, the 888 is a versatile and powerful tool for any production. Stay up to date with the latest firmware updates, available for download online.

Included in box
1x Sound Devices 888 Production Field Recorder / Mixer
1x Cordset 6′ AC Cable
1x XL-WPTA4 Power Supply
1x LCD Cover
1x Antenna, SMA connector
5x Dot Stickers (Red, Yellow, Blue, Green, Purple, White, 8 of each)
1x Promo Sticker (White)
1x Promo Sticker (Black)

About the Sound Devices 888 Mixer-Recorder
Firmware Update: 8-Series v9.20 Firmware for the 8-Series is now available here.

888

Unprecedented recording power – on a cart or over the shoulder.

Meet the 888 – the portable mixer-recorder that’s compact and light enough to use in a bag, yet has the high channel count and power required for mobile cart productions. The 888 is the smallest portable mixer-recorder on the market that offers Dante for sending and receiving audio over Ethernet. With 8 ultra low-noise, 8-Series microphone preamplifiers, 16 channels, 20 tracks, multiple powering methods, and support for multiple USB control surfaces, the 888 can be easily tailored to your workflow. An updated processing architecture and multiple FPGAs enables the 888 to be fully routable: any physical input may be sent to any track, bus, or output.

Many features have carried over from the premium Sound Devices’ Scorpio, such as the new 8-Series preamplifier design, 2 SD card slots, internal 256GB SSD, and dual L-Mount battery charging and powering. Alternatively, power your 888 using a smart battery, NP-1 battery, or an in-line power supply via its TA4 DC input. The ultra-accurate, fully-featured timecode generator contains its own battery to hold timecode for up to four hours after power off.

Dedicated coms and slate allows for professional bi-directional communication with other crew members. Send customised mixes to the camera or crew with multiple mix buses. With the ability to record to three media simultaneously, you can turn over an SD card to production, AAC files for transcription, and keep a backup on the internal 256 GB SSD.

A built-in three band EQ may be set to either pre- or post-fade for each channel to tackle any problems directly on-set. Enable Dugan Automixing or MixAssist to automatically attenuate unused microphones in multi-microphone applications. Up to 16 channels can be automixed at a time.

Get the perfect fit on your cart with one of several supported USB control surfaces for remote fader and transport control. Download the companion Android app, SD-Remote, to access to transport controls, metering, and sound reports on a large touch screen.

Elevate your kit with the 888 Portable Production Mixer-Recorder.

Analog Inputs
Frequency Response
10 Hz to 80 kHz ± 0.5 dB (192 kHz sample rate, re 1 kHz)
THD + Noise 0.005% max (mic in, 1 kHz, 22 Hz–22 kHz BW, trim at 20, fader at 0, -10 dBu in)
Equivalent Input Noise -131 dBV (-129 dBu) max (mic in, A-weighting, 76 dB gain
150 ohm source impedance)
Processing Engine Highly extensible, full FPGA-based audio processing, 3 FPGAs
Six-way ARM multiprocessor system
64-bit audio processing precision
Audio Over Ethernet
Dante, AES67 compatible
16 channels in, 16 channels out (up to 96 kHz)
1 Gb/s Ethernet, 1 port, transformer-balanced
Inputs
Mic/Line inputs
8 total, all fully featured; 4 on full-size XLR, 4 on TA3
Inputs Mic-level inputs: (XLR, TA3): Class-A, discrete differential long-tail pair
4k ohm input impedance
Line-level inputs: (XLR, TA3): active-balanced, 4k ohm input impedance
48 V phantom: full 10 mA to all 8 inputs simultaneously
12 Total analog inputs: 8 mic-line inputs, 4 on returns
AES3 or AES42 available on XLR input 1
AES42: +10 V, 250 mA available, mode-1, auto-ASRC
USB Audio: 2 Inputs
Rtn A (TA3): unbalanced 2-channel, 4k ohm input impedance
Rtn B (3.5 mm): unbalanced 2-channel, 4k ohm input impedance
Com Rtn (TA3) balanced, 1-channel, 8k ohm input impedance
External Slate Mic (TA5): balanced, 8k ohm input impedance
Maximum Input Level Mic: +8 dBu (2.0 Vrms)
Line: +28 dBu (19.5 Vrms)
Rtn A, B: +18 dBu (6.2 Vrms)
Com Rtn: +24 dBu (12.3 Vrms)
External Slate Mic: +12 dBu (3.2 Vrms)
Buses
10 Buses (L, R, 1-8)
Left and Right Mix Bus receives post-fade isolated channels. Optional NoiseAssist plugin
instances can be applied to any bus. Buses 1-8 can receive pre-fade, post-fade
or independent send level from isolated channels, Returns A or B, and Com Return.
High-Pass Filters
Adjustable 10 Hz to 320 Hz, 18 dB/oct. 1st stage analog (before preamp), 2nd stage digital.
Limiters
Limiters available at all channels, buses, headphones, for all sample rates
Analog first stage, all subsequent stages digital
Attack time: adjustable 1 to 200 ms
Release time: adjustable, 50 ms to 1000 ms
Threshold: adjustable, -2 dBFS to -12 dBFS
Selectable ratio: inf:1, 20:1, 18:1, 16:1, 14:1, 12:1, 10:1
Knee: soft, hard
Compressors
Compressors available at all channels (pre or post-fade) and buses for all sample rates
Attack time: adjustable, 1 to 200 ms
Release time: adjustable, 50 ms to 1000 ms
Threshold: adjustable, 0 dBFS to -40 dBFS
Selectable ratio: adjustable, 1:1 to 20:1
Knee: soft, hard
Delay
Channel Adjustable 0-50 ms
Output Adjustable 0-500 ms
Maximum Gain
Trim stage (mic input): 76 dB
Trim stage (line input): 50 dB
Fader stage: 16 dB
Bus stage: 16 dB
Headphone stage: 20 dB
Mic-to-Line: 108 dB
Mic-to-Headphone: 112 dB
Outputs
Outputs XLR (L, R) active-balanced, 250/3.2k/120 ohms (mic/-10/line)
TA3 (X1-X4) active-balanced, 250/3.2k/120 ohms (mic/-10/line)
3.5mm (X5, X6, X7, X8): unbalanced, stereo, 1.8k ohms
Headphone Outputs 1/4”, 3.5 mm
TA5 (along with mic input pins) for single connection to headset + mic
High output, 4 ohm output impedance, 400 mW + 400 mW at each connector, all individually driven
Compatible with headphones of any impedance
Maximum Output Level (all into 10k load) Line: +20 dBu (7.8 Vrms)
“-10”: +6 dBu (1.5 Vrms)
Mic: -20 dBu (0.078 Vrms)
X5/X6 Out: +6 dBu (1.5 Vrms)
Headphone outputs (¼”, TA-5, X7/X8): +14 dBu (4.0 Vrms)
Digital Outputs AES3 transformer-balanced, in pairs; 1-2 (XLR-L), 3-4 (XLR-R),
110 ohm, 2 V p-p, AES and S/PDIF compatible
Recording
A/D Converters 32-bit, 120 dB, A-weighted dynamic range typical
Sampling rates 44.1 kHz, 47.952 kHz, 48 kHz, 48.048 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz
Bit Depth 16, 24
Recording Internal 256 GB SSD; two removable SD Cards. Each 10% over-provisioned
(reserved free space) for optimum performance
Simultaneous recording to internal SSD and the two SD cards
exFAT formatting
20 tracks (16 iso channels, 4 buses)
Broadcast WAV monophonic and polyphonic file format
64-bit WAV (RF64) monophonic and polyphonic; support for files > 4 GB
AAC 2 track at 48 kHz, selectable bit rate 32, 64, 128, 192, 256 kbps
Automatic Mixing
Dugan Automixer/MixAssist up to 16 channels on Left and Right Mix bus
MixAssist up to 16 channels on Left and Right Mix bus
Noise Suppression
Via optional paid Sound Devices NoiseAssist or CEDAR sdnx Plugins
Two, four, or eight instances of Noise Suppression can run on any combination of isolated channels
(excluding 17-32 on Scorpio), or buses.
Attenuation range: 0-20 dB
NoiseAssist operates with sampling rates of 44.1 kHz to 48.048 kHz.
CEDAR sdnx operates with sampling rates of 44.1 kHz to 96 kHz.
NoiseAssist audio path latency: 0.77 ms @ 48kHz
CEDAR sdnx audio path latency: 0.27 ms @ 48kHz, 0.14ms @ 96kHz
USB
USB-C (USB 3.1 type 1) for file transfer of internal SSD, both SD Cards
USB-C 2-in/2-out USB audio interface
USB-A host for keyboard, external controller, external USB hubs supported for connecting
multiple devices
Timecode and Sync
Modes Supported: Off, Rec Run, Free Run, 24h Run, External
including External Auto-Record and Continuous modes.
Frame Rates: 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97 DF, 29.97 ND, 30 DF, 30 ND
Sample/Timecode Accuracy: 0.1 ppm (0.25 frames per 24 hours)
Timecode Input: 20k ohm impedance, 0.3 V – 3.0 V p-p (–17 dBu – +3 dBu)
Timecode Output: 75 ohm impedance, 5 V p-p (+7 dBu)
Remote Control
Sound Devices CL-16 Linear Fader Controller
Sound Devices CL-12 Linear Fader Controller
USB MIDI MCU Control – supported 3rd party fader controllers
SD-Remote Android Tablet app via USB or Bluetooth LE
SD-Remote Android Phone app via Bluetooth LE
SD-Remote iPad and iPhone app via Bluetooth LE
USB Keyboard
External Timecode Record Trigger
File Delivery to Cloud
Compatible with Frame.io Camera to Cloud
Compatible with Viviana Cloud
LCD
320×240, Transflective, excellent sunlight visibility
Larger touchscreen display available via USB-connected SD-Remote app
Power
External: 10-18 V input on locking TA4 connectors, (pin 4 positive, pin 1 ground)
supports Smart Battery telemetry
Dual rear-mount Sony-style L-mount batteries with chargers
Current Draw, at 12 V no battery charging
All mic preamps off: 780 mA
All mic preamps on: 990 mA
All mic preamps on, 192 kHz sample rate, recording to 2 SD Cards: 1.13 A
All mic preamps on, 192 kHz sample rate, recording to 2 SD Cards, Dante enabled: 1.38 A
Intelligent power-down of unused mic preamps and other internal circuits
Environmental
Operating -20° C to 60° C, 0 to 90% relative humidity (non-condensing)
Storage -40° C to 85° C
Dimensions (H x W x D)
5.1 cm x 24.5 cm x 18.5 cm
2.0 in. x 10.0 in. x 7.3 in
Weight
4.0 lbs (unpackaged, without batteries)
1.83 kg (unpackaged, without batteries)

8 ultra low-noise, 8-Series microphone preamplifiers
16 channels, 10 buses, 20 tracks
16 channels of Dante I/O
256 GB internal SSD, 2 SD card slots
USB control surface support via MCU
Dugan Automixing or MixAssist for up to 16 channels
Highly extensible, full FPGA-based audio processing, 3 FPGAs
Six-way ARM multiprocessor system
64-bit audio processing precision
Dante, AES67 compatible
16 channels in, 16 channels out (up to 192 kHz)
1 Gb/s Ethernet, 1 port, transformer-balanced
USB-C (USB 3.1 type 1) for file transfer of internal SSD, both SD Cards
USB-A host for keyboard, external controller, external USB hubs supported for connecting multiple devices