Sonosax SX-ES84
Sonosax SX-ES84
Sonosax SX-ES84 Input & Output Modules
Sonosax SX-ES84 Input & Output Modules
Sonosax SX-ES84 Left Side with Battery Compartment
Sonosax SX-ES84 Left Side with Battery Compartment
Sonosax SX-ES84 Rear Panel
Sonosax SX-ES84 Rear Panel
The Sonosax SX-ES is the first line of Sonosax portable consoles which is not modular. There was a strong demand for a reduced-size console, with minimal but still sufficient features. The SX-ST series, and the excellent SX-ST8D with eight channels, eight masters, eight analog direct outputs, eight digital outputs, are not only expensive, but rather cumbersome and provide many features which are not strictly essential on a film shoot. In fact, quite often four Auxiliary outputs and eight masters remain unused. The SX-ES is the response to this demand, and provides a new console which finds its place between the SX-ST series and the outdated SX-S series with its old time preamps.

Sonosax was cautious and, in late 2009, has released a first version with six inputs and significant space saving. But, with the current state of demands on feature film shoots, where evermore radio mics are necessary, very soon this small mixer needed a big sister, with two additional inputs, at last available by DC Audiovisuel.

For more compact design, Sonosax has suppressed several features of the SX-ST:
- four masters, four remain, which is more than enough;
- auxiliary outputs, the SX-ES has none;
- double rotary trim control, in favour of a three-position gain switch and continuous rotary adjustment;
- dual course fader, SX-ES faders have a classical graph with a maximum at 12 dB;
- the post-fader output level LEDs for each channel, only three (not five) input level LEDs are maintained;
- the timed mute push button for each channel;
- the power switch for each channel, on the SX-ES they are always on;
- double inputs on XLR and SUB-D25;
- the two VU meters needle, replaced by four LED level meters much more readable, two of which can be used for PFL;
- the allocation of digital outputs, this setting is now internal;
- a removable battery compartment in favour of a built-in tray.

Otherwise, Sonosax has not compromised with preamp quality, their finesse as their dynamics and sensitivity, and that's the main point. The SX-ES84 Sonosax maintains two monitoring sections, the main one is dedicated to classic mixdown monitoring with built-in MS decoder, the second one is more specific for deported output or master monitoring. Little icing on the cake, Sonosax at last includes a slate mic on its console.

Sonosax has also added on each channel input, a low frequency pre-filter with rather high cut-off frequency (135 Hz) and 6 dB/oct slope, sometimes useful to filter infra bass which can saturate next preamp stage and become catastrophic on analog/digital conversion.

This SX-ES84 digital module is identical to the one of the SX-ES64, and therefore has only eight outputs, 48 or 96 kHz, 24 bits. On the SX-ES64, the first six digital outputs correspond logically to the six direct-out pre-eq, post eq, post fader (selection by internal soldering jumpers). The last two outputs correspond to 1 & 2 master outputs. On the SX-ES84, the digital outputs are affected, also by internal soldering jumpers, as well to direct-out or to masters.

DC Audiovisuel now offers the new console for rent. The Sonosax SX-ES84, we like +2 times more!
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