Beachtek DXA-MAX Overview
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1Description
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2Upgrade to Pro Audio
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3Connect to a Mixing Board
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4Built-In VU Meter
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5Use with a Smartphone
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6Ultra-Performance Preamps
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7Audio Bracketing
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8Removable Cheese Plate
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9Impressive 10-Hour Run Times
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10Tough, Reliable Build Quality
Easily connect wireless systems, camera mounted mics, and professional handheld and boom microphones to your camera with the DXA-MAX from Beachtek. This easy-to-use, 2-channel, active audio adapter mounts to your camcorder or DSLR/mirrorless camera and provides an XLR input with phantom power, two mono 3.5mm inputs, and one 3.5mm stereo input to connect various audio sources. The inputs feed powerful, low-noise preamps with a wide bandwidth that allow you to get clear, professional sounding audio without distracting levels of hiss coloring your recordings.
The unit connects to the camera's 3.5mm input jack and offers gain switches and knobs for each channel along with 8-segment metering to provide a clear display of critical levels. A second 3.5mm output with volume knob is available for headphone monitoring. When you're only recording a single mic, use the audio-bracketing feature to set up a backup recording on your camera at a lower level in case the main take is too hot in some spots. The built-in rechargeable battery powers the unit for up to 10 hours and the modular design with removable cheese plate gives the system tremendous versatility for camera mounting as well as options for attaching receivers and accessories. With additional cables (available separately) you can even record professional XLR mics to your smartphone or tablet.
Go pro with all the features you need, including a built-in XLR connector with 48-volt phantom power for connecting any pro mic. In addition, there are two 3.5mm mono and one 3.5mm stereo mini jacks with plug-in power for connecting any camera-mounted mic, such as the popular Rode VideoMics. You can also easily connect a wireless receiver to either the XLR or mini jack inputs. Connect two audio sources at a time for two-channel recording. Each channel can easily be independently adjusted for the optimum recording level. The DXA-MAX gives you the ability to connect whatever microphones work best for your situation.
Connect to a Mixing Board
Want to connect a sound mixer? No problem. Simply use a readily available barrel attenuator between the mixer and XLR input of the adapter. For a two-channel feed from a mixer, you can use an attenuating "Y" cable between the mixer and Stereo input on the DXA-MAX.
No more guessing at where to set your levels. The key to getting the best audio performance is to be sure that the levels are in the sweet spot for the highest signal-to-noise ratio. Too low and you are near the noise floor of the camera preamplifiers, too high and you risk clipping and distortion. The VU meters make it easy to see exactly where you are, which eliminates all guess work. Bright, easy-to-read LEDs are visible under virtually all lighting conditions.
With the optional RODE SC7 smartphone cable (available separately), you can easily connect a professional XLR microphone for superb audio, ideal for use with interview mics for one-channel audio. You can also record two-channel audio onto an iPhone with the optional RODE AI-Micro Compact Audio Interface and Beachtek BT-SC6 cable (both available separately). This allows you to use the bracketing feature to record audio to both channels at different levels, so you have a backup track in case the primary one gets blown out. You can also add a second mic or wireless receiver with a TRS connector to the second channel.
Ultra-Performance Preamps
Powerful low-noise preamplifiers with dual gain settings provide a strong, clear signal to the camera. This allows you to reduce the camera gain, which dramatically reduces the hiss. You can now use the very clean preamplifiers in the adapter to effectively replace the preamplifiers in the camera. This is the key to dramatically increasing the signal-to-noise ratio for in camera recording. You now get comparable or better results than using a separate digital audio recorder to capture quality audio�and you don't have to worry about syncing your audio and video in post.
A very useful feature allows you to use audio bracketing when using a single mono microphone to have a backup channel that is recorded at a lower level. This gives you a safety track in case the primary channel gets distorted from an overly hot input.
The removable cheese plate has a built-in shoe slot plus several threaded 1/4" and 3/8" mounting holes to easily add accessories to the top of your camera. Each side of the chassis also has additional built-in sturdy mounting shoes, ideal for mounting wireless microphones. The brass mounting foot allows the unit to attach to the camera shoe so it is up and out of the way of the camera battery drawer. Beachtek's optional V-CLIK (available separately) makes it even easier to quickly and securely click-on and click-off anything from lights, microphones, monitors, and more.
Impressive 10-Hour Run Times
No more having to waste money on buying replacement batteries. The DXA-MAX offers a built-in high-capacity LiPo battery for up to ten hours of operation when phantom power is not being used. Check the battery level at a glance with Green/Yellow/Red status indicator. You can also power the device externally via the micro-USB port from any commonly available USB battery for unlimited run times.
Tough, Reliable Build Quality
The tough, extruded aluminum chassis is virtually indestructible with rock-solid electronics you can rely on. Not even a two-ton truck rolling over it will damage it.
In the Box
- Beachtek DXA-MAX 2-Channel Active Audio Adapter for DSLR
- Removable Cheese Plate
- Micro-USB Cable
- 3.5mm to 3.5mm Output Cable
- Brass Mounting Foot
- Brass Mounting Bolt
- Allen Wrench
Table of Contents
- Description
- Upgrade to Pro Audio
- Connect to a Mixing Board
- Built-In VU Meter
- Use with a Smartphone
- Ultra-Performance Preamps
- Audio Bracketing
- Removable Cheese Plate
- Impressive 10-Hour Run Times
- Tough, Reliable Build Quality
Beachtek DXA-MAX Specs
General
Compatibility |
Not Specified by Manufacturer |
Inputs / Outputs
USB I/O |
1 x Micro-USB (Charging Only) Female Input |
Audio I/O |
1 x XLR 3-Pin Mic Input 1 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRRS Mic Input (Stereo) 2 x 1/8" / 3.5 mm TRS Mic Input (Mono) |
Battery
Battery Chemistry |
Lithium-Ion Polymer (LiPo) |
Battery Capacity |
2400 mAh |
Recharge Time |
4 Hours |
Maximum Battery Life |
10 Hours |
Physical
Mounting |
Bottom: 1 x Camera Shoe Bottom: 1 x Cheese Plate Mount |
Material of Construction |
Aluminum |
Cable Length |
Not Specified by Manufacturer |
Dimensions |
4 x 3.5 x 2" / 102 x 89 x 51 mm |
Weight |
14 oz / 0.4 kg |
Packaging Info
Package Weight |
1.43 lb |
Box Dimensions (LxWxH) |
8.7 x 7.1 x 3.3" |
Beachtek DXA-MAX Reviews
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