The Sound Devices 552 is a portable production mixer and integrated digital audio recorder that contains five high-quality microphone preamps, integrated digital recording to SD cards, and advanced features for field production. It is designed to be lightweight, durable, and easy to use in run-and-gun applications while also supporting more complex setups. The 552 provides professional audio quality and functionality in a compact and power-efficient portable package.

1. 552 ®
Portable Production Mixer with Integrated Recorder
Description 552 Key Features
Sound Devices presents the 552 • Five high-performance microphone inputs • Flexible metering modes, including zoom
Production Mixer, the most techologically with two-stage gain control, limiter, high- metering for high precision near 0 dBfs
advanced portable audio mixer ever pass, and solo monitoring
• Voice-prompts appear in headphones for
made. Using the best analog and digital • Pre- or post-fader direct outputs per input critical operational information and when
technologies, along with advanced navigating Setup Menu
• Multiple, balanced output connections,
mechanical construction, the 552 including XLR, Hirose 10-pin, and TA3 • Lightweight design used metalized,
gives professionals a superb sounding, molded carbon fiber top and bottom
compact, lightweight and power-efficient • AES/EBU outputs, two connections for panels for durability and strength
mixer that is equally at home in simple four channels of digital output
• Front panel is gasketed for protection
run-and-gun applications or in complex • Integrated digital recorder with simple from weather
multi-input, multi-output production control records to SD or SDHC media
setups. • Powered by four-AA batteries or external
• Records uncompressed Broadcast WAV 10-18 VDC
up to 96 kHz sampling or MP3 files
The 552 contains five precision high-
dynamic-range transformer-balanced • Accepts time code input to time-stamp
microphone inputs with expanded gain recorded audio files
and headroom. Each input accepts audio
sources of various types and levels.
Inputs have their own limiter, sweepable
high-pass filter, and pre-or-post-fade direct to take command of recording functions. production. The 552 uses molded,
output. Push up to begin recording. Either WAV or metalized carbon fiber top and bottom
MP3 files can be recorded. chassis panels for increased durability
The 552 has an integrated digital and weight reduction. Additionally, its front
audio recorder writing industry-standard The 552, like all Sound Devices panel is gasketed for improved resistance
Broadcast Wave files to SD and SDHC professional audio products, are to moisture.
media. A simple joystick controller is used designed to withstand the physical
and environmental extremes of field
®
300 Wengel Drive
Post Office Box 576
Reedsburg, Wisconsin 53959 USA
+1 608.524.0625 main
+1 608.524.0655 fax
Discover more about Sound Devices products at www.sounddevices.com

2. 552 ®
Portable Production Mixer with Integrated Recorder
[ Back Panel ]
[ Left Panel ]
[ Right Panel ]
Quick Specs
Analog Inputs: Digital Output Selection: Powering:
• Five transformer-balanced mic/line inputs • Transformer-balanced AES/EBU outputs on • Battery powered from four AA (LR6) cells,
using Lundahal input transformers, 5 x XLR XLR, four channels, 110 ohm accepts initial cell voltages from 1.2 V to
connectors • AES A - left XLR, two-channel, source se- 1.5 V (compatible with rechargeable cell
• Dual-stage gain with separate input trim (up lected from Setup Menu chemistries)
to 72 dB of gain) and fader (additional 15 • AES B - right XLR, two-channel, source • 10–18 VDC external input
dB of gain) selected from Setup Menu • nternal and external voltage displayed on
I
• Selectable 48 V phantom on mic or line • High-accuracy word clock generator, sup- output meter using battery check function
level, 12 V phantom option selectable in ports sampling rates of 44.1, 48, 88.2, and
Setup Menu 96 kHz, menu-selectable Mechanical Construction:
• Fully variably high-pass filters with com- • lass-defining compact size and weight
C
pound slope from 12 dB to 6 dB/octave Digital Recorder: • 53 mm x 279 mm x 168 mm (H x W x D),
• Input peak limiters for each of the five • wo-channel, records audio sent to AES A
T 2.1” x 11” x 6.6”
inputs • 6 or 24 bit two-channel WAV file with sam-
1 • 4.0 lbs (1.8 kg) with 4-AA batteries
• Polarity reverse selectable on inputs 2 & 4 pling rate set from digital outputs. • Aluminum & stainless steel chassis for
• Broadcast WAV metadata added to WAV exceptional durability and low weight
Analog Outputs: files • Carbon fiber top and bottom panels for
• Left/Right transformer-balanced switch- • Compressed, two-channel MP3 file selec- expectional strength and low weight
selectable mic/aux/line-level outputs on tion of 64, 128 and 256 kb/s, timecode • Splash-resistant front panel
XLR and Hirose 10-pin connectors written to ID3 tag • Extensively tested for operation in environ-
• Balanced left/right outputs on TA3 connec- • Timecode input used to write timecode mental extremes
tors, menu selectable mic or line level. value to file metadata
• Unbalanced tape-level output on both 3.5
mm and locking TA3 connectors Data Storage
• Removable SD or SDHC card media, up to
• Summed mono, unbalanced mic-level out-
2 TB addressable
put on 3.5 mm connector
• Fixed syntax filename, using date-time.
extension
• FAT32 formatting, unit formats SD cards if
they are not FAT32 format
Features, nomenclature, and specifications can, and do change.
Discover more about Sound Devices products at www.sounddevices.com © 2009, Sound Devices, LLC