Sound Devices has improved the facilities offered by its flagship 664 Production Mixer, adding expanded recording capabilities, along with greater flexibility and ease-of-use outdoors for the company’s
Firmware v1.05 includes LCD Daylight Display mode, a daylight-specific colour scheme and solid bar metering option for improved readability in direct sunlight, and additional front panel button shortcuts, including LCD Daylight Display mode (HP + Select encoders) and Phrase list (HP + RTN B/C) for fast entry of metadata notes. There is also a shortcut for activating different set-up tone modes and Track Names in Meters’ options (without colour gradient/ramp) that are selectable for either right- or left-side display.
Version 1.05, 664 also brings Monophonic Broadcast WAV file support, providing recording of up to ten tracks to two cards, with up to three seconds of record pre-roll. If a card not optimised for multichannel monophonic file recording is used, or if the monophonic ten-track limit is exceeded, a warning message is shown on the LCD when starting a recording. In addition, when formatted in the 664, SD cards 64Gb and larger are now automatically formatted as ExFAT (in accordance with the SD Association’s recommendation). All CF cards and lower-capacity SD cards remain FAT32.
Available as a free download to existing 664 users, v1.05 also provides a Headphone Volume or Headphone Preset default option, which sets the HP encoder to operate as headphone level or to select HP presets when rotated. Pressing the headphone encoder momentarily activates the alternative function.
