Sound Devices 888 Portable Production Mixer-Recorder
The Sound Devices 888 Portable Production Mixer-Recorder 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.
- 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
- Cable-free wireless audio integration with SL-2 & A20-Nexus
- USB control surface support via MCU
- Dugan Automixing or MixAssist for up to 16 channels
- Optional NoiseAssist and CEDAR sdnx noise suppression plugins
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 customized 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. If you are recording in a noisy environment, enable the optional NoiseAssist or CEDAR sdnx plugins to suppress common background noises instantly on-location.
Get the perfect fit on your cart with the Sound Devices CL-16 or one of several other supported USB control surfaces for remote fader and transport control. Download the companion Android and iPad app, SD-Remote, to access to transport controls, metering, and sound reports on a large touch screen. The SL-2 Dual SuperSlot Wireless Module easily mounts to the top panel, providing up to four channels of wireless audio in each slot.
Expand this to 16-channels of wireless audio with the A20-Nexus. Connection via the top panel with an A20-QuickDock provides totally cable-free solution for all power, audio and GainForward.
Elevate your kit with the 888 Portable Production Mixer-Recorder.
The 888 ships with the XL-WPTA4, XL-ANT2.4, and includes 1 XL-LCD-PROTECT protective cover.
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
- 8 total mic/line inputs, all fully featured; 4 on full-size XLR, 4 on TA3
- 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)
- L/R Mix Bus: post-fade isolated channels; optional NoiseAssist plugin
- Buses 1–8: pre-fade, post-fade, or independent send level from iso 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
- Available at all channels, buses, headphones
- Analog first stage, remaining stages digital
- Attack time: 1 to 200 ms adjustable
- Release time: 50 to 1000 ms adjustable
- Threshold: -2 dBFS to -12 dBFS adjustable
- Ratio: inf:1, 20:1, 18:1, 16:1, 14:1, 12:1, 10:1 selectable
- Knee: soft, hard
Compressors
- Available at all channels (pre or post-fade) and buses
- Attack time: 1 to 200 ms adjustable
- Release time: 50 to 1000 ms adjustable
- Threshold: 0 dBFS to -40 dBFS adjustable
- Ratio: 1:1 to 20:1 adjustable
- Knee: soft, hard
Delay
- Channel: Adjustable 0–50 ms
- Output: Adjustable 0–500 ms
Maximum Gain
- Trim stage (mic): 76 dB
- Trim stage (line): 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
- 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–X8): unbalanced, stereo, 1.8k ohms
Headphone Outputs
- ¼”, 3.5 mm, TA5 (combo headset)
- High output, 4 ohm impedance, 400 mW + 400 mW
- Compatible with headphones of any impedance
Maximum Output Level (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)
- Headphones: +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 – 192 kHz
- Bit Depth: 16, 24, 32-bit float
- Media: Internal 256 GB SSD + 2 removable SD cards
- All drives over-provisioned 10%
- Simultaneous recording to all three media
- File System: exFAT
- Tracks: 20 (16 iso, 4 bus)
- Format: Broadcast WAV mono/polyphonic, 64-bit WAV (RF64), AAC 2-track
Automatic Mixing
Noise Suppression
- Optional plugins: Sound Devices NoiseAssist or CEDAR sdnx
- 2, 4, or 8 instances available on any iso channel or bus
- Attenuation: 0–20 dB
- NoiseAssist: 44.1–48.048 kHz, 0.77 ms latency
- CEDAR sdnx: 44.1–96 kHz, 0.27 ms (48kHz), 0.14 ms (96kHz)
USB
- USB-C (3.1 type 1): file transfer
- USB-C: 2-in/2-out audio interface
- USB-A: host for keyboard, controller, or USB hub
Timecode and Sync
- Modes: Off, Rec Run, Free Run, 24h Run, External (Auto-Record, Continuous)
- Frame Rates: 23.98 to 30 ND/DF
- Accuracy: 0.1 ppm (0.25 frames/day)
- Input: 20k ohm, 0.3–3.0 V p-p (-17 to +3 dBu)
- Output: 75 ohm, 5 V p-p (+7 dBu)
Remote Control
- Sound Devices CL-16, CL-12
- USB MIDI MCU fader controller support
- SD-Remote app (Android tablet via USB/Bluetooth LE, Android/iOS phone via BLE)
- USB Keyboard
- External TC Record Trigger
File Delivery to Cloud
- Compatible with Frame.io Camera to Cloud
- Compatible with Viviana Cloud
LCD
- 320×240 Transflective, high sunlight visibility
- Larger touchscreen via SD-Remote app
Power
- External: 10–18 V via locking TA4, supports Smart Battery telemetry
- Dual Sony L-mount battery slots (charging supported)
- 12 V Current Draw (no battery charging):
- Mic preamps off: 780 mA
- Mic preamps on: 990 mA
- Preamp on, 192k, 2 SDs: 1.13 A
- Preamp on, 192k, 2 SDs, Dante: 1.38 A
- Intelligent power-down for unused circuits
Environmental
- Operating: -20° C to 60° C, 0–90% RH non-condensing
- Storage: -40° C to 85° C
Dimensions (H × W × D)
- 5.1 cm × 24.5 cm × 18.5 cm
- 2.0 in × 10.0 in × 7.3 in
Weight
