Marantz Professional PMD-602A Review
DSLR Audio Interface
- 2 x XLR Combo Inputs, Mic or Line Level
- 12V or 48V Phantom Power
- 3.5mm Stereo Line Input
- Limiter Function
- Line Output with Level Control
- Headphone Output for Monitoring
- Camera Mount and Tripod Socket
- 4 x AA Battery Operation
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 20 of 33 Reviews
Not ideal with the Canon 5DIII
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Lem on B&H Photo Video
This is a rugged unit, but functionality with a Canon 5DIII was not the greatest. The metering is not consistent with what the 5DIII is registering. And at what point does the Limiter kick-in? The limiter does not seem to work before the 5DIII meters peak and distort. (5DIII audio in manual mode with level set to the lowest possible setting... one click above off.) The limiter on the PMD-602A seems to be irrelevant in this application. And how does one know when it IS limiting? The light is always on... it should only light-up when limiting. Also... the CAM and PREAMP settings on the MONITOR are described backwards in the manual. (Even with the v1.1 addendum that was included in the box.) PREAMP sends the signal to the camera, while CAM is for listening to playback from the camera. (The terms, REC and PLAY may be less confusing.) The battery compartment is a design from the 1970's! They actually use the little ribbons that one must place under the AA batteries in order to get them out again! AA Batteries are fine, but they could have made them easily inserted from the end of the battery instead of stacked on their sides. I bought this to replace a worn-out Beachtek DXA-SLR ULTRA. (Which costs 3 times as much!) Besides a weak headphone input, the Beachtek worked exactly as it should with the Canon 5DIII. To be super picky: The Hot Shoe Mount is centered on the unit. This might work well for other cameras, but on the Canon 5DIII it makes the camera off-centered from the unit. (Since the 5DIII's 1/4-20 hole is not centered on the bottom of the camera.) I hope to return this product and pay the extra price for another Beachtek. ... More
Nicely made, works fine, large
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Galen on B&H Photo Video
I just finished doing some comparisons to the Beachtek DXA-SLR a very similar product that I own. I can't tell much audio difference between them. There is a size and some modest capability differences. (Sorry, I don't have a DXA-SLR 'Ultra' which would be a slightly better comparison) I am not a sound-tech guy so my analysis is based on my own hearing, using lav, shotgun and handheld mics, not wave-form analysis. First, the Marantz cost less than half as much. The tests were made on several of the Lumix GH-line bodies I own. In my mind, the biggest difference is battery life and overall size. The Beachtek eats 9v snap-top batteries at an astounding rate, especially when you use phantom power. The two AA's in the Marantz last much longer. The Marantz has L/R gain boost circuits which really pumps the gain up, so if you have mics that are in great need of that boost, the M is a better choice. The M is bigger and heavier. Both are similarly well-made. I'd like to see a more empirical test done with high-end audio equipment, but for my use, it's a bargain. I have 30 years experience producing video. ... More
Mixed reactions
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Robin on B&H Photo Video
I needed a simpler phantom mic preamp than my Tascam DR-60 for use with a Canon Vixia camcorder (the Tascam setup was too difficult when in a dark auditorium) and this seemed to fit the bill. Now that it's been used a few times I can detail the pros & cons. Good: easy to use - no complicated setup menus. Switches & knobs are large enough to work with in the dark. VU metering easy to see from 20 ft away. Case is solidly designed. Mounting bracket on top large enough that I could add a bar for shotgun microphone shockmount. Bad: battery power consumption - less than 4 hours with phantom power on both channels using new alkaline AA cells. Really NEEDS external power supply - a USB connector would be wonderful! Labels difficult to read in low light. Headphone jack impossible to see in dark - needed to put luminous paint around hole. Batteries difficult to change in the field - little ribbons get lost under cells. Labels & documentation leave something to be desired - meaning not always clear. A diagram of typical uses and settings might be helpful for initial setup. A general note to manufacturers for field audio gear used in theatrical documentation or night shoots - use luminous paint so the user can see switch default settings and locations of jacks. Backlighting the front panel might be possible - LEDs consume very little power. We frequently have to setup gear while the tech rehearsal is underway and it isn't always practical to use a flashlight or headlamp. ... More
Lots of Self Noise
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Mark on B&H Photo Video
I really wanted to like this device. Great price, great controls, and construction, the right number of input channels etc, etc, but man, do the preamps make a lot of noise! At first, I thought I was making the wrong connections or using the wrong input settings. But further testing with different cameras, cables and gain settings all gave the same result: tremendous hiss. Marantz has a great product here if they would upgrade the preamps in this interface. Sent it back to B&H for a refund (easy and fast service). If it were quieter, I'd buy it again. ... More
Overall great, but a few unreliabilities
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Damon on B&H Photo Video
This interface is fantastic for the most part. The amount of features it packs in such a small space powered by 4 AA batteries is awesome. Considering the price and you've really got a slam dunk. However, that being said, I've found a few difficulties in using it with my personal setup that makes it difficult to use the way it was intended. I have two Rode Wireless Go mics that I needed an interface to join up the audio before entering my camera, and seeing how versatile this unit was I decided to give it a try. However, I really don't think this interface was designed for standalone units like that. I really had to play around with the settings to be able to get it to not sound distorted or clip overall when used with those mics. It made all the great features of this unit pretty much null. I will caution to using this type of interface when paired with the Rode Wireless Go system only, as that is the only experience I have with it so far. Based on everything else I've tried with it, I'm very pleased with the features and I'll try to remember to update my review when I use XLR-based, Phantom-powered microphones into this interface in the future. ... More
Ads
Bad title: " ... DSLR Audio Interface"
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Miodrag on B&H Photo Video
After purchasing, I found that I was not sufficiently informed. I was wrongly informed by the information: "DSLR Audio Interface" from the title. I did not suspect that the audio output is: LINE. I have Sony A7sII, of course without LINE input. My camera has a MIC input. I do not know if the other DSLRs have a choice of LINE / MIC ... but I believe that many do not. In order for this Marantz to be correct, it had to produce output for both variants, on the switch. Now I have a big problem with a very strong signal from Marantz ... ... More
Crazy Good!!
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Felipe on B&H Photo Video
I don't know exactly how many db this device has of gain, I'll say some where between 50 and 60 db, Build is Amazing, Noise floor Great, I can compare this to my Azden FMX-DSLR, that has 16 db gain, this has at least 40 db more, Build is waaay superior, That is not all, price is almost one third. Marantz you got a fan here!!
One little gripe but still 5 stars
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by M W on B&H Photo Video
This unit works as expected and has all of the right features except for switchable output level. If you are plugging the output into a mic input it is far too hot. I ordered a 25 db pad with the interface but even that wasn't enough. I'm now waiting on the 50 db pad which should make everything match up just fine.
Doesnt mix mic level inputs
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Oran on B&H Photo Video
This mixer would be perfect for my needs but for some reason it only mixes line level inputs. No mic I plug in will budge the meters even with the gain turned on. Other than that (Ive contacted Marantz as it may just be a bad unit) its well designed compact and has all the features I need for mixing two sources and feeding them to my camera. It DOES have a line level output which may overdrive a DSLR input but you could always get a inline attenuator to fix that. My camera can handle a line level so Im good. ... More
Great for recording sound to DSLR
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Eric on B&H Photo Video
Bought this for use with wireless lav mics and my Canon 5D Mark IV. There is a heavy learning curve for those that are not familiar with audio, but there are enough videos online to help out with learning the basics. Takes some getting used to, but once everything is figured out, it works very well. I am impressed with the quality of the sound that was transferred to my DSLR videos. The nice compact design is also a major plus for mobile use!
Battery life is unexpectedly short
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Charles on B&H Photo Video
The literature says 15 hours, but we're lucky to get 9 with new alkaline batteries, and there's no indication that it's stopped sending a signal (all the lights on the front still work) when the batteries are too low.
Good but could be better
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Mark K. on B&H Photo Video
I love this unit but there are a few things that could be better. First, the unit is physically very large and can be a little unwieldy when attached to the bottom of a camera. Second, the knobs stick out pretty far so they tend to get moved by brushing against things easily. And third, even on Low gain, the output is still very high so you have to dial down your input to avoid overloading the input on your camera. Otherwise, it's a great unit.
PMD-602A Worth the price.
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Gabriel on B&H Photo Video
For the price, a good unit. Be aware that the 3.5 mm, mini plug signal out is way to hot and needs to be padded down. The 1/4 x 20 tie down is a bit flimsy, better to rig the unit from the bottom. This unit is only battery operated. There aren't too many units that do as much as this one at this price point.
Lacks external power supply
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by David on B&H Photo Video
OK for occasional use, but without an external power supply, this preamp is a source of frustration for me, a heavy user. The battery compartment is difficult to use, and changing batteries is an expense and a chore. Controls are strangely laid out and confusing. Otherwise it works. It would have been so simple to provide a USB or dummy battery.
Solid performer
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by RGBaker on B&H Photo Video
It's bigger and bulkier than I expected, but not an issue for my usage. Performance is solid, and operation straight forward. If you have an XLR microphone you want to attach to a camcorder or camera with a mini jack input, this is the ticket.
Easy and works great
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Clifton on B&H Photo Video
This device is a great one for those on a budget great sound and easy to manage for those less tech savvy. The only advice is to keep and schedule of when you placed new batteries as it is easy to forget and hard to change really fast.
BATTERY ONLY!!!
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Jimmy on B&H Photo Video
Come on Marantz! You've made a fantastic product here. Low noise, lots of great options for controlling my sound. But this no AC power is crazy. I just shot a video and the audio cut out halfway through because the batteries died. Am I missing something here? Is there an option for me? Or do I need to return this?
preamp went bad twice
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Jacob on B&H Photo Video
I got this preamp for its price. However, after only a couple of months of use, the preamp started to add a clear buzz. I got a replacement unit with the manufactures warranty (their customer service was lackadaisical at best ) and that unit started to have the same problems after only a month. In summary, not worth it, even for the price.
Easy and reliable
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Clifton on B&H Photo Video
This unit is great the only catch is to keep record of when you put in the batteries as there is no indicator.
So great for portable recording
Marantz Professional PMD-602A 2-Channel DSLR Audio Interface
Reviewed by Brandon on B&H Photo Video
We were able to record a church service with music and preaching outdoors in the woods because this thing is battery powered and has 48v phantom power! Love the option to run the camera audio back into the Marantz to have the option to monitor the camera input and the preamp inputs
