Sound Devices 302 Production Mixer User Guide

Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information 
Sound Devices, LLC 
300 Wengel Drive 
Reedsburg, WI 53959 USA 
tel: +1 (608) 524-0625 
fax: +1 (608) 524-0655 
www.sounddevices.com 
[email protected]  

page 2 302 Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 Quick Start Checklist   . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Powering 
Interconnection 
Setting Output Gain Structure 
Setting Input Levels 
Monitoring 
Front Panel Descriptions  . . . . . . . . . . .4
Input Panel Descriptions  . . . . . . . . . . .5
Output Panel Descriptions   . . . . . . . . .5
Inputs  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Mic/Line Level Selection 
Gain (Trim) 
Fader 
Phantom and T-...

302 Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information page 3 
 QUICK STA RT CHECKLIST 
Proper setup of sound sources and input devices is quick and easy with the 302. Follow the steps outlined 
below for basic interconnection. 
Powering 
1.  Insert three AA-batteries with + side fi  rst into the mixer battery tube. 
2.  Switch on the mixer power by sliding the power switch to INT. The power LED will illuminate solid 
green with good batteries. 
Interconnection 
1.  Connect the output XLR...

page 4 302 Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information 
FRONT PANEL DESCRIPTIONS 
3 45
6 7
8910
14 2
11 1213 1
15 16 1718
1.   Gain (Trim) 
The coarse gain control. Sets the input sensitivity 
so that the Fader can be used for fi  ne gain control 
with the channel fader. 
2. Fader 
The primary control for input adjusting level 
during operation. 
3. Pan Switch 
Assigns the input channel to the output bus. Left-
only, Center (equal left and right), or Right-only. 
4. Peak LED 
When...

302 Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information page 5 
INPUT PANEL DESCRIPTIONS 
 
22
19 20
21
23
OUTPUT PANEL DESCRIPTIONS 
24
25 27 26
29 28
3031
32
19. Transformer-Balanced Inputs 
Can be used unbalanced by grounding pin-3 to 
pin-1 of the XLR connector. Pin-1 = ground; pin-2 
= ‘hot’; pin-3 = ‘cold’. 
20.  Mic/Line Channel Switch 
Selects the input level of the adjacent connector. 
Mic level has 40 dB more gain than line level. 
21. Phantom/DYNamic/T-Power Selection 
Selects the...

page 6 302 Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information 
INPUTS 
The inputs of the 302 consist of three, full-featured microphone preamplifi  ers. Each input has a wide gain 
range to accommodate nearly all signal types. The 302 easily accepts signals from low-sensitivity ribbon and 
dynamic microphones, medium level wireless and condenser mic outputs, and “hot” line-level signals. 
302 inputs are transformer-balanced. The isolation characteristics of transformers are superior to other...

302 Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information page 7 
Phantom and T- Microphone Powering 
 
The 302 can provide either phantom power or T-power to each input and is selected individually. If neither 
phantom or T-power are required, for instance with dynamic microphones, it is good practice to turn off 
microphone powering (DYN position).
Phantom Power 
Phantom powering is a fi  xed DC voltage between 12 and 48 volts. This voltage is resistively applied to pin-2 
and pin-3 of an XLR...

page 8 302 Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information 
Pan Switches 
The pan switches assign inputs to output buses. Inputs can be sent to the left, right, or both outputs equally. 
The 302 features excellent “off-attenuation” in the left and right positions. Using the pan switches a separate 
mix of sources can be sent to the left and right outputs. For instance, a summed mono mix of all three inputs 
can be sent to the right output while an isolated mix of one input can be sent to...

302 Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information page 9 
MS is a popular stereo confi  guration because of its good spatial placement, mono-compatibility, and sur-
round compatibility. 
The 302’s MS matrix uses input 1 for the Mid signal and input 2 for the side signal. The input 2 Fader con-
trols overall gain. Input 1 fader and input 2 pans are disabled. The Gain and high-pass fi  lters still act indi-
vidually. The Gain control for inputs 1 and 2 is used to vary the Mid and Side levels...

page 10 302 Compact Production Mixer 
User Guide and Technical Information 
the 302 can be adjusted from line level down to mic level. Both left and right XLR outputs are adjusts at the 
same time—there is no ability to adjust left/right independently. Additionally, operating levels between mic 
and line level can be set. Attenuation is set from 0 to 16 dB in 2 dB increments, and 40 to 56 dB in 2 dB incre-
ments. The common attenuation levels of –10 (aux level) and –40 (hot mic-level) and –56 (low...