2. Intro, Continued

The front of the unit has an auxiliary input, for microphones that use a mini plug (1/8 inch). This is on the front side of the unit, between the two gain knobs. This makes it a bit inconvenient when turning the knobs, but this is a minor gripe.

A major gripe, on the other hand, is the unit's lack of phantom power. For those of you who are not familiar with this concept, phantom power is what allows the circuits of higher quality "condenser" microphones to operate. The fact that this unit doesn't feature phantom power would be more understandable if the manual didn't recommend using a condenser microphone for "best results." I was very irritated, so I emailed them inquiring about this discrepancy. They responded by saying that some condenser microphones require phantom power and, "perhaps we should reword our instructions." Actually, all condenser microphones require phantom power, but maybe I'm just being picky by assuming that the manual shouldn't make false claims. Some condenser microphones have a built in battery that act as a phantom power supply, and these mics can be used with the DXA-2s.

Still, what really counts is the sound quality. The DXA-2s' manual claims that "it is completely silent and the premium transformers ensure superb audio." I was very pleased that this is definitely the case. The above screenshots are a view of the waveforms for the same sound. One was recorded through the BeachTek, the other was recorded directly into my computer. Not only was there no noise introduced by the DXA-2s, but as you can see, the waveforms are almost identical.

Overall, I'd recommend the BeachTek DXA-2s to anyone who is wants to record from a microphone into their camcorder. There are other options available that are a little cheaper, such as the XLR-BP Professional which sell for $189 . Or, if you are interested in recording with a condenser microphone, you should look into something like the BeachTek DXA-6 , which comes with a built in phantom power supply for $80 more. But overall, the robust design and noiseless transformers of the DXA-2s make it a worthwhile investment.