What’s Cool About the Beachtek DXA-SLR for HDSLR Video

There are lots of ways to plug XLR microphones into an HDSLR camera now-a-days. You can use a juicedLink box, a Studio 1 Productions adapter, or even a new Sound Devices MixPre-D with the mounting accessory. But if you want to keep things relatively simple yet still get great sound, one of the best options is the Beachtek DXA-SLR.

For ages the name “Beachtek” was used much in the same way that the term “Xerox” is used for copies. When you needed to plug an XLR microphone into your camera, people told you to use a Beachtek. They certainly wouldn’t say “Use a Camcorder XLR Adapter,” even though, technically, that’s what these boxes are called. In recent years Beachtek has faced lots of healthy competition from the likes of a new-comer called juciedLink. But Beachtek didn’t rest on its laurels, and recently developed the DXA-SLR specifically for HDSLR video shooters. I recently got my hands on one, and gave it a little test drive:

There’s a lot more going on with this box than I get into in the video. I just didn’t have enough time to go over everything that makes the DXA-SLR cool. I’ve been busy as a nut lately. I just went five weeks between blog posts – NOT GOOD! But thankfully there’s such thing as the written word, and in this post I’ll make it clear why the DXA-SLR is a pretty cool little audio solution for DSLR video.

First of all, one of the things that really separates the Beachtek DXA-SLR from the competition is its ergonomics. I mean, sure, it’s still just a blunt box that screws into the base of your beautifully designed camera. However, in the tiny world of Camcorder XLR Adapters, the DXA-SLR stands out as a thoughtfully comfortable design.

It’s got nicely rounded edges, it’s not terribly cumbersome when mounted on the camera, and it has an awesome little dial that enables you to screw it into the camera with one finger – without having to awkwardly spin the box around and without requiring any additional tools. The controls and jacks are laid out in such a way that it makes sense when used with a Canon 7D DSLR camera.

Almost everything you could ask for in a Camcorder XLR Adapter is here: dual XLR inputs, phantom power, headphone monitoring, and AGC defeat. What’s really nice is that Beachtek includes a standard 3.5mm to 3.5mm output cable and a 3.5mm to 2.5mm output cable. The first cable works with most DSLR cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony, etc. The second one is especially for Panasonic Lumix GH2 and GH1 users. This is an awesome bonus, and something that other audio-for-video manufacturers should take note of. However, the coolest thing about the Beachtek DXA-SLR is its RCA monitor inputs.

What the heck are RCA monitor inputs you ask? Good question! On the left panel of the DXA-SLR you’ll notice that beside the XLR inputs there are a pair of red and white RCA inputs. Beachtek put them there with hopes that you’ll plug the the A/V output cable that came with your camera into them. Your A/V output cable enables you to hook your camera up to a TV set so you can watch videos directly from your camera on the TV. However, when you plug this cable into the DXA-SLR, you’ll only be connecting the audio jacks (red and white RCA’s), not the video jack (yellow RCA). Like so:

Okay, so you still don’t understand why you would connect your camera’s A/V cable to a Beachtek. Doing this will allow you to listen video playbacks of your clips with headphones. There’s a little switch by the headphone jack on the rear panel of the DXA-SLR that lets you choose between XLR and RCA. When you have this switch on XLR, the headphones will be able to hear what’s plugged into the XLR inputs (in other words, to monitor what you’re shooting live). When you switch it over to RCA, the headphones will let you hear what’s coming in the RCA inputs—in this case the A/V output cable from your camera (in other words, you’ll be able to hear the sound in the video clips that you playback from the camera).

It doesn’t matter which way you slice it, this playback monitoring feature is an awesome thing. The big problem with monitoring your audio from the XLR inputs on the DXA-SLR or any competing juicedLink products is that you’re not actually listening to the sound that’s being recorded. You’re listening to the box— you’re not listening to the camera. However, having the ability to listen to the recorded audio on playback through headphones the instant after you shot it is a major benefit. In a way, this feature alone trumps any claims to superior sound quality that competing products make.

Being able to hear what’s been recorded through real headphones is a major advancement for any HDSLR production. The inclusion of both 3.5 and Lumix-friendly 2.5 mm output cables seals the deal of coolness. Beachtek obviously isn’t snoozing in a hammock on a tropical island. The DXA-SLR is a seriously well thought-out design that will benefit any shooters that take the time to learn how to use it.

If you have any questions about any of this crazy stuff, please post them in the Comments section below! I’m still going to be busy as a crazy person for the next few weeks, but I’ll do my best to check back and answer your questions as they come. And stay tuned to my blog! Even though I’ve been busy, I have some cool wireless microphone shootouts in the works. For now, as the Zoom H4n says: “GoodBye See You!”