Sima SFX-M Audio Video Mixer Pro -Series

The SFX-M in it’s unmodified form offers it’s users a really strong foundation. It’s a two channel composite video mixer with fantastic  (for seamlessly working with analog glitch video sources like a TBC), a lot of unique onboard features (like keying and wipe-shaping via a fader) and a gritty visual aesthetic charm. It was produced in a fairly short window of time using what was then becoming out-dated and expensive technology in the early 90s. In comparison to it’s successor, the SFX-9, and it’s competitor, the AVE5, the SFX-M feels and looks a lot warmer.

The SFX-M’s controls are tactile and it’s results are, for the lack of a better descriptor, very analog. It has a number of useful channel effects (strobe, paint, negative), it produces beautiful video feedback (manipulated to-the-max with something like a  in the feedback chain) and has a limited but curious assortment of wipe effects. I know I mentioned it earlier but it bares repeating…. the luma key features are really lovely.