Re: Zaxcom recording radios... another shameless rave
- From: "Billy Sarokin" <bigmaho@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: 23 Jun 2006 10:52:43 -0700
Put it like this. My sound cart used to have a Nagra D, Fostex PD-4, 8
Audio Ltd wireless mics, and a Soundcraft LM-1 mixer. Now it has a
Cameo 2, Deva 5 (actually, 2 Deva 5's), and 7 Zaxcom wireless's (and 2
Audio Ltds). Like it says on the side of most pizza boxes. 'You've
tried the rest, now try the best'. For the way I work and the kind of
work I do the Zaxcom gear has made my job easier and the quality I
deliver better. I have no financial stake in Zaxcom but since I am so
heavily invested in Zaxcom gear I do have a stake in their continued
success. Many years ago, shortly after I purchased my original
Stelladat, I watched Stellavox go out of business leaving me with a
faulty, inoperative and very expensive paper weight. Sonosax took over
the rights to the Stelladat and after spending many thousands more I
ended up with an even more inoperative and even more expensive paper
weight. I did not want to see the same happen to Zaxcom. After I
purchased my first Zaxcom product, the Cameo mixer, and I realized how
good it was and what the potential was for their products I started to
very loudly proclaim their virtues.
Billy Sarokin
Ty Ford wrote:
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 23:37:35 -0400, Billy Sarokin wrote
(in article <1150947455.565410.233750@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>):
Hi All,
A few days ago I ordered a Zaxcom 'quad box' of 4 new recording
transmitters and receivers. Interestingly it cost me less than I paid
for my first Audio Ltd quad box back in 1994. I've been using the
Zaxcom radios for wireless booms for a few years now, so I'm well aware
of their great audio capabilities and radio range. Zaxom has managed
to improve the specs somewhat over the originals. So with this
purchase I'll be switching over to a predominantly digital rig for all
my radios. I'll keep 2 analogs on the cart because I love the Audio
Ltd HX transmitter (the Schoeps 'stick') which comes in very handy for
quick plants.
I didn't expect the recording feature to be operational for another
two weeks, but Glenn invited me out to Zaxcom today for a demo of the
recording feature in operation. First we jammed the transmitters with
time code then Glenn and I each wore a transmitter and had a
conversation. It was then a simple process to tell each transmitter to
go to the start point and playback the conversation. I'm almost
speechless (which I'm sure will make a number of people VERY happy),
but it was extraordinary to hear the scene being played back without
the benefit of a Deva or Cantar or PD-6. The transmitters themselves
are execellent little recorders/tc generators and playback decks. The
only thing missing was the IFB transmitter that will in the near future
(I know, I know....) transmit time code, transmitter commands and
adjustments and return an ifb feed. For now, the transmitters have to
be manually jammed with time code by plugging a tc feed into the mic
input. The transmitter automatically recognizes it as time code and
jams the internal generator. This has to be done whenever the battery
is replaced or the unit powered down.
For now I see the recording and time code abilities as the ocassional
life saver. But as more and more of the spectrum disappears it will
become more and more essential. Even without the recording feature
they are remarkable radios. They're small, have good battery life,
unequaled audio quality, no companding or artifacts, and excellent
range. Add the recording features and the soon to be available remote
that will let you control the transmitters from the sound cart
(including the ability to start and stop recording, to playback, to
change frequency and levels and to jam time code) and you can see why
I'm speechless.
Included with the package is a Mac/PC software utility that matches the
audio on the transmitter with the audio recorded on a Deva and copies
just the relevent pieces to your hard drive or external drive.
More on field use once I put them to work on my next film in July.
Thanks for your indulgence.
btw, I also saw the Mix 12. It's alive and well and fully operational
with great EQ features. I'm still sitting on the fence between using
the Cameo or switching to the Mix 12. Love the large Cameo screen, but
seeing how the Mix 12 seemlessly intergrated with the Deva I'm starting
to re-consider.
Billy Sarokin
Billy,
Do you champion any other than Zaxcom gear?
Regards,
Ty
-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com
.
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