Donavan

Tom people have told you about dynamic range about compatibility about the wish list of wireless transmitters, the best transmitters are made by Zaxcom. You sound like you want something for your career not to just get buy. It wasn’t long ago I used Zaxnet to re- mix the transmitters (4 units I think) so the mix was perfect for post and dailies. You can’t do this with any other transmitter, Zaxcom with neverclip is so good it actually makes you a bit lazy when the actor is whispering then screaming you can always turn down the transmitter gain with Zaxnet but anymore almost no one can yell louder than the dynamic range of Zaxcom transmitters with neverclip. Not to mention they are really small actors will love you for using them, not to mention the RX12 gives you 12 channels of audio in a package that will pick perfect frequencies with a Zaxcom recorder. All this to say there is no competition because of the dynamic range reliability and great guys who will always listen to your ideas about refining the transmitters with software. ,

Zaxcom and Lectrosonics both get an Oscar, I call BS! Not to be rude to Zaxcom or Lectrosonics but when a company like Zaxcom and Lectrosonics both get Oscars for “Technical Achievement” you look at what they have achieved. Zaxcom created full digital wireless with on transmitter recording systems, Lectrosonics developed ½ of ½ of that and called it a hybrid digital wireless system. Please, Zaxcom has clearly advanced motion picture technology in a profound way and deserves a Scientific & Engineering Award from the Academy. This choice by the Academy cheapens the award because of the obvious inequity of the achievements. This is like giving an award to Ford for its parallel parking assist system when the Tesla is searching the next parking lot finding a space without a driver at all. The integrity of the Academy has taken a step down. David Thomas, Lawrence E. Fisher and David Bundy for the design, development and engineering of the Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless Microphone System. The Lectrosonics system has advanced the state of wireless microphone technology by developing a method to digitally transmit full-range audio over a conventional analog FM radio link, reducing transmitter size, and increasing power efficiency. Glenn Sanders and Howard Stark for the design and engineering of the Zaxcom Digital Wireless Microphone System.The Zaxcom system has advanced the state of wireless microphone technology by creating a fully digital modulation system with a rich feature set, which includes local recording capability within the belt pack and a wireless control scheme providing real-time transmitter control and time-code distribution.

I have the same story as Mick almost exactly, 12 years on CSI and CSI Miami, then nothing. Now with the help of a few friends I'm doing 2nd unit on several shows and It's been really fun. Working 2nd unit is much more interesting than working your own show because anyone can make things work there own way but it takes talent to do a good job doing it another mixers way. It reminds me of when a record company wanted to recreate the "Motown Sound" on some of their new CDs, well they hired famous and experienced engineers and only a few had the chops to get that sound in a way that another engineer designed the sound. I would love to see 695 and IATSE in general address the issue of the TV seasons with 3 months off during a time when very few other productions start, You can go through a lot of savings in 3 months, and even more and then some trying to completely start over in a hiring system that has no regard for experience or talent, It's wrong that mixers like Mick are out of work for such a long time. Hang in there Mick when I get a show again (some day) It will be privilege to give you some days if you need them. Donavan

When an AD tries to quiet the set by saying "roll sound" after a while I'll go to him and tell him honestly that yelling "roll sound" is one way you will loose control of the crew, they will know what you are doing and then when "roll sound" doesn't work any more what are you going to do, it's a slippery slope and it's the best way I know to loose command of your crew. Most good AD won't do this but some desperate ones will, I respect the AD position and try to help them when I can.

There is a sad thought through many of the posts here, it's that we as sound mixers would use tools that are good enough to fool the producers or good enough to just get by, I think this is bad for all of our futures. We should strive to record the projects we are hired for to the best of our abilities and part of our abilities is using complicated and filmcentric equipment. We must look at ourselves as craftsmen with the best tools possible to do the best job possible. Otherwise we are just unskilled labors breaking rocks. We have a responsibility to our craft and to our peers to use the best equipment and command the best prices for it. One thing I learned from booming for many of the best mixers on the biggest shows was that they all had a sense of responsibility to the craft and they all used the best equipment possible. Do the best mixers have the best equipment because they are successful, no they are successful because they have the mindset that they want to capture every performance as perfectly as possible. Donavan Dear

Thank you for the Cameo info.

I use the TRX-900 for booms and wires then they go through the Zaxcom studio receivers (they have digital in/outs) then to the Cameo then to 2x Devas. I use the Zaxcom IFB-100 to control the gain input on the transmitters during the shots to fine tune the input gain of the transmitters (this is critical in getting the best signal to noise ratio). The Comteks are the 216 variety. My boom operators didn't like the way the Comteks handled the dynamics with the Yamaha so we experimented with different gain and compressor settings and nothing we did sounded like the Cameo, my guess is that by going all digital the amplitude and compression curves were less distorted therefore sounding less harsh. My crew and I and our script supervisor have all been together for 8 years and it could be that we are just used to listening to the same signal and I'm sure that I didn't know the personality of the Yamaha as well as the Cameo so I didn't mix as well. But I do know this for sure when I went back to the Cameo it was like a breath of fresh air.

My Cameo went down last week and I had to use my backup Yamaha o1v96v2, witch worked fine but it simply didn't sound as good, even video village could tell. I was careful to set up all the gain structures throughout the chain but still there was a big difference in noise floor and especially the way it handled extreme dynamics (whispers to yells). I usually run 100% digital from the Zaxcom wireless transmitters to the recorders so just by having one analogue stage (Yamaha pre amps) was a good test to honestly see if it made a difference. I have been mixing CSI Miami for 8 seasons and everyone knows exactly what to expect so this was very eye opening to hear such a difference. I have fixed my Cameo now and am afraid of the day when it goes down for good, to my knowledge there is no 100% digital replacement that can do what the Cameo does.