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ORCA Bags Review


Ze Frias

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Get an SMA to SMA right angle - it is low profile and makes a world of difference. Over 2 years with the right angle adaptor and I have had no antenna issue. The adaptor stays on the Nomad and I just screw in the antenna when necessary.

I may give that a go. I never much liked the way the aerial poked up at my face anyway - mine was always folded down alongside the Nomad with very little discernible effect on range. The smaller Ambient has reduced this slightly, but as Zaxnet range was never that great in my experience (even with the original aerial pointed skywards) the benefits of an almost invisible aerial have been large.
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Thanks Jack. I'm aware that making these bags for us moaning buggers is a thankless task and it's welcome that somebody is (at last) making a bag with the Nomad in mind instead of 'it can fit a Nomad - possibly'. The Nomad has a very specific set of requirements so hopefully you are correct about the room for inputs and ouputs on the right side. I would grudgingly get cables remade as right angles, although I'd rather not have to (and all my spares are standards anyway).

I lost patience with my Zaxnet antenna having wrecked the poorly secured sma connector on the inside and refixed it, only to snap the right angle on the 2.4. I'm now using a tiny Ambient aerial. Slightly less range, but MUCH harder to damage.

 

I use a right angle SMA-SMA (as suggested by Jack Norfuls) and it's been more secure, and takes up less space. If you really want to reenforce it, switch it to a BNC like Rado did. 

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I may give that a go. I never much liked the way the aerial poked up at my face anyway - mine was always folded down alongside the Nomad with very little discernible effect on range.

I still fold down the antenna with the right angle adaptor. That is how i run ZaxNet 75% of the time. Once you go right angle SMA to SMA you will never go back. Just be aware I bought a some cheep ones on ebay and the center pin of one didn't make a good connection and the spare one literally crumbled in my hand. So you get what you pay for. 

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I still fold down the antenna with the right angle adaptor. That is how i run ZaxNet 75% of the time. Once you go right angle SMA to SMA you will never go back. Just be aware I bought a some cheep ones on ebay and the center pin of one didn't make a good connection and the spare one literally crumbled in my hand. So you get what you pay for.

I will consider myself forewarned! I guess we should get back to talking about the Orca bags...

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So the dimension of the OR-40? Thoughts?

See my previous comments on here and the Zaxcom Facebook page. I think if you're rocking lots of 411 and an FP8 then (as long as those side input/outputs are more accessible than they look) it's probably a great bag.

For those of us with smaller rigs I'm of the opinion - Rado style - that it could get a lot smaller.

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The a custom Kortwich or Porta-Brace would work. You will get what you want exactly but be prepared to pay for it.

Yes. I may very well do that. However the mid sized Petrol bag range began this trend for audio bags that were often much larger than everyday use required but had far superior design features than the competition. Before then the eng type bags were a lot smaller. This was partially driven by the need for mixers to carry more gear, but it did result in guys (including myself) toting around some pretty large bags only half full. The small bags were reserved for 302 type rigs. This seems to be continuing for the Orca range. This is not a bad thing for those with lots of gear to accommodate, but without investing in a smaller recorder like the Maxx or 633 it would be nice to have a more modest 'electric handbag'. Because of the prevalence of dual RX it's now possible to build a very powerful bag with a small footprint.
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I was hoping for a Nomad specific bag that was just a little wider than the OR30, with enough room to accommodate 3 QRX with the divider, 6 QRX without the divider in the same configuration as Rados mod.

 

Most people should be using the right angle as Jack says so don't need to make too much room for antenna.

 

I use a right angle DB15 connector for camera link/talent wireless so don't need room for XLRs either.

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My vote would be for a slightly wider OR30 - comfortable for a Nomad with no FP8 and three QRXs.

I guess that's kind of what I'm asking for. A Rado bag without the Rado-ing.

Cameronlenart - I hadn't thought of using the DB-15. Can't get inputs 9/10 on that but it's still a good idea. I think any bag should still give the option to use the standard right hand side inputs and outputs though.

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JA: " feedback on these bags, "

and my feedback is that one can never please everyone here.

 

I think that would be true for anything in life Mike; we are all human beings with different tastes and opinions, and we will all differ in choices. Sound engineers / JWSound lurkers just happen to be more vocal about these things ;)

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I think the point is they are looking for a general consensus on rough size. Obviously it is impossible to please everyone - even impossible to please most people.

So if you want an exact bag you either go custom or go Rado on an off the rack bag.

My opinion on the 41 - i think it is will be a good choice for nomad. You can fit a nomad with fp8, zaxnet antenna and straight ta5 connectors. And have room for two rows of wirless - be that qrx, 411, SR or camera link.

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I guess that's kind of what I'm asking for. A Rado bag without the Rado-ing.

Cameronlenart - I hadn't thought of using the DB-15. Can't get inputs 9/10 on that but it's still a good idea. I think any bag should still give the option to use the standard right hand side inputs and outputs though.

How often would you use the side XLRs? Personally I use 1 for Comteks, but otherwise I only ever use them if it's a lock off interview and I am feeding 1 or 2 cameras hardwired. That might be a case where I just drop the side panel since I'm on a desk or table anyway. There is also the option of an adapter cable right angle TA5 to two XLRs if you have some other thing you are feeding that's a bit more standard. I use a TA5-TA5 to connect to my STA150/TRX900

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How often would you use the side XLRs? Personally I use 1 for Comteks, but otherwise I only ever use them if it's a lock off interview and I am feeding 1 or 2 cameras hardwired. That might be a case where I just drop the side panel since I'm on a desk or table anyway. There is also the option of an adapter cable right angle TA5 to two XLRs if you have some other thing you are feeding that's a bit more standard. I use a TA5-TA5 to connect to my STA150/TRX900

 

I essentially only use the right side I/Os to connect my headphones, connect to Comtek TX (when using  it), and connect to camera's when doing sit down interviews. So far, the right side door on on the OR-32 has been able to give me good clear access to these connections. I don't see why the OR-41 should be any different.

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I use the XLRs to feed wireless links. The TA5 are used for my multipin send to camera and return. Over here in the UK there is still a huge amount of work that uses cabled to camera, not wireless links. In fact I'd say in 90% of my work I'm hanging out the back of a cam operator. Productions are slowly learning to love double system, but they hate paying for it and budgets are in crisis.

I also use the side outputs for IFB other than my ERX.

And Mike - you are just trolling. As per bloody usual. I'm a sucker for even paying you the slightest bit of attention.

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I think the point is they are looking for a general consensus on rough size. Obviously it is impossible to please everyone - even impossible to please most people.

So if you want an exact bag you either go custom or go Rado on an off the rack bag.

My opinion on the 41 - i think it is will be a good choice for nomad. You can fit a nomad with fp8, zaxnet antenna and straight ta5 connectors. And have room for two rows of wirless - be that qrx, 411, SR or camera link.

Three people already suggesting a slightly wider OR-30, but we may not be representative of the common opinion.

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Three people already suggesting a slightly wider OR-30, but we may not be representative of the common opinion.

+1 for me too, a slighly wider OR 30 would be my perfect bag..i currently only own 3 Audio Ltd and no FP8 so i don't need all the space of a OR 32 or 41 .

If i would need more radios and would most likely rent them and a big bag with it..

my opinion :we need a big bag for sound mule gig and a little one for everyday stuff with 3 or 4 RX ...

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