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17 hours ago, Jeff Wexler said:

To Werner Althaus: you did the right thing. The most important statement in your rather lengthy dismissal of Zaxcom (the huge list of all the things you DON'T need and do not want your "operators" to have to be bothered with) is this: 

"Our experience with our current gear tells me that we don't need to expand our capabilities that way, we just need more of what we already have and know."

I do wonder why you "struggled with the decision" and why you state that the move to Zaxcom would have been "to the next level" since you so clearly state in great detail that you have no need for that level: "much of what Zaxcom offers is very cool, revolutionary in fact, but not essential to what we do at my place of employment".

17 hours ago, Jeff Wexler said:

 

I knew that my post had a good chance to be interpreted as a "rather lengthy dismissal of Zaxcom" when I gave it a final read-through before submitting it but I felt it might still provide insight that could be useful for anyone going either the Zax route or decide otherwise. That was my only intention because I personally find it very useful to know why someone decides for or against any piece of gear. 

Anyway, IMO I didn't dismiss Zaxcom, quite the contrary, I spend a lot of time with sales reps as well as manuals and "how to" videos by Thomas Popp and others and really feel that it is the most advanced system on the market. But when I went through my laundry list of "must haves" vs "nice to haves" it just became hard to justify what I (and others in my unit) deemed a steep parallel learning curve. Others on this forum have hinted at this as well.

This type of things happen sometimes, I always have to justify a purchase for how it fits into the bigger picture, no matter whether it's an EFP rig or a $250.000 audio console. I might find a piece of gear I really would like to pursue for various reasons but during a group discussion it becomes obvious that the majority of improvements offered aren't really all that helpful in our work and workflow. I wanted our next shotgun purchase to be a Schoeps, maybe even a SuperCMIT but after much discussion another MKH 60 ended up being a better addition to our arsenal for reasons that have nothing to do with whether the Schoeps is a great mic or not.

I wanted to expand our dual system capabilities but in the end the decision was made to invest in more single system capabilities.  Just like I wanted to create content in 5.1 years ago but was reminded that we'd never be able to afford the infrastructure to put it on the air. 

I should mention that we shoot single camera documentary style. 95% of what we do is single system, one videographer, one audio engineer and one producer. Our audio engineers also do their own post whenever possible so they are "confronted" with their own field work. So when I get their feedback I keep that in mind. 

So to answer your question, the reason I struggled with this decision is simple. I wanted for us to adopt state-of-the -art equipment and modify some of our workflows.. I would have loved to be in the field with a Zaxcom rig like that but it would have served my personal preferences and desires more than what's good for the company at this point.

And I would have considered it "the next level" because with the challenges the industry faces regarding spectrum I feel that Zaxcom is currently way out front addressing these issues BUT it turns out that we do not currently need to confront that issue at the expense of having gear we know and trust. Just like we do not need gear that prevents ADC clipping by virtue of clever math or gear that is fully controllable via Zaxnet...it would be awesome to have but the downside, whether real or perceived outweighs the benefits for us...at this point. That is based in what we do and where and how we do it.I really hope this makes sense to you. The last thing I want to do is be antagonistic about this stuff, I was just trying to offer a different perspective for the benefit of the discussion.

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8 hours ago, MartinTheMixer said:

Tony, I am just guessing here, but my guess is that it depends on how much money is on that particular set as to whether it's the rule or exception.

Hi Martin its more about logistics and the speed you have to work at. Also you need to consider how flexible you need to be as laying a cable to a preferred place for the boom op might not work as the DP puts a cutter in at the last minute meaning a quick change to another place. 

10 years ago i used a cabled boom mostly and a wireless boom for steadicam walk and talks and things like that. Today i use wireless boom 99% of the time, that to me shows a change in shooting styles, multiple cameras and 2 booms on most shots. Laying two boom cables out for every shot is a big ask. To go full circle here and take this back to topic, when the debate was around which wireless to choose and what features were needed or not I would put remote adjustable xmitter trim at the top. I would go as far to say that for me its the 2nd biggest breakthrough in Location recording in the last 20 years, first would be multitrack recording. IMHO only. i used the TRX900 boom xmitter for the first time 7 years ago and after 1 week i wondered how i had ever worked without it. As Jack said. It changed my life.

To get back to your question. Yes I think maybe it has something to do with money as on big budget films there is often many more moving parts, crew, cameras etc so having good wireless booms helps a lot.

 

3 hours ago, ryanpeds said:

It should also be noted that if an actor is going to change the level of their performance drastically, the well seasoned and well trained actors will give the sound crew a heads up so that they are not surprised/deafened by the change of their performance. If an actor doesn't do that it can be a good teaching moment.

You hope this is the case but more often than not it isn't. Actors are often "in the moment" and don't think of telling the Mixer their intentions. But the thing is often you do get a heads up from the Dir who asks them during a take to change their performance but my point is what do you do if you are on a wireless boom system where you cannot change the gain when the actor tells you. You can't ask them to cut while you reset.

Tony

 

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50 minutes ago, Christian Spaeth said:

I am always very happy and grateful when that happens, but relying or counting on or even asking for that kind of courtesy would be very risky and not apprpriate for doing our job IMO.

While "expecting" that sort of knowledge/experience and conscientiousness, even from seasoned actors is "risky", asking is hardly inappropriate. It's our job. Why all the fear? Camera needs marks for focus. Level is our mark. I have had actors vary widely from take to take, and we will ask politely if they might know what they might do from now on for the scene. We are clear to tell them they can do whatever they like, but it would help us to record their performance better if we were to know. 

We are always met with gratitude and professionalism, even if it's a, "Sorry. I really don't know how it's going to go until I'm in it." (Rare). But even then they will usually decide and tip off my boom op just before we go into the take. The boom can make adjustment to wireless boom, and I can compensate on the board for the lav, if required. Here is where Zaxcom would be handy, but I would usually protect for the louder with the Lectro transmitter. While it's not ideal, those rare occasions can be sorted with a bit of gain on my end and some NR for the minimal hiss in post. 

As for my previous opinion about Lectro vs. Zaxcom, it is just an opinion. Very good and certainly beyond adequate sound can be recorded with most professional or even semi-professional systems. Professional mixers with experience will make the equipment work for them as required. For me it's a matter of ease and reliability and longevity and value. My opinion is that Lectro is the right choice for me. If I were looking for a set of awesome features, always received top rental, and was starting from the ground up, I would seriously consider Zaxcom. 

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A list of some things to consider how important they are to you, given that sound quality and range are very good to excellent, with all top end systems.

I'm sold on Zaxcom because of a few of these......

1) remote control of gain - Zaxcom

2) remote control of frequency - Zaxcom

3) remote control of sleep / wake (battery saving) - Zaxcom

4) recording in TX with timecode (constant record or slaved to Nomad record if you want) - Zaxcom

5) encryption if required - Zaxcom

6) close range monitoring (whilst rigging mic for example) via ERX - Zaxcom

7) choice of diversity in RX depending on circumstances (single / twin)

Have I forgotten anything......?

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2 hours ago, pindrop said:

A list of some things to consider how important they are to you, given that sound quality and range are very good to excellent, with all top end systems.

I'm sold on Zaxcom because of a few of these......

1) remote control of gain - Zaxcom

2) remote control of frequency - Zaxcom

3) remote control of sleep / wake (battery saving) - Zaxcom

4) recording in TX with timecode (constant record or slaved to Nomad record if you want) - Zaxcom

5) encryption if required - Zaxcom

6) close range monitoring (whilst rigging mic for example) via ERX - Zaxcom

7) choice of diversity in RX depending on circumstances (single / twin)

Have I forgotten anything......?

B) AES Output without extra plates

9) OLED Display

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2 hours ago, pindrop said:

A list of some things to consider how important they are to you, given that sound quality and range are very good to excellent, with all top end systems.

I'm sold on Zaxcom because of a few of these......

1) remote control of gain - Zaxcom

2) remote control of frequency - Zaxcom

3) remote control of sleep / wake (battery saving) - Zaxcom

4) recording in TX with timecode (constant record or slaved to Nomad record if you want) - Zaxcom

5) encryption if required - Zaxcom

6) close range monitoring (whilst rigging mic for example) via ERX - Zaxcom

7) choice of diversity in RX depending on circumstances (single / twin)

Have I forgotten anything......?

Pin, I don't know that you forgot anything, but there are more things that Zaxcom does that others don't. Concerning your number

3) I have had a moment where I was looking down at battery level, and said "oh no" and turned the transmitters off remotely for a few minutes, and that was just enough to where I didn't have to change batteries at an inconvenient time. Also, this feature has kept me from having to fuss with the packs on talent when there is a 30 minute reset/delay, just shut the transmitter off until you need them.

Just in case anyone is curious, the math goes like this. At 125mw a Zaxcom transmitter pulls about 1.5 watts.If you hit the low/standby button, the power pull drops to about .7 Watts, or half as much. 

Sincerely, Martin 

 

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A list of some things to consider how important they are to you, given that sound quality and range are very good to excellent, with all top end systems.

I'm sold on Zaxcom because of a few of these......

1) remote control of gain - Zaxcom

2) remote control of frequency - Zaxcom

3) remote control of sleep / wake (battery saving) - Zaxcom

4) recording in TX with timecode (constant record or slaved to Nomad record if you want) - Zaxcom

5) encryption if required - Zaxcom

6) close range monitoring (whilst rigging mic for example) via ERX - Zaxcom

7) choice of diversity in RX depending on circumstances (single / twin)

Have I forgotten anything......?

Well only you will know if you have forgotten something that's important to you, but I can tell you what's important to me, in addition to some of the features listed above:

(Your 7 applies to most upper class systems.

8. having the smallest tx currently available (afaik) Lectrosonics

9) Battery life - don't know who has the edge here

10) ease of use - from my experience Lectro (at the expense of additional features)

11) reliability/build quality - Lectrosonics. I know Jeff will certainly dispute this, not having had a single failure in many years, and others will agree, but from my own experience and from that of others around me, Lectro has a very clear edge here

12) availability - here in Europe clearly Sennheiser, followed by Lectrosonics. They are easier to buy, easier to rent (incl. from colleagues), easier to get repaired and easier to sell used

13) Compatibility - Slot-in rx are a must-have for many and Zaxcom is only just catching up here.

Apart from Martin's annoying analogies, I don't really like why this needs to be an either/or discussion. I have a Zaxcom 742 trx, because I think it sounds the best, although it loses attraction because of its build quality, still I use it all the time. My boom-ops handle it and they are very able to do so.

For talent I mostly use Lectro SMa and now increasingly SSM, because of size and build quality. Actors regularly forget they are wearing a wire and drop or mishandle the tx. I just feel safer with Lectro in this case.

But I also have and use Zaxcom transmitters. There is no problem mixing various systems.

Lectro also offer a remote control of sorts, which does allow quick adjustments and I rarely wish for the Zaxcom system, which I do use on my boom trx. The biggest downside of the Lectro remote is that other tx nearby can pick up the signal, too.

Of course Zaxnet is far more elegant.

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17 hours ago, ryanpeds said:

It should also be noted that if an actor is going to change the level of their performance drastically, the well seasoned and well trained actors will give the sound crew a heads up so that they are not surprised/deafened by the change of their performance. If an actor doesn't do that it can be a good teaching moment.

That's may be all fine and good with scripted narrative.

I do unscripted documentary.

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14. SM and SSM are splash proof. (TA5F on SM will not stand submersion but will recover. Battery contacts on SSM can get wet with submersion but can be wiped off.)

15. Lots of backwards compatibility between current and very ancient Lectro systems.

16. Old (+15 years) units are still serviced. We are, however, having difficulty getting good quality anthracite coal for the steam boilers.

Best, Larry F 
Stoker First Class

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Also, on battery life. Comparing Lectro to Zaxcom as far as battery life, are we talking turning features off on Zaxcom? In other words, are we turning off recording, and turning off the transceiver part of Zaxcom, in order to compare the 2? I wouldn't think so. So, at this point, we then have to ask, are we powering the Zaxcom units down, as I would in between scenes, or even between problem induced stop downs between takes? If yes to that, I think advantage almost certainly goes to Zaxcom. If we are talking live, or live to tape, then the advantage might be Lectro, I would have to measure the Lectros to know for sure. Larry can probably speak to power consumption for Lectro Transmitters.

10 minutes ago, LarryF said:

14. SM and SSM are splash proof. (TA5F on SM will not stand submersion but will recover. Battery contacts on SSM can get wet with submersion but can be wiped off.)

15. Lots of backwards compatibility between current and very ancient Lectro systems.

16. Old (+15 years) units are still serviced. We are, however, having difficulty getting good quality anthracite coal for the steam boilers.

Best, Larry F 
Stoker First Class

 

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27 minutes ago, LarryF said:

14. SM and SSM are splash proof. (TA5F on SM will not stand submersion but will recover. Battery contacts on SSM can get wet with submersion but can be wiped off.)

15. Lots of backwards compatibility between current and very ancient Lectro systems.

Yes agree here the SSM is a great piece of kit and having this size is a huge bonus and necessary as an option with certain costumes. Also i love the LT LR series for backwards compatibility and wide band. I use this al the time as an alt IFB or with my Digital Hybrid series. The size of the receiver and build quality is stunning.

Tony

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Hello all, Sorry if some didn't get my analogies. 

Sincerely, Martin 

It's not about getting them, it's about liking them.

And more annoyingly, I let myself be distracted by them by actually responding to them, just like I am doing now. And in such a case, typical Martin will of course respond to my reply about the analogy rather than about actual points made. It's a cheap distraction technique employed by political operatives, as well. And I sometimes accept the bait, which is annoying, too.

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"Lectro also offer a remote control of sorts, which does allow quick adjustments and I rarely wish for the Zaxcom system, which I do use on my boom trx. The biggest downside of the Lectro remote is that other tx nearby can pick up the signal, too."

Remote control implies control from a remote location.  Control through audio tones to the microphone from a distance of less than an arms length is not "remote control" in any context as defined in any dictionary.  To imply it is at all equivalent in function or benefit to the RF remote control provided by Zaxnet is a misrepresentation of what "remote control" is and does.

 

Glenn

 

 

 

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I can't believe this is still going... wow...  

   Look, buy what you can afford... if thats a  Lectro 211 set, so be it...or a 210D set, that STILL works well.  If it is a whole new lectro kit 8 units... anything you want... or, the Zax stuff.. the fact remains... unless the users of the gear charge for its rental and stop giving it away... in flat packages.. (at least in my world).. then the end recipients of that audio (Production) should not give a damn what functional system you use... Nor should you.. as long as it works for you.. If it comes in that $750 flat package while your using 6 units on a days show, Lectro or Zax does not matter... function does... buy what you can afford... buy what works, buy what you can get serviced and buy used these days when possible from a reputable source, cause you will be soon swimming in reduced gear rates (if your not already)  (like I am fighting back on) where spending countless thousands of hard earned dollars on luxury do dads and bells and whistles won't amount to a hill of beans..  Thats the skinny...

Unless your rich uncle dies... or your working 6 days a week and single, no kids, and 25 with health insurance...LOL

 

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To AFMY: Your advice echoes what several people have been saying, buy and use what works for YOU with the features and functions you need. If you can get by with a used G2, that's what you should get. I do have to ask you, AFMY, where have you seen in this thread anyone talking about spending "countless thousands of hard earned dollars on luxury do dads and bells and whistles" ? I think this is a condescending and ingenuous statement and does not contribute anything productive in regards to the original poster's question about purchasing gear. I would think that anyone here who is a working professional sound mixer knows the difference between "luxury do dads and bells and whistles" and real features and functions with any piece of professional gear. For me personally, I have never come across any equipment I would be using professionally for work that has any "luxury do dads" or "bells and whistles". Actually, I do have to correct myself: the Bell & Light system I built DOES have a bell...

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Jeff,

Merry Xmas...

Paying more for gear  ( a transmitter lets say) that is NEW, and has many features that may not be necessary (key word Necessary)  (TRXFB3 for example) such as timecode, IFB option, zaxnet , power changing ability on its own... on and on.. for @ $500 more a unit over lets say a SMQv is an example...

I have not seen anybody discuss spending countless thousands of dollars... I said that, and that's what we do when we go out and buy gear...  I like you and many have done that for years... and this is how we make our living... but, that said, when doing so, one must ask what is and is not worth spending the money on considering the changing climate of return on the dollar of investment. Thats all..  is @$500 a unit on the transmitter worth it... for many it is, for many it makes life easier and allows a better day at the office... but, as has been said, so many ways to skin a cat... I dont mind dweedling a transmitter off with a phone app... I have never had any talent say anything but.."wow cool"..  It HAS a volume so as not to affect other transmitters... and regretfully, Someone must actually walk over to do it..  I have not needed to record on a transmitter... yet... I have not needed to change the gain on the fly.. I set the transmitter correctly , allow for headroom and trust my Transmitter limiter to do its job when needed... If I need to crank up a take that is different, I do it... then adjust the next take... (same phone app)...  If I need to sleep the trans... same phone app...  

These are all luxuries that I for one can do without... for now... later who knows, but as long as I need funds for family and life, and do my best to make money rather than spend constantly on gear, I will continue to call those luxury do dads I don't want to spend @$500 a unit more for...  No insult to anybody, or any company... just a thought on whats necessary for us, and how much money we need to spend to get the job done well in an environment of changing equipment rate downward pressure.

 

If our rates on gear was going up... by a bunch... I get it... spend away... if not... thinking about needs and not wants is prudent.

I do think this is not a condescending remark nor an ingenuous statement and does in fact  contribute to this thread.. sorry Jeff..

 

"I would think that anyone here who is a working professional sound mixer knows the difference between "luxury do dads and bells and whistles" and real features and functions with any piece of professional gear."

This whole thread is in regards to this is it not?

 

The problem is, you took offense ... thinking I was slighting Zax... and your friend Glen... I was not...  

Again, merry xmas to you Jeff...  hope your well..

Bob

 

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2 hours ago, glenn said:

"Lectro also offer a remote control of sorts, which does allow quick adjustments and I rarely wish for the Zaxcom system, which I do use on my boom trx. The biggest downside of the Lectro remote is that other tx nearby can pick up the signal, too."

Remote control implies control from a remote location.  Control through audio tones to the microphone from a distance of less than an arms length is not "remote control" in any context as defined in any dictionary.  To imply it is at all equivalent in function or benefit to the RF remote control provided by Zaxnet is a misrepresentation of what "remote control" is and does.

 

Glenn

 

 

 

Glenn, That is my understanding too. If I have 4 people seated for dinner, I can, from across the room, adjust the gain, and I like that a lot. Did I miss it before I had it? No. Here comes an analogy, brace yourselves. Did I miss my microwave oven before I had it? No. But cooking would be tough for me without it now. 

Sincerely, Martin 

 

2 hours ago, afewmoreyears said:

I can't believe this is still going... wow...  

   Look, buy what you can afford... if thats a  Lectro 211 set, so be it...or a 210D set, that STILL works well.  If it is a whole new lectro kit 8 units... anything you want... or, the Zax stuff.. the fact remains... unless the users of the gear charge for its rental and stop giving it away... in flat packages.. (at least in my world).. then the end recipients of that audio (Production) should not give a damn what functional system you use... Nor should you.. as long as it works for you.. If it comes in that $750 flat package while your using 6 units on a days show, Lectro or Zax does not matter... function does... buy what you can afford... buy what works, buy what you can get serviced and buy used these days when possible from a reputable source, cause you will be soon swimming in reduced gear rates (if your not already)  (like I am fighting back on) where spending countless thousands of hard earned dollars on luxury do dads and bells and whistles won't amount to a hill of beans..  Thats the skinny...

Unless your rich uncle dies... or your working 6 days a week and single, no kids, and 25 with health insurance...LOL

 

Few,  I certainly see what you're saying. It looks like you're adding used equipment to the list of possibilities. I think that changes a lot of considerations. I was strictly talking brand new, because then you have to get into a conversation of what manufacturer makes the best equipment from what year vs. the current value of that equipment. You're spot-on with several comments here. Although I think it would be nice if production paid more to people who had gear that would make (audio) life easier, that's just rarely the case. There's too many people in production that don't have a clue what it takes to do audio. Oh they know they have to have a Red this or an Arri that,  but ask them anything audio and they are lost. They can't even tell you the name of a good tripod to stick that expensive camera on, but they know the camera. I don't know why this is, I certainly don't understand it. Brace for an analogy. It seems like a building contractor who knows Plumbing, drywall, how to pour a foundation, but doesn't have a clue about electrical.

And you're right about one thing, if you pay a whole lot for that gear, and you're simply wearing it out doing lower-paying jobs, you're just working to replace the worn-out gear as it gets worn out and not making any money. Brace for another analogy. I'm not sure if these Uber drivers are making much of anything, after they pay for gas, insurance, wear and tear on the vehicle itself, tires, oil changes, normal depreciation, depreciation from excessive mileage, damage, etc. and that's where we are as sound mixers if you're not getting paid more why should you be paying more for the equipment?

Sincerely, Martin 

 

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"Paying more for gear  ( a transmitter lets say) that is NEW, and has many features that may not be necessary (key word Necessary)  (TRXFB3 for example) such as timecode, IFB option, zaxnet , power changing ability on its own... on and on.. for @ $500 more a unit over lets say a SMQv is an example..."

It's already been said that one should not purchase anything, regardless of cost, without first assessing what exactly you need for the jobs you are doing.

"I dont mind dweedling a transmitter off with a phone app... I have never had any talent say anything but.."wow cool"..  It HAS a volume so as not to affect other transmitters... and regretfully, Someone must actually walk over to do it..  I have not needed to record on a transmitter... yet... I have not needed to change the gain on the fly.. I set the transmitter correctly , allow for headroom and trust my Transmitter limiter to do its job when needed... If I need to crank up a take that is different, I do it... then adjust the next take... (same phone app)...  If I need to sleep the trans... same phone app..."

All you are saying above is that you are happy with your Lectro wireless as are hundreds of other sound mixers...  I don't see the point. We all know that Zaxcom wireless accomplishes these same tasks differently. For me personally, and obviously, I prefer to accomplish these things in the manner that Zaxcom has implemented and I didn't mind paying a little extra for those features and functions. 

"These are all luxuries that I for one can do without... for now... later who knows"

I don't consider the features and functions of Zaxcom wireless a luxury, I consider these things as vital to the work that I do on the movies that I do and would not want to "do without" --- but that's just me and fortunately I have always been able to make decent equipment rental deals to be able to afford the gear that I use.

"as long as I need funds for family and life, and do my best to make money rather than spend constantly on gear, I will continue to call those luxury do dads I don't want to spend @$500 a unit more for...  No insult to anybody, or any company... just a thought on whats necessary for us, and how much money we need to spend to get the job done well in an environment of changing equipment rate downward pressure."

I have always had to weigh up and balance my purchases just as everyone else has to. One difference, for me, has been that I selfishly have never been able to deny myself something new and innovative that has the very real possibility for me to do a better job, to contribute to a project the best sound. I have made purchases where I know that the weekly equipment rental is not going to even get close to paying it off on the movie, but I know that it will be paid off at some point, maybe half way through the next job. I  do need to point out that you state "what's necessary for us" without defining who this "us" is. You may just be re-stating, again, what has been said before: buy the equipment you can afford and that can get the job done to your satisfaction --- and that's exactly what I do (though I think I should not be included in the "us" you mention).

"If our rates on gear was going up... by a bunch... I get it... spend away... if not... thinking about needs and not wants is prudent."

Rental rates are terrible and have been in decline for years...  I hate that. Unfortunately, sound mixers who take a lot of these jobs and accept the ridiculous rates per day all in are part of the problem not part of the solution.

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All you are saying above is that you are happy with your Lectro wireless as are hundreds of other sound mixers...  I don't see the point. We all know that Zaxcom wireless accomplishes these same tasks differently. For me personally, and obviously, I prefer to accomplish these things in the manner that Zaxcom has implemented and I didn't mind paying a little extra for those features and functions. 

Bingo...

Here's the point... 

So this thread is "buying a new wireless"... and getting 6 SMQv's (which work very well) for the price of 4 1/2 (or so) Zax units with fewer "do dads"... matters... to some... You do not mind paying a premium for that, others may mind... it is definitely a consideration to someone looking to purchase new units.

Some people want the Navigation Pkg with their car purchase... some don't...  My car still drives great without it, and without the extra money... My GPS stand alone and or Phone app work great...  Just another example of the same concept.. we all make these decisions all the time, some work related some not. But, the reasoning is similar.. And, just like the car, when buying wireless transmitters, the same applies.. The Mercedes drives fine with or without the do dads (heated seats, vented seats, 15 speaker system etc...and Nav pkg.)..

Rental rates are terrible and have been in decline for years...  
Even more of a reason to purchase wisely, prudently and cost conscious. It takes much longer to get the funds back..  All this WHILE trying to pay the ever increasing costs of staying financially solvent in regards to your personal life.

If I'm buying new wireless, I'll take the 6 over the 4 1/2 even at the loss of some really great features, sad, but it's just business.

 

 

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Remote control implies control from a remote location.  Control through audio tones to the microphone from a distance of less than an arms length is not "remote control" in any context as defined in any dictionary.  To imply it is at all equivalent in function or benefit to the RF remote control provided by Zaxnet is a misrepresentation of what "remote control" is and does.

I am surprised you would focus on the "remote control" issue rather than the things I said about build quality and reliability, but if this is the one you disagree with the most, ok.

So it's not a remote control. It's a "from-a-short-distance" control. Is that better?
I am reminded of the "remote control" Audio Ltd. used to offer, where the control needed to almost touch the transmitter. Compared to that this is miles away. And still nowhere as good as Zaxnet, there is no doubt about that.
 
It HAS a volume so as not to affect other transmitters...

Yes, and it works well enough under normal conditions, but I had a shoot in a Porsche the other day. 2 actors with wires and 2 plants very close by. There was no time to find a volume that would only affect the correct tx. With one dweedle all tx were on the same frequency - even though they were on different blocks. That was a bit annoying
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"I am surprised you would focus on the "remote control" issue rather than the things I said about build quality and reliability, but if this is the one you disagree with the most, ok. "

Build quality, reliability and  ease of use  are opinions.  My view, and the opinions of Zaxcom customers that use the gear every day are very different from the opinions voiced here from non Zaxcom users usually in support of the other brand. I can not  argue opinions (who would listen). I am just going to keep improving the gear and the technology.  The gear speaks for itself along with the people who support it and see the value.

 

Glenn

 

 

 

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"I am surprised you would focus on the "remote control" issue rather than the things I said about build quality and reliability, but if this is the one you disagree with the most, ok. "
Build quality, reliability and  ease of use  are opinions.  My view, and the opinions of Zaxcom customers that use the gear every day are very different from the opinions voiced here from non Zaxcom users usually in support of the other brand. I can not  argue opinions (who would listen). I am just going to keep improving the gear and the technology.  The gear speaks for itself along with the people who support it and see the value.
 
Glenn

I don't know if that can really be called an opinion. In my case (relating to build quality and reliability) it's personal experience. Hearing from others about similar issues is a 2nd hand experience, so to speak. Of course, personal experiences of some people are sort of the cousin of opinion, but it is different.

It's true, I use, own, and support "the other brand" (I guess you are referring to Lectrosonics?), and I also own and use the other other brand, Audio Ltd., as well as Sennheiser. And, as I said, I also use, own, and support Zaxcom - every day. Surprisingly enough, they are not mutually exclusive.
I even entrust Zaxcom the most important piece of my recording chain: the boom mic.

And I do have concerns about Zaxcom's build quality (and there are various threads here to support that), and I use it anyway.

But of course it's much easier to simply dismiss a critical voice rather than listen to it.
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