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Looking Into Buying Zaxcom IFB


Scott Anderson

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3 hours ago, alenK said:

 

 

Can you explain what transmitter you use? The two channel receivers seem very attractive for the price, but the SR 300 G3 Transmitter has kept me from considering them for bag use.

 

Thank you.

I am currently using the sennheiser IEM system for my boom ops. I have a rack mount SR300 on my cart and then a SK300 in my bag. It allows me to seamlessly switch from cart to bag. Everyone else on set listens through Comteks. I considered Lectrosonics IFB and Zaxcom ErX but decided against them because I could get the whole sennheiser system for around $1200 at the time. There was a sale so I decided to pick them up and try it out.  I've used the lectros a lot in the past and they do get really good range but they sound just okay to me. The zaxcom system was just so expensive to get into since I don't use zaxcom recorders or wireless and I was always worried about the range without amplifying the signal. In the future I will probably upgrade to the new Lectrosonics duet system.  As far as video village and everyone else though, they will stay on comteks. I have a blend of Comtek and listen Technologies Receivers and never get any complaints and they get really good range with a BST75-216 with mini mite set at high power. 

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57 minutes ago, alenK said:

Thank you for explaining. I just read the SK300 manual and suppose I understand, but want ask to be sure. When you go to your bag setup do you sacrifice the ability to use a two channel send to the IEM receiver?

 

Thank you.

I run both cart and bag in mono. No reason for me to send mono dialogue into 2 channels

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13 hours ago, alenK said:

 

 

Can you explain what transmitter you use? The two channel receivers seem very attractive for the price, but the SR 300 G3 Transmitter has kept me from considering them for bag use.

 

Thank you.

you can use any Sennheiser transmitter that is G3 compatible, so an SK 100 G3 or upwards. Though that one has only 30 mW, with the antenna mod many people have done on their G3s you have many options to increase range, although for bag use the range is very good as is. With a pocket Tx you will only transmit mono though.

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I use the Sennheiser system as well. On my cart I‘ll use the left channel for my boom op and the right channel for the others. While it can transmit only at 30mW, I can remote the antenna which helps a lot. In my bag I have two skp2000 transmitters which transmit at 50mW, so that compensates a bit the non-remote antenna. My boom op will have to switch to another frequency, but that’s quick to do. But I don’t need to touch any of the other receivers which is a big plus

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All this talk of range problems, Antenna's and Mods etc really only confirms that I made the right choice with the R1a's.

 

For Timecode I use Tentacle Boxes.

 

My IFB Kit works hard and often and I am very happy to say that I never have range issues, failures or complaints. Yes the entry price is high and yes the battery life is not as good as Comtek, but you normally get what you pay for and if you change batteries at lunch time you will be fine. 

 

One thing to note is that choice of headphones is important as the R1a's prefer higher impedance for optimum sound. I use the Williams Sound HED 021's which are 32 Ohms.

 

My IFB Kit consists of:

 

  1x   Lectrosonics UM400a Transmitter

  3x   Input Leads

14x Lectrosonics R1a Receivers

14x Williams Sound HED 021 Headphones

 

This all fits into 1x 1520 Pelican Case with TrekPak Insert.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve

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On 11/23/2017 at 7:28 AM, cstauffer said:

Would you be able to provide a specific link to the one that is working well for you. There are a lot of antennas listed at L-Com. Thanks!

 

CRAIG

I'm currently using this one:

 

http://www.l-com.com/wireless-antenna-24-25-ghz-51-59-ghz-7dbi-rigid-rubberduck-antenna

 

With this amp:

 

http://www.l-com.com/wifi-wlan-cellular-amplifiers-1-watt-24-ghz-80211b-certified-indoor-amplifier-kit-rp-tnc-connectors

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On 11/24/2017 at 1:36 AM, Steve Foy said:

...R1a's prefer higher impedance for optimum sound. I use the Williams Sound HED 021's which are 32 Ohms..

 

Can I assume that there is a small typo, or at least some particular perspective that may be explained further? In the world of headphone choices, a 32 Ohm load seems relatively low.

 

The Sony 7506 design is 60 Ohm which is already much lower than the dozens of "hi-fi" 600 Ohm headphones on the market, while the infamous Telex CES-2 earset is rated at 125 Ohm.

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22 hours ago, alenK said:

 

Can I assume that there is a small typo, or at least some particular perspective that may be explained further? In the world of headphone choices, a 32 Ohm load seems relatively low.

 

The Sony 7506 design is 60 Ohm which is already much lower than the dozens of "hi-fi" 600 Ohm headphones on the market, while the infamous Telex CES-2 earset is rated at 125 Ohm.

 

Yes, well noted....... I probably should have pointed out that I was speaking relatively in regard to most common headphones used for IFB's.

 

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camera dept does not know what 2.4 frequency they are transmitting on.  use this list if they throw a preston channel number at you

 

preston frequency list:

 

channel     MHz      Channel     MHz       Channel     MHz

0                2402      10              2424      20              2458

1                2404      11              2428      21              2460

2                2406      12              2432      22              2462

3                2408      13              2436      23              2464

4                2410      14              2440      24              2466

5                2412      15              2444      25              2468

6                2414      16              2448      26              2470

7                2416      17              2452      27              2472

8                2418      18              2454      28              2474

9                2420      19              2456      29              2476

 

when follow focus units have difficulty due to interference,  the camera dept often jumps on to other channels randomly.  I have had the camera dept knock out my zax ifb often,  in a challenged environment                

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