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Mark Farag

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Everything posted by Mark Farag

  1. Had this exact issue with one of the faders on my 833 from day 1. Exchanged it with the dealer, and the brand new replacement arrived with a damaged trim knob that had clearly been covered with sharpie (or some sort of paint to cover the damage to the metal) from the manufacturer. Contacted Sound Devices and they sent me a third unit directly. That unit had one the loosest and most inconsistent faders of the 3 units. At that point, I gave up and just accepted it. None of my MixPres for a fraction of the price had such issues. Fast forward a few years later and the same fader on the 833 is now more erratic as in your video, and even looser. Switching it to a certain level above or below unity avoids the "jumping." My 833 has served me well otherwise, but I regret not trying for a fourth unit before the warranty elapsed.
  2. I believe you're referencing the discussion I started on the FB group. It is indeed a serious oversight on their part that I hope is addressed immediately. I believe Shure simply was unaware how big of an issue this is for many Sound Mixers who work more minimally since the bulk of their products have historically been used for large events. I hope they do take the feedback to heart. It was actually also a dealbreaker for me initially, but ultimately I decided to move forward. Not looking forward to this clumsy charging setup as I like to keep a tight kit for travel work, but if the Axient Digital system is truly as good as some are reporting, I imagine this will end up being a minor annoyance worth dealing with until/if they address it.
  3. No need for that worry. The ADX5D is a self contained receiver if you wish it to be. They sell a $200 backplate that has Hirose and TA3 outputs (can output analog, or AES if your mixer supports it). Mark
  4. Checkout the FB group if you haven't. Shure's Axient line is still fresh to the film location world so there's not a ton of user experiences out yet, but the best I've seen is on the group. Folks are fairly responsive to questions there. Finalizing an order for 2x ADX1M transmitters and the ADX5D receiver tomorrow morning. Shure Axient FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/950768919029841 -Mark
  5. No problem! It was definitely difficult to gauge the size of it on the webcam. I was a bit surprised when she measured it and it came out to be only 8.25".
  6. Just as a heads up, I believe Colleen said 8.25", on the Zoom chat rather than 10.25", which does come out to 21cm.
  7. How do you all find the isolation of the HD26 or HD25 compared to the 7506? Would love to keep the headphone gain as low as possible to help protect the ears.
  8. Did a search and couldn't find much info on non-coiled XLR jumpers with low profile connectors. Looking for high quality options both male XLR to female XLR and vice versa. Seems like there are a few options at various dealers, but the cable thickness/quality looks rather anemic in most of them. Not sure I would trust them. Remote Audio's jumpers seem to be made with a decent cable as far I can tell from photos. Looking for 10" to 18" options. What are you all using? Thanks and take care, Mark
  9. FYI Ken and others. Posted by Howard Stark from the FB Group a few hours ago: "Here is Nova version 1.59 (BETA) www.zaxcomftp.com/fileshare/software/All-Zaxcom-Software.pdf www.zaxcomftp.com/fileshare/software/Nova_v1.59.zip 1.59 Nov 15 more fixes to frequency changes and auto pick no longer automatically send freq out zaxnet when RXer freq is changed 1.58 Nov 14 increased IFB module reliability no longer allow scanning on RX2 and RX4 1.57 Nov 12 attempted to fix Auto-Pan matrix confusion added auto-pan such that moving a fader changes pan cursor on ENG (Pan) home screen 1.55 Nov 8 moved RX POWER to RX SETUP page (slot1 and slot2 power) 1.54 Nov 8 Fixed jumping RF meters Fixed ISO ATTENUATION being off by a large amount No longer reset time and date when there is missing real time clock data"
  10. I believe this particular issue has been documented on the Facebook Zaxcom group. I believe Glen said it's a known issue and will be addressed via firmware soon. -Mark
  11. Appreciate you doing this test, @glenn. The 6060 looks promising for a new Zaxcom kit I'm putting together. Do you know if the 4063 in your test was the newer Core version, or the legacy?
  12. Appreciate your initial thoughts @RadoStefanov. Do you happen to know if the IFB audio transmission has been improved on the Nova? I seem to hear very polarizing views of IFB through Zaxnet where some people say it works without flaws, while others (perhaps in more dense 2.4 GHz environments) have had issues. Most of my gigs are setup with clients and camera being within just 30 feet of the bag so I'm wondering if I can use a few ERX3TCDs for IFBs and camera hop for reliable transmission since my working distance is usually very small. Or, do I need to go UHF? EDIT: Also, do you happen to know (or maybe @glenn) if on the Nova you can transmit the IFB while AES is being utilized? I may have misunderstood the information, but I vaguely recall that due to the limited processing power on the Nomad years ago, it was not possible to simultaneously output IFB through Zaxnet while using the AES inputs. -Mark
  13. This is my only concern with a single integrated system. I'm wondering if Zaxcom could develop some sort of external adapter that can take the MRX214s and MRX414s and provide it power and analog/AES out? This way you could use it with other mixers (other Zaxcoms, Sound Devices, Zoom, etc) in the event a backup mixer/recorder is necessary. Or just in situations where we want the receivers external for whatever reason (ex. attach it to a camera directly and bypass the mixer) without having to pick up additional ($$$) external QRX200s or QRX235s. It wouldn't even need to be terribly pretty or tiny, just something that would work in a pinch and be more cost efficient than keeping around a bunch of rarely used backup wireless gear and investing in backup external receivers which somewhat defeats the purpose of going with an integrated system. I think the advantages of this system outweigh that potential issue in the event of a emergency situation, but some sort of accessory like that (if even possible) would certainly free up the concern of "all your eggs in one basket." Also, love the user-replaceable Compact Flash slots. I had a CF slot go bad on a Maxx a couple of years ago, so this is a welcome addition. @glenn very vaguely hinted that this modular reader may allow for other options in the future. Having a Nova option that would ship with 2x SD card clots would be fantastic. Most clients I work with always have some sort of SD reader readily available whereas CF seems to be dying off and always adds another layer come time to dumping files during wrap. Also, don't have to worry about bent pins with SD. Anyways, the announcement of these latest internal RXs is now pushing me to pick up a Nova over the 833. Some fantastic work from the Zaxcom team. -Mark
  14. I get that the Nova, Maxx, 833, 6 and 7 series are all top notch recorders and there's many things within a feature set to look for as a professional mixer. My question, though, is specific to the sound quality of the preamps. In the same way someone may prefer to pick a CMC641 over a MKH50 for a particular voice/location or vice versa, I would like to know if any early adopters of the Nova can comment on its sound signature. It seems like there's a few dozen of these in the wild, at least. Does one recorder render recordings a bit warmer or more neutral than the other? Yes, the self-noise is low on all the machines, but is one discernibly lower than the other? I know the 833/Scorpio sounds great and is impressively quiet not just based off their listed specs, but because I've heard samples. I imagine it would be helpful for many to have comparable information/samples for the Nova. Sure, I would love to rent both units, but that's not always practical, and given this is an open forum where experienced mixers may have used these discussed devices it would be informative to dig into the sound quality specifically.
  15. The Nova is looking increasingly impressive. I hope to add either this or an 833 to my kit next year. There's no doubt the guts of the Nova are impressive, but I haven't seen much information (if any) about the sound and quietness of the analog preamps. I understand they have NeverClip, but I'm more curious about how they sound compared to the 833 and other top end devices. Just how quiet are they? Couldn't find any specs on Zaxcom's website about their equivalent input noise levels.
  16. Glad to see this. Hope the accessory is fairly compact and reasonably priced. Noticed on the FAQ they mentioned that 32 bit float may be added later. The 833 is shaping up to be quite impressive.
  17. Possibly a silly question for @Paul Isaacs or anyone who may know: can the 833's single AES input on XLR 1 record 2 separate AES channels from a dual receiver? Or can you can only achieve 2 AES channels through a single XLR cable when using AES out? My vague understanding of AES is that sometimes you can input or output 2 channels via a single XLR. Is this correct?
  18. As a freelance CamOp and 1st AC who has used virtually every wireless system between $5k - $15K in the last 10 years my recommendation is Vaxis, specifically their newer Storm series. Without a doubt the most reliable system I have used. I have never understood the glorification of Teradek. There have been countless times where Teradeks are solid at 300 feet or a thousand feet away and then inexplicably cut out. Far worse, are the times when their 1000 or 3000 cuts out within 15 feet. Their channel selection process is a mess and rarely alleviates any drop out issues (maybe this was improved in their most recent model?). For commercials I am often expected to pull on 6K, 50mm/85mm, EVERYTHING wide open at T1.5 on softer/vintage glass so I eventually bit the bullet and bought my own Storm 1000+. It doesn't carry the same weight as Teradek and some companies and DPs are skeptical when I mention it, but by the end of a shoot they are normally convinced. It simply works. Rock solid. -Mark
  19. Unboxed my MixPre10 yesterday. Overall very happy with the unit so far. That said, two things seem puzzling to me and I would like to propose they be addressed with a firmware update if possible: 1.) The ISO tracks are only able to be viewed vertically with no numerical dB reading measurement available. I realize there's only so much info that can be displayed on the small screen of a 10-input recorder of this size, but I really wish there was an additional display option or way to view the ISO tracks horizontally with numerical dB measurements like you can on the MixPre6 and MixPre3. As it is now this limits my ability to confidentally set and monitor levels as I often only record a few ISOs at a time. 2.) It would be great if the ring light around the joystick was customizable to be green or white or simply off altogether rather than the current orange color when it is not recording. As it is now the standby orange color appears too similar to the recording red color when eyeballing the recorder from across a room or even a few meters away (often necessary as a one-man band shooter when you're not immediately next to the recorder). Any chance these things can be added in a future firmware @Paul Isaacs? Looking forward to putting this baby into the field soon. Thanks and take care, Mark
  20. Curtis Judd's Initial Impressions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0fPGr_SDxs
  21. Hi @Paul Isaacs, any word on battery life with the 8 AAs when phantom powering say 2 or 4 mics? Perhaps it was posted somewhere already, but I didn't see it. Also, any chance Sound Devices may be working on a single Sony NP-L battery sled option? The current dual battery solution seems optimal for extended battery life, but makes the shape a bit awkward in a bag with the batteries jutting out from the top and bottom. I know HawkWoods just put out their version, curious if you guys will? Thanks, Mark
  22. Appreciate all the responses. I wish there were a few more videos floating around that showed the differences between these systems in more practical situations (ex. recording dialog or ambiance in a windy forest/beach/city). I typically don't need to violently swing a pole side to side such extreme distances as demonstrated in that video. More interested in finding the best balance of reasonable wind reduction, size/weight of blimp, and the least colored sound. Makes me want to find a way to conduct my own detailed test. Might look into contacting a dealer and checking if they'll lend a few of these babies for the purpose of a comprehensive video test.
  23. Article: http://www.newsshooter.com/2017/09/19/tentacle-sync-tentacle-e-timecode-generator-ibc-2017/ Looking good. Thoughts? Mark
  24. Thanks manuelchk. So there is a noticeable difference in sound quality retention and/or effective wind noise reduction with the Cinela vs. the new Rycote? I'll look into their products, appreciate the info. Just curious, what mic(s) are you using? Thanks, Mark
  25. Been using the newer version of the Rode Blimp with Rycote shock mounts for about a year with my 416. Works great. No complaints other than its size. I noticed Rycote released a blimp last year that's specifically designed for the 416 and similar sized mics. It's considerably smaller and lighter. My question: generally speaking does the size of a blimp have a direct effect on its ability to cut out wind noise? It seems to me the larger the shielded area around the mic the more wind protection, but I'm sure there are other factors such as material and shape. I'm trying to keep my kit as small/light as possible and am thinking about upgrading to the much smaller Rycote, but not if it won't be as effective. Thoughts? Also, anyone have any experience with the new Rycote? They mention it will also fit a Sanken CS-3e, DPA 4017b, and CMIT. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1056426-REG/rode_blimp_windsheild_rycote_lyre_suspension.html https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1246569-REG/rycote_010324_windshield_kit_for_the.html Thanks, Mark
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