ChrisH Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 So I recently sold my old two channel 722 and my DV Promix (shameful look) and I am making the move into the professional world. I am going to get a a pretty hefty tax return this year and I am debating between two routes for my new recording rig. I currently have an MKH-50 and a few good wireless channels, with Cos-11s. I am debating between moving to a cart rig or the Zaxcom Nomad. I already own a new MBP, and Pro-Tools 9 with a Digi 003. So boom recorder and a mixer makes me a great timecode recorder, but I like the Zaxcom Nomad argh please help me decide! Rig #1 $4,700 Yamaha 01v96i w/ Meon life and BoomRecorderPro and Pro-Tools and an SKB 10x6 Rotorack +16 channels of record +Unlimited routing +Sync Playback through pro-tools +Rack Based makes expansion easy -Computer Based -Big Heavy, will not work for one man show. Rig #2 $5500 Zaxcom Nomad 4 Channel, BDS v4 +TimeCode Included +Zaxcom Brand/reliability +Bag based is portable and Versatile +12 channels/ZaxNet/ IFB/ Remote Control with later upgrade -Bag-based work not my favorite. -No playback ability -Will eventually end up on cart Recorder Options.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Heath Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 I say go with the nomad, so you can adapt and be on a cart, or if a job requires you to go off the cart the nomad will be extremely helpful. While seeing how independent movies work, being tied down to a cart can sometimes put you in a pickle. It all depends on what situations you put yourself in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccsnd Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 with the 003 cart, you can double it as a mobile protools playback rig. (that is what I do) I would look into metacorder also. if you get rack mounted wireless setups you can leave everything plugged in and routed all the time. Just pull off your covers, plug in the boom and the computer, and your are done. There are some things you can do to make this one man band friendly, and if the rack has wheels the quick set up and tear down will make fast moving gigs a breeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old school Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Nomad. It will allow you to do most types of work. CrewC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Your cart rig will be, as you point out, ONLY a cart rig --- none of the equipment this cart will be loaded with will be appropriate for any sort of even semi-mobile or portable project, and obviously out of the question for regular "bag-based" work. Going the other way, getting a Nomad recorder/system that is totally portable can also be completely at home for a cart-based job. In many ways, the Nomad is as capable or more capable than many of the other recorder - mixer setups that people have on their carts, even for those jobs where everything is done sitting down behind the sound cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylormadeaudio Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 With a $5500 budget cap, I would go with Rig #2 -- basically for the reasons you stated. You can always put the Nomad on a cart later (or whenever the need arises, really) and still build a nice cart-based system around it. I think one of the smartest decisions I made when I really started investing heavily on sound gear was to keep things as versatile as possible. My bag rig actually lives on my cart and is an integral part of the cart when I'm using it... but I can disco the bag and go ENG-style at a moments notice. So, perhaps consider building a bag system that can be integrated into a cart system? PM me if you want more specifics, ~tt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Yeremian Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Nomad + Mix 8 = cart rig! As said before the nomad is capable of more than a lot of the current cart setups out there. I am able to do way more on a cart or in a bag with my nomad than I ever was with my old setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Stalder Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 My bag rig actually lives on my cart and is an integral part of the cart when I'm using it... but I can disco the bag and go ENG-style at a moments notice. Its interesting this topic pops up more and more - and by the way Sound Devices often gets mentioned as well. Its not that i have the current experience to advise you - but i have seen this intergration of styles coming and of course i would be trying to support it with carts i build. If you are bag based - our Mb cart is a great place to put down. If you are bag based and want to be cart based when it suits you - then the Foldup cart is a quality solution, thats fast & flexible. We are also about to start building some modified versions of the VK cart that will hold a mixer bag setup and allow the periphery supportive equipment to be arranged around it - such as a - CL-9 controler, Canterem, Mix 8 on its own sliding mixer shelf. Of course there are a plethora of carts out there that you can use or convert at probably a lower cost entry leval & with a bit of imagination. Rob Stalder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 A dedicated task-specific recorder is the best way to move up to a "professional" sound rig, be it a cart or bag. Paul Graff, I think, has an amazing bag rig on a small cart. He simply plugs in the Mix 8, I believe, and the batwings into his antenna distro, and he has a great cart setup. Linear faders can also be added with a Mackie 1402 very cheaply. And I believe that most "professional" narrative shoots would expect to see a linear fader mixing panel on some kind of cart. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zack Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Nomad IMO (or any multitrack device... Fusion, 788, etc..etc..)... it will adapt for cart or bag, it's how I use my Fusion/Mix8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Unless you are assured of a lot of cart work (doing movies or a string of commercials etc) the keyword for most of us these days is versatility. The small-size portable 4/6/8 track machines mentioned can function in either bag or cart mode, which is why they've become so popular. You can always do a lot of tracks cheaply with Boom Recorder, a laptop and some interfaces for the (probably few) times you need that many tracks. I would say that if your work is like the average soundie's from these parts that the portable recorder will be your "axe" the rest of the time (prob about 90% of jobs out there). phil p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Den Nic Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Nomad All the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cinetj Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Nomad All the way If you can get one in near future of course... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S Harber Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Get the bag rig but you could totally lose the PT part of the cart build. No need for it as you have 16 ins and outs on the 01V96i. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH Posted February 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Thank you all, I have to say I was leaning towards the nomad mostly because of the bag option. And I am glad you all resoundingly agree. The biggest thing for me is being able to pick up side gigs and small movies inbetween the larger ones where I boom and utility, this way I build my mixing expertise with the commercials and indies, while I meet the producers I want to work for feeling comfortable as a boom op or utility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Flores Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 You may want to consider going inexpensive on recording machine-mixer options for now, and spending money on additional wireless, wires and communications. Your clients many times remember how awesome you were to have all those comteks and the small mic packs for the entire cast. Having a reliable used 5.8 or 6 channel cooper will not dissapoint the producer(s) of your projects, yet, the minute you don't have a flesh tone wire for the main actress or another headset for the director's mom, the reality of not getting a Call Back seems possible. And a Boom Operator has needs too, like a clean PL IFB. If you are a serious gear head and serious about doing good work, you will eventually get all the tools you feel necessary. Sometimes it's not right(or smart) to get all the toys you want at once. Food for thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
does Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Good topic. Even in a cart friendly production, you will get in the situation where you need to do car dialogue while the car moves or a lot of locations, with very short scenes, on one day. Then you want to go into 'bag'-mode. Choose the recorder keeping that in mind. I never worked with the Zaxcom Nomad, just looked @ the Zaxcom website, I would go for that option. Happy Recordings, Miguel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 I choose the bag. This is my drawing about "My bag company". (based in the Sound Devices 788T) drawing is in progress Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan H. Chang Posted February 5, 2012 Report Share Posted February 5, 2012 A schematic I see! Go with the Bag and transform into a Cart, but do so slowly for there are lots of red lights (flags) along the journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason A Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 Its interesting this topic pops up more and more - and by the way Sound Devices often gets mentioned as well. Its not that i have the current experience to advise you - but i have seen this intergration of styles coming and of course i would be trying to support it with carts i build. If you are bag based - our Mb cart is a great place to put down. If you are bag based and want to be cart based when it suits you - then the Foldup cart is a quality solution, thats fast & flexible. We are also about to start building some modified versions of the VK cart that will hold a mixer bag setup and allow the periphery supportive equipment to be arranged around it - such as a - CL-9 controler, Canterem, Mix 8 on its own sliding mixer shelf. Of course there are a plethora of carts out there that you can use or convert at probably a lower cost entry leval & with a bit of imagination. Rob Stalder Not that you need another +1 for option 2, but I thought I would comment since you are about to be in a very similar situation as myself. I usually get 2-3 features during the summer and spend the rest of the year on network, commercial, reality and short film. I'm building a compact system with Lectro SRa / Octopack and 788t (soon to be Nomad). One of the main advantages in film work is being able to throw on the bag and 2nd boom in really tough situations. I love my 788, but it does struggle in a few areas that the Nomad happens to excel in. That's the only reason for my switch. I've also researched the RastOrder carts pretty thoroughly and they seam like the perfect solution for this type of settup. I was sold on the folding cart, but it sounds like more options might be available soon from those guys. Good luck with your purchase! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpsanos Posted February 16, 2012 Report Share Posted February 16, 2012 Thought I'd throw in my bag cart ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmahaAudio Posted February 17, 2012 Report Share Posted February 17, 2012 Did you piece that cart together from (what looks like) Ultimate Support components? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH Posted February 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 So I am now gonna go with the nomad 6 and a bds system with erx1tc as a lockit box and a bag. I have recently booked out the rest of 2012 so looks like my budget went up. I will also get two channels zaxcom wireless which will allow me to cannibalize my g3s into high quality ifbs:) from that point I move to cart and a lectrosonics venue with all wm transmitters, can't beat waterproof and 250mw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted February 18, 2012 Report Share Posted February 18, 2012 My cart drawing (in CorelDRAW12). I would like to design the new generation cart. Yes I'm dreamer but I love this job. My cart is not finished. Maybe to change the design or equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomboom Posted February 19, 2012 Report Share Posted February 19, 2012 four video monitors ? you'll make cam dept. jealous ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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