Chris Woodcock Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 I have been using G3's as my radios until I could afford a proper system. The G3's have been nothing but a problem for me the range is awful and take hits often. So it was a choice between Lectro and Zax, as I am using a Nomad and I love the idea of on board recording I have go down the Zax road, I just purchased a QRX100 and two TRX900LA's. I have noticed a few people have said on here the range can be a problem but I guess I will just have to wait and see. Cant be as bad as my G3's anyway Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Yeremian Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 I finally went to a full zax setup and I couldn't imagine going back. 2 QRX going to a nomad with Trx900LA and I just got some erx2TCD. I will echo what everyone has said here is that the only caveat seems to be range. However I think this is semi misleading because zax wireless sound 100%clear until a dropout from range, and other wireless slowly deteriorates as the range increases. Otoh I have had instances where I got 100 yards through a car with qrx I'd dual mode, but my scans were incredibly clear. As for all of the options available with a full zax system, they are unparalleled and I can't see myself worming without them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Woodcock Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 How many people are using micplex? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominiquegreffard Posted October 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 I have been using G3's as my radios until I could afford a proper system. The G3's have been nothing but a problem for me the range is awful and take hits often. So it was a choice between Lectro and Zax, as I am using a Nomad and I love the idea of on board recording I have go down the Zax road, I just purchased a QRX100 and two TRX900LA's. I have noticed a few people have said on here the range can be a problem but I guess I will just have to wait and see. Cant be as bad as my G3's anyway Chris Hi chris, We d love to know what are your impressions on the system once you get some worktime with it. Many suggested great points on the differences from the two systems. Great read. One thing that really makes me hesitate appart from the range issue with standard whips is the fact that mic plexer is block specific and that i have to put all my wireless within the same block. I like the current confort of working with several blocks and it makes me less worried when i travel with the kit. Also the new waterproof tx from lectro is definetly a feature that appeal to me considering the sweaty/wet situations i m filming in often. I m far from decided i guess.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted October 20, 2012 Report Share Posted October 20, 2012 Hi chris, We d love to know what are your impressions on the system once you get some worktime with it. Many suggested great points on the differences from the two systems. Great read. One thing that really makes me hesitate appart from the range issue with standard whips is the fact that mic plexer is block specific and that i have to put all my wireless within the same block. I like the current confort of working with several blocks and it makes me less worried when i travel with the kit. Also the new waterproof tx from lectro is definetly a feature that appeal to me considering the sweaty/wet situations i m filming in often. I m far from decided i guess.. I have never had an inter-modulation problems with zaxcom digital. i have used 5 zax and 3 lectro in block 25 and never worried about qrx100 finding new frequencies. General knowledge is that digital does not introduce intermodulation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominiquegreffard Posted October 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 I have never had an inter-modulation problems with zaxcom digital. i have used 5 zax and 3 lectro in block 25 and never worried about qrx100 finding new frequencies. General knowledge is that digital does not introduce intermodulation Oh good to know about the intermod thing, i did not knew that. So you never found yourself in a situation where the block was so crowded with interference that there was not enough free space to put all your freqs inthere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airport70 Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 +1 for trying before you buy I've recently invested in quite a few Zaxcom QRX and 900LTs for a specific job, but my everyday mics are Lectros. We've been using the Zaxcoms on a reality show where all cast are required to be isolated yet run of in all different directions, for this reason they've been an absolute godsend. But before switching a few issues should be considered. Zaxcom digital signal is all or nothing and for me, unfortunately nothing is a little too common. You may have the internal back up as insurance, but do you really want to annoy production by constantly making a claim on that insurance. You can use the Micplexer but that is expensive and is no different to say recommending a Lectro in-line amp and dipoles which would give you a far superior range. I don't know what your soldering skills are like, but if they are anything like mine, keep a few extra mics handy, the Zaxcom wiring can be quite fiddly. Do you own DPA mics? 4061 and 4071 aren't compatible, they take 4063 and 4073. Is intermodulation an issue, for that Zaxcoms are great, I've used up to 12 on a single band without issue, also you don't require any frequency tables as they aren't governed by the analogue laws, I simply kept 2MHz space between frequencies and that worked just fine. In time pressured situations that can be a real advantage. Make sure your power supply is regulated, the QRX can be quite fussy. Finally robustness, a radio mic transmitter is the one product, you have to rely on others to care about, I'm already building my vitriol defences from the angry Zaxcom sect but I'm sure anecdotal evidence would back up my suspicion that Zaxcom would make more trips back to the service centres and have a shorter shelf life. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael P Clark Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Many ways. Sometimes you'll do many takes without cutting and the director will say 'scream it this time', sometimes you hear the actor himself say it just as cameras roll, sometimes you can tell by the breath.... sometimes it's too late for one line but you can catch it for the next. Whatever the case, having the capability to control transmitter gain or change transmitter freqs from the cart, is invaluable. Nothing against Lectro, they make great gear, and I still use a couple of Audio Ltd radios in my rig, but once you've used the digital transmitters and their extended recording and playback capabilities via Zaxnet, you won't go back. Billy Sarokin Yes, of course, after the fact is obvious. My statement is more about the impossibility to know the unknowing, as the OP's post implied. Somewhat of a joke. But on a side note, or not, how does one go through the steps to adjust Tx gain, if using an IFB100, Deva V and say, some analog board? Can it be done with, say a cue from a breath? Which, I've done many times. Seems like a few more steps are needed to accomplish this, without a Mix-8 or Mix-12 also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 But on a side note, or not, how does one go through the steps to adjust Tx gain, if using an IFB100, Deva V and say, some analog board? Can it be done with, say a cue from a breath? Which, I've done many times. Seems like a few more steps are needed to accomplish this, without a Mix-8 or Mix-12 also. This is almost exactly my setup. Deva 5.8 (or my Deva IV), Zaxcom wireless (TRX900 and 900LT), and IFB 100, Cooper 208 (analog) mixer. If I want to trim the preamp gain on transmitter no. 1 that is coming into Input 1 on my Cooper, instead of reaching for the trim knob on the Cooper (which would adjust the trim on the Cooper preamp), I use the no. 1 knob on the Deva to adjust the gain. Quite simple. I approach it the same way that Billy Sarokin describes, the same technique we have always used even way back in the old days when we didn't have any wireless but had to adjust the input trim on the mixer because a dialog scene became a little more dynamic than we had anticipated. A long long time ago when I was using one of the early Audio Developments board (which had notoriously very little headroom), there would be entire scenes where I had to do the old "2 handed mixing" for even just the one boom microphone. Riding the input trim while riding the main fader (gain to the output) was quite common. Fortunately, with the Zaxcom wireless and Zaxnet remote control, and my Cooper board, the headroom is vastly improved over the setup I have just described (Audio Developments board and possibly Vega wireless and a hard wired boom mic). I love having the facility to adjust the input gain remotely and on the fly but the incredibly clean dynamic range of the Zaxcom wireless makes this unnecessary for the most part for the jobs I am on. When I do need it, when a dialog scene evolves into something I had never imagined, it is a real life-saver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Another concern of mine is that many seem to recommend the use of Zax wireless with the use of different antennas, not the supplied whips. Whips have always worked with my Lectrosonics. Whips work fine in over the shoulder mode, but for the best range, with either analog or digital radios, high gain antennas are a great help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Thx for the tip rado. how many tx can i use with one mixplexer setup and was it ever difficult to cram x number of frequencies in one block? More than with analog radios since there is no IM interference. As with digital TV stations you can butt digital transmissions up against each other (as long as there is open space in the spectrum). Zaxcom recommends 600K between xtrs (ie, 686.0; 686.6; 687.2; etc). With analog radios you have to take intermod interference into account which cuts back on the # of freqs you can use. btw, when the band is very crowded, at times I've used 500K separation with my Zaxcoms with no noticeable reduction in range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Oh good to know about the intermod thing, i did not knew that. So you never found yourself in a situation where the block was so crowded with interference that there was not enough free space to put all your freqs inthere? That's a different situation and will affect any type of radio. I have a spectrum analyzer on my cart and the higher the general rf noise floor the shorter your range. Though the analyzer is a great help in finding the quiet parts of the freq block. I use block 26, from 662-692 mHz. I can almost always find empty spaces, but if I'm out doors in TImes Sq and have to run 8 radios it can get tough!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 btw, I'm concerned about people reporting 25' range. That would usually be caused by rf interference on that frequency. While I usually work off the cart with shark fin antennas, I do often go handheld with whip antennas. Range drops a lot, but even in Times Sq I can get 100-200' with just the whips. One caveat, I am not as familiar with the QRX receiver in dual mode, so I am not sure if there is something specific to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmaho Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 "Finally robustness, a radio mic transmitter is the one product, you have to rely on others to care about, I'm already building my vitriol defences from the angry Zaxcom sect but I'm sure anecdotal evidence would back up my suspicion that Zaxcom would make more trips back to the service centres and have a shorter shelf life." I've had Zaxcom transmitters sweat out. I now wrap them in ziplocks for heavy sweat scenes (basketball players, joggers, etc). Other than that I find them incredibly robust. And my gear takes a beating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael P Clark Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 This is almost exactly my setup. Deva 5.8 (or my Deva IV), Zaxcom wireless (TRX900 and 900LT), and IFB 100, Cooper 208 (analog) mixer. If I want to trim the preamp gain on transmitter no. 1 that is coming into Input 1 on my Cooper, instead of reaching for the trim knob on the Cooper (which would adjust the trim on the Cooper preamp), I use the no. 1 knob on the Deva to adjust the gain. Quite simple. Thanks Jeff, that makes it simple enough. But I can see how a 5.8/16 Deva would be more ideal than a IV/V. Would you have to go to the fader page to do anything over 4 wires? Riding the input trim while riding the main fader (gain to the output) was quite common. Still is! I'm in this mode all the time with the dynamics of this show. Often wishing for my old TRX I sold, but that would have only been one Tx. Fortunately, with the Zaxcom wireless and Zaxnet remote control, and my Cooper board, the headroom is vastly improved over the setup I have just described (Audio Developments board and possibly Vega wireless and a hard wired boom mic). I love having the facility to adjust the input gain remotely and on the fly but the incredibly clean dynamic range of the Zaxcom wireless makes this unnecessary for the most part for the jobs I am on. When I do need it, when a dialog scene evolves into something I had never imagined, it is a real life-saver. Maybe in a couple years I can make the $30K switch over. I would hope by then, Zaxcom incorporates the QRX system into the RX4900 lineup. Switching over 12 Lectrosonics, would require 3 RX4900's or 6 QRX's and MicPlexer setup, which isn't as elegant on a cart. I wish the current pricing and these products were around when my wireless investment started. Anyone here using a combination of Lectro and Zax wireless? I'd be curious if there are any delay issues between the units. With the amount of processing going on in both units, it would be minimal or non-existent? Now, with pre-digital hybrid models, perhaps issues could occur? It would make a transition easier for those with large wireless kits all Lectrosonics, to slowly integrate new Zax into the mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 I think the poster meant his lavs weren't COD-11D. Previous versions (s, x) were susceptible to interference from the transmitter. Mark O. Got it. Wandering Ear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Anyone here using a combination of Lectro and Zax wireless? I'd be curious if there are any delay issues between the units. With the amount of processing going on in both units, it would be minimal or non-existent? Now, with pre-digital hybrid models, perhaps issues could occur? It would make a transition easier for those with large wireless kits all Lectrosonics, to slowly integrate new Zax into the mix. Once you put a zaxcom in the bag and start mixing next to Lectro you will experiance the difference between the two. Initially I only got one qrx100/TRX900LAS for driving scenes. But once I started using it with my Nomad and Zaxnet I was sold. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 "Thanks Jeff, that makes it simple enough. But I can see how a 5.8/16 Deva would be more ideal than a IV/V. Would you have to go to the fader page to do anything over 4 wires?" No difference with any of the Devas (IV, V, 5.8, 16) as long as they are Zaxnet enabled. As for more than 4 wires to control, it would not be necessary to go into a fader page, just set up the additional hardware fader (knobs) on the Deva to control the wires beyond the 4. I have 6 Zaxcom wireless that are assigned to faders 1 through 6 on my Deva 5.8. "Maybe in a couple years I can make the $30K switch over. I would hope by then, Zaxcom incorporates the QRX system into the RX4900 lineup. Switching over 12 Lectrosonics, would require 3 RX4900's or 6 QRX's and MicPlexer setup, which isn't as elegant on a cart. I wish the current pricing and these products were around when my wireless investment started." It would be prohibitive to entirely replace your large investment in Lectro gear with Zaxcom gear and the RX4900 is not the equivalent of the popular Lectro Venue system that lots of people use with 6 receivers (it is 6 receivers, right?). I know lots of people who buy one or two sets of Zaxcom gear to augment their Lectros and provide some of the features and functions that they don't have with their existing Lectro setup. "Anyone here using a combination of Lectro and Zax wireless? I'd be curious if there are any delay issues between the units. With the amount of processing going on in both units, it would be minimal or non-existent? Now, with pre-digital hybrid models, perhaps issues could occur? It would make a transition easier for those with large wireless kits all Lectrosonics, to slowly integrate new Zax into the mix." There is no technical problem using both Zaxcom Digital wireless and Lectro Hybrids, both have about the same delay, and any problem, real or perceived, mixing wireless with latency with analog wireless and no latency, is something you have to discover for yourself. The greater problem, as I see it, is financial and mechanical: lavs wired for Lectro cannot be used with the Zaxcoms for example (different connectors) and accessory items specifically for Zaxcom have no connection to Lectro, etc., etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mastermixaudiomedia Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Another thing to keep inmind is what lav's you I ain't sure if TRAMS or Sonotrims work on Zaxcom TX's. DPA's and Countryman B6's work fine on both Lectro and Zaxcom; just chose your connector. Gabe I'm using a Tram TR-50 successfully on my first TX,, matter of fact I'll be wiring up a couple more for my newest TRX900AA's this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted October 21, 2012 Report Share Posted October 21, 2012 Anyone here using a combination of Lectro and Zax wireless? I'd be curious if there are any delay issues between the units. With the amount of processing going on in both units, it would be minimal or non-existent? Now, with pre-digital hybrid models, perhaps issues could occur? It would make a transition easier for those with large wireless kits all Lectrosonics, to slowly integrate new Zax into the mix. My normal bag these days has 2 channels zaxcom and 2 channels lectro wireless. Both are great systems, and i have no issue mixing them. I am planning on changing the lectros for zaxs because i like the features and functionality, but i will probably keep the lectros because they still preform great. I'm in the camp of mixers who consider the 3ms delay of digital wireless to be a non issue. That's just me. Wandering Ear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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