studiomprd Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 " even with multiple scans will drop out even with the person in front of me, the range is shocking " of course these are lower power TX's, and the Evo wireless scanning function is very basic and limited, it only checks amongst the preset freq's, IIRC... A lot of folks, including many of my students, myself, and our instructors (using them daily in classrooms and auditoriums) are having fine results with the Senn Evo series even some G1's are still in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 I worked with a mixer recently who was using a QRX100 as a double receiver for 2 TRX900s instead of, say, two RX900S. Does this make sense? He said it worked great but because it seems like its usually used as a camera feed I was wondering how people felt about using it in a bag as just a duel receiver. I realize this could probably be its own separate thread. The RX900S receives audio from one transmitter. That transmitter can be in 1 or 2 channel mode. The QRX can receive up to two 2-channel signals... aka two transmitters sending stereo audio. If you were using it in a bag, you would be sending audio from two mono transmitters to it (like how people use a Lectro SR in the bag). I *THINK* there are different models of the QRX, but I might be wrong. I know for sure that the IFB transmitter in the QRX is an option, and would be redundant if you have a Nomad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 I *THINK* there are different models of the QRX, but I might be wrong. You can get it in a 2 channel version or a 4 channel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaxBook Posted October 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yeah I know the QRX excepts two stereo channels I'm just wondering about peoples experiences using it in the bag, is the interface still easy to read and adjust for two channels, are there any sorta disadvantages to using the QRX rather than two independent RX receivers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 Single stereo or single mono only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundslikejustin Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 Yeah I know the QRX excepts two stereo channels I'm just wondering about peoples experiences using it in the bag, is the interface still easy to read and adjust for two channels, are there any sorta disadvantages to using the QRX rather than two independent RX receivers? Easy enough to scan for clean freq, then tune transmitters to said freq remotely. I use a qrx in dual mode to RX two trx900lt's. Works fine. The RX board in the qrx is newer (and I think more sensitive) than the rx900(s) board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OmahaAudio Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 Why are you buying a slate unless you need a TC slate, that's camera dept kit. For the cost of a traditional slate (I got one for $35) it's a good thing to have along when the camera dept doesn't show up with one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 22, 2012 Report Share Posted October 22, 2012 " it's a good thing to have along when the camera dept doesn't show up with one. " ... at $10/day, including erasable marker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crussell Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 A personal stand that I have taken and believe in, is to not use debt for equipment (for anything else). I want to own my gear, I don't want my gear to own me. Best advice I've ever been given came from Dave Ramsey. daveramsey.com Look into his stuff on business and leadership. The reason is simple. When you have a payment to make you lose the ability to say no to the crappy gigs. In negotiations, you're starting from a place of weakness because you have a payment to make. I've found taking your time and buying as you can and renting or borrowing the rest gets you where you want to go with far less stress and far less risk. I've made these mistakes myself. If I'd committed to being debt free from the beginning, I would have been more focused and had spent what money I had, more wisely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Woodcock Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 A personal stand that I have taken and believe in, is to not use debt for equipment (for anything else). I want to own my gear, I don't want my gear to own me. Best advice I've ever been given came from Dave Ramsey. daveramsey.com Look into his stuff on business and leadership. The reason is simple. When you have a payment to make you lose the ability to say no to the crappy gigs. I strongly disagree with this, I have put myself in debt in the past for gear and I have never taken a crap gig to pay A bill and I don't think any self respecting mixer would Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Futterman Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 To each his own. Crussel's philosophy makes sense, but this is a business investment and most businesses accrue a little debt getting started. That is, after all, what debt is for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crussell Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 My point is that in business a company that is leveraged with debt is at a disadvantage to a company that isn't. I also believe in retained earnings in business so you can float through the lean times. Admittedly old fashioned, boring, and slow principles but every time I read the book the tortoise always wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 I can see both side of the debt argument. According to my college "econ for engineers" classes, debt is good. In the case of a loan to buy gear, there are too many variables you are ignoring. Maybe one mixer will drop cash to buy gear, but they have high rent, car payments, kids, whatever. At the end of the day, your monthly expenses all come down to dollars (or your local currency), and you have that "I need to earn at least this much a month" number in your head. That's how most freelancers think. Even if the gear was bought for cash, they may have other debt&expenses that put them in the "crappy rate is better than no rate" panic. Investing in kit can move your career forward, as opposed to spending money on nice clothes or something. That's just my opinion though. While I never took out a loan to buy expensive gear, I have done things like sell Apple stock so I would have the cash and not carry more debt. Which seems smarter now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crussell Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Love this form, love the discussions (even the disagreements), love all the learning I do here every day. Also I love gear and I love learning about gear. Some of many things I wish I could go back and tell my younger self: "You don't need a brand new car, the payments will crush you one day." "You don't need the biggest brand new Power Mac purchased on a credit card. Get a less expensive computer with cash to learn on and get the big one later. Moore's Law is a real thing" "Always keep learning, when you get comfortable you begin to die professionally." "You're too young to know exactly what your career will look like 20 years, don't limit your options. You may end up working in tv/ film instead of live sound. Be open to options." Seriously, if any of you invent a time machine please tell me that stuff when I was 18. No one did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Liston Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 I stumbled on an old Excel spreadsheet of a business plan of mine, including an equipment list. Thank God the bank didn't loan me the money for all that stuff. That TDM system would have me starring down the barrel of a $22,000 upgrade to HDX. Blech. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonG Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 I think a lot of people have put in some great suggestions. If I were you I would probably start with a Nomad Lite, since it will save you some money in the beginning, you can always upgrade later. K-Tek is a good solid choice for booms, I own three of them and am very happy with their performance, and the quality of service that the company provides. Mics are a personal choice, but it is always best to get a good one off the bat if you can afford it. A 416 is still a solid choice, and you can find them new on some eBay stores for around $700 (got one of mine that way!). Wireless are going to break the bank no matter what if you are looking for quality wireless, though you may luck out and find someone liquidating a bunch of stuff. I know our very own Mr. Rado out of Vegas has some great Lectro gear for sale. Even though a dummy slate is something that the Camera Dept. is supposed to provide, in my experience anything below union work they will expect you to provide one with some exceptions, and even then... When I was piecing my kit together on a budget I kept my eye open for deals on things to get more bang out of my buck. Finding a used TC Slate, Used Lectros, and eBay deals saved me a lot, but our usual suspects/suppliers will sometimes be able to give you a discount if you buy a bunch of stuff in one go, which can be all your "misc" things like shockmounts, cables, power system, IFB, bag, etc. In any case, good luck on your quest and keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaxBook Posted October 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 I mean this is actually the thing I wanted to bring up to debate when I named the thread Buy Once Cry Once. Is it better, from everyone's experience to start out really small, like with an edirol with no timecode or like isos and just get by doing the smaller stuff and work your way up and earn your gear when you can save enough or is it better to just skip the whole first step and just jump to the next level at first. I also want to add that I'm not just someone who wants to buy an Alexa to then consider himself a DP, I understand theres more to being a good mixer than having good gear. So hearing what Crussel has to say to his younger self is actually really helpful. In terms of debt, I think what JP said is pretty true, really it all comes down to what you're able to pay in a realistic mindset. For someone like me, who's pretty much only booming, I'm not getting as many jobs without owning gear, and by buying gear, doesn't prevent me from getting the jobs I already would be getting. So by investing in gear, personally, I would say I'm only increasing the amount I get hired, and also, the amount I get paid. And by my calculations, getting one or two extra days a month would pretty much pay off everything in a couple of years, which seems pretty doable. To buy any gear would cause me to go into some type of hole and I guess what I'm really debating is how deep do you guys think that hole should be at this point. Do you guys regret having to sorta slowly upgrade or do you wish you could have just bought everything that is the level of professionalism you grew to obtain after working to upgrade things. Is it better to take baby steps or just make a bigger, riskier, initial leap for more eventual gain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Futterman Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 "Do you guys regret having to sorta slowly upgrade or do you wish you could have just bought everything that is the level of professionalism you grew to obtain after working to upgrade things. Is it better to take baby steps or just make a bigger, riskier, initial leap for more eventual gain?" I for one took a jump when I was starting out (and living with my parents) and bought a used FR-2, Wendt X4, a pair of used Lectros, Brand New Boompole and 416, later a Schoeps 441. I think it all came out to around 10k, and I honestly wish I had waited until I had learned what I know now about negotiating rates before making that purchase! Bought with leftover college money, I think it took the better part of a year to replenish it. So I wish I did things differently, but it all worked out in the end, so who really knows which would have been the smarter approach for me? Also, I managed to resell the used CMC4 and Wendt X4 recently at about a %30 loss on each give or take, which is a far better return than a lot of camera gear or just about any expensive computer. Something else to consider. High quality gear holds its value very well so if you find you are not making back your investment on anything, it should be pretty easy to unload. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sounddguy Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 and I've never heard anyone say that a show 'would have sounded better if they had used a better wireless'. Except the Senator who said "It would have sounded better with more expensive wireless...." in thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundslikejustin Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Except the Senator who said "It would have sounded better with more expensive wireless...." in thread HA. He pulled a Romney! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 The problem is not at the beginning debt but after if you are in debt. But for me start with one good mixer / recorder and after all. Built your equipment. Not get all at first. Except if you win the lottery. Haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PTA Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Except the Senator who said "It would have sounded better with more expensive wireless...." in thread Hahaha! Classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Joachim Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 Just for yuks while eating my lunch, I was able to put together a 15K package including a 664/Portabrace combo, a CS-3e with Softie and KTEK coiled cable pole, four channels of wireless, five Sanken COS-11's and three Comtek's too. The key to this was using the Sennheiser 2000 series wireless system to keep the cost down. The Sennheiser 2000 series is huge improvement over the G3 stuff and a full $1000 less per channel than the Lectro 411/UM400a package. Not a huge compromise and, this allowed the room for just about everything else on his list. I could not squeeze all of the cables he would need in under 15k but, I got pretty darn close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 23, 2012 Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 " by buying gear, doesn't prevent me from getting the jobs I already would be getting. " where are you going to be getting those jobs you will be getting ?? your a boomer now, so you will be competing with the mixers who are now hiring you..?? when you begin competing with them for the gigs, will they still be hiring you as their boomer for the gigs they still get ?? this may become part of your business dynamic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaxBook Posted October 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2012 " by buying gear, doesn't prevent me from getting the jobs I already would be getting. " where are you going to be getting those jobs you will be getting ?? your a boomer now, so you will be competing with the mixers who are now hiring you..?? when you begin competing with them for the gigs, will they still be hiring you as their boomer for the gigs they still get ?? this may become part of your business dynamic... I understand what you're saying, the caliber of shoots I work on with most mixers, mainly features, I dont really imagine I would be doing for a good while. And I feel like the city is big enough that I wouldn't be stepping on any toes I'm loyal to. In fact, I've actually had the opposite problem, where I'll get a call from someone recommended by someone I boom for and the job involves needing gear. So if anything, I feel like I'm having to turn down jobs that people I know are sending my way and to have a small kit would only help the passing along of jobs from one to another. And trust me, I definitely know where my loyalties lie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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