Sound Devices? Zaxcom? Who to choose!?

[DanieldH]

Be glad that the two guys most responsible for the the major do-or-die tools you drive every day are willing to talk to you at all, let alone answer questions on a nearly daily basis on a public forum under their own names!  You don't get that kind of response from Yamaha, or Shure or Sennheiser or even Nagra.   Please be polite, it's a great thing having them participate in this forum.

 

philp

Wise words!

[bralleput]

Zaxcom= better features, Sound Devices = better quality build

Agree.I rather have 'better quality build' with less features than the other way around.

[videomantis]

There is always more than one way to skin a cat, and to record audio. I have used all the manufacturers discussed in this thread, and love the quality and support of every manufacturer here. We truly have a great community here! If anyone is curious, visit YouTube and do a search for Zaxcom. There are a ton of instructional videos that will teach you about wireless and also the nomad! Before picking one up, watch the videos! Thomas Popp thomas@videomantis.com

[Brent Lestage]

Coming straight off the 552 and, after owning/operating Nagra, SQN, Cooper, Sound Devices, Zaxcom, Fostex and PSC products, I can say without reservation that the Sound Devices 664 is the most logical, intuitive, quality-built and best company supported mixer-recorder I have owned to date.

If quick access to vital control surfaces without menu diving or time-sensitive setup, consider the 664.

Thank you, Jon!

[Chris Woodcock]

Coming straight off the 552 and, after owning/operating Nagra, SQN, Cooper, Sound Devices, Zaxcom, Fostex and PSC products, I can say without reservation that the Sound Devices 664 is the most logical, intuitive, quality-built and best company supported mixer-recorder I have owned to date. If quick access to vital control surfaces without menu diving or time-sensitive setup, consider the 664. Thank you, Jon!

In your opinion Both companies are well supported and both machines are intuitive, just depends how you view ingenuity. It all comes down to how you feel with each set up and work flow. Both products have good build quality, just one looks minimalistic and shiny and one looks like a large brick. They are both brilliant machines. Regards Chris W

[Actualsizeaudio]

I have Nomad production model #1. I was expecting issues since it was the first one sent to a store. There were a few things to iron out in the first month I had it. Since then, I haven't had a single issue and have used it in very, very cold weather, as well as hot humid weather. I think the build quality on both of them is fantastic. My personal feeling is the cards you use in them have a lot to do with stability. For me, it's sandisc or bust. 

 

I'd let feature set dictate your decision over build quality. I think the build quality of the Nomad is excellent, as is the build quality of the 664.  

 

As for feature set, consider the zaxnet features. I could not live without my ERX units. Between using them to send TC to DSLR cameras for AuxTC syncing, and having one ready to hand to a producer or director as a listening device, I couldn't live without them. being able to put my IFB100 on a camera and get wireless TC is also a beautiful thing. 

[justanross]

Last week I was beaten up by the sales manager of one of our most important resellers who felt that SD needs to have a more public face on this forum. In some ways, I agree. In others, I don't. There are times when it is important to contribute, especially when facts need to be sorted from our end. What I don't want to do is change the tone of these user-to-user interactions that are so important to the community and manufactures alike. If this forum became a marketing vehicle for manufacturers, that would be a shame. We have plenty of ways to reach out to our customers when we have something to share (PIX 260i coming very soon ).

Exactly. I hope Glenn saw this.

[justanross]

Just do what Zack Allen did. Buy both.

[Brent Lestage]

In your opinion

Yes, MY opinion based on MY personal experiences. YOUR opinion is just that. Nothing more.

[Actualsizeaudio]

Exactly. I hope Glenn saw this.

I think he would agree. It doesn't seem to me like he meddles in here. I really only notice his input coming into a thread when it is asked for (which it is often). 

[Jack Norflus]

 I really only notice his input coming into a thread when it is asked for (which it is often). 

One issue is Zaxcom and its products often gets bashed, and in most of those cases, unfairly by people who have never used the product. So like any good parent Glenn is just defending his children.

[justanross]

I really only notice his input coming into a thread when it is asked for (which it is often). One issue is Zaxcom and its products often gets bashed, and in most of those cases, unfairly by people who have never used the product. So like any good parent Glenn is just defending his children.

Fair enough. But it's the Internet, people say stupid shit all the time. He doesn't need to get involved in these stupid debates. People like Jon and Larry both owners handle things much differently. Which I tend to respect more.

[Chris Woodcock]

 I really only notice his input coming into a thread when it is asked for (which it is often).  One issue is Zaxcom and its products often gets bashed, and in most of those cases, unfairly by people who have never used the product. So like any good parent Glenn is just defending his children.

Except when you say things like one has better build quality and one company has better support then you are just wrong, so its wrong opinion and your just spreading misinformation. So coming from someone who has actually owned both sets up products both companies have brilliant support. In fact Howy released 2 software updates while he was taking shelter from a hurricane.

I really only notice his input coming into a thread when it is asked for (which it is often). One issue is Zaxcom and its products often gets bashed, and in most of those cases, unfairly by people who have never used the product. So like any good parent Glenn is just defending his children.

I have experienced this a lot in the UK, one argument I hear a lot is build quality and I have no idea where people get this from. Regards Chris W

[Jack Norflus]

I have experienced this a lot in the UK, one argument I hear a lot is build quality and I have no idea where people get this from. Regards Chris W

I agree - I feel the build quality of my Nomad is fine.

[Dan Ostroff]

http://youtu.be/9-k5J4RxQdE

 

 

...and sheesh, forgot how violent the Looney Tunes were. 

[Christian Spaeth]

+1 what Jon has said, and big -1 to what Christian (ahem) has said.

 Not to be misunderstood: I think it is fantastic that manufacturers are present on this forum and thus help users (like Larry helped me with some issues I had for example, on a Sunday!). But to me forums are also about voicing one's opinion, and a manufacturer who responds to users voicing their opinions on his products should keep that in mind and stay cool about it. I won't go into further detail here.

Again, I think we owe many thanks to the manufacturers who contribute and give this forum a lot of additional value, but it is a free forum (right?) and everybody should be allowed to write what they think.

[Constantin]

+1 what Jon has said, and big -1 to what Christian (ahem) has said.

Not to be misunderstood: I think it is fantastic that manufacturers are present on this forum and thus help users (like Larry helped me with some issues I had for example, on a Sunday!). But to me forums are also about voicing one's opinion, and a manufacturer who responds to users voicing their opinions on his products should keep that in mind and stay cool about it. I won't go into further detail here.

Again, I think we owe many thanks to the manufacturers who contribute and give this forum a lot of additional value, but it is a free forum (right?) and everybody should be allowed to write what they think.

+1

I agree, I think it's fantastic that so many manufacturers and dealers chime in here frequently. It gives credence to this group as well as to them.

All of them have great advice to impart abd their willingness to help is admirable.

What I don't like is when they single out their own product as THE most stable or whatever (like Glenn did above). Simply wording it differently would have made all the difference. Or when they use a technical thread, which may not even be about their product, to recommend their product as the most suitable, rather than actually help with the question. It has happened here.

I can understand that a manufacturer is proud of his own product, passionate about it and they want to share that with everyone. Maybe that's why sometimes they overstep the line.

Sorry, but I can't help with the actual topic, as I've not yet been able to work with Zaxcom products. I would like to, though

[Jeff Wexler]

"What I don't like is when they single out their own product as THE most stable or whatever (like Glenn did above). Simply wording it differently would have made all the difference. Or when they use a technical thread, which may not even be about their product, to recommend their product as the most suitable, rather than actually help with the question. It has happened here."

 

Agreed.

[johnpaul215]

You can't understate the fact that the manufacturers are here. I had an issue once with my Fusion on a weekend where I thought I might have fried the screen after opening the box to change the internal button cell. I think it was 10:00 on a sunday morning, and in maybe 30 or 45 minutes I had a response from Glenn telling me what I did wrong and how to fix it with a button push during startup. It's quite possible another user would have had the same advice, but their response saved me a full day of anxiety until normal business hours resumed. 

[Gregr]

I'm kinda sorta bumping this thread because it's been so helpful to me and I expect there will be lots of people facing this decision for another year or two. So thanks for all the input so far everyone.

I've seen only a small amount of discussion on power consumption- anyone able to comment on that for either or both devices? Compared to a 788? Start up speed- compared to a 788? Thanks!

[John Blankenship]

The Nomad boots up quite fast, maybe 5 or 6 seconds, or so. With any device, you're wise to give a few extra seconds after boot up just to make sure all the circuits have stabilized.

If memory serves me from early tests I did, the Nomad pulls maybe 550-600ma from a 15v supply (when I tested it on the cart). Current consumption depends, of course, on supply voltage, phantom power, headphone level, etc.

I find the 664 too bulky and heavy for my needs. That's not a knock, it's what every pro sound mixer must do, and that is, define their own, particular needs and choose equipment accordingly. My choice was made a bit easier because the 664 wasn't even announced yet when I bought the Nomad.

I do more cart work than RnG these days, but for Run-n-Gun, my go-to kit for many years was a Sound Devices 302 rigged with two wireless in a really small, and light weight kit (expandable with an add on MixPre and more wireless, when needed) so a Nomad rig is pushing up there size- and weight-wise for my preferences. Even though I have used a Deva coupled with the 302 rig, generally for R-n-G, anything bigger or heavier than my current Nomad kit is a deal breaker, and even that's bigger than I prefer if I'm over the shoulder. For insert car work, or cart-type gigs where I need to be more portable, the Nomad kit is pretty much ideally sized (and the 664 would likely serve well there, too).

As far as build quality, I'd have no issues choosing either. I own, and/or have used, many Sound Devices products (MixPre, 302, 442, 744, 788) and likewise with Zaxcom (Deva II, Deva V, Nomad, Wireless, etc.) and Lectrosonics (20+). They are all good companies, each with their own particular personality.

[Gregr]

Thanks John- appreciate the info and insight. I had concerns about power consumption with the 664 but after talking to a couple mixers today who own it I don't think it's an issue. 5-6 second start up is impressive. The only real world experience I have to compare it to is the 788, which I've used maybe a dozen times-- I never timed it but memory says it was more like 20 seconds. 

[Marc Wielage]

Yes, about 17 seconds on the Sound Devices 788t, depending on size of hard drive and whether it's built up-to-date directories on both drives. I would be reluctant to go into record until I waited at least a few seconds longer. To tell you the truth, I try never to turn the thing off after the first take, unless we're in a run-n-gun travel situation where battery life is at a premium.

 

The 788 draws about 1 amp, the last time I checked. The Zaxcom Nomad 10 and Maxx are rated at 300ma, which is significantly less, so the Nomad would seem to be the winner for power consumption.

[soundslikejustin]

The 788 draws about 1 amp, the last time I checked. The Zaxcom Nomad 10 and Maxx are rated at 300ma, which is significantly less, so the Nomad would seem to be the winner for power consumption.

That's if you're not using Zaxnet, or any phantom power. In real usage it's around 500-700ma at 13+volts.

[Tim M]

Last week I was beaten up by the sales manager of one of our most important resellers who felt that SD needs to have a more public face on this forum. In some ways, I agree. In others, I don't. There are times when it is important to contribute, especially when facts need to be sorted from our end. What I don't want to do is change the tone of these user-to-user interactions that are so important to the community and manufactures alike. If this forum became a marketing vehicle for manufacturers, that would be a shame. We have plenty of ways to reach out to our customers when we have something to share (PIX 260i coming very soon ).

I appreciate this, and was PLEASANTLY surprised to see a recent interview with Ty Ford with you in it Jon. To be honest I switched from my 442+744 to a Nomad setup because I saw a gap in responses from Sound Devices along with its features set. Whenever I see someone have a problem on here with one of their devices from my experience I saw other members scramble to help them. When I have an issue with Zaxcom, I witness a lot of support and guidance on many matter from Glenn and others. I never believed it to be true, but a face to face text to text conversation really shows that a person cares...that is one of the only reasons Clinton, Carter, Truman, LBJ and others ever got (re) elected...not because of their knowledge of foreign policy haha, and they all seemed to have very progressive and ambitious goals too! All of them failed at times...but they still won in the end. Sorry for the reference to Presidents day haha