NP-1's - Cost Effective "Generics"

[TomBoisseau]

I need to buy some new NP-1's but I really don't want to spend upwards of $200 per battery. I would like some recommendations on some generic batteries with a rating of 4000mah or better that seem to be reliable, and the name of some reputable suppliers (seems to be quite a few questionable discount battery suppliers out there). I don't need lithiums, I'm fine with nickel metal hydride.

Thanks,

Tom

[mikefilosa]

Tom -

All I can say here is you get what you pay for....  and power is such an important part of the overall success of a day.

I purchased 7 IDX Lithium NP-1s eight years ago, and using a number system, kept them rotated fairly regular -

One of the BEST investments ever - I have never ever ran out of juice, to this day, and that is including days of "helping" others stay powered up too, including monitors.  

 

Be very careful on off-brand rechargeable batteries and chargers -

Many years ago I was renting a camera that came with some non-ABauer bricks - made in Jacksonville I think - and while charging them overnight, something went awry - the next morning = a sulfurous smell, a visible burn on my wallpaper, and slightly melted plastic - all happened in my little house while I was sleeping.   The "poisonous" smell was scary - but the visible burn even scarier -- whatever occurred, the FIRE that happened while I was sleeping went out on it's own, very luckily.  

(AND to add more to the "injury", I was down two bricks for that day!)

 

One of those events that occurs over the course of a career that you NEVER forget.

I am locked on solid brand name chemistry and performance - and very nervous about QC on some things that ultimately originate in China...

 

Just my 2cents -

 

MF

 

(Good to see you at the last IA Local meeting... )

[cmassey]

+1

[Solid Goldberger]

I would agree with Mike. Don't cheap out on your batteries. I know a lot of people here do a lot of DIY and off-brand stuff, but I've never felt comfortable trusting my power to that stuff.

However, I do understand the hesitation to buy $200 batteries AND a $500 charger. I have been very happy with the Switronix Li-Ion NP1s, and their portable charger (priced at arounf $170 and $250, Respectively). Though I have since added one of their 4-bay chargers, I have had great luck with the little charger, and I now carry it around to set with me while I leave the bigger unit back at home or at the hotel for overnight charging duty.

One more thing to note, I did have one out of 6 of my batteries fail to take a charge after 7-8 months, and Switronix swapped it out for me free of charge. That is the kind of service and support I look for in the gear that I buy, which I imagine could not be expected from a cheaper brand.

E.

[ProSound]

+2 the IDX stuff lasts forever I just replaced my first two Lithium IDX NP1 from 2006 

[Ferdinand Almalvez]

All i can say is I bought my np1s from http://batteries4broadcast.com/

 

and the wall charger. ive powered all sorts of recorders. definitely recommend them. theyre

 

the same as the global media pro batteries just packaged differently. 

[Geoff Tirrell]

I went with the Verizoom  Lithium np-1 and charger a couple of years ago and never looked back.  They are cheapish at 150 for the batteries and around the same for the charger but they seem to be very well made.  You might want to check it out but I too would be wary of some of the no name batteries.

[Marc Wielage]

I got a deal on a couple of "like-new" IDX NP1 L7S's on eBay sometime back, and they've been flawless. The seller said he'd only used them for two weeks, and I don't doubt his story; I think they were about 1/3 off the new price. I subsequently bought 2 brand-new ones just to rotate between 4, and they've worked fine for me. For stationary jobs, I carry a lead-acid battery on the truck (in the event of nuclear attack), and also AC adapters when available. 

[Chase Yeremian]

I have been using batteries from Paul C buff for over a year now and I couldn't be happier. I can run my nomad 12, 2 QRX100s while charging my cell phone all day and not have to change the battery. They cost about $90 each and charger is 25 dollars.

I understand and generally support "you get what you pay for" but I think I found an exception here.

IMO, YMMV.

-Chase

[Christian Spaeth]

I use the grey no name LiIon NP1s and am more than happy with them. Very reliable, with the voltage display on top of the battery, which I prefer to the side as with most other NP1s. Never had any issue. I'm just not sure if they're available anymore. If you can get a hold of them anywhere they're a safe bet.

[Malcolm Davies Amps CAS]

I need to buy some new NP-1's but I really don't want to spend upwards of $200 per battery. I would like some recommendations on some generic batteries with a rating of 4000mah or better that seem to be reliable, and the name of some reputable suppliers (seems to be quite a few questionable discount battery suppliers out there). I don't need lithiums, I'm fine with nickel metal hydride.

Thanks,

Tom

Tom,

Check out  www.dsmpower.tv

These NP1's are excellent. I  don't know if it would be cost effective to ship to the US though.

Malcolm Davies. A.m.p.s.

[al mcguire]

>Many years ago I was renting a camera that came with some non-ABauer bricks - made in Jacksonville I think<

Don't be bashing Jacksonville, Mike,

I was told those batteries were manufactured in lower Slobbovia.

[Dave Rae]

I've had a good run with IDX NP1s but would like the option of charging other batteries in the IDX charger - Anyone know

any compatible NP1s?

[chris_bollard]

Hi David Yes, I know everyone loves premium name brands. The last five NP1s I have bought are Globalmediapro batteries; the last two ones are 75ahr at around $120 (out of New Zealand) . These are genuinely good batteries and will charge in an IDX charger. Previously I was using Swits and found the Globalmediapros to be better, and cost less. If money was no object then I would probably swap my whole system to something else, IDX I'm not sure, probably a V-lock system. As things stand I prefer to spend the savings either on gear I can charge extra for, or on my mortgage.

[al mcguire]

Paul Buff is quite a character. He recorded Frank Zappa in a garage studio and went on to invent a noise gate called a Kepex and a compressor/limiter called the Gain Brain at a company called Allison Research, named after his first wife, and still located on Bransford Avenue in the Berry Hill section of Nashville. I had friend who worked there in the late 70's early 80's. It was a fun place to visit.

http://wiki.killuglyradio.com/wiki/Paul_Buff

http://www.soundadviceblog.com/digital-photography-tips/a-look-inside-paul-c-buff-inc/

the battery I think Chase referred to

http://www.paulcbuff.com/vmb88a.php

[Jeff Wexler]

You'll get a kick out of this, Paul. I am probably the only production sound mixer brilliant/foolish enough to have used both a Kepex and Gain Brain on my sound cart in the 1970's. I purchased the two directly from Allison Research (though I think they were actually installed in some studio in Nashville before they were sent to me). I had a custom box built where they sat side by side (on their sides) on top of my Sela Mixer, then the Nagra sat on top of the box. Ivan Kruglak did the wiring for me, figuring out how to get the output of the Sela through the box and into the Nagra Tuchel connection, and of course a method of powering the units. Since they were designed to go into large scale consoles or sit in a rack of outboard processors, it was quite a fat to get them to run on a battery. Ivan put together a NiCad battery pack (ion the box) and some sort of power supply that gave the Kepex and Gain Brain the odd DC power it needed (something like bi-polar 14 vdc or some such odd requirement). 

 

Once I started working on more professional movies where there was a real post production team with way more talent and experience than I had, I abandoned the use of these devices in production. The Kepex and Gain Brain were really never intended to be used on the production sound recording for movies --- this is not the place to be doing that sort of brute force processing, trying to get the settings correct, take after take (or printing the rehearsal where nothing really sounded right).

 

(sorry, I realize this was a little bit of a hijack --- but hey, it's my site!)

[audiofp]

Hi David Yes, I know everyone loves premium name brands. The last five NP1s I have bought are Globalmediapro batteries; the last two ones are 75ahr at around $120 (out of New Zealand) . These are genuinely good batteries and will charge in an IDX charger. Previously I was using Swits and found the Globalmediapros to be better, and cost less. If money was no object then I would probably swap my whole system to something else, IDX I'm not sure, probably a V-lock system. As things stand I prefer to spend the savings either on gear I can charge extra for, or on my mortgage.

A recent SD 664 post says the Global Media Pros can't handle the 664 inrush at turn-on.  Hawk Woods potentially have the same problem.  My Varizooms have had no problem with the 664, two Lectro SRs and a D4T in my bag.

[jhop]

I use global media np1s with my 664 and they work perfectly. With the 552 you had to power off internals first then switch to ext after boot up, not the case with the 664.

I plan to buy more of the new higher capacity globalmedia np1s after 4 years satisfaction with my first ones

[audiofp]

Paul Buff is quite a character. He recorded Frank Zappa in a garage studio and went on to invent a noise gate called a Kepex and a compressor/limiter called the Gain Brain at a company called Allison Research, named after his first wife, and still located on Bransford Avenue in the Berry Hill section of Nashville. I had friend who worked there in the late 70's early 80's. It was a fun place to visit.

 

I remember I had four Kepexs dedicated to gated reverb drums, in vogue in the 80s.  Forgot all about them.

[Rick Reineke]

Blast from the past, I used them years ago in the studio, forgot about them too. (as well as a Primetime, 910 harmonizer, ect. ect.

[pkautzsch]

I've had no issues so far with the sort-of cheap grey Li-Ion NP1 too.124 Euros (gross) for 5.2 Ah seems a good price. The 4-bay charger doesn't charge IDXs though.

Available on ebay: http://www.ebay.de/itm/170895443782

Christian, I guess you're using these too?

 

I use the grey no name LiIon NP1s and am more than happy with them. Very reliable, with the voltage display on top of the battery, which I prefer to the side as with most other NP1s. Never had any issue. I'm just not sure if they're available anymore. If you can get a hold of them anywhere they're a safe bet.

[Christian Spaeth]

these are the ones I use:

http://filmtontechnik.de/shop/Stromversorgung/Lithium-Ion-Akku.html

[Mixalot]

I went with the Verizoom  Lithium np-1 and charger a couple of years ago and never looked back.  They are cheapish at 150 for the batteries and around the same for the charger but they seem to be very well made.  You might want to check it out but I too would be wary of some of the no name batteries.

+1

[pverrando]

The Varizooms will take a charge from an IDX charger, but the charger will show a fault after the battery is charged. 

[Solid Goldberger]

Just saw this on the Sound Devices 664 forum, caveat emptor:

 

IIRC, the Global Media Pro batteries can't handle the in-rush current of the 664 on boot.

You'll need to boot on internals and then switch over to EXT power.

IDX LiIon NP-1s have no trouble with booting the 664.

 

e.