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NOMAD 10 or MAXX?


FredrikL

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Hi everyone,

 

I have decided to get a new mixer/recorder (having previously worked with an SD442 going direct into a REDONE with tons of heavy XLR cables - but now I am looking for a double – system along with an Epic)  and after doing a lot of reading here I am leaning heavily towards a full Zaxcom – system; hoping for great RF - noise - free sound in post, and no hassle with timecode – issues.

 

I was thinking of getting a Maxx, or a Nomad, along with two TRX900LA’s, one QRX100Q, and one ERX2TCD sitting on the camera feeding scratch – audio and TC, and perhaps one ERX2TCD for the directors ear.

 

My needs are perhaps slightly different than many other on this forum. I rarely need more than 4 ISO’s. I film two or three actors talking together, lavaliere’d up, with one boom – track, which I preferably use, when I can. But wireless abilities are also very important in situations of running around in a more spontaneous fashion, or in doing documentary work.  So in a way, maybe the choice to get a Maxx is obvious.

 

Budget is an issue, and the price - difference between a Nomad 10 and a Maxx with equal possibilities of feeding a scratch – track/TC is a about a 1000 dollars more for the Nomad 10 (with the Nomads Zaxnet, and with the Maxx I’d get the IFB – option on the QRX100).

 

The advantage of the Nomad is giving me Zaxnet and more channels should I need them. More future proof? More tested? Firmware less buggy? Available now...

 

The smaller formfactor of the Maxx, is, however, very appealing, although I am unsure how big the real – life difference would be (1.5 pounds?). I would love a bag as small, cablefree and neat as possible though, like most people, I guess. (Could I even use the Maxx only on AA – batteries? I don't mind getting many ENELOOPS should it diminsih size/weight)

 

What would you get being me? 

 

- Are there any NOMAD owners out there that would rather want a MAXX were they buying today? 

 

I realize it is a problem of luxury, but it will be a very large investment for me, and I'd be afraid of the potential bitterness evolving in getting something I'd regret on. 

 

PS. Don’t chop my head off, I see many heads are being chopped off here – I am a newbie, only looking for great equipment and advice from users with more knowlegde and experience than myself (and I have done quite a bit of reading:) 

 

Fredrik

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I know - its just that making ones own choices is notoriously difficult sometimes. A little consulting may diminish the confusion. 

 

 

I'll let JB do the "heavy chopping"...

I'll just note that Fredrik will have to make his own choices

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Please forgive the directness of the "chopping" and please remember that you requested it.

I have the distinct impression that your decision is confounded by the fact that you're falling prey to the entitled notion that the right piece of gear is what you need to get great sound.

It's not.

But this delusion is called to mind by the fact that you first state an equipment list containing some of the most expensive gear in its class followed by a lament of how limited your funds are.

I would venture to say that few, if any, of the experienced pros here started our careers by first purchasing a full complement of the finest hardware available. I would further submit that a large number of the most capable among us achieved that level of expertise in no small part by learning early on how to do a lot with a little. For a vast number of the best it has always been about learning how to make the tools at hand perform magic rather than buying tools they expect to perform the magic for them.

There are many mixers with high levels of skill, accomplishment, and success who still use gear manufactured years ago and many who still add to their kits by buying carefully-chosen used gear.

An axiom to keep in mind is if you don't know what you really need to buy, then you're not ready to buy it.

Having said all that, based on stipulations you listed, the obvious choice would be the Maxx.

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Even moreso these days...Zaxcom, Sound Devices, Aaton, Sonosax etc, all have their specific design and layouts. Mixers used to be much more similar in layout and design (IMO) and it was easier to transition from one brand to another.

John makes a lot of very good points.

It's really not about the gear. Like every career you have start at the bottom and work your way up :)

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Nomad is larger (approximately 2 inches wider) and if you have the feet attached the rest of the dimensions are roughly the same. Nomad is also roughly a pound heavier than Maxx (without the TX option in Maxx). And Nomads power consumption is slightly higher than Maxx - if i recall correctly early tests of Maxx are showing approximately 6 hours of run time on 6 NiMH AA batteries with no transmitter.

Though for its larger size Nomad will give you more feature than Maxx. For example if you get a Nomad 10 you will get additional inputs and outputs, more record tracks with greater routing flexibility, 8 AES inputs channels, more mix busses and the ability to use an external control surface including the soon to be released external fader panel. Nomad 10 will also give you full ZaxNet functionality.

Though with Maxx you can add the AES option. And Maxx gives you the option to add a built in wireless camera link transmitter which Nomad doesn’t offer.

Now if you want to add ZaxNet to Maxx you have several options.

If you are using Zaxcom wireless you can get a QRX with the IFB option board which will let you control all your transmitters and broadcast audio and TC to ERX receivers. You can also get an IFB 100 or 200 to control Zaxcom transmitters and broadcast TC and audio to the ERX receivers - though I personally prefer to use the QRX with IFB option - its one less piece of hardware and less cabling to deal with.

You can choose not to get the built in transmitter add the new camera link which will transmit to QRX receivers mounted on a camera as well as sending audio and TC to ERX receivers. The camera link won’t let you control Zaxcom transmitters though. Also if you have the QRX with the option board on the camera you now have bidirectional ZaxNet functionality between the camera and your bag. Also either one can be setup to transmit to ERX receivers.

You can also add the camera link to your Nomad and have two channels of ZaxNet to work with which can be used to send two separate feeds to ERXs on different frequencies.

Now if you put a QRX with IFB option on the camera you can add bidirectional ZaxNet capabilities and yet another level of ZaxNet functionality. So for example you can have Nomad transmitting ZaxNet to control wireless transmitters on talent and broadcast audio and TC to ERX receivers. Then the QRX mounted on the camera can also broadcast audio and TC back to your camera link so now you can monitor the camera audio back at your bag plus if you enable IFB voting on your ERX you now add additional range to the ERX since it will choose the stronger signal. So if someone is listening to an ERX and they are closer to the camera they will receive the audio from the camera - they if they wander away from the camera and closer to the mixers the ERX will then switch to that signal. Yet another option is two separate feeds to ERX receivers - one from the camera one from the mixer.

The possibilities are fairly limitless.

Back to Maxx Vs Nomad - Maxx will also give you dedicated PFL buttons (though the new fader panel will do that as well). Nomad gives you two CF cards and Maxx gives you one (both MARF and WAV files are written to the same card). Nomad has two BNC connectors - one in and one out - and Maxx has one BNC which you will have to choose in the menu to act as either an input or output. And in terms of shipping Maxx should be shipping in 4 weeks - we all know Zaxcom ship dates have been inaccurate in the past - but after the delays I have seen the progress on Maxx and I believe the 4 weeks is a very realistic time frame.

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  • 4 weeks later...

While all the Zaxcom features sound awesome, I am not enlightened, only confused, by Jack's post.

I'd suggest using what you have learned, and decide exactly what you need your gear to do. Then contact a dealer (a proper one) and discuss your needs. It might be a Nomad, a Maxx, a 664, Zax wireless or Lectro, or a combination.

Given the investment, it might be worth a trip to a dealer (even on a plane) to try the gear out.

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I'm not too familiar with Zaxcom products, so I can't comment on how to choose between them, but I did work with a wise-old cameraman who once told me "No one wants to know what you can't do", so, FWIW, I would say its always nice to have an input or 2 more than needed. 

 

I too, seem, to do 95% of my work with one, 2, or 3 subjects mic'd, but can easily add a 4th or 5th if needed and can keep a boom going as well with my 6 input mixer when needed. And you never get much notice on when those extra mics will be needed. I often ask now how many mics will be required, and am often told, with budgets first in the producers mind, "only 2 or 3 mics should be fine." Quite often it's more.  

 

If you have limited funds and want to keep things future-proof, maybe consider a mixer/recorder with a couple of more inputs than needed, and in future, when your back gets sore or a specific project demands it, get a smaller mixer/recorder like a MAXX/302/whatever.

 

Try before you buy too... a lot of pro audio retailers will credit rental costs towards a new purchase and sometimes, if they're not screaming busy, give you a hassle-free loaner to test drive.

 

Good luck man!

 

Cheers, 

Rich

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Thanks all,

 

Great to see an old thread reawaken. Still haven’t made my decision... :unsure: !  - Must decide very soon. I see the Maxx is delayed a bit more than the 60 days talked about at NAB. End of June as of now. 

 

I have been leaning towards the Nomad lately, thinking of:

 

Full Zaxnet

 

More channels (agree Richard, you never know how many, although 83% of the time 3 iso's will do for me - but this could very likely change in the future)

 

Size/weight (if only a pound heavier as Jack says, and not much wider; depth will be the same after added ”legs” on Maxx)

 

- RPSharman: Agree to what you say, almost thought of flying to NY to buy…! None the less, I have talked to dealers where I live which I haven't found reason to trust - all the more good having a forum like this  with different opinons pro/cons. 

 

-Vasileios: your pricedifferent is almost entirely correct, although the reason for this is a tad more complex: if getting the Maxx, one needs the IFB – option on the QRX, wheras getting the Nomad I will send scratch – audio via Zaxnet, thus one does not need to get the IFB - option on the QRX. The pricedifference will be about a 1000 dollares anyhow, so in a way you are right:) 1000usd is not that much seen in relation to all the other tidbits one needs for a full zaxcom – system(QRX100, 2 x TRX900la, ERX..) …worth the extra 1000?

 

Feel free to tell, or enlighten me.

 

F.

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