Lancashire soundie Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 I used four TRX900la's into two QRX100's this weekend gone. While the equipment was all very nice, with impressive sound quality and lots of functionality, the range was....well, compared to my Lectro SR's....pathetic. Ordinary people crossing the 20-foot line of sight between the receiver and transmitter would result in loss of signal, forcing me to perform an unusual slow dance to ensure I had a clear view of each TX. The TX's were in permanent record so nothing was lost, but all the same, it was disappointing. Each TX was set to 125mW. Does the Zaxcom RF gear benefit from RF distribution, and does that extra equipment improve the range to a level like the Lectros, which I never really have to worry about? FYI the job was micing up four cyclists on an eleven hour ride. TC was delivered via my Nomad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 all wireless mic systems will benefit from improvements in the antennae. (sic) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chase Yeremian Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Have you updated the Firmware to the new modulation? It has VASTLY improved range. The few times I used antenna distro with Zaxcom Blue sharkfins, my range was increased, and I was able to successfully get signal through 4 walls over 50ft no problem. YMMV. -Chase Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason porter Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 That is not typical...maybe there is a fault, loose antenna, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 That is not typical. There are several factors that can affect range. Modulation type, frequency, antenna connection, software version, how the mic is wired etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bruce Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 As the senator quite rightly said, antennas change everything. Just last week I was recording a presenter doing lines in a classic car from a tracking vehicle doing 70+ MPH. Not a great photo but you can see in the attached pic how far away the car was behind us. Was running a QRX100 with two Bluefin antennas and a TRX900LA at 125mw using the new XR modulation. Most of the time I was getting full signal on the QRX, even with five or six cars between us - not one dropout! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Jack: " There are several factors that can affect range. " actually numerous factors, and especially: interference!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bruce Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Opps, my iPhone didn't attached the pic! Some of you may also be interested to know that in my setup I was using a PSC RF MULTI SMA with great results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 are the blue antennae (sic) better than the black ones..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bruce Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Absolutely, the lighter blue colour adds brightness to the sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 and the black ones have a darker timbre...? maybe mix one of each for a flatter sound ..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vins Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 I know there was a thread here on the range of the QRX200 which then got the software update to fix the bug which was the signal combining. Was there a similar fix for the QRX100 with older tx that are too old for the XR software? I have used quite a lot of the zax gear with great range (pre XR), in various setups with and without a mic plexer and with shark fins and whips. The dual mode on the QRX100 was the weak link. I understand there should be a drop in range but it wasn't half as good in single mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire soundie Posted June 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 I'm afraid I don't know what software anything was on, it was hired kit using normal antennas. I like the equipment very much and would, at some point in the next year or so, like to buy some. But not if the range is as poor as I experienced, which is why I'm asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Woodcock Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 I'm afraid I don't know what software anything was on, it was hired kit using normal antennas. I like the equipment very much and would, at some point in the next year or so, like to buy some. But not if the range is as poor as I experienced, which is why I'm asking. I use my TRX900LA's for the Cycle Show on ITV 4 using only my whips and get good reception from the camera car. Use 125mw in those situations. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vins Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Apparently the new versions are really good. I'm yet to test but will hopefully try soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Like any wireless system you can get very respectable range using whips. The issue with people complaining about range with zaxcom wireless - especially with the the XR modulation is often related to a mis wired microphone, rf interference or just something set incorrectly in the menu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire soundie Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I use my TRX900LA's for the Cycle Show on ITV 4 using only my whips and get good reception from the camera car. Use 125mw in those situations. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk Thanks for this. The TX's were basically recording the entire ride, which also had a GoPro on each bike, a couple of motorcycle cameramen, a couple of static cameramen (one of whom I was connected to), and a drone. I popped each TX into a jersey pocket, unfortunately this meant some mic cable was visible on each rider, but the only way around it was to cut a hole in the jersey (first rider wouldn't let me do this), or elasticated waist belts. I thought the belts were probably unacceptable on a 120 mile ride. A Cos11 with a Rycote lavalier windjammer on each rider. Sounded pretty good, although I don't yet know what it was like on the fast bits. It should be ok as the mics were hidden in the jersey, only slightly exposed. Another thing I noticed was that two of the TX's used more battery than the others, and after a mid-ride battery change were still flat at the end of the ride (the others still had an hour or two of juice left). Perhaps they ran on slightly different software. I hope Zaxcom consider some kind of file software for iOS/Android devices. With USB-OTG, I could easily copy the audio to my phone and replay it there. That would be pretty awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RScottATL Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Yep, or just pop the Micro SD card out and load it into the (Android) phone's micro SD card slot and play it directly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Putting the card in an Android or iOS device will not work. The files on the mini or micro SD card are MARF files. Playing them out using the Zaxcom receivers/recorder will work or using a laptop with Zaxconvert installed is the way to do it. Zaxconvert does not run on the mobile operating systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Woodcock Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Yep, or just pop the Micro SD card out and load it into the (Android) phone's micro SD card slot and play it directly. Depends on your android phone, Google doesn't support SD cards on their Nexus line of phones and only leave the code in for manufacturers who still push it. Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire soundie Posted June 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Most modern Android phones do, however, support USB-OTG, which enables anyone with a card reader to plug it straight into the phone. Zaxconvert doesn't seem like a particularly complicated or large piece of software. I'm sure many people would value the ability to backup their work on something as ubiquitous as a phone. Playing it from the phone, through headphones, would be extremely valuable and a big selling point for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solid Goldberger Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Zaxconvert doesn't seem like a particularly complicated or large piece of software. I'm sure many people would value the ability to backup their work on something as ubiquitous as a phone. Playing it from the phone, through headphones, would be extremely valuable and a big selling point for me. That would be very cool. As for the range issue, I'm going through the paces with my first pair of Zax wireless (QRX200/TRXLA2s), after 10 years of exclusively Lectro wireless, and the range thing is hard to compare. I think Lectro's analog heritage makes dropouts feel much more tolerable, whereas when the Zax is getting a strong signal, it sounds perfect, but at the far end of its range it is basically unusable. Using both with whips in a bag side by side this week, the "usable range" of the QRX200 in single mode/xr modulation seems to be about 2/3 the range of the SRb in Ratio Diversity mode. This is with the Zax transmitters at 125mW and the Lectro at 100mW. However, the ability to remotely change frequencies as we move around mitigates this difference somewhat. With shark fin antennas it would likely be a no-brainer to go with the Zax system 100%, but in a mobile scenario I can't imagine ever being without some Lectros. On a side note, the wire clips on the TRXLA2 are absolutely dreadful. After just a week of use mine are already bent out of shape and they do a very poor job of either clipping on a belt/pocket or securing excess lav cabling. I know there are aftermarket spring clips that are available, but that makes the whole thing bulkier. Someone tell me there's some other way, please! E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Todd Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 The after market clips aren't THAT bulky, but I hear you. Sometimes you can get away with a small piece of gaff tape to secure the standard Zax clip in place. Not ideal, I agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 I very rarely use the clip. I use neoprene pouches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted June 30, 2014 Report Share Posted June 30, 2014 While the equipment was all very nice, with impressive sound quality and lots of functionality, the range was....well, compared to my Lectro SR's....pathetic. There was something that came up recently that a QRX was getting less than optimal range with whips. And after some testing Zaxcom found that the screws on the outer case of the QRX wasn't making a good enough ground and some stray RF was leaking out of the case essentially desensitizing the whips and causing some range issues. The cases are electroplated and some of the screws on the case weren't biting down through the plating causing some stray RF spray. So if you are experiencing some range issues or some RF spray coming off your QRX receivers you might want to make sure all the screws are really snug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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