Zaxcom gear that doesn't really work for me anymore... Can I add to it or should I just sell?

[Michael Lindsay]

Hi and thanks in advance for anyone willing to read this convoluted post and offer some advice… 

 

Background: I had a particular project a few years ago that encouraged me to buy some nice audio equipment. I am not really an Audio guy. When I or my partner normally work there is an Audio guy (using his own kit) or it is MOS. I bought in the UK from a nice guy called Roger a Zaxcom Nomad 10, QRX 200, 2 x TRXLA2.6,  3x ERX2 TCD and loads of nice mics/bags/poles and all the good TC stuff /accessories stuff and custom cables to make it all work well. He did a good job looking after me and I was really happy. After the 1st job which went very very well we don’t really use it much. Over time it basically now never gets used. The only time it is used over the last 2 years is in an emergency bag drop situation in my studio where I set it all up myself. No assistants can really be trusted to get their heads around the Nomad. So I really try not to use it. 

 

Well the other day I was offered a pretty lucrative job that was mainly MOS but there was one piece to the camera… If my QRX was battery-powered, I would have probably broken it out and fed my camera and done it that way. I insisted on a audio guy but then the job did not go my way and in the end a mate did it and he used a very cheap DJI mic 2. The client is happy and I am stareing at 15k+ of stuff that isn’t as useful to me as I want it to be. 

 

the facts as I see it:

 

The cameras I work with have crap after-thought audio and don’t play well with audio RX kit fed from the same power source. I have tested this to death and even had things made up to fix this siituation they all add hassle and I am left in Ground loop madness only solved by adding weight! 

 

I don’t want to add more weight to the camera than a QRX 200.. 

 

Even though the Zaxcom stuff is fantastic, clever and robust I don’t need it and I could replace it all with some deity/zoom stuff (maybe even DJI) and have more useful functionality that I now seem to need. ? 

 

So unless there is a box I can buy from Zaxcom that I strap to the camera  (when I am not using the Nomad) which has: RX from the 2xTX (the TRXLA2.6) + TC in or out (which the TRXLA2.6 gets from the RX remotely) and its own internal power supply… I am better off getting rid of this stuff and buying a mix of Deity and other cheaper stuff? Yes or no? 

 

I guess even if selling the zaxcom stuff is the right thing it may not be possible in the current market? 

 

Now if I sell I assume I would keep my DPA and Cos11 mics ? As they are better than the cheaper Deity stuff? Either rewire or adapt? 

 

Thank you 

 

Michael 

 

PS Note: I really liked learning how to use the Zaxcom gear and felt it all very clever so I am not criticising it at all... I just don't know if it is best to try and adapt, add or start again.. 

Edited September 27 by Michael Lindsay
wanted to add

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

A used RX200 is a battery powered 2ch receiver that is (a bit) lighter than a QRX, and is intended for use as a camera hop.  It can probably be found for about US$1,000 used, maybe a bit more.  I *think* (?) it can output timecode at the same time.

Or, a URX100 is intended as an IFB receiver, but can do the same thing (2ch receiver, battery operated & timecode out).  It can definitely output timecode, but it can only sync to timecode it receives audio from a TRXCL / Camera Link transmitter, so that's another piece of kit.  It's a bit under US$1,000 new ... but not that easy to find used.  The TRXCL is also probably about US$1,000 used (especially if you get an older one that matches your generation of gear).

That said, you've got a pretty sweet setup, the equipment still has value, so if it's too complicated for you to use regularly, you can certainly sell it off.  If you can replace the functionality with Deity / Zoom, then go for it.  I would say spend the money to hire a sound professional when you need one rather than consumer gear, but you know your needs better than I do.

Yes, the DPA / COS11 are better than the Deity equivalents (and the Zaxcom gear is probably more reliable than the Deity wireless)  ... but you and your clients may not be that discerning.  If all you want a pair of lavs to camera, there are certainly cheaper ways of doing that which aren't as complicated as a full outboard audio kit.  Your audio kit can do a lot more, but that "more" isn't something you'll ever use, then there's no need to carry the extra equipment I guess.

Hiring a professional would raise the quality (and especially reliability) of the audio you are recording, and a professional will generally bring their own gear rather than using yours.

[edit] Just realized you want a receiver that receives mono channels from 2x transmitters, rather than a stereo pair from 1x receiver.  Unfortunately, neither the RX200 nor the URX100 can receive from multiple transmitters.  You are right, there isn't a single battery-powered box that can just go on the camera that receives from 2x transmitters.

I can think of some high-end options from other manufacturers that can do this, but pretty much anything in the Deity / Zoom end of the scale will require two separate receivers.  But, I guess I'm not familiar with the DJI mic 2.

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

One thing you *could* look into if your cameras / batteries are capable of it:  You could try to power the QRX200 off your camera battery.  But this will only work if you are using Anton-Bauer style batteries that are designed to power multiple devices.  If you are using a more prosumer / camcorder style of camera, it probably uses smaller lithium batteries that aren't intended to power anything except the camera.

[IronFilm]

22 hours ago, Michael Lindsay said:

Well the other day I was offered a pretty lucrative job that was mainly MOS but there was one piece to the camera… If my QRX was battery-powered, I would have probably broken it out and fed my camera and done it that way. I insisted on a audio guy but then the job did not go my way and in the end a mate did it and he used a very cheap DJI mic 2. The client is happy and I am stareing at 15k+ of stuff that isn’t as useful to me as I want it to be. 

Keep in mind that the $15K you paid a couple of years ago doesn't necessarily mean that's the price you'd get for it today in late 2024.

Going from the Nomad 10 to say a prosumer grade brand new MixPre10 would probably not be much difference at all in price, if anything. 

And ditching the Zaxcom wireless would for prosumer wireless would be a fairly big step backwards in my personal opinion. (then again, for your level of work... as a videographer, not a sound mixer, does it really matter? As your clients would be happy with DJI wireless) 

22 hours ago, Michael Lindsay said:

Over time it basically now never gets used. The only time it is used over the last 2 years is in an emergency bag drop situation in my studio where I set it all up myself. No assistants can really be trusted to get their heads around the Nomad. So I really try not to use it. 

I guess that would be the big benefit to switching over to a Sound Devices 633 / 788T / MixPre10 or a Zoom F8n, is while the Zaxcom Nomad is awesome, it's complexity can be intimidating for those who are brand new to it, and also there are far less people out there who have hands on experience with a Nomad than there would be people who know their way around a F Series / 6 Series / 788 / MixPre. 

[Michael Lindsay]

Thank you both for your replies....  I appreciate the time and effort this takes

 

Sorry for my very slowly dissolving ignorance but it seems we are saying that no current battery-powered box from Zaxcom can receive from two separate TX units and output TC in the way I need?

 

this very new stuff from Deity has a real advantage then (from a spec pov... not sure about quality or reliability and will prob test this soon) The 2 tx to 1tx option has a RX solution that is as happy sitting on a camera as in a bag. The inclusion of TX simultaneous recording and transmitting (UK not US) means I would feel secure in using it as this is the reason I bought the Zaxcom stuff in the 1st place. 

 

Now if someone from Zaxcom wants to send me a private message saying don't worry we have you covered by something coming I can keep a secret and can wait.. 😉

 

My cameras for normal bread and butter work tend to be either a Red Monstro or Red Raptor both are annoying for audio in a way that even though I have 12v power (lemo/P-tap) available on camera I run into issues if I have this power audio from the same battery that powers the camera.. it is the reason I have enjoyed using the ERX2 TCD on camera feeding TC and scratch track. 

 

Thanks again

 

Michael 

 

PS I agree the Zaxcom stuff is awesome... I love their approach and would like to support their IP position! ... that is why I am investigating this here. 

[IronFilm]

2 hours ago, Michael Lindsay said:

Sorry for my very slowly dissolving ignorance but it seems we are saying that no current battery-powered box from Zaxcom can receive from two separate TX units and output TC in the way I need?

I'm not to super clued up on all the Zaxcom options, but they definitely have a few dual receivers that are battery powered. (why not just power it from your V Lock battery on  your camera?) Such as the RX200: https://zaxcom.com/product/rx200/ 

 

For timecode, why not just pick up a small and cheap Deity TC1?

2 hours ago, Michael Lindsay said:

My cameras for normal bread and butter work tend to be either a Red Monstro or Red Raptor both are annoying for audio in a way that even though I have 12v power (lemo/P-tap) available on camera I run into issues if I have this power audio from the same battery that powers the camera..

What issues do  you run into?

[Michael Lindsay]

Hi IronFilm 

 

As I understand from Zaxcom’s website the RX200 only accepts 2 channels from 1 TX? 

 

Quote

 

CHANNEL COUNT

The RX200 receives up to two channels of audio from one transmitter. You can use it with any UHF transmitter we make, but it’s most often paired with our TRXCL3 since it’s so small and light and has dedicated audio and timecode outputs. Gotta keep those camera guys happy… or at least not disliking you for making their camera heavier than it already is 😉

 

 

 

As for the audio on these Red cameras..

 

The cameras often need a Ground Loop Noise Isolator Noise Filter if the audio box feeding it is powered from the same battery. Tested this to death a few years back...  Often, people just put up with the bad sound quality as it is normally scratch track only. My goal is to have less stuff on the camera and can definitely handle something like a Deity THEOS D2RX on the camera. If the same functionality came from Zaxcom that would be nicer... and if it also had TC that would be great cause of I go Deity I will have to move from Ambient to Deity for my TC needs. 

 

Note: often, when my partner or I work Audio is someone else deal this is just for the odd line, pick ups or when there is a restriction on bodies... and because of this simple is ideal!

 

I have emailed Roger 'EverythingAudio' in the UK and will see what he recommends.

 

thanks again 

 

Michael 

 

[Patrick Farrell]

Known problem with zaxcom. Have a look at this https://wavreport.com/2018/06/15/zaxnet-pre-amp-whine-rf-issues-solutions/

[IronFilm]

13 hours ago, Michael Lindsay said:

As I understand from Zaxcom’s website the RX200 only accepts 2 channels from 1 TX? 

True.... my bad, I'm not the best expert on Zaxcom wireless and I didn't double check that. Hmmm... I guess there is nothing like the Lectro DCR822 (which has internal batteries) or the Lectrosonics SRc (which can use a battery sled) from Zaxcom? 

[The Documentary Sound Guy]

32 minutes ago, IronFilm said:

True.... my bad, I'm not the best expert on Zaxcom wireless and I didn't double check that. Hmmm... I guess there is nothing like the Lectro DCR822 (which has internal batteries) or the Lectrosonics SRc (which can use a battery sled) from Zaxcom? 

Sadly, no.  Best bet for the original poster is probably to adapt an outboard battery to power the QRX that he already owns.  But it won't be elegant.

I'm surprised about the ground loop issue ... that does seems like a solvable issue, and if it could be solved, powering it off the RED would be the right solution I think.

[IronFilm]

51 minutes ago, The Documentary Sound Guy said:

Sadly, no.  Best bet for the original poster is probably to adapt an outboard battery to power the QRX that he already owns.  But it won't be elegant.

eSMART Li-48neo velcroed to the side of the receiver with a battery cup going straight to a DC barrel connector would be a fairly small-ish and elgant-ish solution. And would power it all day, and into the next day after, and the day after again!

 

Probably there are even better ways, but that's all that pops into my head right now, been a long day on a shoot, time for bed. 

[Michael Lindsay]

thanks for all the thoughts! 

 

I think I will keep the Nomad 10 and 3x ERX2 TCD for now as I suspect they are not easy to sell anyway and I do like having them. I will try sell the QRX 200, 2 x TRXLA2.6 and see what I get.