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From stereo hops to talent wireless (Zaxcom)


JDirckze

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Hi all,

I've been using a Zaxcom QRX100S/TRX900AA/STA150 as a camera hop for a few months now, and it has been working brilliantly. I'm about to do a job and decided that I might like to use the Zaxcom system as a talent mic instead of camera hops, as we will be doing a few sit down interviews, cabled to camera. Anyway, I bought myself a DPA4063 (after all the talk recently) and started playing around.

Just wandering, are there any particular settings when using the QRX100/TRX900AA as talent wireless rather than hops? I ask because I noticed quite a lot of hiss compared to my Lectro systems (UCR411A/SMA/COS-11). I'm pretty sure I have all the settings correct, but perhaps I've missed something obvious?

Other gear I'm using is a 552. One thing to note is I am using the same cable that I use when the QRX is in hops mode (TA5F - 2x XLR3M) - (Audio comes out from Left XLR only)

Perhaps this is just the nature of the DPA4063?

TRX settings:

High Pass: 30Hz

No Limiter in stereo mode

1k Notch Filter: Off

Tx Format: Stereo (***horrible digital noise in Mono US mode)

IFB Format: High Q

RXmode = Rx

IFB voting: Normal (Off)

IFB Dropout Compensator: Off

Power up Mode: Unlocked

TC Jam Mode: Manual (Off)

TC Source: Side Connector

Timecode Output: Off

Remote Control: Group ID = 0

Remote Control: Unit ID (All)

ADC: Internal

Battery Type: Lithium

Record Mode: Non-Loop Record

Tx Power: 50mw

Boot up in Normal Mode

Mute Switch: (0) Disabled

LR Switch Mode: Off

Side Tone Gain: 0dB

Allow IFB Remote Control: Off

IFB Jam Thresh (1000ms) default

Expander: Off

Dynamics: Off

Cheers,

Jason

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If you are using the TRX as a talent mic you can remove the STA150. Then switch the TRX to mono. Don't know if that is causing the noise though. But certainly it is not necessary.

Hi Jack,

STA150 had been removed. When I had the TRX900 in Mono US mode, there was a really nasty digital pulsing noise happening. I changed it back to Stereo and the digital pulsing noise stopped, but the hiss remains. Tone straight from the QRX100 into my 552 sounds pretty good, and I've swapped out cables from the QRX to 552, the nasty noise happens as soon as the TRX is turned on.

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I experienced a lot of hiss with my new LT's and 4063's. Zaxcom worked on a mod and a resistor was taken out of the transmitters so they're now usable but they are still not as transparent as my old Audio Ltd 2020's. Although I was using 4060's then which are the high sensitivity version of the 4063's. If people are talking quietly, when I turn up the gain hiss becomes audible. 4063's do have a lower output than COS11's so you have to turn the transmitter gain up higher. I don't like using COS11's so much, I prefer the DPA's sound and the COS cable is so much more microphonic than the DPA's so it's a bit of a trade off. Now, most of the time the hiss isn't a problem ,only in quiet environments with "low-talkers", but hey, we're all going to be in that situation from time to time.

Are you using a DPA adaptor to plug into the TRX? These don't have the shell connected to the ground pin, and then pick up a lot of RF spray. Better to have a proper Lemo plug put on the mic, and connect the shell to ground.

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Thanks for that Andy,

I am indeed using the 4063 with the microdot to Lemo adapter. I was hoping to keep the 4063 flexible and be able to use it with my Lectro systems too. Looks like I may have to just bite the bullet and have them wired for one or the other, or would perhaps a TA5M to Lemo cable be possible?

How do you find concealment of the 4063? I've been told that they aren't the best mics to try to hide. Any mounting suggestions? I've been using COS-11's for the past 5 years and love the little RM mounts. Don't think the 4063's will fit in the RM mount though.

Cheers,

Jase

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Hey Jason, I don't see why an adaptor cable wouldn't work. Although there would obviously be more "gubbins" on the talent. Try to return the DPA adaptor and get your money back because they're not cheap!

I have managed to get the RM11's on my DPAs , use a couple of small scewdrivers to hold the RM11 open - very carefully! I then just slide them down the cable to the plug end and use them when I need them. I don't find them any harder to conceal. They are wider than the COS but also shorter, and the cable is thinner. If you can conceal an RM11 then you'll be fine. Let us know how you get on if you get the 4063 wired for your Lectro's and compare the level of hiss to the Zaxcom.

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Isn't there a thread about the power requirements of the DPA lavs being relatively high? Could that be an issue?

On one film, where I didn't need my Zax ENG hop, I put on a COS-11d and used it as an extra bodypack mic and it sounded great (the rest of my wireless mics are Lectro). I was using the RX900S (not the QRX), though it *seems* your issue is with the TRX900 (same as my setup).

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When you change to Mono US mode, do you have to do the same on the Receiver?

Do you have another lav to try?

Seems like I don't have to change any settings on the receiver (I think). Unfortunately, since I usually use Lectros, I don't have another lav wired with lemo.

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  • 2 years later...

Funny that you revived this thread today as a situation has arisen where I'm again using my TRX900AA & DPA as talent mic... I literally just rigged it up in my bag. Did a walk test and was impressed with range. I didn't notice any excess hiss this time, but listening conditions weren't ideal. I can't quite recall what happened the last time as I did end up using that setup for those interviews and had no issues. In fact it was a lovely sounding system if i recall correctly. More than likely it was operator error. Sorry, not much help to your situation. Still using the DPA via microdot to lemo adapter. At this stage the QRX100 is in the bag with 4 x URC411's. Interested to fire it all up and see how everything plays together.

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I use this same setup often (DPA 4063 -> Lemo adapter -> trx900lth -> qrx100 -> fusion 12) without any apparent hiss at all.

I realize this is an old thread, but to clear the mystery, the hiss you heard must have had to do with your headphones or monitoring busses since it didn't end up on your recorded tracks.

Another thing I do for a cleaner signal flow is to use the aes output of the qrx. I like the idea that once the sound hits the transmitter, it stays digital all the was until it is being played back on speakers after the final mix (without any additional AD conversions).

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