JDirckze Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Norflus Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDirckze Posted June 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy P Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDirckze Posted June 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy P Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason porter Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 When you change to Mono US mode, do you have to do the same on the Receiver? Do you have another lav to try? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 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). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDirckze Posted June 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDirckze Posted June 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 though it *seems* your issue is with the TRX900 (same as my setup). Or more likely with the microdot adapter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Todd Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 Thread revival. Did you ever sort out the issue with your DPA / Zaxcom combo? I definitely notice some hiss on mine when used with a low talker and a TRX900LANC. More so than with a Sanken or B6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDirckze Posted December 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erve Posted December 7, 2013 Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 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). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDirckze Posted December 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2013 Another thing to note, have set the TRX to US mono mode and all seems fine, so not sure what the horrible digital pulsing noise was all about as it's definitely not present any more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Todd Posted December 8, 2013 Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 Switched to running the QRX's via AES today and that made a big difference. Still odd that it's that night and day. May be my TA5F to XLR cable was acting up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg sextro Posted December 8, 2013 Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 whaaa? Switched to running the QRX's via AES today and that made a big difference. Still odd that it's that night and day. May be my TA5F to XLR cable was acting up. your saying you hear a difference running AES vs analog into your nomad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Todd Posted December 8, 2013 Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 It definitely seemed quieter when I was really pushing the gain on the transmitter. I know it shouldn't make that big of a difference, but it was noticeable. Go figure. I might try a side by side comparison tomorrow if I've got the time on set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erve Posted December 8, 2013 Report Share Posted December 8, 2013 Extra AD conversion always add noise - that's why it's wise to avoid them whenever possible. Also, digital sound can run longer lengths not that you'd be using long aes cables in this situation. Stick with 1's and 0's when you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted December 14, 2013 Report Share Posted December 14, 2013 Jason, i also found the system noise floor lower when running aes vs. analog. That's one of the main reasons i run aes from qrx to nomad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiro nakamura Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 Is your QRX100 with zaxnet function? You need to turn that off. And if it's possible to turn the Zaxnet on the transmitter off too, just to check if that cause the problem. Hiro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenn Posted December 15, 2013 Report Share Posted December 15, 2013 AES is always the best choice to get from one thing to another. always eliminate A-D and D-A conversion where ever and when ever possible for the best results. Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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