Lectro vs Zaxcom wireless
janor
have been completely happy with Lectro’s products. Anyway I am now in
the market for some new wireless and I have been looking at some of
the new Zaxcom wireless. It seems like Lectro is lagging behind and
was hoping that Lectro was going to come out with something new at
NAB.
So before purchasing I wanted to know what your feelings of Zaxcom vs.
Lectrosonics are.
Larry and Glenn please feel free to add your two cents as well.
Thanks
Jeff Wexler
> I’ve been a loyal Lectrosonic wireless user for close to 20 years and
> have been completely happy with Lectro’s products. Anyway I am now in
> the market for some new wireless and I have been looking at some of
> the new Zaxcom wireless. It seems like Lectro is lagging behind and
> was hoping that Lectro was going to come out with something new at
> NAB.
>
> So before purchasing I wanted to know what your feelings of Zaxcom vs.
> Lectrosonics are.
I find it a little difficult to compare Lectronics wireless with Zaxcom
wireless since the Zaxcom wireless have so many features that none of
the other wireless have. These are not trivial features but things that
I have come to rely on to the extent that I would not want to have to
use anybody else's wireless. Any one of these unique features, once you
have used them, make all the rest seem under-equipped and feature poor.
For example, just being able to adjust the mic preamp gain on the fly
and remotely, is a vital feature. Being able to scan for clear
frequencies with the receivers and then change the transmitter frequency
while the unit is still on the actor, timecoded recording capability,
the best sounding audio ever, all these things which are incomparable
make the choice easy for me. The introduction at NAB of the TRX 900LT
transmitter makes the cost differential a non-issue --- again, what you
get for your money when you purchase any wireless other than Zaxcom is
just that: a wireless transmitter. Every Zaxcom wireless transmitter is
actually a transceiver, transmitter AND receiver, and because it is all
digital these unique features are available.
tsvisser
wireless bodypack. The one thing that gives me Lectro envy, though,
is the Lectro SR. I wish that Zaxcom would continue the smaller, more
affordable, less power hungry theme a bit further and provide an "RX
900LT" which contained a true 2 channel receiver, not simple stereo or
mono from a single transmitter, and AES digital output, like the Sony
DWR digital units (which also offer remote control of the transmitter
from the receiver). This plus the IFB 100 and the IFB receivers looks
like a very strong case for Zaxcom to gain some serious market share
from Lectro in the coming years. I'm sure Lectro is not going to sit
around though, either, and it is difficult to fault their existing
products at all, except perhaps in the price.
Ray M. Owen
FWIW ... the QRX100, soon to be released (don't ask, I don't know the
date), IS what you are looking for.
It has two INDEPENDANT stereo receivers. In addition, it has the
OPTION to include an IFB transmitter. And all of this in a package
about the same size as the current stereo receiver.
Oh, ... did I mention it has SELECTABLE analog / digital outputs,
too! There are other goodies but ... I will let you discover them
when it's released for sale!!!
So ... If you are considering purchasing wireless gear, wait a little
longer to see the fruits of Zaxcom's labors from the last year ...
coming to a dealer near you.
Have a GREAT DAY!!!
Ray
Rob
Out of interest, is it possible to use any mic with the Zaxcom
transmitters? Tram, pin mic, vt400, b6 etc? I know cos-11d is
compatible but i dont see any info about the others any where. I've
heard thing are ok so long as you dont coil the cable near the
transmitter!?!? Is this the case? Seems a bit annoying to me...But
then is this the case with the lectros too? Anyway, might affect your
decision Janor.
Martin Harrington
9262796a-8cc8-4f0b...@c42g2000yqn.googlegroups.com, "Ray M.
Owen" <raym...@juno.com> wrote:
> tsvisser
>
> FWIW ... the QRX100, soon to be released (don't ask, I don't know the
> date), is PROBABLY what you are looking for.
>
> It has two INDEPENDANT stereo receivers. In addition, it has the
> OPTION to include an IFB transmitter. And all of this in a package
> about the same size as the current stereo receiver.
>
> Oh, ... did I mention it has SELECTABLE analog / digital outputs,
> too! There are other goodies too, but ... I will let you discover
> them when it is released for sale!!!
>
> So ... If you are considering purchasing wireless gear, wait a little
> longer to see the fruits of Zaxcom's labors from the last year ...
> coming to a dealer near you.
>
> Have a GREAT DAY!!!
>
> Ray
That's all good, but it still doesn't have industry standard +4 line output.
Martin Harrington
batter...@googlemail.com
Try before you buy....
tsvisser
At one point, Glenn said that they would be priced near or perhaps
even below Zaxcom's existing ENG receiver, which if true, would make
me very happy and make this a competitive 2 channel wireless receiver
or 4 channel camera hop (of which I would only realistically use 1 or
2 channels of). Certainly good stuff indeed. If it eliminates my
need to buy an IFB 100, even better.
rich
in the manual, zaxcom list the mics they recommend for use with their
transmitters.
i use sanken cos11d's, countryman emw and b6s and dpa 4063s. all are
fine, and now ive wired them properly, have no problems with rfi from
the tx. i also demo'ed the sennheiser mke1 which was fine.
Derek
of what these products can actually all do..
From what I've read the QRX is all of these..
- Dual-stereo receiver
- Timecode/Video Sync reader/generator
- IFB transmitter/receiver
- Zaxnet hub??
I'm really hoping that using a QRX or two in the bag would give you
the same advantages a cart mixer has with a Deva/Fusion and ZaxNet..
In my mind the system would ideally allow me to do away with an
additional in-bag IFB Tx (comtek or lectro), act as a TC generator for
the 552, and control the gain/standby mode of the talent
transmitters. We'll see if Zaxcom decides to make that kind of
functionality a Deva/fusion-only club. Also the ERX1TC IFB receivers
can be both an IFB for monitoring as well as a Lockit box type device
with TC output, and scratch track feed. So you can do away with
having to buy both comteks and Lockit boxes..
One thing to consider is that the Zax transmitters use tiny 3-pin Lemo
connectors.. which are near impossible to solder yourself unless you
have the right gear and soldering skill. I've never attempted it, but
I have disassembled a broken one and I was pretty sure I wasn't up for
the task.. Makes a TA5 look like a 1/4" plug.
Rob
Thats good to know! Thank you.
g...@zaxcom.com
there are certain goals that we have. We want to offer the most
innovative wireless products and provide the best possible value to
our customers. Our QRX100 UHF receiver with Zaxnet IFB and time code
return channel option will help us to meet that goal.
Compatible with all current Zaxcom wireless the QRX100 receives 4
audio channels of audio from 2 Zaxcom stereo digital wireless
transmitters. With the Zaxnet IFB/ timecode option the QRX can receive
and transmit 1 audio channel, and smpte time-code on our 2.4GHz
network.
The primary use of the Zaxnet option is as a return monitor channel
from camera and time code reference that are both output by the
receiver portion of the TRX900 with stereo adapter. The QRX100 option
board also functions as a master/slave time code distribution system
for multi camera productions.
The Zaxnet signal from the QRX100 can also be received by our ERX1
monitor receiver and is fully compatible with the Fusion and Deva
recorders.
With transmitter backup recording, 100% digital transmission, RF
remote control, IFB back channel, time code transmission and
generation, UHF narrow band stereo transmission, encrypted wireless
and IFB transmission and a low cost per channel I think we have gotten
to a position where our system is a very compelling choice for the ENG/
EFP community.
The QRX100 will start to ship in 60 days. The Zaxnet option board for
the QRX100 will ship in about 90 days.
My 2 cents
Best WIshes
Glenn Sanders
President Zaxcom Inc
Billy
I second what Jeff says. Once you use the additional features the
Zaxcom radios include there is no going back. The only other radios
that can approach the Zaxcom are the Sony digitals (which seem to have
a very similar electronic design). But while the Sony's offer digital
sound quality and the ability to remote control, they do not offer
recording. (I also do not know the range of the Sony remote control
since I don't see an antenna output on their receiver specs. With
only an internal antenna range would be limited. With my Zaxcom IFB
and an external antenna and inexpensive wi-fi amp my ifb range is
equal to my UHF range). I'm curious if anyone has used the Sony's and
can report back. They have been out for a while but I have yet to see
anyone post their experiences. AFIK they are substantially more
expensive than the Zaxcoms.
I've been using Zaxcom radios since their first generation came out in
early 2002. Even without the special features I would use them just
for their sound quality. 24 bit, non companded 48 K digital sounds
better than companded FM.
One of the key features you lose when you use a radio mic is control
of the microphone pre-amp since it could be located hundreds of feet
away and possibly in somebody's underwear. The Zaxcom radios give you
that control back. One of my least favorite feelings was when an
actor started screaming and lowering the gain on the mixer did nothing
to reduce the distortion since it was the mic pre overloading. No
longer an issue.
Lectro is a great company and they make great and dependable gear and
Larry Fischer is one of the true gentlemen in this business but I
think they have taken FM wireless about as far as it can go while the
digital radios are just getting started. Just one example, after
numerous requests from users to integrate the mixer/recorder with the
ifb, Zaxcom developed 'Zaxnet'. When it was ready they put the
software on their user group for free and it was a simple process to
download and install it in the ifb and TRX900 transmitters. This
upgrade was the equivalent of changing your car from 2 wheel drive to
4 wheel drive for free and without going to the shop.
All the best,
Billy Sarokin