Zaxcom Debuts New Handheld Wireless Recording Systems At AES 2006

Zaxcom today announced that the company will introduce two new handheld wireless systems at the AES 2006 exhibition, Oct. 6 through 8 in San Francisco.

The new ZFR800 — a handheld wireless recorder — and TRX800 — a handheld wireless microphone with an integrated timecode and remote control receiver plus internal recorder — will provide internal recording capabilities for radio, television, and live concert and event productions where professional sound quality and mobility are paramount. The patent-pending TRX800 is the industry's first handheld microphone to produce a timecode-referenced recording, which acts as a back up for live or live-to-tape applications where wireless transmission is affected by interference or limited frequency availability.

"We're proud to introduce the new TRX800 and ZFR800 wireless recording systems," said Glenn Sanders, president and founder of Zaxcom. "These products provide radio, television, and Web broadcasters alike with a professional mic that frees them from the confines of a traditional hard-wired, lavalier-style mic. Recognizing the pressures that today's special event producers and broadcasters face, we've engineered these systems to utilize a fault-tolerant recording format, so even if the power fails, audio files will not be lost. The result is a robust product that ensures reliability, superior performance, and flexibility."

For simplified editing, an internal RF receiver in both the ZFR800 and TRX800 allows for timecode entry or remote control. The receiver includes SMPTE timecode, jammed from the internal wireless recorder so that it is always frame accurate to the camera. Audio files are recorded in full-resolution, full-bandwidth form as broadcast wave (.bwav) files, or compressed as MP3 files, directly to a removable mini SD memory card. Production staff can hand off audio instantly without handing off the recorder.

Two recording modes are available in the ZFR800 and TRX800: continuous, for nonstop recording as soon as the mic is switched on, and the traditional record/stop mode for manual control. During continuous recording, markers can be inserted with a push of a button for fast transfers of select recorded material while providing an infinite prerecord buffer. Up to eight hours of audio can be recorded in full-bandwidth on a single 2-GB card.

The TRX800 expands on this feature set because it is a transceiver. The system can record and then playback audio through an RF link, providing artists and production staff with the unique capability to record a performance and then go out into the audience setting to hear how the recording will sound. The TRX800 is the only wireless handheld mic to provide digital modulation with audio quality that matches that of a hard-wired system. This is possible because the TRX800 does not rely on the companders, noise reduction systems, or emphasis/de-emphasis technologies used in all other wireless mics.

For a professional look and feel, the ZFR800 and TRX800 microphones are made from a lightweight aluminum and can be used with either a Neumann™ or Shure™ screw-on head (sold separately). The handheld body is free of any visual distractions from company logos, colors, or buttons, yet all functions are fully adjustable without connecting to external computers. The ZFR800 and TRX800 feature a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, a dynamic range of 107 dB, and distortion of less than .01%. The TRX800 is available for $1,850 while the list price for the ZFR800 is $1,250.

To learn more about the ZFR800, TRX800, and other wireless microphone recording products from Zaxcom, stop by Zaxcom's AES booth, 1425.