VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[bransom]

I think I'm going to treat myself for the holidays and finally get ISDN installed. I'm looking on ebay at the various boxes for sale and can't figure out the differences between them given the wide range of prices.

I see a couple of Musicam CDQ Prima 120's, one for $299 and the other for $500. And then I see the Telos Zephyr: One is $1899, another $2400.

Assuming all of these work as designed, is there any reason to pay near or more than $2k for a Zephyr vs. $300 for a Musicam?
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Bob Ransom
"I really need a pithy quote here."

[Bish]

The industry standard is the Telos Zephyr. A standard one should run you around a grand used. The Xtreme model has some other capabilities which are not usually required bt a VO on a regular ISDN session, but are quite a bit more expensive. Anyone asking over $2K for a standard Zephyr is living in a very hopeful state.

Importantly, any Musicam Prima CDQ has a compatibility mode where a simple setting will put it in a standard "Zephyr Compatible" configuration. I have the Prima 110 (lowest model), and it works just fine. I have to do a lot more button-pressing if I'm originating a call and it has no built-in headphones or meters, but it works.

Bottom line... the Prima 120 will serve you just fine. I paid $500 for my 110 from ebay and had it checked-out by the factory (included in price). I may be in the market for a second box at some time (backup) and will keep a lookout for either a Zephyr or a Prima LT... but definitely sub-$1000.
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Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

[bransom]

Thanks, Peter! As Sam Kinison said to Rodney Dangerfield, "Good answer. Good answer." I was hoping I wouldn't have to spend $2,000+ to get a decent box.

I looked, very briefly, at prices for new gear. Choke. Seriously, $5,400 for a new Zephyr box? Um, no.
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Bob Ransom
"I really need a pithy quote here."

[Bruce]

A working Musicam box is just as good as any Zephyr, and my Prima LT reads whatever codec format is coming down the line and adjusts to match. Of course since 99.9% of voice work is done in MPEG layer 2, that doesn't matter much.


B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[Rick Riley]

I too have a Musicam Prima LT. It works well. And I too will be looking for a backup, most likely a Telos Xstream. That's what most of the production houses seem to have. My goal is to get one for $1800 or under. Why do I want one? To calm my nerves. These sessions always have a multitude gathering on the other end and one of my greatest fears is to have it go down prior to a scheduled session. No matter what you have, it is equipment and eventually it will fail. The longer I do this the greater redundancy I've built into my system. My goal this year is to have a backup for everything and that means another Senn 416 and another ISDN Codec. But I stray. Go for the Musicam!
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Never do anything you wouldn't want to explain to the Paramedics

www.rickrileyvoice.com

[Eddie Eagle]

Try and find a broadcast equipment liquidator/auctioneer. I got my xstream for $1400. These guys buy up radio and tv stations that have been closed down and sell off the equipment.

[Rick Riley]

[Charles Nove]

I don't know what the support / spares situation is like for the Telos units, but the CCS Primas have been out of production a long time now, and manufacturer support has long since discontinued. Although spare power supplies are relatively easy to source, some other components are now proving very difficult to obtain. I've cannibalised a couple of Primas to keep other units going. I would bear that in mind when considering how much I'd be prepared to pay.
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Charles Nove
Scottish voice-artist, to the world ... and beyond!

www.charlesnove.com

[Chuck Davis]

I've been using Zephyrs both in radio and now as a VO for quite some time. Even the older "black face" 9202's are still supported and serviced by Telos..and boy can they ever turn around a unit quickly.

I picked mine up used for 15-hundred about 8 years ago.
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Wicked huge.....in India.
www.chuckdaviscreative.com

[Lee Gordon]

My Musicam Roadrunner (purchased used for $750) had no trouble talking to Chuck's Zephyr.
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
www.leegordonproductions.com
Twitter: @LeeGordonVoice

[Eddie Eagle]