Topic: 722 / 744 Owners or users -- Would you buy it again knowing what you know now?

[John P]

ssia.

I am strongly considering taking the plunge and put myself on the waiting list for a 722.
Being one that suffers from buyers remorse, and hindsight being 20/20, I would love to take the temperature of owners and users alike.

So, I ask again,
Knowing what you know now, would you purchase a 722 or 744 if you had it to do all over again?  Why/why not?

Thanks!

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

Yes.

edit (forgot the "why?" answer):

It meets my needs as a standalone box.  Is generally very easy to configure and use.  Has the capacity I require for festival taping and tour without requiring additional media be carried and swapped.  I'm pleased with the sound with my neumann mics.  It's small enough to be stealthable.

[John P]

I have been reading every post I can about this and you seem to echo everything I have read so far.
I have arranged for a loaner to try out at Haymaker in a couple of weeks.
+t

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

backatcha

Don't let the problem posts scare you away.  SD is fixing issues every week and by the time you get a delivered unit it should be pretty damn solid.  Also, look at the number of people who just posted that their new machine is coming.  Clearly there is a lot of confidence in SD despite the reported issues.

Andf thanks for reminding me of Haymaker.  I may make it down there for the Saturday sets.

[scb]

without a doubt, i'd buy it again.

[Zee]

Hell yeah I would.... I might want to upgrade to the 744 within a few months....

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

Hell yeah I would.... I might want to upgrade to the 744 within a few months....

Who had July in the pool for when the first 722 would show up in the Yardsale?

[wboswell]

very pleased at this point.  Having one of the first batch to come out is a gamble, but by the time the newer units ship and become readily available, I think things will be rolling along very smooth. 

[John P]

Hell yeah I would.... I might want to upgrade to the 744 within a few months....

Who had July in the pool for when the first 722 would show up in the Yardsale?

Might be July before I come up on the list.
Should I send pm now for first dibs? 

[not logged in]

absolutely in an instant.

the 722 is the best thing since sliced bread.

[justdmbobbo]

I was on the list for Sonic Sense and they were able to fill my order with the shipment they got in this week.
There were several dealers I e-mailed about shipments this week and some of them wanted to send me a unit from THIS week's shipment.

I doubt you'll have to wait TOO long if you want one right away.

[Rick]

Most of waiting list seem like they are from the "taper friendly" sites.. I bet you can find one in stock if you look hard enough. I personally went with a "taper friendly" website to support them. Unfortunetly I just missed out on this recent shippment, I was 6 on cascademedia's list and they got 4 in.

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

I personally went with a "taper friendly" website to support them.

+T for doing the right thing even though you had to wait.

[John P]

Most of waiting list seem like they are from the "taper friendly" sites.. I bet you can find one in stock if you look hard enough. I personally went with a "taper friendly" website to support them. Unfortunetly I just missed out on this recent shippment, I was 6 on cascademedia's list and they got 4 in.

Yeah, I have the feeling that if I really pushed it, I might be able to scare one up from a non-taper friendly retailer.  But, I really like being able to support the taper friendlies, and they have been very good to me (offering a loaner), brokering gear, giving tech support etc...
As bad as I want to pull the trigger on this one fast, I'm gonna hold out.

[CQBert]

No second thoughts...  I had it up and running in a few minutes.  Very simple to operate and infinately configurable to your recording specs.

File transfers was a pain at first but is now second nature - that was on me! not SD.

Sound is great - I have run with ADK 51TL's and CCM4's and both are solid.

It can be stealthed - hit Cochella with it.

For an all in one nothing is close at this time - IMO.  We shall have to wait and see what Grace does and where Sonosax prices their new toy...

"If you have the means, I highly reccomend it!"

CQBert

[creekfreak]

While it looks neat and is very tempting...I would rather put $2400+ towards a new pair of mics to try

[Joe w.]

I think it is a great box. I just hope it continues to get more stable. The 4/23 tape that kevin and I did in raleigh was worth the price

[jimmyrow]

I'd get another 744T in a heartbeat......great box, great quality, couldn't ask for much more (aside from two more mic preamps 

[MattD]

I'd get one again, even with the issues we've faced. I've never heard a box sound this good, even not taking size into account.

[nickgregory]

considering I have not gotten mine yet (though it is in transit!), I did place an order for one while some of the problems were happening and never backed away from the order.  I have always wanted to get to a smaller, lighter rig, and as those that know me will tell you, I didnt even care if it didnt sound up to par with the V3 (as that is what I was running)...bottom line I wanted to get away from tapes, multi boxes, multi interconnects, SLAs....and get to, mics, cables, all in one.  Honestly having run Tim Fraley's 722 for 5 shows, this box is absolutely on par with the V3 (as Boswell stated, may not be identical, but damn close enough to make it easy to not be willing to pack another box and SLA) and is a fantastic match for the MGs.  Honestly, some of my favorite MG tapes that I made were MP2->Mod SBM1...while the V3 gave me more detail than that combo, it also lacked that very smooth tape I got from the former combo.  The 722 falls right in the middle, I am getting nice highs, well defined mids and powerful, but not sloppy lows.

Add to that the fact that you can power this thing off off light camcorder batteries, and that it is virtually idiot proof, I would recommend it to anyone in our hobby.  Definitely expensive, but considering it replaced a A/D / Preamp / Recorder and cables in my chain before, it is pretty much in line with where it should be.

[John P]

Wow,
I expected a positive response, but this exceeds what I thought I would see.
Getting even more psyched now.

+t's all around

[wbrisette]

I'd get another 744T in a heartbeat......great box, great quality, couldn't ask for much more (aside from two more mic preamps 

That was the killer for me. I was on a list for the 744T, then while talking with somebody they mentioned this to me, and I had to double-check it. Once I found out that it was in fact true, I had second thoughts. It was about that time another person told me about the refurbished Deva II units that Zaxcom was selling. I figured that was it. Little did I know it couldn't give me the power I needed, thus I ended up with the Deva IV (which in itself has been a blessing from a feature perspective, and a curse from a cost perspective).

Had the 744T had 4 mic preamps, I would have jumped on it in a heartbeat.

Wayne

[sleepypedro]

It can be stealthed - hit Cochella with it.

CQBert

are you not going to mention your heat-related shutdown issues last weekend?  does this not give you pause about running it outdoors all day at festivals?

[marc0789]

It can be stealthed - hit Cochella with it.

CQBert

are you not going to mention your heat-related shutdown issues last weekend?  does this not give you pause about running it outdoors all day at festivals?

heat related issues? jesus.

[marc0789]

I taped galactic in 110 degree weather in Phoenix a few years back, amazed I did not have issues, and haven't in some other serious heat situations. heat related issues in April...not a good sign.

[scb]

heat related issues might have nothing to do with weather, but with keeping the unit in an enclosed space with zero room to breathe...

[marc0789]

true. don't think I've ever run with a closed bag, even stealth. probably a lot more of an issue with a hard drive recorder than most dats.

[MattD]

Indeed, when I stealthed with the unit, the first thing I noticed was that it got HOT if I kept it wrapped in my jacket on my lap. When I gave it more room, it was fine.

No issues with that recording, either. I plan on getting a large CF card and turning off the HD for stealthing so I can keep it on me.