Topic: Part III: Sound Devices 7-Series Recorder Update

[Brian Skalinder]

Part I
Part II

[dmonterisi]

sounds like progress is happening...slowly...but it's progress anyway.

if any of you 7-series retailers have a demo sitting around that won't be used feb 23-24 and want to send it to DC for Wilco, drop me a PM.   

[MattD]

If it makes it to DC, I'm sure we can find a way to slut it out all weekend.

[Flarnet]

Let's do a little math.

The first 744 demo units arrived to vendors in the very beginning of September 2004. I make the call that 744 units are just about now reaching ordinary people out there.

So that gives us a preliminary street date for the 722, July 2005.

Some may argue that a lot of groundwork has been done on the 744 and subsequently the 722 should have a quicker road to full production. Well that would probably be true if there were no other factors. But with a HUGE amount of backordered 744 units to be produced by the actual prouction pipeline (not the R&D + marketing pipeline that has now brought the 722 demo out) I suspect that not only will we not see the 722 until July, we'll probably have to wait until autumn.

I'd hope to be proven wrong of course, but I very much doubt it.

Btw, great call to end the old thread. I was trying to find the date when vendors got their 744 demos and it was a royal PITA to navigate. May I suggest a max page count that is even shorter for future grooming? I think 60% of what the old monster reached is max size for reasonable browsing. Anyway, great work.

[Brian Skalinder]

So that gives us a preliminary street date for the 722, July 2005.

I've given up all hope of trying to predict street date for the 722.

May I suggest a max page count that is even shorter for future grooming? I think 60% of what the old monster reached is max size for reasonable browsing. Anyway, great work.

Big Bri decided to cut off all threads at 25 pages because having too many greater than 25 seems to stress the server (definitely caused some problems in the past).  I don't think cutting it off at 60% would make a difference - the same number of posts will still exist, requiring scrolling through the same number of posts to find whatever it is for which one is looking.  Though I suppose if you can remember in which part the info resides, it'd be fewer posts, then.  At any rate, good idea - I'll try to remember, but doubt I will!

[recordista]

My 744T (one of two in the first shipment to that dealer) was shipped to me on September 29th.  Backorders are trickling to the dealers from each production run.  SD is running three shifts to catch up, as there are a limited number of test/burnin stations.

[Flarnet]

Yes and until every ordered 744 has been shipped (with plenty of stock) there wont be a single 722 produced. At least I hope not because that would be financial idiocy (since the real profit lies in the 744).

Had we known the exact need for 744s and the exact production rate then we could get a very good idea of when we could start seeing 722s. But I doubt that SD would ever give out any of those numbers. And the're certainly not gonna commit to a date since they have been burned by promising (and breaking) ship dates before.

[scb]

Yes and until every ordered 744 has been shipped (with plenty of stock) there wont be a single 722 produced. At least I hope not because that would be financial idiocy (since the real profit lies in the 744).

but they can move more 722s due to the lower price, so it also makes sense to get them out...

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

Yes and until every ordered 744 has been shipped (with plenty of stock) there wont be a single 722 produced. At least I hope not because that would be financial idiocy (since the real profit lies in the 744).

Had we known the exact need for 744s and the exact production rate then we could get a very good idea of when we could start seeing 722s. But I doubt that SD would ever give out any of those numbers. And the're certainly not gonna commit to a date since they have been burned by promising (and breaking) ship dates before.

I disagree with this.  SD has to consider that there are quite a few people who will buy other 2 channel options if they do not get at least some 722s on the street to keep the faith alive.  That would be a pretty bad marketing decision.  Not that they are known for good marketing decisions, but I don't think that they can afford to completely blow off the 722 orders at this point.

[Flarnet]

Ok, lots of people want both 744s and 722s. Their production can make either 744s or 722s, both take the exact same amount of time to produce. They make 2000 dollar MORE in terms of profit on the 744. See where I'm getting at?

The argument that the should churn out a couple of 722s to escape badwill is far fetched. Most who lusted for the 722 when it was announced moved on YEARS ago, and those who are still lusting will still be there this autumn.
There is no goodwill to be "saved".

I so dearly wanted to get something else, but the 722 is still the most appealing recorder to me. If Doug Oade does a wicked mod on the Edirol R-4 and brings the analog sections up a notch or two, then all bets are off (since I don't care about digital in ).

[scb]

Ok, lots of people want both 744s and 722s. Their production can make either 744s or 722s, both take the exact same amount of time to produce. They make 2000 dollar MORE in terms of profit on the 744. See where I'm getting at?

the 744 may cost 2 grand more, but i doubt they make 2 more grand on it.  plus it's more expensive to produce...

i'm guessing we'll start getting 722s in feb

[Lil Kim Jong-Il]

There is no way SD makes an additional 2K profit on the 744.  SDs margin comes before the dealer profit, so less than 2K right off the bat.  Second, the 744 contains additional electronic components and fittings that are a cost item.  Besides the additional parts cost, manufacturing and test costs are higher for the 744 than the 722.

I don't think that they will get out the 722s to "escape badwill".  I think they will do it to keep people who already have a deposit with a vendor from switching their orders to the R4 or FR2 when spring tours start.

I guess we'll see.  My understanding is that a demo 722 has been shipped. 

[drtaylor]

WOW, get one of the models actually shipped and complaints are still heard.

Given that they only got the FW fixed a few weeks back, be glad they did not get more shipped out.   FW flat out did not work and the screams would have been huge.

I am pretty sure the 744 wait list is a fraction of what the 722 list is.   SD is going to ship everything they can, if it means 722's, they are going out the door.   The 744 got done because of the Ambient timecode stuff for television and film work.  Its likely that the 722 does not pay that licensing also.   Its likely that the profit is nearly the same on both for SD.

Then again, i could be wrong.

- dave (who still loves his 744t despite the delays and problems)

[-sam]

So here's my question.  I'm currently running mk<whatever> -> kc-y -> vms5 -> blah blah and I'd really like to "step up" to one of these new-fangled solid state recorders.  Considering that I'm unwilling to part with the VMS -- i love the kc-y cable and I don't want to spend additional cash on kc-5/cmc6s-- which of these delightful new toys play best with what I've got?

-sam

[wboswell]

The problem you are going to have with this recorder is that for all stepped gain pres like the VMS, you're going to have to deal with the stepped attenuator for line level input signals on the 7-Series recorders.  I suppose you could run the 7-Serues and set the mic input to low gain and run equal parts VMS and 7xx.  That way you could have continuous gain adjustment as opposed to stepped.