Zoom F2 recorder with lav mic

[Joshua Milligan]

So I have a question for those of you using COS-11D's. I have a couple of them that I use on my Sony wireless systems and I notice that they often don't sound good with certain pitches, like a higher pitched female speaker. They almost sound like they are breaking or peaking with higher pitched voices, but my audio levels are all great. It's frustrating because they aren't exactly cheap mics and everyone seems to love the sound from them, so perhaps I'm doing something wrong?

[mico]

Interesting discussion. I tend to prefer my COS-11's than my DPA 4060.
Just seems to have richer bass to my ears.
My DPA 4060 also didn't play well with my Tascam DR-10Ls so has been benched for a number of in jobs that it otherwise would have been used for.

Again the dpa and the cos need 5v or more plug in power and the tascam zoom f2 and dr10s only deliver 2.5v. Also bumble bee industries make cos 11 mounting accessories that make it easier to deal with.

Seems to me that the tentacle sync track e is for use with high end lavs and the zoom for prosumer ones.

*the cos 11's need 3v-10v, dPA"s need 5v-10v and higher depending on model

[puredrifting]

Again the dpa and the cos need 5v or more plug in power and the tascam zoom f2 and dr10s only deliver 2.5v. Also bumble bee industries make cos 11 mounting accessories that make it easier to deal with.

Seems to me that the tentacle sync track e is for use with high end lavs and the zoom for prosumer ones.

This ^^^^

[Thomas Smet]

have not used this product but I use a Zoom H1 with a lav mic plugged in as an alternative to a wireless lav all the time. No control but using 32bit and recording a bit lower like 6 DB lower helps cover any random surprises. It beats not having access to a good $1,000 wireless lav that doesn't get interference.

That lack of signal interference is the trade off. No ability to adjust level or monitor but at the same time no sudden drop outs or static. I have had too many situations of even expensive wireless mics failing for a second with no way to ever fix it except recording backup audio with a second wireless lav or camera audio.

This product looks like a much better solution since it can be kind of controlled from an app and its more compact. Plus it comes with a lav mic vs trying to find a good one to add to the H1. I just happened to have a bunch of lav mics with mini plugs from wireless sets I no longer trusted. Lavs themselves were good, it was the wireless transmitter and receivers that were the problem.

[puredrifting]

...It beats not having access to a good $1,000 wireless lav that doesn't get interference. That lack of signal interference is the trade off. I have had too many situations of even expensive wireless mics failing for a second with no way to ever fix it except recording backup audio with a second wireless lav or camera audio.

I get your comparison but:

$1,000.00 wireless is cheap, it's more disheartening when your using a $4,000.00 wireless and it's getting interference. Wireless mics, even the best one made, are all prone to interference, especially since the FCC has auctioned off about 40% of the avialble UHF bandwidth.
The FCC was just convinced NOT to auction off about another 1/3 of the UHF spectrum used by wireless mics by lobbyists in the pro audio industry. Wireless microphones remaining even remotely usable, is hanging on by a thread. Right now, UHF mics are a terrible investment
unless you're a working pro sound mixer. It's just a matter of time before the FCC auctions off the rest of the main UHF spectrum and the only alternatives will be 1.9Ghz, 2.4Ghz, 941Mhz and devices like the Tentacle Sync E.

As the available UHF bandwidth has shrunk over the past decade with the FCC auctioning it off, the number of wireless mic users has grown immensely over the past few years. More users, trying to use less available bandwidth, you get the picture. In Los Angeles. there are only three usable blocks
and one block can work fine, you move 300 yards and it suddenly is unusable. The sound mixers I often hire are tearing their hair out, rarely knowing if any of their wireless will work in a given location until they get on set. A good portion of the congestion is being caused by video users with
wireless video transmitters like Teradeks, etc. 2.4Ghz isn't really usable in most professional demand settings, although it can be useful for the occasional shoot where the transmitters can be very close to the receivers, if there isn't too much WiFi traffic nearby.

[Run&Gun]

I get your comparison but:

$1,000.00 wireless is cheap, it's more disheartening when your using a $4,000.00 wireless and it's getting interference. Wireless mics, even the best one made, are all prone to interference, especially since the FCC has auctioned off about 40% of the avialble UHF bandwidth.
The FCC was just convinced NOT to auction off about another 1/3 of the UHF spectrum used by wireless mics by lobbyists in the pro audio industry. Wireless microphones remaining even remotely usable, is hanging on by a thread. Right now, UHF mics are a terrible investment
unless you're a working pro sound mixer. It's just a matter of time before the FCC auctions off the rest of the main UHF spectrum and the only alternatives will be 1.9Ghz, 2.4Ghz, 941Mhz and devices like the Tentacle Sync E.

As the available UHF bandwidth has shrunk over the past decade with the FCC auctioning it off, the number of wireless mic users has grown immensely over the past few years. More users, trying to use less available bandwidth, you get the picture. In Los Angeles. there are only three usable blocks
and one block can work fine, you move 300 yards and it suddenly is unusable. The sound mixers I often hire are tearing their hair out, rarely knowing if any of their wireless will work in a given location until they get on set. A good portion of the congestion is being caused by video users with
wireless video transmitters like Teradeks, etc. 2.4Ghz isn't really usable in most professional demand settings, although it can be useful for the occasional shoot where the transmitters can be very close to the receivers, if there isn't too much WiFi traffic nearby.

Yep. It’s a craps shoot everywhere. I’ve even taken hits in frequency coordinated venues. When I started in the 90’s, you could get upwards of a half mile to mile range with a UHF Lectro in the right environment. Today, you’re sometimes lucky to get 50 feet. And it’s only going to continue to get worse. I know guys using ‘shark fins’ in their portable mixer bags, now. And it’s not a new thing. I saw some NFL Films guys doing it five or six years ago. I actually got a text from one of my audio guys last week expressing his joy that the FCC didn’t sell-off that chunk of spectrum. It even scares me, knowing I have about $30K(or more) worth of wireless audio that could be made completely unusable.

[Clermond]

I don't know about the F2 but with the Track E you can at least check and adjust levels and waveform on your mobile device. With the non US version you can also attach a wireless transmitter to the headphone jack and monitor audio. Works great. And you have the timecode sync with all Sync E devices

[Clermond]

Yep. It’s a craps shoot everywhere. I’ve even taken hits in frequency coordinated venues. When I started in the 90’s, you could get upwards of a half mile to mile range with a UHF Lectro in the right environment. Today, you’re sometimes lucky to get 50 feet. And it’s only going to continue to get worse. I know guys using ‘shark fins’ in their portable mixer bags, now. And it’s not a new thing. I saw some NFL Films guys doing it five or six years ago. I actually got a text from one of my audio guys last week expressing his joy that the FCC didn’t sell-off that chunk of spectrum. It even scares me, knowing I have about $30K(or more) worth of wireless audio that could be made completely unusable.

The "shark fins" are amplifiers with antennas. They extend the range but don't help with interference. Events, sports, theaters TV shows etc. have their own frequencies. Quite pricey but free from interference.

[puredrifting]

The "shark fins" are amplifiers with antennas. They extend the range but don't help with interference. Events, sports, theaters TV shows etc. have their own frequencies. Quite pricey but free from interference.

I think that's the licensed 941Mhz I hear some of the people over at JW Sound talk about occasionally. You have to get a license and follow procedures,
kind of like getting your Part 107 for drones. Kind of sucks that our government (the FCC), has basicaly taken it upon themselves to just auction off the
bandwidth that belongs to all of us, that many of us have used to make a living with for decades. The public comment periods have been a joke, they "listen",
and then just do whatever the hell they want anyway, it's complete lip service.

[Clermond]

I'm in Germany so I don't know about the FCC regulations but it's probably the same all over the word. Since frequencies have been opened (sold) to LTE transmission has become very fragile. -> I just ordered another Track E