Lavaliere Comparisons-B6 vs. EMW vs. ME2

ptalsky said:
Wabbit,

I started to - but I have to remember what the links actually are so I can re-post them...when I copy and paste I just get the abreviated version. ;-)

Phil
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Updated the stickie with this thread. Good to go!
 
Very interesting ! I'm UK-based, so I really don't know how best to go about aquiring a B6 or two... It's been on my list of things to pick up for a while, so this comparison was really helpful.

I too thought that the EMW/B6 comparison was far clearer cut than the B6/ME2 comparison, which is odd! The EMW sounded v poor to my ears, while the ME2 sounded surprisingly acceptable.

Does anyone know how best to pick up a B6 in the UK, without paying horrendous markups, import duties, postage, etc. ? ;)
 
hey man, you're edinburgh based? nice one!

well i'm getting mine from america, there is a surprisingly shite supply of decent location gear in the uk.. I got my SD442 and SD744t from america and saved over £2000. pm me if you want more info. Cheers.
 
Hey Scooby, has Sound Devices given you an alternative to sending the 744t all the way to Wisconsin to get the 2.0 upgrade? I am very excited to get mine in as soon as I have some down time.

I hope your purchasing decision didn't make the upgrade process more difficult.

Cheers
 
Oh my god.

nobody told me about the upgrade. I've just read about it now on your news!

I will find out.. could potentially be tricky i suppose.

nobody tells me anything. :D
 
Phil,

Just saw this thread. I've got a couple of COS-11's right here, wired for the G2. If you're interested, PM me and I can send you one so you can do side by side tests with the B6. I think these are arguably the 2 best lavs out there, so a side by side test would be nice to hear.

(Of course, you have to promise to take good care of the COS-11 and send it back in a timely manner :) ).
 
Sumfun,

That sounds great! Something to do during the holiday break between xmas and new years. And now that I have BoomRecorder, I'll just go ahead and run all three simultaneously and we can get exact comparisons. I'll PM you with my info.

Thanks!

Phil
 
who makes these B6's? How much do they go for? And what else is required to use them?

is it then, suggested, that the B6 wins this category?
 
PaPa,

Countryman Associates makes the B6 - the price depends on how it is wired, but anywhere from $300-$400 (subject to discounts negotiated). What else is required depends on use. To use them wired, you need to make sure they are wired correctly for this. To use wireless, you need a wireless set.

The B6 is a great tool as a lavaliere mic. It is the smallest of the good lavs. Whether it is the best is subjective and depends on your usage. It works best for me because I can often hide it in plain site. Others like the Sanken COS-11's sound better, but it is larger.

(BTW, does anyone else think it is slightly disgusting how they have hidden the B6 in the picture on the Trew site? I can honestly say I have hidden B6's in many different ways, but that is not one I considered...of course the placement is only good for recording tummy rumbling anyway... ) ;-)

Phil
 
If the size is not my main issue (I'm doing run and gun documentaries) and I’ve usually taped the lavs inside shirts or on the collars of jackets and so forth, is there any other option?
My main concern is a wider fuller sound with less rumble from clothes or skin contact.
I used an old TRAM (TR50 I believe) and it had a much clear and consistent sound than the ME2. It is also cheaper than the B6.

Any comments or suggestions.

Thanks.
 
Trams are fine. For that money and style I would get a Sonotrim or Countryman EWM instead.

All lavs take work to keep them quiet. If you are looking for a "full" sound then you are not looking for a lav mic. The "fullest" lav mic I have worked with is the Sanken COS11. DPA 4061 is suppose to be good but I have not work with them (I believe Oleg uses them).

Mounting can happen anywhere within a foot or so of the mouth. Other areas to consider: hair, hats, glasses, inside pen in pocket, or get a Pin Mic and mount in plain sight.

Areas to mount lav mic that creep me out: http://www.trewaudio.com/products/microphones/countryman_b6.htm

(sorry the B6 sale ended on Friday)

Cheers
 
usially i dont bother get out anything that not sanken
the dpa works for very loud voices , sounds exellent but have pull more noise from cloths , the b-6 only as the no choice alternative when you must take the head out .
 
I've actually had the opportunity to check and test some of these today and I've ended up getting the EWM.

It had a good price and substantially better sound than the original ME2 from my Senn kit.

Thanks.
 
Thought I could add this here, saneproductons and Noiz2 already gave me their insight, but maybe this could make a "LAV sticky" in the end:
How does the B3 (not B6) and the EWM compare to the MKE2, all on the G2s...?
The Sankens and The B6s are out of my range, so I´m choosing between those 3 (the MKE2 I already have btw...)
Thanks guys!
 
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I have a B3, though it is not currently wired for a G2 (actually, don't think it ever will be - I think it's going to go right to Lectro). I like the sound of my B3 a lot, hard for me to compare it to the EMW since I've only heard them through different wireless systems. And, I have never had a MKE2, so I really can't compare that one.

Overall, I would probably lean towards the B3. It is the leading lav used for sound reinforcement in live theater.

As soon as I get a few minutes, I will actually have the ability to re-do this comparison using Lectros instead of G2's. I'll keep you all posted.

Phil
 
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