need some hand holding on lavs

DerrickTempleton

DerrickTempleton

Well-known member
I've done my best searching the forum and reading up on this stuff, but I have little practical experience so am still hesitant about making purchase decisions...

In a couple weeks I'll be doing some sit down interviews and want to use an omni lavalier into camera's xlr. I can't go over $500. What I've read seems like a countryman emw or b6 would work well, but I'm such a nub I don't know what constitutes the whole package of what I'd need to get that thing to work with my camera. It should also be durable because there will be lots of outdoor run and gun interviews.

I don't really need to hide the mic, and my understanding is that wired systems are 1) cheaper, and 2) more reliable...

If there is a thread that covers this please link me or else any advice is greatly appreciated
 
There's alot of info here on lav's and Countryman. Just do a keyword search. I just bought a COS-11 from Gotham and love it. Northern Sound (www.northernsound.net) has the best price I could find on Countryman and later on I would like to get one from them.
 
Well, a couple of things. Lav's that will go directly into the camera are actually more expensive than lavs that plug into a wireless transmitter. (Obviously, when you add the cost of a wireless kit, the overall cost of wireless is more.)

If you will never need to hide the lav, then don't bother with the B6 - it's primary benefit is that it is the easiest lav to hide (it is tiny). The COS-11 is a great option, but if you are budget-conscious, then go with an EMW - I still think it is the best value - when you look at quality vs. cost.

As far as reliability, the reliability isn't a function of the lav - it's a function of the wireless transmitter/receiver combo. They can be subject to RF interference and drop outs (the better - i.e. more expensive - wireless kits are less prone to these problems). Basically, the point I'm trying to make overall is that there is a difference between the lav (wired or wireless) and the wireless kit itself. Generally speaking, all lavs are reliable.

HTH,

Phil

Phil
 
ptalsky said:
Well, a couple of things. Lav's that will go directly into the camera are actually more expensive than lavs that plug into a wireless transmitter.
Click to expand...

Really? How come then the DPA 4060 I just bough cost the same, or actually more, with the G2 adapter for Sennheiser transmitter. Why did I not get it cheaper if I am going to use it wireless?

What you mean is that cheap amateur wireless systems come with cheap low quality mics, and better laveliers are phantom powered and often come with XLR plug as standard. But, like the DPA, thay can be attached to almost any wireless transmitter with a proper exhancable plug. Some others can be ordered wired for a chosen transmitter. So it is possble to use even the best lavs with wireless.

But, of course, hard wire gives the best sound and least interference for many reasons. If it didn't all mics would be wireless...

I always try to use wire, even if I have to run 200 feet of cable across a trout stream... Clean sound, no compression, no two (or three) places to set levels, no RF noise.
 
No, actually Petrus, I meant what I wrote, based on the mics discussed (Countryman and Sanken). I probably should have added "generally" to be specific and accurate. And, if I remember correctly, what you bought was a DPA with an XLR and then the adapter to go from XLR to G2. If you ordered your DPA just for G2, without the XLR piece, would it have been less expensive than the way you ordered it?

Here's a specific example for the B6:

Hardwired: $434
Plugged for Lectro: $408

There would then also be an additional price to buy an adapter that enables the hardwired model to also be plugged into a Lectro Tx.

Hope that clarifies things.

Phil
 
timapter said:
you're going to run n gun with someone cabled to the camera? did i read that wrong?
Click to expand...

Yes, you read it wrong. I believe he wrote that he is doing sit down interviews.

I picked up a Countryman b-3 from Trew, and it is small....smaller than the EMW, but only a few bucks more in price. You can get it from B&H, wired for xlr, for around $200...which is $60 less than what I paid up here.

Given the fact that the Canadian dollar is worth more than the American, and that prices tend to be 20-30 percent cheaper in the states, one of these days I'm going to have to take a trip south and smuggle whatever audio/film stuff I can across the border.
 
great tips guys thanks a lot. I did say run and gun AND sit down interviews, what I mean is that I'm interviewing senators and they only give me 5 minutes so I don't have time for setup. Yes they are sit down interviews, but I can only spend 1 minute tops hooking up the lav, getting some levels, framing up my shot and pressing the big red button.
 
DPA miniatures come with a micro-dot connector and you attach the required plug to that. So I have two DPA 4060:s, 2 XLR plugs (straight to cam or mixer) and one G2 plug (for transmitter) for the mics.

After reading your explanation and rereading your post I understand what you mean. Could not descipher it from your first post...
 
most of us would agree( yes im making my opinion everyone else's here) that the sanken cos11 ( i think the new model is now called cos11x... they made it more durable and water resistant) would probably sound the most "natural" of all the lav choices. dont forget to use the wind cap that comes with it for outside. you can buy it as a single unit or buy the lav and power supply separate. it is not cheap, but is under 500
 
i can send you sanken with non original power suply with any inter connector you like (except lemo 6 pin) for 365 usd , shipping another 20
 
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