What Do You Want To Know About Wireless?

puredrifting

puredrifting

Major Contributor
Hi all:

I am at work on a lavalier microphone article that will provide a tremendous amount of hard data and opinion about which lavalier microphone to buy and why.

I am gathering data for a wireless microphone systems article at the moment. This article will follow the lavalier article.
The candidates I am considering are:

1. Audio-Technica 1800 Series
2. Sennheiser G2 100 Series
3. Sennhesier G2 500 Series
4. Lectrosonics 100 Series
5. Lectrosonics 400 Series
6. Zaxcom TRX900 Series

My criterion are, the system must be UHF bandwidth, retail for a minimum of U.S. $500.00, the system must be primarily for lavalier application for sound for picture. Not interested in testing hand held transmitters or cheap, junky $200.00 to $300.00 live sound application systems. In my experience, there are no reliable, clear and professional level systems under $500.00 and even most of the under $1,000.00 systems are just barely okay.

Couple of questions. Do you care about Azden? Azden has some new cheap wireless systems. I have never used them but have used Azden sound products before and have found them to be sometimes lacking.

Are there any wireless systems that fall into my criterion that I am missing from the list that you care about?

I obviously want to set up tests for clarity, susceptibility to RF interference, reliability, construction quality, ease of use, battery life, etc. What is important to you for me to test with wireless? What have you discovered in using or owning wireless systems that you wish you would have known before you purchased the system?

I think it will also be cool to highlight wireless system tips and tricks and some of the powering options, options for Yagis and sharkfins, etc.

I welcome your input, requests and suggestions or this article. I would like to make the definitive sound for picture resource for wireless microphone systems and with your input, I think we can.

All my best,

Dan
 
Oleg 2 said:
audio rms 2040
sennheiser 3000/5000
micron
mipro/bayer - same thing
pastega
Click to expand...

Hi Oleg:

Audio RMS 2040 is a U.K. company. I will approach them but who knows if they will send me a review sample? Will report back on if I can make any headway with them.

Sennheiser 3000/5000 systems? They look good, I did not even know that they existed. Will see if Sennhesier can provide them to me.

Micron? I have heard of them. Once again, I think they are a U.K. company with the only North American distributor in Canada. Will approach them.

For Beyer, which models do you suggest? http://www.beyerdynamic.com/cms/Wireless_Systems.69.0.html?&L=1

Pastega? I have never heard of them. Google turns up a website in Italy that is shut down. Any idea of anyone in North America who carries these?

I am always trying to mainly feature North American market products that are easily available in the U.S. since about 90% of our audience is in the U.S. but I will make every effort to try to include the ones you suggested.

Thanks Oleg!

Dan
 
north amercan market quit sucks as for the same money cost you g-2 you can get better mipro , but none really like to sell you these :-)
cost the same in israel
just remember the zaxcom you can get only with b-6 or dpa as all the others sucs during the am modulation

i can eacy on you for under garnd you can test what ever you like
for over its very sympe - it doesnt really matter - it works :-)
and comes to what cheaper - and right now with us wa;; paper the lectro are th cheapest thing
 
Oleg 2 said:
north amercan market quit sucks as for the same money cost you g-2 you can get better mipro , but none really like to sell you these :-)
cost the same in israel
just remember the zaxcom you can get only with b-6 or dpa as all the others sucs during the am modulation

i can eacy on you for under garnd you can test what ever you like
for over its very sympe - it doesnt really matter - it works :-)
and comes to what cheaper - and right now with us wa;; paper the lectro are th cheapest thing
Click to expand...

Oleg wins the typing award for the month...
 
Oleg... I want to come to the HolyLand and dig you out of your grave (I assume it is a kashrut tomb but same idea) and shoot some interviews with you.

I would love to get your knowledge on audio for posterity sake.

If this would work for you, please let me know when a good time might be.

[SIZE=-1]שָׁלוֹם[/SIZE]
 
Oleg 2 said:
300 euro a day + equip fees
if not, i can show you the best spar ribs in town
Click to expand...


:grin: !!!

I was thinking more of coming over and producing a "The World of Professional Audio - by Oleg Kaizerman" DVD set.

Something like that so it can be the gift that keeps on giving.


But... I must admit... I do love spare ribs! :thumbsup:
 
Dan are you going to use one base line mic model for your testing? Say a cos-11 and also test for clarity when hardwired via xlr just for testing's sake.
 
Hi Jeff:

Yes, that's the exact idea. I also need to ask some local LA guys where the nastiest RF environment in LA is so I can test and record samples there. Perhaps down near LAX? Or near Mt. Wilson where all of the TV transmitters are?

Doing this article is probably a couple of months away as most of the manufacturers will only let you have one set of gear at a time. Right now, I have close to $10,000.00 worth a wired lavs and accesories in my safe so until I finish with these and send them back, I can't get more review gear.

Best,

Dan
 
ESTEBEVERDE said:
:grin: !!!

I was thinking more of coming over and producing a "The World of Professional Audio - by Oleg Kaizerman" DVD set.

Something like that so it can be the gift that keeps on giving.


But... I must admit... I do love spare ribs! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
they will never sell it in trew audio :-)
no problem , you can come i will give the intervue , but it would recorded whith chiniz mic only :-)
 
Dan, I really appreciate all the work you're putting into this. I found the "As I Hear It - Choosing the Right Microphone" article very useful. Any update on the lav/ wireless system tests? [FONT=Verdana, arial] [/FONT]
 
livy500 said:
Dan, I really appreciate all the work you're putting into this. I found the "As I Hear It - Choosing the Right Microphone" article very useful. Any update on the lav/ wireless system tests? [FONT=Verdana, arial][/FONT]
Click to expand...

Hi:

I just finished with testing and recording and photographing the wired lavs and I am working on writing this article at the moment. I am also working on acquiring the test wireless systems, already have systems lined up from Sennheiser and Audio-Technica but I still need to approach the rest of the candidates.

I find that the testing, recording and writing is really the easy part, it's dealing with obtaining the review samples that is the tough part. Countryman shined me, would not release any review copies, would not return calls, e-mails, etc. I am very disappointed in them, I have always thought highly of their mics but their professionalism leaves a lot to be desired. OTOH, Sony, whom I thought would be impossible to deal with has been very nice, once you talk to the right people.


Glad you find the articles helpful.

All my best,

Dan
 
Since the discussion has come up numerous times, it would also be nice to have a comparison between the G2's and the Lectro 100's.

Are you going to just use the 'built in' antennae, or are you also going to test with sharkfins and dipoles? Most feature and commercial mixers, when not mixing in a bag, use external antennae and combiners, which obviously effects the reception quality.

As long as we're shooting for the moon, how about also throwing in the Lectro venue series. :-)

Thanks for doing the great work! It is very much appreciated.

Phil
 
ptalsky said:
Since the discussion has come up numerous times, it would also be nice to have a comparison between the G2's and the Lectro 100's.

Are you going to just use the 'built in' antennae, or are you also going to test with sharkfins and dipoles? Most feature and commercial mixers, when not mixing in a bag, use external antennae and combiners, which obviously effects the reception quality.

As long as we're shooting for the moon, how about also throwing in the Lectro venue series. :-)

Thanks for doing the great work! It is very much appreciated.

Phil
Click to expand...

Hi Phil:

I will have the G2s and assumng Lectro wants to play nice, the 100 series and the 400 series.

I will probably have a sidebar about add-on external anntenae but I doubt if I will do all of the tests with those.

As far as the venue series, I am undecided. If I want to wait a few months, I can also get the Sennheiser 3000 and 5000 series too. The thing is, the audience for this article is not audio pros like you, it's more geared toward camera ops, DPs, producers and directors that can't always hire a sound mixer and want to buy or rent their own gear.

Personally, most sound mixers I know are already dialed in on all of this info and have already made up their minds about what works and why and have purchased the gear they need to do their job. The average small video crew (2-3 person) shooting docs, corporate, events, indie films would mostly never consider AC powered high end sophisticated units like the venue series or the 3000/5000 Sennheisers, typically only pros with soundcarts and high end battery systems or tapping into the gaffers generators would have any interest in these type of systems.

We'll see, I am still asking around but based off of Ken's audience, not sure if it will be practical to include those types of high end systems, but I really appreciate your input and will consider it. Another practical consideration is just obtaining them. As the dollar amount goes up, it becomes more and more challenging to get it loaned to you too. As I said, I can get the 3000/5000 series from Sennheiser along with the G2s but I may have to wait quite a few months to get them, which delays the article more and more months too. Sometimes I gotta just move ahead when the manufacturers want to delay and delay. It took me fifteen phone calls, countless e-mails and about five weeks just to get the ECM-55 and ECM-88 from Sony. Time is money!

Dan
 
Dan,

Understood - I am just thinking as much about the education of groups like those found here - that want more info. BTW, the VR Field (the baggable version of the Venue) is battery operated, so may still be a good one to look at.

Another interesting sidebar would be IFB systems (Lectro, Comtek, ListenTech, others). :-) (As if you don't already have enough stuff to test.)

Since I have Comtek and ListenTech, maybe I could run this one. (Oy, what am I volunteering for??????)

Phil
 
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