Cost-efficient LAVS: Sennheiser, Sony...and new frequencies? Advice please?

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AppaLuci

Active member
Looking for insight on how these mics compare. I need a solid lav mic to do interviews (subject speaking with slightly off-camera eyeline). Trying to keep the cost low, but still need decent sound. I already am somewhat familiar with:

-the Sennheiser G2 wireless lav kit - I think I can creativity find for around $500-$600. I've used them before and I have enjoyed them; they've struck me as actually a good solid little mic for the money.

In comparison, I just had a sales person recommend to me

-Sony UWP-V Series Wireless ENG Single Basic Kit

He said I could also get that for about the same price. I'm not familiar with this mic at all. He added that I would get a new one built on the newer frequencies.

Can anyone recommend one over the other? Any experience? I'll use it with a DVX100a. I need mobility too, mounting it on the shoe, not lugging something huge around. Also, would the Sennheiser be on the new frequencies, does anyone know? Or, finally, should I save a bunch of money (wouldn't mind) and just get a WIRED lav mic -- anything decent you recommend for $150? (By the way, I did already try searching these subjects here already.)

Thank you kindly!
Lucinda
 
Wired Lavs are the way to go, unless you absolutely need wireless. The sound of a cheap wired is WAY BETTER than a wireless six times the price.

I recommend Sure SM93 wired - cheap, good sound. The G2 is great for its price, but does not compare to a Lectorsonics.

I have the Sony UWP series and I cannot recommend it over the Sennheiser G2. The Sony compander sounds overly limited.


Jason
 
I don't know anything about this Sony kit, but I'm baffled by the claim of "newer" frequencies. From the looks of it, it's a fairly standard UHF mic, with frequency "blocks" between channel 30-33 and 42-45. That first block is slightly higher than Sennheiser's "Block A," and the second right in the middle of Sennheiser's "Block B," so there's nothing particularly "new" going on there that I can see.
 
Funny Jason you mention the Shure SM93; I will be using that one next week to try it out. I notice I can pick one up online for about $150?

Yeah, I haven't used wired lavs much; just wireless so far, but don't really know why that is. I guess my prevailing thought is, why would I really NEED a wireless, anyway? It seemed like an obvious question before, because I was always using them. But if I'm primarily doing interviews where my subject is rarely 20' from the camera, I haven't really NEEDED wireless, have I? I guess I think in terms of inconvenience of cords drooping in between my camera and the action... someone tripping... cords being problematic... should I be concerned? I guess I'll get a better feel after I use one next week.

Lucinda
 
Lucinda,
I do a lot of interviews. Some producers prefer wireless (yes it is slightly easier to hookup and helps in the off chance the talent gets up for a walk and talk) however, wired sounds better. I use wireless often, but my first preference is wired. Even if the talent is walking around, you could run the cable through their trouser leg and tape it to the back of their shoe.

Tram and Countryman probably manufacture the best lav mics. You can always change out the mic, but a cheap wireless transmitter and receiver still sounds pretty cheap.

If you must get wireless and have budget - Lectorsonics (no budget, G2). For $150 - $300 you can get a wired that sounds great.



J

PS I have had more problems with wireless dropouts / dead batteries, than XLR cables / people tripping.
 
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Hi Lucinda,
if you can afford it , get the G2, you already know the package and like it so why not trust your own experience. Then you can also had to your kit the wired Shure . Still a very affordable sound package and very convenient for most situations. Wireless is so useful (I personnally end up using it all the time , but I feel safe having the wired mic as an alternative in my bag).
 
For low budget interviews, with clipped on visible lav's, quite honestly the g2 with me2 will probably do you just fine.

you can go way higher up the chain, like sanken or countryman lavs on lectro gear, and yes they do sound a hell of a lot better, and are more reliable, and have better range, but sometimes i think we all get caught up in what is "the best" rather than what is actually neccesary to get a job done to whatever standards have been set on the job.

as far as wired lavs go... i havent used one in years. they're painful to rig, and just generally are a bit of a waste of time when you need to be working at a fast pace. slow paced shoots, sure maybe, but they just arent for me Im afraid....
 
If you want to know the comparisons with the Sennheiser G2 and the new Sony UWP-V1 series, there's already a thread started "Sony UWP-V1" with pictures and some early speculation posted. We have tested both wireless side-by-side and will soon be releasing the footage and audio of those tests.
 
Cool. Ya'll's comments are well-appreciated and valued. Plenty to consider.

Lucinda


...hey, technically, couldn't I get a sennheiser g2 kit or a sony uwp-v or whatever wireless kit, and if I wanted to make it wired one day, just adapt the mic directly to the camera? Then have both options? Or do I need something more for this, like an amplifier or something? (Sorry I'm not too techie-heavy...so pls be kind)
 
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The lavs included with the wireless kits don't have xlr plugs, their set up to plug into the wireless transmitter. You can buy connectors for it though. But, even if wired lav sounds better overall, I can't imagine you'd ever regret having the wireless right there when you need it.
 
AppaLuci said:
Cool. Ya'll's comments are well-appreciated and valued. Plenty to consider.

Lucinda


...hey, technically, couldn't I get a sennheiser g2 kit or a sony uwp-v or whatever wireless kit, and if I wanted to make it wired one day, just adapt the mic directly to the camera? Then have both options? Or do I need something more for this, like an amplifier or something? (Sorry I'm not too techie-heavy...so pls be kind)
Click to expand...

You can get XLR adapters for some lavs but I don't recall seeing any for the Sennheiser mics included in the G2 kits. Don't mean they don't exist, of course. The problem is a simple 1/8 to XLR adapter won't be wired to supply the proper power the mic needs, typically about 5 volts. To work, you need an combination of adapter and power supply.
 
Steve House said:
You can get XLR adapters for some lavs but I don't recall seeing any for the Sennheiser mics included in the G2 kits. Don't mean they don't exist, of course. The problem is a simple 1/8 to XLR adapter won't be wired to supply the proper power the mic needs, typically about 5 volts. To work, you need an combination of adapter and power supply.
Click to expand...


where could one get such a adapter and power supply? i too have some g2's and i want to upgrade my lavs to countryman's and wire them for interviews.
 
longshanks said:
where could one get such a adapter and power supply? i too have some g2's and i want to upgrade my lavs to countryman's and wire them for interviews.
Click to expand...

I was writing about taking lavs wired for the G2 wireless and using them hardwired direct to the camera or mixer. If you have G2's and want to use Countryman's with them, either order the mics wired for G2 or order pigtailed leads and 'roll your own cables wired according to the directions here...

http://countryman.com/display.asp?catid=4&pid=75

and here

http://countryman.com/images/wiring/E6_B6_SR.png
 
I have several G2's and Lectros (and now a Zaxcom) and the G2's work fine for the basic stuff. But, trash the ME2 or ME4 lav that comes with it and get at a minimum the Countryman EMW (better yet, a B6 or Sanken COS-11). You can get adapters for any of these lav's that add power and an XLR connection for hard-wired operations.

Phil
 
ptalsky said:
I have several G2's and Lectros (and now a Zaxcom) and the G2's work fine for the basic stuff. But, trash the ME2 or ME4 lav that comes with it and get at a minimum the Countryman EMW (better yet, a B6 or Sanken COS-11). You can get adapters for any of these lav's that add power and an XLR connection for hard-wired operations.

Phil
Click to expand...

Well despite using G2's there will be a time when I will want to run some lavs into the camera. I'll probably go with the countryman B6's so where can I get this adapter? an XLR connection wouldn't be hard to find, but could the camera in theory power it with its built-in phantom power?
 
longshanks said:
Well despite using G2's there will be a time when I will want to run some lavs into the camera. I'll probably go with the countryman B6's so where can I get this adapter? an XLR connection wouldn't be hard to find, but could the camera in theory power it with its built-in phantom power?
Click to expand...

Phantom is 48v, most lavs use 3-5v so you need a power supply that steps it down. Here's one built for Sennheiser's G2 mics but it would work with Countryman wired for G2 as well.

http://www.trewaudio.com/store/product.php?productid=908&cat=34&page=4
and
http://coffeysound.com/product.php?productid=343&cat=100&page=2

and here's one from Ambient. It's shown with a TA5F connector but the Ambient page shows it's also available for mics wired for Sennheiser connectors so I'm sure it can be ordered for you in that configuration.

http://www.trewaudio.com/store/product.php?productid=268&cat=34&page=1

http://www.ambient.de/produkte/mikrofonspeis/emp/emp_e.html
 
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There are cheap transmitters and receivers available. Is there any reason I can't buy a higher quality lav mic and simply attach it to the cheaper transmitter/receiver units? There's nothing propriety about higher end lav mic connections is there?
 
sean90291 said:
There are cheap transmitters and receivers available. Is there any reason I can't buy a higher quality lav mic and simply attach it to the cheaper transmitter/receiver units? There's nothing propriety about higher end lav mic connections is there?
Click to expand...

No, but what would be the point? Your sound will only be as good as the weakest links in the chain. Feeding a high quality mic into a poor sounding transmitter/receiver combo won't give you any better sound than you'd get with a lesser quality mic. Kinda like putting a real diamond on a ring made out of pot metal.
 
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But isn't digital transmission just digital transmission? I mean there's no "speaker" in the transmitter. It's just a digital radio signal.
 
sean90291 said:
But isn't digital transmission just digital transmission? I mean there's no "speaker" in the transmitter. It's just a digital radio signal.
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If by that you mean it's a digital transmitter that actually is transmitting a digital data stream, yes. But the term 'digital' wireless most often means that the units use digital tuning to set their operating frequency, not that they are using digital signal modulation. The only units on the market that I'm aware of that offer a true digital transmission are the Zaxcom 900 series of transmitters and receivers and a pair of them will set you back around $4000. Or there's the Lectrosonics digital hybrid system that'll run you about $2250 to $2750 for a basic set. In either case they're not exactly the "cheap transmitters and receivers" you asked about in your original post.
 
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