Sennheiser G2 questions

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asdf

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I'm going to be filming a doc about a business man who's being interviewed on the go. I don't want to use a boom and so I'm planning on hiring some Sennheiser G2's, but I'm new to this and so have a couple of questions:

1. Can I use 2 x transmitters and 1 x receiver? Or do I have to have 2 x transmitters and 2 x receivers?
2. I know that the receiver fits onto my Canon's hotshoe - but I want to use this for an extra light fitting. How can I make this work?
3. Are there any cheaper/better alternatives to the G2 set-up for a Canon XhA1 with 2 x XLR inputs?
 
1 - no, 1 transmitter per receiver - 2 transmitters, 2 receivers
2 - There are a few options - There's a company (I think called bracket1 or something) that makes a bracket for this that would work or a dual hot shoe adapter.
3 - No. G2 is the cheapest useable option there is. THere are of course more expensive higher quality options as well. The G2 is reliable and sounds good enough for many though.
 
This would require some form of hotshoe adapter. Jeff Anderson is right, there's a couple options. For your set up, I'd go with the Bracket 1, which attaches underneath your camera where the tripod plate goes (but still lets you mount one of those as well) and you can get all sorts of attachments for it. Cold shoes, over camera cold shoe mounts, even plates designed specifically for the G2 wireless system, and it doesn't take up your on camera hot shoe.

Or if you don't really need that light, you can go with a HAMA dual hotshoe mount. Cheap and easy, but only allows for two mounts instead of multiple.

http://www.dvcreators.net/bracket-1/
http://www.dvcreators.net/hama-delvcam-hot-shoe-mount/
 
Jeff answered the questions correctly.

Rycote do a hot shoe adaptor (available in several lengths) that will enable one hot shoe to mount several items eg: light and two receivers).
 
John Willett said:
Jeff answered the questions correctly.

Rycote do a hot shoe adaptor (available in several lengths) that will enable one hot shoe to mount several items eg: light and two receivers).
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May work but sure seems like a lot of mass to hang off of one flimsy little hotshoe, both in terms of the large mass putting stress on the shoe and in terms of balance of the camera if working handheld. I'd think about whether other solutions for the wireless receivers such as clipping them to the shooter's belt would be viable.
 
Steve House said:
May work but sure seems like a lot of mass to hang off of one flimsy little hotshoe, both in terms of the large mass putting stress on the shoe and in terms of balance of the camera if working handheld. I'd think about whether other solutions for the wireless receivers such as clipping them to the shooter's belt would be viable.
Click to expand...

Balance should be OK with the light in the middle and a receiver on each side.

But getting the receivers off the camera completely would obviously make it lighter - but then you have the cables from receivers to camera to contend with and reduced range if you have them strapped to the body.
 
asdf said:
3. Are there any cheaper/better alternatives to the G2 set-up for a Canon XhA1 with 2 x XLR inputs?
Click to expand...

The Sennheiser G2 Evolution series wireless has become the standard for videographers searching for a solution in the under $1,000 range.

Sony recently started shipping a very, very, very similar model for $50 less. The Sony UWP-V6. We sell both in our DVeStore. (You may have seen our banner ads here on dvxuser).

After testing each of the two wireless, along with a big ass dual receiver model from Audio Technica. I would still go with the Sennheiser. Why?

- Tried and true - durable - even after a drop to concrete.
- Large LCD backlit display with VU meters on both the transmitter and receiver. You can not set the "Sensitivity" or see any meters on the Sony transmitter.
- Cool tutorial video :)


Four things the Sony does have

- Longer range (in our testing), not by much, both were solid line of sight to 200'
- Monitor (headphone) output on the receiver.
- Ships with three foam windscreens (nice touch!)
- Receiver antennas can be swiveled to almost any angle. Possibly giving you additional range when mounted horizontally on a camera's accessory shoe.

Both sound pretty, good, I personally would upgrade the lav to something from Countryman, but that's probably out of the budget.

Just to give you an idea though. Take a listen to a Countryman B6 running through a Sennheiser Evolution G2 wireless - receiver plugged directly into a Panasonic HPX500.
 
What about the lavalier mics of the G2 system? I hear you can attach the ME2 to the talent's chest and still get sound like it was from a boom. This would be great for any shoot you don't want to expose the always attention-grabbing tie clip.

And for this purpose, would a ME4 be better than the ME2? Has anyone tested this?
 
Sectaguy said:
What about the lavalier mics of the G2 system? I hear you can attach the ME2 to the talent's chest and still get sound like it was from a boom. This would be great for any shoot you don't want to expose the always attention-grabbing tie clip.

And for this purpose, would a ME4 be better than the ME2? Has anyone tested this?
Click to expand...

I always prefer the ME2 (omni) over the ME4 (cardioid) - but better to upgrade to the MKE 2-ew (omni) if you can afford it as it's a much better mic. - unbreakable steel cable and a capsule with an "umbrella" diaphragm to protect it from swweat and damp.
 
The lav's that come with the G2's pretty much suck. The best options are either a Sanken COS-11 or Countryman B6 (both expensive). A good value lav that still sounds good is the Countryman EMW, which is pretty reasonably priced.

Phil
 
John Willett said:
The G2 has this on the 500 series receivers.
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This was based on a similar price point comparison. The Sony UWP-V1 or V6 is supposed to compete with the Sennheiser 100 G2 series in price and quality. Currently $50 cheaper than the 100 series, that's why this is one of the features that brings the Sony out against it. Comparing to the 500 series is apples and oranges
 
What is the general opinion of the 500s against the closest Lectro option? I see a lot of frustrated audio operators complain about switches breaking and having to regularly bench their Lectros, but have heard none of this from Sennheiser users. How is it that the solid-state Lectros seem to have so many days in the shop? I've never seen an operator treat their receivers with anything less than kid gloves.

I know the Lectros lend themselves better to walking mix use with their displays up top instead of on the side, but I'd like some real world reviews of the 500s as I'm in the market for two sets today.

e
 
Hi Eric,

I can speak of the durability of the 100 series as we area a Sennheiser dealer (and dvxuser sponsor), that has literally sold over 500 units without many issues. The only two that come to mind are, from pushing the up and down arrows too hard (this happened twice with this customer and we replaced them immediately). The other is from a customer that we think had a broken antenna, he just wound up buying a second set new as it was out of warranty and he did not want to buy and replace a $15 antenna.
I've dropped at least 2 units and they have had no issues. We've also rented them out with great success. Actually, now that I think about it, I do recall a customer phoning in because the talent stretched the mic cable, but that is pretty typical of any wireless and most preventable. So mostly just user abuse that I can think of. That's a pretty good track record for a piece of what I think is, pretty complicated electronics.
As for the sound quality, you can be the judge. I'd be more than happy to offer a 30 day, 100% money back guarantee if you'd like to try a set, and can offer another 10% off if you'll write a little review here and post a sound sample.
 
Guy, thanks. I'm intimately familiar with the 100 series.

I'm more interested in the feature-set and opinions on the new 500 series from audio operators who use them in the field.

e
 
Erik Olson said:
Guy, thanks. I'm intimately familiar with the 100 series.

I'm more interested in the feature-set and opinions on the new 500 series from audio operators who use them in the field.
Click to expand...

The 500 series are identical to the 100 series in quality and operation.

But - with the 500 series you get 20 switchable frequencies instead of 4 - you get a fully balanced output (100 is unbalanced) and you also get a headphones socket (100 series does not do headphones).

500 series transmitters also transmit battery status to the receiver, but this can only be read by the mains receiver.

Otherwise they will behave in the field exactly as your 100s do.
 
i don't mind the stock me-2 mic for my corporate work. it does the job. I own a couple of mke-2 golds but have rarely used them. I have had a bad experience with an me-2 before but I later figured out it was a dodgy cable.
here's a thrilling example of the audio we got from the stock mic straight out of the z1. warning: you will be bored sh#tless.
 
No difference in the HDX compander circuitry or anything else then? Also, how does the Sennheiser compander compare to, say, the Lectro 400?

Easier to guage are big differences like the Lectro 400 series being a 100mW unit compared to the Senn's 500's 30mW. The best TV shows I've been on all use COS11 mikes and that'll likely be what I put on my transmitters regardless of what brand I buy.

e
 
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