bad audio with Giant Squid Lav - Need replacement lav for 100$

PegLeg Media

PegLeg Media

Well-known member
So i just got a giant squid audio lav for $40 and filmed a presentation and a talking head with it plugged into my zoom h1. The audio has constant noise as the person moves and picks up people far away just as well as the speaker its attached to. I even tried putting on a little wind screen and i still pick up wind and every slight movement the person makes. I didnt have these issues with my audio technica atr-3350.

I want to upgrade to something different since this is clearly not useable. Any suggestions on best lav 3.5mm to plug into my zoom h1 for less that $100. I heard the rode smart lav is pretty good but i dont know if the quality is less since its made for the iphone. I liked my samson lm10 and how small it was but it broke, i may purchase another one but im not sure why the first one broke so kind of worried about buying a new one. Any suggestions? I need something that attaches to the person tight so I can use it for weddings/speeches without getting noise when the person moves.

Here is the sample from my giant squid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne7-neKl1vY


EDIT***
Thanks for your help everyone, I'd like to share my current mic and my theory of the problem:

just giving an update about my purchase... I got the OST Lav and LOVE it. I mout it the same as I did with the Giant Squid and quality has improved a ton. I realized for me and my needs, the chord of the Lav is more important than the mic itself. I took my 6 lavs and did a test where I had them recording and ran my finger down the chord to see how sensitive the needs were. On my Giant Squid as well as 2 of my cheaper lavs, you could hear noise the entire time I ran my finger down the chord to the 3.5mm jack. My 2 favorite mics, the $20 Audio Technica and the OST lav did not have this issue. In my test I ran my finger down the chord and after a few inches running my finger down the chord, the chord no longer had any impact on the sound. This may be different for an interview shot where the speaker doesnt move, but for weddings and live presentations I can only use my audio technica and my new OST lav. Just to give you examples, here are links to videos I filmed using the different mics, all attached to the subject in the same manner.

Giant Squid - Bad Audio - Presentation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne7-neKl1vY&hd=1
OST Mic - Good Audio - Presentation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlbyfLKcCCw
Audio Technica atr3350 - Good Audio - Promo Vid - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G3Vuaj8RQQ

Any suggestions for me? Is there something in the Mic specs I should search for about the chord before purchasing?​
 
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No mic, no matter what the cost, will sound much good if not properly mounted.. which is likely the main issue in the YT clip.
Aside from that... (OST) Oscar Soundtech mics are affordable, made in the USA and highly regarded by many professional film sound mixers..
The OST 801/802 sound similar to a Tram TR50 and are nearly identical in appearance.. the mounting clips are even interchangeable
 
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i had a wind screen on it, i had a loop a few inches down but the way the mic is built there was no room for a loop on the mount.

I want a mic with a 3.5mm jack so I can plug it into the zoom h1. Looks like the OST are all XLR
 
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Most of the lavs I have worked with are well above your price range, but the closest that I consider using would be the sennheiser ME-2.

I think the big thing here is being able to monitor your audio. It doesn't matter what mic you use, if you aren't monitoring the audio being recorded your recording could be bad and you'll never know until it is too late. For that, you'd need to upgrade your mixer/recorder. Something like the Tascam DR-60d might be a good choice. Some will say that's overkill for what you are doing, but it has the best mic pre's in the low budget recorder world that I've heard. Short of that, a used Sound Devices 702 would be great.
 
Not true that the OST mics are xlr - actually they are priced with bare wires, then you tell him what plug/compatibility is needed.

Email him for a price list for more details.

OST 801 is brighter
802 has less high end
TL-40 is very small, about the equiv. of a Countryman B3 (not B6). I find it just slightly brighter than the 802.
I have the 802 for a Sony UWP system, and the TL-40 for a Senn. G2 - in both cases the OST is an upgrade from the stock lavs.
 
excellent! I talked with them at OST, they can wire it just for the zoom h1. They recommended the 802, I film presentations and talking head interviews, would you recommend the 802 or the TL-40? The problem I always have is the top 2 feet of the chord makes noise when rubbed. Thats what I dont like about my giant squid, the entire chord is very sensitive so even if nothing touches the mic the chord can cause all sorts of loud noises.
 
PegLeg Media said:
excellent! I talked with them at OST, they can wire it just for the zoom h1. They recommended the 802, I film presentations and talking head interviews, would you recommend the 802 or the TL-40? The problem I always have is the top 2 feet of the chord makes noise when rubbed. Thats what I dont like about my giant squid, the entire chord is very sensitive so even if nothing touches the mic the chord can cause all sorts of loud noises.
Click to expand...
You said you had a strain loop in the cable but it sounds like you didn't get it quite right so it was ineffective. The idea is the cable is secured in the mic clip so rubs and tugs on the free part of the cable are absorbed at the clip jaws rather than continuing on to the mic capsule. If necessary a small piece of gaffers tape fastening the cable to the inside of the clothing just under the clip can help. I don't have a Giant Squid to try but looking at the online pictures of the mic and its clip it doesn't look like it would be too difficult to rig a proper "broadcast loop" strain relief with it.
 
Sorry, I've only had the TL40 for about 2 weeks and have been too covered up to do A/B testing. It's more about the style lav you need. The 801/802 are shaped like a Tram and are side-address. The 801 is brighter. I don't like a overly bright sound and never have to hide the lav so I got the 802. The TL40 is end address and much smaller. I think it sounds just as good as the 80x's, but is not as obtrusive and easier to hide. I just thought it might be useful at times to have the smaller mic and gambled that it would mix well if used with the 802. So far it seems to.

I bow to Steve House's expertise - if there is cable noise it's probably due to placement more than any other reason.
 
just giving an update about my purchase... I got the OST Lav and LOVE it. I mout it the same as I did with the Giant Squid and quality has improved a ton. I realized for me and my needs, the chord of the Lav is more important than the mic itself. I took my 6 lavs and did a test where I had them recording and ran my finger down the chord to see how sensitive the needs were. On my Giant Squid as well as 2 of my cheaper lavs, you could hear noise the entire time I ran my finger down the chord to the 3.5mm jack. My 2 favorite mics, the $20 Audio Technica and the OST lav did not have this issue. In my test I ran my finger down the chord and after a few inches running my finger down the chord, the chord no longer had any impact on the sound. This may be different for an interview shot where the speaker doesnt move, but for weddings and live presentations I can only use my audio technica and my new OST lav. Just to give you examples, here are links to videos I filmed using the different mics, all attached to the subject in the same manner.

Giant Squid - Bad Audio - Presentation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne7-neKl1vY&hd=1
OST Mic - Good Audio - Presentation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlbyfLKcCCw
Audio Technica atr3350 - Good Audio - Promo Vid - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0G3Vuaj8RQQ

Any suggestions for me? Is there something in the Mic specs I should search for about the chord before purchasing?
 
no i have done a lot of tests with this. if i move some wires around you cannot hear anything, if you have a finger rub anywhere on the 3 foot of cable with my other lavs the noise is picked up loudly. Yes if you tape it down all the way and have a stress relief loop it will make a huge difference, but im suprised the cable is not looked at as more an important factor than it is.
 
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