Best lapel wireless kit for under $300?

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Timothy Carr

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So im looking for some super cheap $300 lapel mics (2x for the $300).
Please dont go "Spend more money" etc, im already dropping 25k on a Red Scarlet. I will be using a boom most of the time, but there is 1 shot coming up that needs this (not much dialog so all good).
 
No, thanks anyway. I dont like renting. Besides, its one shot, but not 1 day. We will shoot the same scene in different locations over a few days.
 
If camera is worth budgeting $25000, but the audio is only worth $150, then it sounds like you are making high-resolution, widescreen silent movies. Just curious whether you budgeted anything for lights? Or are you shooting day-for-night as well.

You already know what we are going to tell you. I am always fascinated to learn what makes people think they are exempt from the rules that apply to everyone else?

$150 per channel isn't even a decent budget for WIRED lavs.
 
Look guys, i appreciate your help, but please answer my question, not create others like "Do you have lighting, thats not much, etc"
For your information, yes i have good lighting (what made you think it was a night shoot?). I have a boom mic for the rest of the film (if you read the original post) so its this ONE SHOT. I also want these mics because the shot is a explosion, and well i dont want to ruin anything (Ruined my NTG3 before, and couldn't even use the shot because the mic was there). Dont suggest SFX, i probably will add stuff, but i want a sound from the original too.

Again, i dont want wired stuff, all wireless (as im on a Steadicam and need wireless for the best performance). So PLEASE is there any wireless lapel mics for $150.

EDIT: I was also thinking what i can do for realtime wireless. I have though about getting a few ZOOM H1 and just hooking mics up that way, and syncing in post. Unless you can get a addon for the h1 that is...
 
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Why waste your 25k on a red scarlet as the picture is only half of the story and with crap audio you are wasting your money, if you wan't to re-invent the wheels then go ahead but I think you will find that the results will be less than satisfactory and if you are doing this for paying clients you will soon find them not using you much.

I use budget kit most of the time but know its limitations, but a $150 radio mic is not what I would entertain on even my set-up based around a panasonic HPX371, personally I use sennheiser G2's and they are acceptable for most jobs as an entry level radio mic.

The RED is a pro camera and has to be handled in a pro workflow, it is not even designed to record decent audio as most of it's applications warrant a seperate sound set up, I have seen numerous films shot on RED that look far worse than my sub $10k camera as people think it is a magic do all for great filmic images and forget you have to use a lot of light with it and give it the respect it needs in grading etc.

Right tools for the job and all that etc, if its for one shot that is problematic then do the audio in post and just shoot guide with your boom on set.

To answer your question though get the best you can for the money and the audio tech is around your price level: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...8_TV_829_W88_13_829_Camera_Mountable_VHF.html

If you can spend a little more then get the omni version: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/68061-REG/Audio_Technica_W88_68_830_Pro_88W_Camera.html

You will need to choose the correct frequencies for your region and these are VHF but that is all you will get at this price level, there are cheaper ones from Nady on B&H http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/746945-REG/Nady_351VR_LT_O_F_351VR_VHF_Wireless_Lavalier.html but audio tech tends to be reasonable quality, I personally use their budget AT876R mics all the time as my stock short shotgun.
 
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Again, im not a noob. If there is nothing to say about the wireless mics for $150, dont say it at all. Im not wasting my money, and im doing a pro workflow. Once again i am using these as cheap mics. Just like people use gopros as "crash cams" im using these cheap lapels for the same thing. Somebody told me not to deal with DVXUser, i thought they were being unreasonable, but obviously not...
 
This is a new one for the audio board. Usually DSLR shooters show up here and say, "I just spent all my $3000 savings on a dslr and now I want pro sound for $300". This takes that to a whole new level.

It doesn't cut much ice here when folks don't hear what they want to hear and get cranky over it. In this case, the reality is you can't get anything worth turning on for $150 per channel. Think more like $600 per channel and that would be the decent but still pro-entry level Sennheiser G3. You can get a decent wired lav for under $200 and that would be the Countryman EMW. Others might suggest a few others.

Assuming you have a sound person working on your production, does that person have any wireless gear? Seems strange that they wouldn't.

Cheapo recorders like a Zoom aren't going to handle extreme variations in SPL very well, they will probably clip, and you won't be able to monitor them either.

I usually don't like to rent either, but in this case, rent. You can probably rent a couple of channels for the price of one Zoom H1.

Grant
 
finally, someone who is reasonable. Ok lets get this strait, im not saying "Can i get pro sound for $150", thats impossible. I have the "pro awsome amazing" side of it covered. im saying "What can i buy for $150". I dont want pro sound. Dont need pro sound (not with these anyway).

No offence, but if i had a sound tech working on it, why would i consult DVX User (again, im sure dvx user is great to some, but the replys i seem to get...)
No, its just me, a few actors, and a helping had to hold the mic.
 
"Somebody told me not to deal with DVXUser, i thought they were being unreasonable, but obviously not..."

Since you are not a noob (to audio) I'm not sure why you are even asking us unreasonable DVXuser folks such simple questions. A not-noob would usually have a bit of wireless experience....even someone with a Scarlet.

Grant
 
Not a noob in video. Im a Dop, Editor, Director, Producer, etc, but unfortunately i have not had heaps of sound experience. (dont get me wrong, im not helpless) I use boom mics, wired lapels, and other stuff. Never used cheap stuff. Anyways dont worry guys, i found a few on ebay for $10 for 2, so they will do fine for what i need. Thanks for all the helpless reply's, tell your fingers i said sorry you had to type all that up.
 
Haha but i solved my problem even more. Zoom H1 + 2.4GHZ Lossless audio transmitters (just bare boards, so some hacking to go on here) and a cheap wired lapel. Boom problem solved.

You guys missunderstand. I already have sound down pat. Im looking for lapel mics that will probably be blown up in the first 10 mins of use, so as long as that potato you were saying picks up sound, im fine. BTW did i mention, this was not even for the final release, just for proxies and what have you? so good quality isnt a problem. Hell, i might just end up using the boom from a distance...
 
You sound like a troll to me as there is the usual drip feed of information and then you change your track when challenged.

Glad you got sorted and thread is now redundant as you found your own solution anyway and chose to ignore our advice!

Next!
 
Thanks. Im no troll. Where have i changed my track? What advice was that may i ask? I set some points, and that didnt match the criteria.
 
You asked a question re best $150 lapel mics (wireless in thread title), I answered with a solution around the budget but you seem to have found a better solution down a different track for $10 or with some 2.4g transmitters.

Hope it works and good luck I personally threw my 2.4 ghz video transmitters in the bin as they didn't work, there is no such thing as a lossless radio system so hope you don't waste your money.

BTW is this you? http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2252713/
 
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Timothy Carr said:
Look guys, i appreciate your help, but please answer my question, not create others like "Do you have lighting, thats not much, etc"
For your information, yes i have good lighting (what made you think it was a night shoot?). I have a boom mic for the rest of the film (if you read the original post) so its this ONE SHOT. I also want these mics because the shot is a explosion, and well i dont want to ruin anything (Ruined my NTG3 before, and couldn't even use the shot because the mic was there). Dont suggest SFX, i probably will add stuff, but i want a sound from the original too.

Again, i dont want wired stuff, all wireless (as im on a Steadicam and need wireless for the best performance). So PLEASE is there any wireless lapel mics for $150.

EDIT: I was also thinking what i can do for realtime wireless. I have though about getting a few ZOOM H1 and just hooking mics up that way, and syncing in post. Unless you can get a addon for the h1 that is...
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There are NO ... repeat NO ... wireless lapel mic kits for $150 or less that will produce usable results. Anything in that price range will sound like a tin-can on the end of a piece of string. Rent a proper professional-grade kit for a couple of days. Rental is good enough for the Hollywood studios, it's good enough for the major for the national TV networks, it's good enough for you.
 
Tim, My advice to you is, check out what Gary is doing and then ask yourself if you still want to ignore what he saying...
 
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