Comparability Check. Sanken Cos11d and Sennheiser G3

B

Boon

Well-known member
1) Sanken COS11D
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ..._11D_Omnidirectional_Lavalier_Microphone.html
2) Sound Device MixPre D
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...es_MIXPRE_D_MixPre_D_Compact_Field_Mixer.html
3) Sennheiser EW112 G3 Wireless System
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ser_EW_112P_G3_A_EW112_p_G3_Camera_Mount.html
4) Sennheiser MZA-900
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/387918-REG/Sennheiser_MZA900P_MZA_900_P.html

I'm ordering the above audio gear from B&H and I've some questions.
Can I connect the Sanken Cos11d to the Sennheiser EW112 G3 Wireless System with it's TA5 connector?
Will the Sanken wired correctly with the Sennheiser locking 3.5mm?

Can I also hardwired the Sanken Cos11d to the SD MixPre D with the Sennheiser MZA-900 if there's a need for wired over wireless.

thanks!
 
The Sennheiser G3 system needs a lav wired for 1/8" connection, not TA5. The MZA-900 is fine for connecting straight to the MixPre-D when you don't need wireless. In fact, wired is much more reliable than wireless, so use that unless you absolutely have to go wireless.

One glaring omission: do you have good headphones?
 
I use a COS11d wired for Sennheiser wireless, and it works just fine. Here's an example video.

PS Mods: I can't read the black text on dark gray BG when composing messages now....
 
Boon said:
Can I connect the Sanken Cos11d to the Sennheiser EW112 G3 Wireless System with it's TA5 connector?
Click to expand...
No. You need a COS11D with a locking mini. This is the one:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...1XPT_Omnidirectional_Lavalier_Microphone.html

Boon said:
Can I also hardwired the Sanken Cos11d to the SD MixPre D with the Sennheiser MZA-900 if there's a need for wired over wireless.
Click to expand...
Not with the one you linked in your post, but if you buy the one I linked above it will work with the MZA-900.
 
Thanks guys for clearing up the confusion. Appreciate! I actually thought the G3 is TA5 connector.

@Alex
Yes. I've headphone :happy:
Wired is always my preference but thought I just have a option for wireless when the occasion calls for it.

@Sam
Thanks for the link. Will order that.

By the way, what's a reasonable step up from the Zoom H4n recorder without burning a big hole in my pocket.
Any recommendation below USD1000?
 
Boon said:
@Sam
Thanks for the link. Will order that.
Click to expand...

Same thing I linked in my first post. Just FYI.

Boon said:
By the way, what's a reasonable step up from the Zoom H4n recorder without burning a big hole in my pocket.
Any recommendation below USD1000?
Click to expand...

How many tracks do you need?

The Fostex FR2-LE is a great, little recorder. I have one paired with a MixPre-D, and I use the 1/8" tape out of the SD into the 1/4" line ins on the Fostex. It's a nice, compact kit for small projects. Next up above that would be either of two offerings from TASCAM: the DR680 if you think you'll need to multi-track, or the HD-P2 if a two-track (stereo) machine is enough.

Keep in mind that the DR680 has had some reports lately of overheating, and there's a RECENT THREAD about that.

The HD-P2 is an awesome machine, but the XLR inputs are incorrectly labeled as MIC/LINE. Do not pump a line-level signal in through the XLR connections. The best way to connect to the MixPre-D is to take the 1/8" tape out to the HD-P2's RCA line inputs.
 
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Thanks guys.
I only need a 2 channel mixer.
I'm liking the HD-P2. The overheating DR-680 sounds scary.
I would connect the 1/8 tape out on the MixPre D to my Canon 5D and line out from the mixer 's XLR to HD-P2 RCA line input. Comments?
 
Boon said:
I would connect the 1/8 tape out on the MixPre D to my Canon 5D and line out from the mixer 's XLR to HD-P2 RCA line input. Comments?
Click to expand...

No. The MixPre-D has a TA3 (mini XLR) mic-level out designed specifically for DSLRs. Your 5DmkII cannot take a line-level signal, even at -10dB consumer (which is what the unbalanced Tape Out offers). You'll need to get the TA3>1/8" cable to make that connection.

For the HD-P2, you can:
- take the XLR outs at mic-level and go into the recorder's XLR ins (not a great idea, as it means putting the signal through a second set of pre-amps),
- take the XLR outs at line-level and get some custom cables with inline padding to take it down to unbalanced, RCA line-level (workable but, over-complicating a simple matter), or
- take the 1/8" Tape Out from the mixer to the RCA line inputs on the recorder.

The latter is the more practical option, and an unbalanced connection isn't going to hurt the signal for such a short run.

There's another option, though, that would be ideal: get a converter cable that takes AES/EBU digital (XLR) to S/PDIF coaxial digital (RCA). The MixPre-D can send AES out, and the HD-P2 has S/PDIF in.
 
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Alex H. said:
You'll need to get the TA3>1/8" cable to make that connection.
Click to expand...
This is the cable Alex recommends:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/293005-REG/Sound_Devices_XL_3_XL3_Mini_Male_to.html

I wasn't aware that the HD-P2 had wonky balanced line-level inputs. That's a drag. I think you'd be giving up too much sound quality by not using the balanced XLR outputs on the Mixpre-D into a recorder that can accept a pro line-level signal on balanced inputs. I would say nullify your gear lust for the HD-P2, and go for the Fostex FR-2 LE instead. Or do yourself one better and save up for a Sound Devices 702.
 
Sam Mallery said:
I wasn't aware that the HD-P2 had wonky balanced line-level inputs. That's a drag. I think you'd be giving up too much sound quality by not using the balanced XLR outputs on the Mixpre-D into a recorder that can accept a pro line-level signal on balanced inputs.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine blew her pre-amps out a few years ago on a brand-new HD-P2. Recording a concert, taking an AUX mix from the console, the signal was fed to the recorder's XLR ins, and the machine's input selector was set to "LINE". Everything went wonky. The unit went back to TASCAM for service, and they had to replace the input board. It was fried, and the repair tech said that she should never connect a line-level signal to the XLR ins. What makes this even more frustrating is that the HD-P2's predecessor, the DA-P1 DAT, has the same form factor and the same labeling. I ran with one of those for years, and the XLRs could be set to accept line-level signal. So, even though the HD-P2's XLR ins have "MIC/LINE" printed on them, don't believe it.

As for signal degradation over unbalanced connections, that's not an issue at all. Unbalanced connections don't have any issues until they are run for long distances. The short (8"-12") hop that's needed for the connection from the MixPre-D to the HD-P2 is negligible. I used the same connection from a Shure FP33 to the DA-P1 so that I could use the mixer's XLR outs to connect to a DBeta cam. I used the DAT as a backup, and to record sound beds while the DP was shooting MOS.
 
Boon said:
Guys, any love for the Sony PCM-D50?
Click to expand...

I have and love the D-50, but it has no XLR input. You have to be using a Preamp like the MixPre for the D-50 to be useful on a set. But if you do have a preamp, the D-50 absolutely kills anything by Zoom.
 
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