Lav Questions

J

Joe_Hicks

Well-known member
I just purchased the G2 system and now want to purchase a better mic. I'm bouncing between Sanken COS-11 and the Countryman.

A couple of questions:

- How is everyone getting the COS-11 to connect to the Senheiser G2 since a compatible cable is not made?

- If anyone has any experience or input, I'd like to know the differences between the B3, B6, and EMW. Is one far superior in sound quality?

Thanks,
Joe
 
Joe. I'm not familiar with the Sanken, but I have a Countryman. When you order it, you need to specify what you will be connecting it to. So when I ordered mine, I just told the dealer that I needed the Senn cable. The best I can tell it came from the factory like that, though many good audio shops can take the mics with bare ends and put on whatever plug you desire.

The Countryman B6 is a marvel of engineering. It's like 1/3 the size of the stock Senn lav.

Bob
 
Bobonli- I spoke with B&H Photo today and they told me that Sanken does not make a cable that connects to the G2. So, I'm assuming if people are using these two products together, they must be using a conversion cable??

Have you used the B6? Are you pleased with it's accuracy? On another post I saw a link to a test between 6-7 mics. They tested the E6 and I thought it was a bit boomy in my opinion?? Thoughts?
 
Mike:
Now we're getting somewhere. Thank you for that info!

Do you like the sound you get from your COS-11?
 
Joe_Hicks said:
Bobonli- I spoke with B&H Photo today and they told me that Sanken does not make a cable that connects to the G2. So, I'm assuming if people are using these two products together, they must be using a conversion cable??

Have you used the B6? Are you pleased with it's accuracy? On another post I saw a link to a test between 6-7 mics. They tested the E6 and I thought it was a bit boomy in my opinion?? Thoughts?
Click to expand...


As for the wiring, it is possible that they either don't offer that or don't know they offer it! I posed the same question (regarding the Countryman) there on two occasions and was told "yes we can get that" and "No they don't make it that way." I think it depends on who you speak with. That's why I went down the block from them to a dedicated audio shop. Gotham Sound in NYC.

I'm happy with the B6. Never tried any of the other Countryman products.
 
Hi Joe:

I wish that you had more time, I am in the middle of a large lavalier shootout/review/article and will be comparing the Sanken COS-11x (the brand new version of the COS-11) and the B6.

Countryman has been the only lav manufacturer who has basically ignored me even after multiple e-mails, phone messages and a conversation with their press contact, but I have 16 other models in the article (even Sony is cooperating which is quite a feat!) I happen to personally own the B6 so the B6 will be featured. I don't have sound samples recorded until next week but I have used both mics quite a bit. Unfortunately I will not have the EMW and the B3.

The B6 is excellent and sounds killer. It's only drawback is that the cable is so tiny and thin, and it seems a bit microphonic. That means you must be very careful when rigging it, especially when doing narrative type of stuff where you are hiding the mic and cable. Also, you cannot comprehend how ridiculously small the B6 is, which makes it really easy to use because it is invisible almost anywhere you put it.

The Sanken is more popular amongst professional sound mixers and it sounds outstanding. But it's much larger and the cable is three to four times as thick as the Countryman B6 cable.

You will not go wrong with either, they are both excellent, it just boils down to what suits your needs more. I am lazy so I like the Countryman a bit better simply because it is so easy to hide. If I was a working sound mixer and could only afford one or the other, I would buy the Sanken, just simply because it's the standard. And it does sound REALLY good.

The article will go live by the end of the month, I did photography yesterday and will be doing testing and recording all weekend. It will be a massive article and will feature 100-200 sound clips and lots of images as well as probably 30-50 pages of text.

Dan
 
Hey Dan,
Thanks for your reply. That's awesome that you're doing this review/article, it's greatly needed and will certainly help others that come along needing a lav.

As for me, I've decided to go with the Sanken COS-11X. While the Countryman is tempting and cheaper, my primary shooting is location documentary and I know that the B6 won't last anytime at all with me.

I've heard nothing but excellent reviews from users and pros about the COS-11. I hooked up today with Trew Audio (www.trewaudio.com) and they'll make me the compatible cable for the Sennheiser G2.

I want to give a little plug for this company here, as they were very helpful and in no hurry to get me off the phone-- refreshing in today's society!

Anyway, my search is over and I hope this thread can help others in the same pursuit.

Joe
 
The sanken cos11 sounds very good for a lav, but no where near as good as a decent hyper on a boom.

I use my sankens whenever I can't use a boom.
 
puredrifting said:
Hi Joe:

I wish that you had more time, I am in the middle of a large lavalier shootout/review/article and will be comparing the Sanken COS-11x (the brand new version of the COS-11) and the B6.

Countryman has been the only lav manufacturer who has basically ignored me even after multiple e-mails, phone messages and a conversation with their press contact, but I have 16 other models in the article (even Sony is cooperating which is quite a feat!) I happen to personally own the B6 so the B6 will be featured. I don't have sound samples recorded until next week but I have used both mics quite a bit. Unfortunately I will not have the EMW and the B3.

The B6 is excellent and sounds killer. It's only drawback is that the cable is so tiny and thin, and it seems a bit microphonic. That means you must be very careful when rigging it, especially when doing narrative type of stuff where you are hiding the mic and cable. Also, you cannot comprehend how ridiculously small the B6 is, which makes it really easy to use because it is invisible almost anywhere you put it.

The Sanken is more popular amongst professional sound mixers and it sounds outstanding. But it's much larger and the cable is three to four times as thick as the Countryman B6 cable.

You will not go wrong with either, they are both excellent, it just boils down to what suits your needs more. I am lazy so I like the Countryman a bit better simply because it is so easy to hide. If I was a working sound mixer and could only afford one or the other, I would buy the Sanken, just simply because it's the standard. And it does sound REALLY good.

The article will go live by the end of the month, I did photography yesterday and will be doing testing and recording all weekend. It will be a massive article and will feature 100-200 sound clips and lots of images as well as probably 30-50 pages of text.

Dan
Click to expand...
i can tell you with out you will need to test
taht no countryman come close to sanken or dpa sound
the b-6 is worth only foprinterals working situtions as sucks big time to work with it in open air .

about the nw sanken its no differnt in enything than the ol dversion buy its characteristics , only as they said more sweat resistence and better cable connection
by the way i hve never had even 1 failuer with sanken for last 12 years i work with .
 
I bought a Sanken COS-11BP -good for the G2 and also on phantom power-, but I would like to say that Sennheiser sells the G2 standard with a lousy mic the ME-2 but they also sell pretty good ones: MKE-2. MKE-2 in different flavors. The problem is that some think that the ME-2 and MKE-2 are the same.. not.

Sennheiser can better change the naming in the USA for the lav mics, here in NL we buy the MKE-2 platinum pretty cheap. And it is a much! much better mic. With a good high end.
 
puredrifting

Did you ever do the lav shootout mentioned in this thread? I found it searching for COS-11X info. Got a link or something?

Chadfish
 
I can't believe I missed this thread.

You can get a COS11 wired for G2 from Guy (DVestore, and sponsor of DVXuser).

I have COS11, B6, and EMW... all wired for G2... and they go in that order... the COS11 is a mile better then the B6.

While the B6 tiny size makes it possible to hide it in some tiny places... (hair, etc.) the COS11 resistance to handling noise, etc. means that overall the advantage of the tiny B6 is mostly a mute point. (The COS11 hides under, and IN clothing with more success, etc.)

I actually have 2 x EMW and one is currently non-working... which is why I decided to try the COS11 for G2. I'd already been using COS11 with Lectro for years... and I should have got them for the G2 sooner.

I'll get a comparison video up for you guys. Maybe tomorrow.
 
MattinSTL said:
the COS11 resistance to handling noise, etc. means that overall the advantage of the tiny B6 is mostly a mute point.
Click to expand...

Hi Matt

So the COS-11 does NOT have a lot of handling noise? I have been researching it and read a few times that it is more sensitive, and actually DOES have more handling noise, or noise from clothes. I was slightly concerned, though I am still buying one from Guy today. Many jobs I go on are "one man band" affairs, and though I would love to get more real world use out of my NTG-3, the reality is that I lav-up people most of the time.

I wondered about a couple of lavs mentioned when I was researching a show called "Music in High Places" where they have someone like Jill Scott, Ryan Adams or the Goo Goo Dolls out on a mountain top playing with their band acoustically, but with no visible mics. They get the vocals off lavs going through Lectrosonics units. They use Trams, Sennheiser K2, and Shure WL50. I'm not sure if that was more for the ability to hide them or for sound quality.

Here's the link to the article: http://digitalcontentproducer.com/mag/video_high_music/

And here's the part about lavs:

“Obviously, we have to be wireless, so we were using Lectrosonic wireless systems, which I think are about the best of the battery-operated field wireless systems available,” Worsham continues. His team also used a combination of lavalier microphones including Trams; with their flat shape and presence boost, they hide well under clothing.

“We've also been using Sennheiser K2 lavalier mics, which are similar to the ones that are used on the Broadway theater stage for voice,” Worsham explains. “They're very flat microphones, and they have very good reach. You can hide them in places that normally wouldn't work well, yet they sound full and open. Then we have a new lavalier microphone from Shure, the WL50, which is small like the Sennheiser, and it sounds unbelievable — it is the cleanest, clearest microphone. It has an option that allows you to go with either flat response or peak response. It was used on the acoustic basses on Wynonna and for both the vocal and the acoustic guitar on Shawn Colvin, and it sounded great.”

Anyway I think I'm still going with the COS-11X, but these mics interest me too.

Chad
 
Well I just found out that the COS-11X is discontinued, and replaced by the COS-11D. I ordered one from the DVStore with the "take 5" discount, and also got one of those new vampire clips they just got in. I got the model wired for G3 wireless. And for another 100 bucks or so I can buy an XLR connector for when I want to go straight into the camera in a sit-down situation.

Should be sweet!
 
The B6 has more handling noise than the COS-11, but the COS-11 has a decent amount of cable noise. I was surprised when I tested the Sanken, I thought it was THE lavaliere. It was good, but I thought some of the other lavs I tested were as good or even a little better.

I was pleasantly surprised that the TRAMs I have been using for twenty years held up pretty well overall with all of these newer lavs. If you need to cut seamlessly between a good shotgun or cardioid variant mic and a lav, the TRAM -TR-50B/SONOTRIM easily won that test.

Realistically, lavs are no different than shotguns/cardioids. There is no one single lav that is best, you need to have a bunch of them. I own five of them and want a couple more.

Dan
 
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