Lavalier microphones that cut with the Sennheiser ME-66...

D

Dave Draper

Well-known member
Sorry about my other threads - Formatting screwed up, so I deleted the contents.

Anyway, moving on... :)

What lavalier microphones would you guys recommend for cutting with the Sennheiser ME-66?

They will mostly be used for film and TV applications (so require that "Hollywood" / filmic sound), plus the odd interview or two.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

DD.
 
If you're looking for the "Hollywood Sound," first step would be to replace the ME66 with a MKH416. The core of many mixer's arensal would include a Schoeps CMC641 hyper complemented with a Schoeps CMIT for when a gun is called for - the CMIT was designed specifficaly to intercut smoothly with the '41. But anyway you cut it, it's hard to smoothly intercut lav footage with boomed shotgun footage since the timbre of the mics are so different. No matter what mics you choose there's going to be a lot of work in post to make them sound the same. Consider the mic position - a CU boomed has the mic about 2 feet away, a wide shot with the talent lav'ed has the mic 8 inches away. The mic is moving closer while the visual perspective is moving away!
 
Dave,

The audio board can be pretty brutal.

The me-66 is not a very loved mic on this board, so you won't get many positive answers to your question because pretty much no one would use that mic to begin with. There are plenty of ME-66s in use, but if you listen to any comparison tests, the 66 doesn't hold up very well even to similar peers. Sorry, I'm not trying to be the grim reaper.

Trying to cut a lav with any shotgun in the same scene for dialogue is going to be difficult. Used in different scenes, with different locations, having a different sound is fine, the viewer wouldn't expect it to sound the same, just be consistant when the locations are similar. Using both in the same scene for dialogue isn't going to work very well.

Having said that, in an interview situation, I would often use both a boomed mic and possibly a lav so I have a backup track for editing.

Grant
 
What Grant said... So- ditch the ME66 & buy a Rode NTG-2 (if you need the battery option) or, better yet: the NTG-3 (if you have P48 power available) & match either of them with the new Rode Lavalier. Great warranties on all 3 of these, as well as closely matching sound.
 
That Rode lav does sound good. I don't need to hide mics usually, so it is on my wish list. Cross that COS off.

Grant
 
Well, guys... Not sure what to think of my ME-66 now! It was my first professional mike, and I haven't used it much at all. Always thought it sounded great when I did, though. But I never had anything to compare it to. However, I'm happy to trade up for better / something more suited to the application I need it for.

John Willett said:
mke 2
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I was thinking about the MKE-2, but in all of the samples I've heard, it has this unattractive "edgy" sound to it. Not anywhere near as smooth, or "Hollywood" as I'd like.

Alpha Flying Monkey said:
So- ditch the ME66 & buy a Rode NTG-2 (if you need the battery option) or, better yet: the NTG-3 (if you have P48 power available) & match either of them with the new Rode Lavalier.
Click to expand...

I haven't found many audio samples of the RODE Lavalier out there, but the extremely low price makes me think I'd be better off getting something more expensive.

Please forgive me, though... I'm not an audio expert by any means (clearly). I just want to build a really fantastic sounding audio kit (for use in Film / TV) that I won't want to update or upgrade for a while, which will be a tough one for me, as I can be quite fickle in regards to filmmaking equipment.

DD.
 
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Chad posted a 4 mic comparison recently, a quick search should find it. In this case expensive isn't better. The issue with the Rode lav will be hiding it, if that is an issue. So if that is a need, the COS-11 or Countryman B6 might be better, though I own neither. I do use Countryman EMWs and would really like to hear the Rode in a comparison.

The other thing that appears to be VG (very cool) about the Rode Lav, is the implementation of adapters, so you can switch terminations easily. So you can switch between a wireless transmitter and a XLR for example.

Grant
 
Here's the lav shootout I did... By te way I'm loving the rode Lavalier as well as the new PinMic, which uses the same capsule. I'll be making a PinMic video when I get a chance. BTW, the Rode Lav is abut the same size as the COS11D, maybe smaller.

 
Chad,

Interesting about the size comparison, it looked like the Rode was bigger. In this case, bigger isn't better. Good to hear.

Grant
 
ggrantly said:
The issue with the Rode lav will be hiding it, if that is an issue.
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I would need to be able to hide it...

ggrantly said:
The other thing that appears to be VG (very cool) about the Rode Lav, is the implementation of adapters, so you can switch terminations easily. So you can switch between a wireless transmitter and a XLR for example.
Click to expand...

That's definitely one of the things that attracts me to the RODE Lavalier - Not having to buy a different lavalier every time I want to use one in a different socket type. However, one thing I'm a little confused about is, if I can plug my XLR ME-66 into an XLR-to-3.5mm Jack adapter, for instance, then why can't ANY old lavalier (excluding the RODE) accept adapters of some sort?

Chadfish said:
Here's the lav shootout I did...
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Fantastic video, Chad - Definitely between the Sanken COS-11D and the RODE Lavalier for me there.

Interestingly, I don't like how the RODE Lavalier sounds in Guy Cochran's video. It could be, perhaps, because he has it positioned upside down, but I'm not sure.

Chadfish said:
By the way I'm loving the rode Lavalier as well as the new PinMic, which uses the same capsule. I'll be making a PinMic video when I get a chance.
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I was checking out the Pinmic earlier...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yX8WK0foa0

Thought it sounded quite impressive.

Even though it uses the same capsule as the RODE Lavalier, I wonder if the two sound any different from each other. Would be interesting to hear.

Chadfish said:
BTW, the Rode Lav is abut the same size as the COS11D, maybe smaller.
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Small enough to hide? :)

DD.
 
When the pop filters are off of them, both the COS11D and RodeLav are pretty close in size. The Rode is just a tad thicker, and they are the same length. So hiding under clothes will be the same. If you'll be using them with the pop filters on, the Rode's is foam and is bigger, but probably works better.
 
I'm waiting for another XLR Micon Connector so I can record both the Lav and the PinMic at the same time, and determine how different they sound. Since the Lav will point up, and the PimMic will point out, who knows. People assume that an omni pattern magically micks up equally from all directions, but I think there's some difference between the mic pointing away from, and pointing to your mouth.

The reason you cant just use any old XLR adapter is because the mics take power. So the XLR adapter takes 48v Phantom and brings it down to 1v. Same with the mini jack. It takes "plug-in power" from some recorders and converts it to what the lav needs. So you could plug a Lav / PinMic into a Zoom H1, stick the H1 in the pocket of a groom, and you're good for a wedding ceremony. The lav will hide under clothes as well as the COS11D, but the PinMic will hide in plain site. They give you an extra silver mesh cap that you can spray paint to match costumes. Pretty cool! But even without paint, just having a small black/silver dot on your clothes is cooler looking than the lav popping out of the button gap on a shirt with a little wire showing.
 
Hey Chad - Many thanks for the informative replies.

I've gotta say, I've very tempted by the RODE Lavalier, AND the RODE Pinmic.

Have you thought about doing any below-wardrobe tests with the above mikes? Would love to hear what they sound like under those conditions.

Also, are you aware if there are any slimmer profile pop filters for the RODE Lavalier?

DD.
 
Dave. I'll try to do some under clothes tests, though the purpose of the PimMic is to hide in plain sight, and with the Lav under clothes you wouldn't need the pop filter. I do not think they have another size. They do have a vampire clip I forgot to get... I tried to fit my COS11D metal pop filter on the Rode Lav, but it was a tad too small.

I'm just coming down with what seems like the flu, so I don't know if it will happen this weekend. Maybe next... But it will go down.
 
Chadfish said:
Dave. I'll try to do some under clothes tests, though the purpose of the PimMic is to hide in plain sight, and with the Lav under clothes you wouldn't need the pop filter. I do not think they have another size. They do have a vampire clip I forgot to get... I tried to fit my COS11D metal pop filter on the Rode Lav, but it was a tad too small.

I'm just coming down with what seems like the flu, so I don't know if it will happen this weekend. Maybe next... But it will go down.
Click to expand...

I am very interested in the Rode PinMic.... but I can't seem to find it anywhere? Is it out yet? if not, what is the release date?
 
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