Lectrosonics 100 Series

The G2 was an exterior upgrade but the guts remained the same since they first came out with Evolution line in like 2000 (which is not say the vast improvment in the UI was not tremendously important). But there was no change in companding circuit between the "G1" and G2.

In the same time period since Senn introduced that wireless, Lectro has had 3 major generation introductions and countless different new units released. Even Zaxcom which is notoriously slow in putting out new stuff has released numerous new wireless models in the last 5 years. I just don't see Senn putting in even a quarter of that effort into their model line.

The 5000 (prices literally do match) are some of the most overpriced wireless ever to be hoisted on the professional audio public, hence why very few people ever talk about or use them . I too have seen them used once by a MSNBC crew shooting here in Seattle many years ago. Have not seen one since. Again, Senn not really keeping up with the competition. I really think Senn was focused on the Audio Ltd crowd with that line rather then the Lectro. But not being familar with the Europe market I don't know for sure.

But, I do come (more) to praise Sennheiser then to bury them. The G2 does what it does well for a good price.

Cheers
 
i think if you need to keep your repution work ( minim bad sound( hits , minimum complais about range , minimum i cant do it ) the 1500 us price ( the difference between and401 /um 400 and g-2) , is somethging you can live with
let say if you devide it for 3 years less what you can get for used lectrosnics in rush (50%), becomes 300us $ a month about 15 us for shooting day
15 insure you can do it - i can live with
 
Yes... you guys are correct about reputation and professional work. So if you're doing pro sound and getting anywhere near pro-sound rates then you'd better be using professional gear.

Here's a clip from a "semi-charity" project that I'm working on... this footage is from today... there were many times during the day that I got drops and hits from distances as short as 20-30'... but there are a lot of cuts like this... meaning not bad... especially for such a cheap wireless. About the only problem in this cut is that the mic/system is overloaded when the big metal bucket slams... the builder breaks his speech because we couldn't hear ourselves think for a second... but notice that this is a BIG guy... so having the noise source to his back gave me over a foot of sound absorption (his body thickness) and behind me is nothing to kick the sound back... so I'd say this came out okay.

It wasn't perfect all day... yes, hits a plenty... but generally speaking... well... just listen... and you get that for basically $500.

G2 and B6 example and comparison
 
Matt,

Thanks for posting the sample. Boy does that ever justify wiring someone even when production doesn't think they need it. Difference between a useable and an unusable audio track.

Phil
 
Oh, Matt and those using Countryman mics - I did find out this week that they can make an adapter for the B6 that lets you use it on both G2's and Lectro. They recommend the lectro plug be the primary, and use an adapter to take it to the G2. Cost was pretty minimal. Gonna help me with my transition to the Venue system (if I ever get paid for the commercial I was in 5 weeks ago). I can still use the G2's in my bag until I can justify/afford the Lectro portable receivers. :-)

Phil
 
now imagine the same sound with the tractor out the frame :-)

sorry Matt this shot say nothing about g-2 performers
 
ptalsky said:
Oh, Matt and those using Countryman mics - I did find out this week that they can make an adapter for the B6 that lets you use it on both G2's and Lectro. They recommend the lectro plug be the primary, and use an adapter to take it to the G2. Cost was pretty minimal. Gonna help me with my transition to the Venue system (if I ever get paid for the commercial I was in 5 weeks ago). I can still use the G2's in my bag until I can justify/afford the Lectro portable receivers. :-)

Phil
Click to expand...

what configuration the lectro g-2 adaptoris , um , sm or um+sm to g-2 ?
 
Oleg,

They said they could go either way UM or SM, so I have to decide which Tx I'm going to get. The reason they recommend going Lectro as the main connector is that it is a locking connector. For their adapters, their female 3.5mm plug isn't locking. So you have a locking Lectro connector on the wire, going into a lectro connector on the adapter going to a male G2 locking connector. Seems to make sense to me.

I was thinking about getting the venue bag now that it appears to be shipping, but based on the dimensions, it doesn't look like you can fit a 302, recorder and the venue bag all in my petrol bag. So I'll probably go with the rack for my cart, and then eventually get portable Rx for my bag.

Phil

Phil
 
sorry phil if you not intend working in the bag why bother buing the bag system , regullar 19 inch will sit better inside rack
about what tx , the lm are good enouth for the start , with external antennas you will have enouth range fo feature aplications or find some used um 200/400 for a start
 
Oleg... yeah I know it doesn't prove anything... I just didn't want to start a new thread just to say "here's me using a G2".

All these "which wireless" or "which mic" or "which"... ANYTHING threads need to ask the exact same questions every time! It would be nice if the original poster makes two things clear... BUDGET and the type of work that they do.

For pro gigs I wouldn't rely on my G2 sets... and I don't. I have Lectro 195d and 2xx series. The 195d is better then the G2, but not infallible... and the 2xx is as good as wired.

How many threads do we have asking "which"... a million? Well at least a thousand... and how many times does the original poster ask for the best... only to reveal two pages later that they have $250 to spend? 90% of the time?

I'm answering that other question in advance... by giving advice to the guy based on what he can afford... whether it's $500 or $1500... and by what he does... whether it's shooting with friends and the occasional wedding or random paying gig... or whether it's constant pro work at real pay rates.

I just posted the clip for kicks... and I put the guy in front of the track hoe on purpose... it's a way more interesting shot then having a guy standing in front of a hole in the dirt... I have plenty of those shots already. For the final edit we'll use about 2 good sentences with the track hoe behind him... this client is a hands-on kind of guy and we want to show that he gets right in there with the construction... it's a subliminal sales tool to see that the top guy will still drive a nail or get his boots muddy.

The Oktava was for the ambient sound that will be mixed in... I didn't think I could put a guy in front of n loud machine and mic him from 10' away.

I was simply showing what is possible with even a lowly G2 set. Did the OP clarify budget and requirements? If a Lectro 100 will max out his budget then I say don't bother... I owned one. It's not a huge improvement over the G2... if he can swing $1500 for a used 2xx series... or can somehow find a good condition 195d for under $1K... then he should do that (as I've been saying).

If you want to hear other audio done with a G2 in another crap location then you can check out this clip right here It's a super-compressed YouTube clip... I had an actor wear my countryman and G2 transmitter home... so this is the other set with a Sennheiser lav in plain view (this was a screentest to see if the guy has enough personality... and he does).

For the record I'm not trying to talk the guy into a G2 over a 195d or 2xx Lectro... have I not made that clear a dozen times? All I'm saying... and I stand by... is that a 100 Lectro with LM transmitter 'aint worth double the G2 price. How do I know? I OWNED one. All my old audio threads were about saving people the money that I lost... as I found out what was worth the price and what wasn't. I'm a big Lectro fan, but the 100 series is only in competition with itself... it isn't priced to compete with a G2 and it doesn't perform well enough to compete with any models that cost even just a few hundred more.
 
MattinSTL said:
If you want to hear other audio done with a G2 in another crap location then you can check out this clip right here
Click to expand...

Funny as heck!

By the way, hardly ever mentioned here, I used the Audio-Technica ATW series wireless with an Sony ECM77 very successfully for several shoots.
 
i say much simple thing , if you depends on wireless , its always better go for better one .

how good is the stuff doesnt mesure in regular condition but when you push equip to the limits , i like my limits as fur as possible , others will do whatever they like , i just dont justification using this half professional forum stating that some of equip is not crap when it is for professional use . and not any price point will change it ( TAKE IT AS PROFFESIONAL PONYT OF VEUE)
from the other side of the coin you always say they are best tools for "semiprofessional " usage ( quit problematic since i have strong opinion when they pay you for something it become strictly professional) .
so we can end this useless argument saying we dont care what you buy as long you know what it can do or what other stuff can - and that is the problem since most dont have a clue what the other stuff which cost more then 250 able make .
of course there are exceptions for anything and you can find fine gear that was made for semi use but in generally it is not like that .
 
Oleg,

The main reason I looked at the venue bag is that I do occasionally do some bag work, and it would give me the best of both worlds since it can also be used on a cart. And, for Tx I'm considering the LM's for a start, but would rather get UM's or SM's - again, all going to depend on budget.

Phil
 
Hi all,

This thread had come up enough that last time around I offered those who were putting down the Senn G2 an opportunity to send me comparative test results why their "unit x" had better tranmission range. As expected, there were no takers. However, I did learn one thing from the test, at about 250 yards, if the Senn does not have a diversity receiver at high frequencies (500 Mhz), the signal begins to get hits and dropouts.

http://www.bridgehands.com/audio

Regards, Michael
 
250 yards - wow - where is it? my lectos died at 70 here and tge g-2 about 30 meters before .
not to mentioon i had to put them face to me since body blocking took another 10
yuo must be in very open rf space or out of space :-)
 
Why can't everybody just be level-headed?

Some days it drives me nuts that I can't say something cheap is great without a bunch of people thinking I mean that it's so great that it's pointless to get the better option. I say the Oktava is great, but I don't say it equals a Schoeps.

Then we have people who say anything less then what they have is junk. I don't get the mentality of people at extremes. The guy asked about a Lectro 100 and I'm saying that if his budget is max'ed out at that, then don't bother. If he can spend more then spend more for a better set.

The Lectro 100 thread pops up a lot... and since I bought one... I feel obligated to respond. I'm not giving opinions here... I'm giving facts. The G2 is cheap, but pretty good for what it is... the 2xx series Lectros are professional tools at a professional price. Whoever reads this can decide which camp they fall into... I fit in both. I use top of the line gear and budget gear... it depends on the job.

If somebody is paying you they are entitled to the best gear? If you ask me to shoot something for you and you spec Varicam it's going to cost you more then if you spec DVX... but I can do both. I like to work... I work as much as I can... some days I make $125 for a couple hours... and some days I make $500. I don't bring the same gear to both jobs... but I'd rather make $125 and shoot video then sit on my tukkus and watch TV... so I tell people what the limitations are and what to expect when they give me the budget... just like I'm trying to do in this thread. Yes... you get what you pay for... but if you can't afford $1500 and get nothing... then you still got what you paid for... you paid for nothing and got nothing. That's a problem if you need to get a wireless shot and you don't have one.

(for the record Varicam is $700/day just for the cam... but I'm just saying that for sound one bag has 4 Lectros and a 442... and the other has 2 G2s and a Mixpre)
 
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ptalsky said:
Matt,

Thanks for posting the sample. Boy does that ever justify wiring someone even when production doesn't think they need it. Difference between a useable and an unusable audio track.

Phil
Click to expand...

Yep, you got that right. That clip sounds great (w/ the lav). I ALWAYS do a boom + a lav. Always. So if the lav takes a hit (which usually lasts + - 50 milliseconds or so) I can then drop a slice of the boom feed (or visa versa) in and crossfade around that section of the word. Even with extreme differences in mic sound (pretty much like that betweens Matt's Octava & G2w/ B6) I can do surgery without client ever noticing.

Regarding Matt's last comment, the G2 Senn system sounded really REALLY good. So it's all good. I used them for a couple of shoots. I did notice a bit more noisey companding but only in amounts my ears would notice. I sold mine (& everything else that's not nailed down) to pay the additional pair off 400's/411's Lectros I just added to round of (& justify) my six pac. Ouch!

Anyway there's another factor involved - the THE HIGH END MOJO FACTOR! I have had DP's, producers and directors look at certain things I brought to shoots, years ago, and krinkle up their noses. Had one guy say - "hey my kid has a couple of those". Two of these characters never called back for future gigs. Maybe they never filmed again, maybe they died, maybe they OD'd, maybe my audio sucked (not that THEY'D notice hehe) I don't know but, there IS that mojo factor that certain high end clients want to see. Sux I know.

Oh yeah, the other thing. Make a boom mast for an antenna. I'm rigging an extendable one into my PSC cart's umbrella peak. That'll help reception no matter WHAT system you're using.
 
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