Recommendations for Wireless Handheld Mics

H

Hunter Starnes

Active member
Hey Audio Gurus!

I need a recommendation for some wireless handheld mics. Wedding filmmaker here and I need something for speeches at a reception or rehearsal dinner when we can't get a feed from the house or DJ. We currently use the Sennheiser G3 units and would like to get something compatible for ease of use - but that's not totally necessary.

Right now, I have my eye on this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...835_G3_A_SKM300_835_G3_Wireless_Handheld.html

Good buy? Anything better that I should look at? I did want to get just the Senn SKP-100 plug on transmitter and then pair that with a good handheld mic - this way I could also run a XLR cable if for some reason the wireless isn't working - but honestly I don't like the look of the plug on and think it would be distracting if it shows up in the video.

Thanks in advance!
- Hunter
 
Tascam has a new plug-on (never say buttplug!) recorder which looks pretty nice, but you give up being able to monitor your audio which is plenty risky.

Really, the G3 type plug-on is likely your best bet despite the look. The combo mic-transmitter you linked to is pretty nifty, but is a one trick pony. What if you were outdoors and wanted a shotgun? I do this with a G2 plug-on and a self powered AT897.

Have you heard it? Is it for musical vocal work or more like an MD-46, which could be a very good thing. It has a bunch of function buttons, including a mute switch, and that can be risky when handing it off to a civilian. I didn't see any reviews or comments so it must be new.

Grant
 
Thanks for the reply Grant. Lol, I am not even tempted to call it a buttplug! :)

I have seen the plug-in recorder but, yeah, we would want to monitor the audio. Also would probably have to give the DJ a feed for his speakers so everyone can hear the speech/toast. I love the idea about the versatility of the plug-on, but for wedding work, I don't think we would use it with a shotgun. I have a Rode NTG-2 that I could use with it for other projects but I also have Tascam DR-40 and DR-60 recorders that we can just plug that into. I don't know, am so conflicted! :)

I have heard it and it sounds fine to me - but then I am not an audio wiz! This would just be used for speeches and toasts at a wedding. Maybe for run-and-gun interviews. No music or performance use planned.

If I did go with the plug-on, what handheld mic would you recommend I pair with it?

- Hunter
 
For interviews where you can get the mic close to the speaker, I use an dynamic ElectoVoice RE50-N/D, but there are many others like the MD-46 which also has a loyal following. If you want to go with a condenser type mic, Sennheiser also makes a plug-on with phantom power which would add a lot of choices.

If you go up in quality to the premium wireless brands, they get smaller, have more options, and get much more expensive.

Grant
 
Hi
I have found it important to mic casual (untrained) speakers differently from talent that has mic experience. I use an omni to get rid of proximity effect and to solve the, I am not actually speaking into the mic, effect. Omni pattern solves a lot of problems. Of course you lose your directionality. Nothing is free. The second recommendation is to use a condenser mic. Again some speakers don't speak up or into. Condenser mic also helps to not force you to push a weak preamp. After trying several combos I have settled on the G3 Plug On and Audio Technica AT8010 handheld mics. I have tried The above mentioned ElectroVoice RE50-N/D (which I have and is great mic), Shure SM58, SM57, and several others. For audience mic or inexperienced speaker the G3 Plug On and the AT8010 have been repeated winners. Every situation is different so listen to all the good advice offered above and hopefully consider this post and make your choices. Best luck.
 
I have that one exactly . I also use a corded SM58 because in NYC UHF is not stable outdoors (but works fine indoors). You are in Texas so the G3 should work fine. The microphone is very good. It's a cardioid so it needs to stay close to the mouths (but not as close as (say) the SM58). you have 20 inches . tone and presence are first class. Today used by the 90% of news crews in europe (Italy in particular).
The plug-on is the same money, but then you lose in "looks" and you need a microphone to attach ... the EV RE50 are very good, omni, so they'll pickup some ambient but you have a little more distance from the mouths (but not that much more than the 835). Mostly used by news people in US as a safer way in case the interviewer forgets to point it to the right mouth. In your case I see the 835 more appropriate because the speeches will get more presence and the surrounding crowd and voices in the hall or room will disappear. Again the Sennheiser handheld with the transmitter buit-in is elegant and works pretty much all the time. High quality sound with a very good isolation from the ambient noise.

Now sennheiser is coming out (in June I believe) with a new digital system (@1.9GHz). Same 835 microphone, but black. Nobody knows how it will work, and the prices are pretty high. I did try other digital systems and theyt simply are unreliable, dropping out for no apparent reason. But I'll be in stand-by for the Sennheiser's version because I do trust them. But I'm not holding my breath to be honest.

trick for a cardioid : it became an habit for me during interviews to stay with the finger on the AGC of the XLR. I start in manual, but if I see that they wave the microphone away then I switch to AGC , it will pickup the voice even when away from their mouth. It's always better to get more "ambient" than getting a muffled voice going in and out. Then I go back to manual as soon as I can.
 
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Hunter Starnes said:
Hey Audio Gurus!

I need a recommendation for some wireless handheld mics. Wedding filmmaker here and I need something for speeches at a reception or rehearsal dinner when we can't get a feed from the house or DJ. We currently use the Sennheiser G3 units and would like to get something compatible for ease of use - but that's not totally necessary.

Right now, I have my eye on this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...835_G3_A_SKM300_835_G3_Wireless_Handheld.html

Good buy? Anything better that I should look at? I did want to get just the Senn SKP-100 plug on transmitter and then pair that with a good handheld mic - this way I could also run a XLR cable if for some reason the wireless isn't working - but honestly I don't like the look of the plug on and think it would be distracting if it shows up in the video.

Thanks in advance!
- Hunter
Click to expand...

The Sennheiser 300 series that you linked to is probably the best one for your requirements.

There is a choice of screw-on heads, the mic. looks good in any photos taken and the 300 hand-held it the only version that has a programmable mute switch:- press-on / press-off, cough switch (ie: hold to mute while you cough), push-to-talk (ie: only transmits while the switch is held down), deactivated.

For your use, I would say that to programme it as a cough switch is best.

Because the mic. looks good and the Sennheiser is very popular with TV producers, it will look good in any photos / videos made of the wedding.
 
The Sennheiser SKP 100 plug on (butt plug transmitter) would yield the most versatility, which can be plugged in to any dynamic or battery-powered XLR mic body.
In the USA, the EV RE50 gets more air-time than 'Seinfeld' and 'I love Lucy' re-runs. The Sennheiser MD-42 and/or MD46 are highly regarded news reporter's mics as well and should be considered.
 
onemanband-videomaker said:
I have that one exactly . I also use a corded SM58 because in NYC UHF is not stable outdoors (but works fine indoors). You are in Texas so the G3 should work fine. The microphone is very good. It's a cardioid so it needs to stay close to the mouths (but not as close as (say) the SM58). you have 20 inches . tone and presence are first class. Today used by the 90% of news crews in europe (Italy in particular).

trick for a cardioid : it became an habit for me during interviews to stay with the finger on the AGC of the XLR. I start in manual, but if I see that they wave the microphone away then I switch to AGC , it will pickup the voice even when away from their mouth. It's always better to get more "ambient" than getting a muffled voice going in and out. Then I go back to manual as soon as I can.
Click to expand...

Great info - thanks! I just had wedding where the best man stepped away from the mic because he thought it wasn't working - something happened to the house sound system but the mic was still transmitting to our camera! Anyway, I wish I had hit that AGC button - now I have some post work to do. :/

John Willett said:
The Sennheiser 300 series that you linked to is probably the best one for your requirements.

There is a choice of screw-on heads, the mic. looks good in any photos taken and the 300 hand-held it the only version that has a programmable mute switch:- press-on / press-off, cough switch (ie: hold to mute while you cough), push-to-talk (ie: only transmits while the switch is held down), deactivated.

For your use, I would say that to programme it as a cough switch is best.

Because the mic. looks good and the Sennheiser is very popular with TV producers, it will look good in any photos / videos made of the wedding.
Click to expand...

The button is exactly why I chose it instead of the 100 series. And it is a good looking mic! Plus it is cheaper to just buy this instead of the plug-on & mic. Versatility vs looks, price and simplicity. I would be interested to hear how rugged the plug-on is - Anybody have any experience with someone dropping a mic with the plug-on transmitter?

- Hunter
 
in a wedding definitely the handheld with built-in transmitter because looks good and works the best (in my opinion). The plug-on does just what it says: a plug-on. If you put it on a small dynamic then it will still look like something added .. or something out of the 90's that you still use after 20 years or something like that LOL. but if you put it on some of the microphones that actually make sense (omni, or specific for a loud crowd like the MD46) THEN it will be huge and pretty long (and I mean LOOOONG). Something that I myself would feel embarrassed holding it . sure will work but come on.. on a wedding reception? for example can you imagine Katy Perry or Taylor Swift singing with a plug-on? no. They actually use a sennheiser with a neumann capsule often, but with the built-in transmitter, not a plug on. LOL. the guests at the reception of your weddings know that because they see it on TV ...

Now since you wanted opinions and advise then in all honesty I'd wait for the sennheiser 1.9GHz (AVX) . it should be available in amonth, the handheld and receiver will cost 899 (US). but they do promise that will work . It has a built-in AGC (well sort of) and I wouldn't know at the moment how will I have to set the XLR on the camera (manual or AGC) and if AGC then I'd get AGC over another AGC (and THAT doesn't sound good to me). Anyway it sports rechargeable small batteries (via USB). 11 hours on the transmitter and 4 hours on the receiver. But the receiver will benefit from phantom power (and then I'll have to see how much power will take from the camera's battery).
Anyway, wait a month and then decide which handheld to buy.

The beauty of the 1.9GHz stays in the fact that you don't have to set anything. literally. It didn't work well for the AT 2.4GHz system (simply because it wasn't reliable past 3-5ft). but maybe Sennheiser did find a better way.

I'm waiting too.. ready to ingest the cost if it works.
 
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