Replacement Lav Advice

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digitalinnovations

Well-known member
I had the talent drop and then step on the cable of my TR50 which pulled / separated the cord from the connector a bit. While I intend on getting the TR50 repaired I also need to replace the lav ASAP in the meantime. I'm leaning towards a smaller, more easily hidden lav mic like a Countryman B3 (perhaps the B6 but it is a bit more than I wanted to spend) but I thought to drop a post in here and get any advice from those that have more experience before spending the money. I appreciate any advice or perhaps some mic suggestions I haven't looked at or know about.
 
I think you will get a number of people recommending the Oscar Tech lavs. I haven't personally used them but I have heard nothing but good comments and my limited contacts with them have been great. I have a lav I think I will be replacing (might just be a broken wire in the connector?) and I will be buying from them.
 
Based on what I've seen / read it looks like I would lean towards the TL-40s for their size / easy to conceal. Any experiences? Compared to a Countryman B3 especially?
 
The OST 801/802 are identical in size and shape to the TR50. There mounting accessories are even interchangeable and the sound is close. The 4mm OST TL40 is about the same size and 'end address' design as the B3, but has a flatter response and less max SPL (which is usually not an issue w/ normal dialog). The B6 is the smallest lav AFAIK. It sounds good but it's susceptible to air turbulence and due to it's small size is fiddly getting it into a lapel clip if worn externally. The cable is about the size of fishing line. It comes w/ three protective/presence caps and is available in three sensitivity levels. Both the Oscar SoundTech and Countryman are made in the USA (east and west coast respectively) and customer service is very good.
Note: The lower cost B6 size Miickey Mic allegedly sounds decent, though I have not tried them.
 
I have not used an Aspen mic. From what I've read, they are a mass produced generic product (likely imported from China). Their marketing target appears to be semi-pro video folks and hobbyists.
 
I'd certainly be willing and interested to try one out. $50 isn't going to break the bank anyway. Can't be much worse then the multiple backup ME2s I've have.. (they retail for $130).
 
Just joining the Oscar Sound tech group. Bought two a couple months ago to replace my aging Trams. EXCELLENT customer service and EXCELLENT mics! Made in USA and by a small company that cares and takes care of you.
 
I have 2 Countryman B3's and two B6's. Both are excellent mics. The capsule end is very robust, although I have had problems with very kinetic actors pulling the cords out of the plugs on occaission. Countryman will fix them quickly though and I am going to experiment with some shrink wrap with epoxy inside for additional strength at the plug end. I also duct tape the radio packs to the problematic talent now, and don't screw down the connector during action scenes. The B3 is exactly the same diameter as the clicker in the top of a Bic "Soft Touch" ball pen (91436), so you can cut the pen in half, thread the B3 through a pocket and up into the body of the pen, replace the clicker with the B3, and clip into a shirt pocket for a really neat, clean pickup with almost no rustle. The B-6 is so small you can thread it through the button hole on a shirt, lodge it off the side of the button, put a cap on it that matches the shirt, and it's so small it can be in plain sight. Yes, they are pricey, but they sure sound great.
 
I purchased the OST-802 bundle (Oscar SoundTech) a few days ago as I was curious about the mic.

Unfortunately it won't work for me as its sensitivity is a bit too low for my current setup and I'm not going to return it after asking the sales rep a million questions (great customer service by the way), so if anyone would like it I can let it go for $90. I paid $118.50 for the little pelican-like case that includes the mono mic with a 3.5mm connection, windscreen and clip tie. I can include the invoice which shows the price/date received.

I will post this in the for sale section as well, but I figured I'd let the members here know first. Feel free to PM me if interested.
 
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