Wireless Audio setup for Wedding Videography

S

spinkscapes

Well-known member
The final piece of my audio puzzle is, I believe, a wireless system.
There are many posters on this forum who have significant experience in this area and I wish to draw on that experience to get advice about what is a good setup for wedding videography.
I am not constricted on price, however, I don't want to buy the super-pro ridiculous gear just because. I am merely looking for good quality audio for speeches and vows, and maybe some ambient recordings.
So for the task at hand what is the best setup without going overboard on items that would be awesome but probably overkill (I'm thinking of things like Sound Devices 744 etc).

My current audio setup is as follows:
- Rode NTG3 on primary camera,
- Olympus recorders with decent lav mics for wired recordings,
- Roland R-26 for recording from a sound board or portable PA,
- Rode Stereo Videomic X for ambient.

Here is the setup I am currently considering:
- RodeLink x 3 (AU$440 each),
- Tascam DR-70D (AU$400).

I would then use the included lapels on two of the RodeLink's (officiant and groom) and the Videomic X would also use a RodeLink.
This would obviously be sent to the Tascam which would be under a GH4. On top of the hotshoe mount I would expand it to multiple hotshoe mounts where I'd attach all the receivers.
I am not too concerned about sending any of the audio into the GH4 (which I know you have to do some work to the Tascam DR-70D in order to do so). I am happy to sync in post.
If you don't recommend the RodeLink system can you also recommend a quality lav mic.
When considering your advice please be aware that I am in Victoria, Australia so I am constrained to the limitations of wireless systems as dictated by the government here.
 
I haven't tried the Rodelink (but am interested to) but the Sony UWP-D 11 system is good for the price.
 
OzGizmo said:
I haven't tried the Rodelink (but am interested to) but the Sony UWP-D 11 system is good for the price.
Click to expand...

Thanks. The Sony is also almost twice the price (AU$818) over here.
Can anyone advise if it is a significantly better system?
What lav would you pair it with?
 
Sennheiser G3 is one of the best, most reliable bang for the buck.

Stepping up a level would be Lectrosonic.

You need to be concerned with things like talent not being able to turn them off accidentally, good solid transmission, low delay, microphones that can't be accidentally unplugged. Also good repair policies because stuff will get broken and you probably can't fix it yourself.
 
Wow the Sony system has gone up in price recently.... I bought 3 Sony systems uwp d16 for much less than 1k each late last year (Adelaide S.A.)
 
Greg_E said:
Sennheiser G3 is one of the best, most reliable bang for the buck.

Stepping up a level would be Lectrosonic.

You need to be concerned with things like talent not being able to turn them off accidentally, good solid transmission, low delay, microphones that can't be accidentally unplugged. Also good repair policies because stuff will get broken and you probably can't fix it yourself.
Click to expand...

As far as I'm aware the RodeLink can be stopped from being turned off accidentally from the Receiver end and there's a lock between the Rode lav and the transmitter, to avoid unplugging (it's happened to me with the 3.5mm).
 
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OzGizmo said:
Wow the Sony system has gone up in price recently.... I bought 3 Sony systems uwp d16 for much less than 1k each late last year (Adelaide S.A.)
Click to expand...

Where'd you buy? I can buy interstate.
It might be a response to a declining dollar.
A lot of other tech has gone up in price.
 
Thats why I want to try the Rode link..... it might be good (on the other hand it may not) but it has some nice features like battery monitor etc.
The Rode is LARGE compared to other TX units, about twice as thick as the Sony or Sennheiser so they will be hard to hide on the back of someone.
The Rode is actually great value for money when you think the mic alone sells for just on $200 by itself...... Hey its worth a try.
 
Greg_E said:
Sennheiser G3 is one of the best, most reliable bang for the buck.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

Though Sennheiser now have affordable digital systems coming out - NB: these have been tested in RF hostile environments with people connecting to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on portable items at the same time and operate glitch-free at times when other digital radio systems fall over (as told to me by Sennheiser UK's Chief Engineer).
 
The Rode system seems kind of big/bulky. There seems to be a lot of clipping in this review once he puts the Rode system in place.
 
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I'm afraid I do not. Should be decent since they rarely put out junk. We have 8 of the G3 in our studio, a coworker that does a lot of theater has 8, and the theater he does a lot of work for has 8 (8 packs had a free antenna divider so lots of people bought them that big). They are pretty damn solid, but all of these are rack mount receivers, not the portable, and all of these have the amplified direction antenna. We normally run at low rf power, think he runs the theater system at low power too. We get about 12 to 16 hours off of nimh 2400mah cells.

I do know a guy that has a local audio company, has has a bunch of the G3 portable, certainly doesn't prevent him from getting jobs for TV events. I think the most he runs is 4 receivers until he breaks out the rack mount receivers, just gets cumbersome in your bag and around your mixer. He buys what clients request and the Sennheiser stuff seems to pass muster.

We do have one old G1 portable system, seems to work really for its age.

If money were no object, the Lectrosonic are really good, but hard to justify the extra compared to the Sennheiser.

Once in a while, Shure makes a system worth having. Not sure if they have anything decent right now.
 
Greg_E said:
The Rode system seems kind of big/bulky.
Click to expand...
It does seem bigger and this may well be an issue for the OP since s/he is shooting weddings


Greg_E said:
There seems to be a lot of clipping in this review once he puts the Rode system in place.
Click to expand...
I'm not qualified to comment on this but I think Curtis Judd (link in my earlier post) comes from an audio background and he seems to be quite impressed.

Perhaps the OP can rent for the weekend, Melbourne would have plenty of rental houses.

OP, I'm interested to know which way you go and why.


cheers
 
Greg_E said:
I'm afraid I do not. Should be decent since they rarely put out junk. We have 8 of the G3 in our studio, a coworker that does a lot of theater has 8, and the theater he does a lot of work for has 8 (8 packs had a free antenna divider so lots of people bought them that big). They are pretty damn solid, but all of these are rack mount receivers, not the portable, and all of these have the amplified direction antenna. We normally run at low rf power, think he runs the theater system at low power too. We get about 12 to 16 hours off of nimh 2400mah cells.

I do know a guy that has a local audio company, has has a bunch of the G3 portable, certainly doesn't prevent him from getting jobs for TV events. I think the most he runs is 4 receivers until he breaks out the rack mount receivers, just gets cumbersome in your bag and around your mixer. He buys what clients request and the Sennheiser stuff seems to pass muster.

We do have one old G1 portable system, seems to work really for its age.

If money were no object, the Lectrosonic are really good, but hard to justify the extra compared to the Sennheiser.

Once in a while, Shure makes a system worth having. Not sure if they have anything decent right now.
Click to expand...

What makes the Lectrosonic so much better?
Is there a specific one you have in mind that you particularly like?
 
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