Wireless Lav Help

G

GrahamRobbins

Active member
Hey all I got contracted picked up as a freelancer by a wedding company as a camera op. However they said I would need to rent or purchase a wireless lav because that was a requirement for the job. I am not much of an audio guy, I noticed there are two different types of Wireless Lavs,

VHF - which seems cheaper
UHF - looked to be much higher price

Could someone explain the difference between the two types.

I am on a budget here so I cant break the bank buying one lav, However I need a something with a good quality to meet this companies standards. What is the best user friendly, budget wireless lav system.

Thanks,

Graham R
 
I would not DREAM of using a VHF lav on a paying job. In UHF, the cheapest one I'd take on a paying job is the Sennheiser G2. And even that should have a microphone upgrade.
 
I have heard the sennheiser G2 can be very picky and problematic is that true or does it produce quality sound and ease of use.
 
Ive had nothing but good times with my 3 g2 units. For a budget oriented sound kit they cant be beat. yeah I get dropouts and interference occasionally but only in RF rich environments where I did a crappy job of not searching for a clear channel. That will be a problem no matter what the wireless kit is. They're pretty well built and sound great to me. All dialogue from both shorts in my sig was done on g2's with countryman b3's. I believe some scenes in Bob and Sam use the stock mics which actually dont sound terrible. The b3's definitely have a nicer sound to them though.

The only thing I'd like to see is the LCD to be on top at least on the receivers so I can monitor battery levels in the sound bag easily. Minor complaint though and doesnt take but a second to check them a couple of times a day. I usually swap after 5 hours of use on rechargeables and have had no problem what so ever.

Anything better than the g2 is going to cost quite a bit more or be a little less featured (older lectros). For me they really nail the sweet spot in my current level of sound budget.
 
Exactly Jeff. I am THRILLED with my G2s for my work. I went with Country B6s because I ran out of budget, but I am pleased with it. Everyone said it sounds like the B3s but is just a bit larger. I have zero complaints. And I am usually shooting in an RF shielded building so I rarely have any issues.
 
The g2 is the least expensive wireless kit I'll use on any sort of gig, and even then I don't use the stock lavs. The only time I've ever seen trouble with a g2 was a semi-pro video guy at a wedding I did, and that was purely the shooter not knowing how to use his kit, not the kit itself.

Like Perrone suggests, avoid VHF gear.
 
Look into diversity systems. The shorter wavelength of UHF means there's a good chance of multipath cancellation problems (dropouts), and having two antennas with a diversity receiver can eliminate a lot of annoying cutouts.

Sennheiser has one. So does Audio Technica. AT's system is a two-channel system with two discrete channels. Compact. Great value for the dollar.
 
DCSensui said:
Look into diversity systems. The shorter wavelength of UHF means there's a good chance of multipath cancellation problems (dropouts), and having two antennas with a diversity receiver can eliminate a lot of annoying cutouts.

Sennheiser has one. So does Audio Technica. AT's system is a two-channel system with two discrete channels. Compact. Great value for the dollar.
Click to expand...

The soon-to-be-available Sennheiser G3 systems, according to reports, will offer diversity by using the audio output cable from the receiver as the second antenna.
 
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