This IS the Avid L2: Re: [Avid-L2] More [wireless] Mic recommendations -

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Re: [Avid-L2] More [wireless] Mic recommendations -

Someone at Lectrosonics had too much time on his hands. :-)

On Jul 24, 2014 3:04 AM, "Jim Feeley jfeeley@gmail.com [Avid-L2]" <Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Hey Greg,

Here's my take, based on my experiences as a frequent user, owner, and occasional sufferer of wireless mic systems.

Short version:
You'll probably be mostly happy with a Sennheiser Evolution G3 system, perhaps in Block A, with Countryman EMW lav mic. ~$850 including mic and accessories.

You'll probably be very happy with a Lectrosonics LMb/LR system, perhaps in Band B1, with a Sanken COS11 lav mic. ~$1700—$2200 all told (though pricing on the Lectro stuff hasn't been set yet).

Longer version:

***Legal/safe/open US frequencies.
Well this is a huge mess, but simply: Wireless systems that operate in the 700MHz range have been banned in the US for several years. Dealers no longer sell these systems to US users, but they're still available used on eBay. If you use wireless systems in the 700MHz range, there's a slight chance you'll get caught and fined, and a growing chance you'll bump into difficult interference issues (not universally bad everywhere, but as more devices come online the situation will get worse.
So there's no good reason to buy wireless systems in these blocks of frequencies:

Sennheiser Block C
Lectrosonics Blocks 27, 28, 29.

And one of these days (probably mid-2015), the 600MHz range of frequencies will also be auctioned off in the US. Wireless mics on those frequencies should still work in the US for 5+ years, though. But these blocks will eventually be affected…like in the year 2020 and beyond:

Sennheiser Block B
Lectrosonics Blocks 24, 25, 26.

So what's left?

Sennheiser Blocks A, G
Lectrosonics Blocks 470, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.

Bottom line:
So long as you avoid Sennheiser Block C and Lectro Blocks 27, 28, and 29 you should be fine.
In LA, Lectro Block 21 and Senn Block A seem to work fairly well. But check with your local location-audio dealer (e.g., Location Sound or Trew Audio) since they should know what's currently and soon to be creating havoc with wireless mics.

***Systems to consider:
Sennheiser EW100 G2 (available used).
I don't own these, but use them regularly with DSLR-class filmmakers (when they're handed to me). For professional use, they're not terrible. Significantly better (and smaller) than the first-generation Evolution series systems. Pretty much the cheapest system that's worth considering. About $400 for a used system (transmitter, receiver)…but not always easy to find.

Sennheiser EW100 G3 (currently available new and sometimes used).
An update to the G2. I guess it's better. About $650 for a new system (transmitter, receiver, mediocre lav mic)
http://en-us.sennheiser.com/lavalier-clip-on-microphones-wireless-set-presentation-ew-112-p-g3

Lectrosonics LMb transmitter and LR receiver
These are soon to be available and pricing hasn't been announced (and won't be until Lectro gets final FCC clearance to sell the systems; just a formality at this point but a time-consuming formality). Hints from Lectro suggest $800ish for the transmitter and maybe $900ish for the receiver; I could have that wrong, though. I hasn't used these since they aren't yet shipping, but I played around with the prototypes at NAB and I own a couple LMa transmitters and several other higher-end Lectro transmitters and receivers. I like Lectro's stuff and the improvements in the LMb over the LMa are significant. And the company provides FANTASTIC customer/tech support.
But the key advantages over the low-cost Sennheiser G2 and G3 systems will be: audio quality, audio range (based on my experience with current Lectro systems and the power ratings of the G2/G3 and LMb transmitters), ruggedness, rejection of interference in difficult/crowded locations (press conferences, trade shows, sporting events, etc), and range of frequencies offered in a single transmitter/receiver pair.
Lectro's LMb transmitters and LR receivers offer "wide tuning bandwidth" which basically means these systems each have three blocks of frequencies in each unit. So Band A1 integrates Blocks 470, 19, 20 (470.1 to 537.575 MHz); Band B1 integrates Blocks 21, 22, and 23 (537-614 MHz); Band C1 integrates Blocks 24, 25, and 26 (614-691)…ya, I looked up the frequency ranges.
What this "wide tuning bandwidth" means is that you have a better chance of finding open frequencies in any given location. If you're just sticking around LA and only using one or two systems in quiet locations, this might not matter so much. But if you travel, want to use your systems in locations with lots of other radio-frequency activity, and as the spectrum gets more crowded with White Spaces Devices and other tools of the Devil, this wider bandwidth is a good thing. But are these features worth the cost to you?
Check out the press release and intro video for more:
http://www.lectrosonics.com/US/Press-Releases/lectrosonics-introduces-l-series-wireless-microphone-products.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdNxeI68ykY

Lectrosonics SRb Kit :-)
From the press release:
"Rio Rancho, NM – April 1, 2014… In the great tradition of Heathkit®, Dynaco®, and Eico®, Lectrosonics is introducing user-assembled kits as a cost-saving alternative to its popular (and pre-assembled) SRb Series dual-channel receivers. The kits reduce the cost vs. finished products by approximately 50%. Along with saving money, users can enjoy the exciting challenge of sorting, correctly identifying, placing and soldering all the tiny parts - over 1,100 in all!"
Rest of release and picture of the kit:
http://www.lectrosonics.com/US/Press-Releases-April-1st/lectrosonics-introduces-money-saving-srb-kits.html

The standard systems systems used film and television production (in the US, primarily full-sized Lectrosonics and Zaxcom) are much more expensive. I own Lectro, and sometimes rent Zaxcom. But you can get real work done with the systems recommended above.

***Lav mics to use
One more thing: The ME2 lav microphones Sennheiser bundles with their G2 and G3 systems is fairly crappy. IIRC, Lectro doesn't bother to bundle a mic with their lavs. I think it's worth buying something better to use with your transmitters. Three options at various price points:

Oscar SoundTech OST-801
Knockoffs of TRAM and Countryman EMW. Fairly decent, some nice accessories and rather inexpensive. Available direct and through a few dealers. About $125 with accessories and plug for Lectrosonics or Sennheiser.
http://oscarsoundtech.com

Countryman EMW with shelved response
Sound good, not much cable noise, available in several colors, quite water and sweat resistant. I use these a lot (disclosure: many many years ago, I briefly worked for Countryman; still friendly with the owners…but I buy and use their stuff because I like it).
About $170 with connector and mounts.
http://www.countryman.com/emw-omnidirectional-lavalier

Sanken COS-11
My other main lav. Sounds good (arguably better than the EMW), easy to hide, a key standard lav. But not cheap.
About $380 with connector and mounts.
http://www.sanken-mic.com/en/product/product.cfm/5.1105900

There are other lavs worth considering; see what a dealer recommends. If it were my money, I'd buy one or two Countryman EMW or Sanken COS-11 microphones and keep any bundled mic as a spare.

I wouldn't suggest buying used lavs unless you know exactly what you're getting…and that you'd be getting a recent and lightly-used lav. As lavs age, they lose some high-end response, their cables carry more handling and clothing noise, and their wiring to the heads and connectors can start to fray and break…it's easy to solder on a new connector, but a busted head is frequently not salvageable.

Again, I'd use this info as a starting point for discussions with and demos at your favorite location-audio dealer. I think Location Sound or Trew Audio (or a similar local LA dealer) will give you better advice than you'd get a a box store or general video dealer. You want to know which blocks work best in your area (both now and in the near future), want to demo the different systems to see if the extra quality of the Lectrosonics system is worth the extra cost, and get any special cables needed to make your wireless systems work with your particular cameras and/or mixers and audio recorders.

Hope this helps,

jim feeley
pov media
word image sound

On Jul 23, 2014, at 2:25 PM, Greg Huson Greg@SecretHQ.com [Avid-L2] <Avid-L2@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

> Hey Gang,
>
> Back again looking for more mic recommendations.
>
> I have an older inexpensive Sennheiser wireless - an earlier version, but like the ew100 series. It's pretty good, gets the job done, but I'd like to have a second mic - preferably with a smaller transmitter, but as reliable or better. (I'm not sure the sennheiser is even legal - didn't the frequency spectrum for wireless get moved in the US?)
>
> Any 'actual user' recommendations? Looking for the 'value' mic, not the gold standard. The nexus of price/performance.
>
> gh
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Greg Huson
> Secret Headquarters, Inc

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