Any suggestions for Wireless Lav mic?

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2002 10:56 am

I've got a conference in April and want to rent/buy something nicer than the Sony WRR-810 that I have. I find it boomy/noisy.

Also, any general tips on using Lavs and wireless Lavs? I generally don't do much remote work, (mostly roundtable and never on-camera) and when I do, I use dynamic mics (421's/RE20's/SM57's). Any placement guidlines for a natural sound? Seems I always tack the sucker too high up or too far down the lapel. Thanks!

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2002 12:19 pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Curious G:
I've got a conference in April and want to rent/buy something nicer than the Sony WRR-810 that I have. I find it boomy/noisy..!

Hi George! Boomy as in wind, or too guttural, and noisy as in RF, or rustley? Do you have a bass roll off switch on the mic transmitter or reciever?

Quote:

Originally posted by Curious G:

Any placement guidlines for a natural sound? Seems I always tack the sucker too high up or too far down the lapel.

I place mine no more than a hands width from the neck. If the person is presenting, then the mic should be center if possible, Yup! on the tie or shirt. Reasoning is the movement of the head away from the mic, this allows equal pickup, regardless, still down when turned, but not out. If it were just one side, then turning the other direction would pick-up very little.
This also works well in a host situation where you have guests on either side. If the direction of speaking is off to one side, then THAT lapel gets the mic.

Other precautions:
(1) Watch out for silk, chains, and rustling of clothing. Make sure the items do not rub against the windscreen or mic, like ties, scarves, shirts or blouses.
(2) If silk be very carefull not to tear the material with the teeth in the clip.
(3) Dress the mic cable in a way that allows enough slack and freedom of movement.

I have rattled my fool head off, sorry! If you have any questions about dress without collars, etc. lemme know. Hope this helps some, looking into best quality wireless mics, see what I can find out.

Oh.. one more thing, wireless mics work like **** in small rooms, where the RF bounces all around and confuses the reciever. In those cases you are better off wired.
--Rick

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2002 3:38 pm

Hi Rick,
you wrote:
"Boomy as in wind, or too guttural, and noisy as in RF, or rustley? Do you have a bass roll off switch on the mic transmitter or reciever?"

Boomy as in guttural, noisy as in high noise floor and nope, no rolloff or lowpass (I'll eq in post). It's only a 2 mic set-up (1 podium dynamic and a wireless on the presenter, straight into my DAT deck).

This will be in a pretty big room so I guess I won't have to worry about RF bounce.

Thanks for the tips on placement, I'll use them!

I've seen newsanchors on TV double LAV'd... what's that all about? Are there 2 Lavs in use or is this a special mic?

When I transfer this program to CD the horrible difference between the wireless LAV and the dynamic podium mic always makes me cringe. Should I be looking into a better wireless? I could rent or buy if I knew what to look for. I half suspect that these are all gonna sound kinda crappy.

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2002 4:52 pm

Quote:

Originally posted by Curious G:

Boomy as in guttural, noisy as in high noise floor and nope, no rolloff or lowpass (I'll eq in post). It's only a 2 mic set-up (1 podium dynamic and a wireless on the presenter, straight into my DAT deck).

Experiment with your's on the positions I mentioned, (on yourself perhaps) just might have been located in a place that resonates a lot of low end. Also, some transmitters have a little trim pot that is used to pad the mic, so distortion is not produced, if you have one, plastic screwdriver may be inside the battery compartment, you may be able to get more gain to overcome some of the noise. I think most are noisy anyway, just because it is radio. I use some of the compression/gate/eq things I talk about in an earlier post, makes it nice and tight.

Quote:

Originally posted by Curious G:

I've seen newsanchors on TV double LAV'd... what's that all about? Are there 2 Lavs in use or is this a special mic?

It can be, with a double mount, it is sort of a failsafe set-up, if one dies you still have sound. I forget the exact term, (getting old), dual-coincidence, or something. One might be a direct, and one might be wireless, or both wired the same, there's been many occasion, when the anchor forgets to turn his on, this I know you have heard. So everyone on the set gets a good laugh between the break.

Quote:

Originally posted by Curious G:

When I transfer this program to CD the horrible difference between the wireless LAV and the dynamic podium mic always makes me cringe. Should I be looking into a better wireless? I could rent or buy if I knew what to look for. I half suspect that these are all gonna sound kinda crappy.

Most lavs are omni-directional, that 's mostly why it sounds that way, uni-directional podium mics, (properly used) sound great, as long as the speaker is not moving around. The omni in lavs is so it has a relativley smooth response while people move their heads around, otherwise, as cardioid, or uni, a few degrees, at that distance would change the sound too much, and make it sound terrible. I use a wireless that I paid less then 200.00 for, and it works fine, positioning, and good battery's are a must.
--Rick

Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2002 5:37 pm

I second what Rick says about placement of the mic. Safest place is the necktie (I fish the cable behind right through the cloth loop behind the tie) or if they are next to someone talking to one side, on that lapel. If there is no tie, run the cable inside the shirt and attatch the lav to the center of the shirt) not too low andnot too high. If they were to drop their chin to their chest, you don't want the mic to be covered up. Middle of the sternum is where I usually mic somebody. (watch tv and see where people put the mics if you can see them).

Watch out for silk like Rick said, and jewelry (guys where necklaces under their shirts sometimes)

I've always used TRAM mics with Lectrosonics belt transmitters/receivers. Used to use VHF (everyone had them and you would have a lot of interference) UHF worked even better. Make sure (of course) you put fresh (check with battery tester) batteries in both the belt packs and receivers.

I did ENG sound for the last 10 years before I stopped 3 years ago to have my kids. That's where "Boom Chic" comes from. Wink

Used wireless mics almost everytime. There's nothing better if people are going to be walking and talking. Come to think of it, I used them for sit downs too. I only went hard wired if there was interference.

Just have a backup plan. Murphy's law you know.

Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2002 6:25 am

Thanks guys! Much appreciated. :w:

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