Good Wireless

Don Bloom · October 2nd, 2008, 04:02 PM

Jason, the freqs or freq block should be marked on the unit. As for dual channel camera mountable units there are 2 that I know of. Azden has 2 different models and Audio Technica has the 1800 series. i use that one with either 2 body paks or 1 body pak and a plugin. I really like the unit a lot. Very low floor noise, comact receiver, sturdy antennas and enough controls on the transmitters and receiver to make adjustments on the fly or at least very very easy. You can mix the 2 channels or not, both have a levels adjustment on the receiver and the transmitters can be adjusted from -6db to +12 thru a menu. there are also 3 different clear scan settings. I don't use the At839 lav mics but use Countryman EMWs and after running some tests I find the C-man so much better than the 839s it no contest HOWEVER the AT899 is a very very good mic as well.
HTHs
Don

Jason Robinson · October 2nd, 2008, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

Jason, the freqs or freq block should be marked on the unit. As for dual channel camera mountable units there are 2 that I know of. Azden has 2 different models and Audio Technica has the 1800 series. i use that one with either 2 body paks or 1 body pak and a plugin. I really like the unit a lot. Very low floor noise, comact receiver, sturdy antennas and enough controls on the transmitters and receiver to make adjustments on the fly or at least very very easy. You can mix the 2 channels or not, both have a levels adjustment on the receiver and the transmitters can be adjusted from -6db to +12 thru a menu. there are also 3 different clear scan settings. I don't use the At839 lav mics but use Countryman EMWs and after running some tests I find the C-man so much better than the 839s it no contest HOWEVER the AT899 is a very very good mic as well.
HTHs
Don

Yikes. so $1200 is what it takes to get two channel audio in a portable receiver no matter what brand. I honestly don't care about hte mic quality because ALL of it will be a step up (and the transmission system is the biggest problem any way....)

I cannot believe I'm actually considering this, especially since I'm skating on such thin budget (I have nothing to spend but know I need a wireless lav for my Nov gig). I've already gone the Azden VHF route. Too much static (and my lav got stolen so I have to start over and get a new lav system).

Here is a question.... why are two single channel units the same price as a dual channel unit? Seems like the dual channel should be a bit cheaper (one receiver pack after all). Do I have faulty reasoning?

Jason Robinson · October 2nd, 2008, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

Jason, the freqs or freq block should be marked on the unit. As for dual channel camera mountable units there are 2 that I know of. Azden has 2 different models and Audio Technica has the 1800 series. i use that one with either 2 body paks or 1 body pak and a plugin. I really like the unit a lot. Very low floor noise, comact receiver, sturdy antennas and enough controls on the transmitters and receiver to make adjustments on the fly or at least very very easy. You can mix the 2 channels or not, both have a levels adjustment on the receiver and the transmitters can be adjusted from -6db to +12 thru a menu. there are also 3 different clear scan settings. I don't use the At839 lav mics but use Countryman EMWs and after running some tests I find the C-man so much better than the 839s it no contest HOWEVER the AT899 is a very very good mic as well.
HTHs
Don

I know this isn't portable, but it fits my desired price range, and seems to fit the impending spectrum shrink requirements. Anyone a Shure fan? I see little information about them on the boards.

Shure | PG Series Dual Lavalier Microphone | PG188/PG185-H7

Don Bloom · October 2nd, 2008, 05:12 PM

The Azden VHF was quite frankly junk stuff.
As for cost, remember you're packing ALL the circuitry in a single unit and frankly they charge what they do because they can, no way around it.
As for the Shure unit, I use them a whole lot for AV work when I run an audio board-they're pretty standard in the AV industry-great unit ( although this is not the unit I generally work with) but here's the problem as I see it. You invest in this unit and you're tied to the unit. That's fime if you don't need to move at all. Maybe that'll work for this gig but what about in the future? Any weddings or other type events where you need a wireless? Now you have to go out and get a camera mountable unit so...
There's an old saying "it's only too expensive if it doesn't do the job" get the unit that will allow the most versatility and you will be many dollors ahead in the long run. You've got to look ahead a bit.
FWIW, I did a job not too long ago where if I didn't have the ability to run 2 wireless at the same time doing some run and gun interviews, I would have been screwed and now that I'm back to small form factor cameras there no real way to carry 2 units so 1 receiver clipped on my belt, 2 cables running back to the camera (I killed my on camera hypercaroid) 1 body pak and 1 shure SM63 with the AT1800 plugin and run with the interviewer.
BTW you can get the unit with 2 bodypaks, or 21 plugins or 1 of each.
Pays your money takes your choice.

Don

October 2nd, 2008, 04:02 PM	#16
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	Jason, the freqs or freq block should be marked on the unit. As for dual channel camera mountable units there are 2 that I know of. Azden has 2 different models and Audio Technica has the 1800 series. i use that one with either 2 body paks or 1 body pak and a plugin. I really like the unit a lot. Very low floor noise, comact receiver, sturdy antennas and enough controls on the transmitters and receiver to make adjustments on the fly or at least very very easy. You can mix the 2 channels or not, both have a levels adjustment on the receiver and the transmitters can be adjusted from -6db to +12 thru a menu. there are also 3 different clear scan settings. I don't use the At839 lav mics but use Countryman EMWs and after running some tests I find the C-man so much better than the 839s it no contest HOWEVER the AT899 is a very very good mic as well. HTHs Don

October 2nd, 2008, 05:12 PM	#19
Don Bloom Inner Circle Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,609	The Azden VHF was quite frankly junk stuff. As for cost, remember you're packing ALL the circuitry in a single unit and frankly they charge what they do because they can, no way around it. As for the Shure unit, I use them a whole lot for AV work when I run an audio board-they're pretty standard in the AV industry-great unit ( although this is not the unit I generally work with) but here's the problem as I see it. You invest in this unit and you're tied to the unit. That's fime if you don't need to move at all. Maybe that'll work for this gig but what about in the future? Any weddings or other type events where you need a wireless? Now you have to go out and get a camera mountable unit so... There's an old saying "it's only too expensive if it doesn't do the job" get the unit that will allow the most versatility and you will be many dollors ahead in the long run. You've got to look ahead a bit. FWIW, I did a job not too long ago where if I didn't have the ability to run 2 wireless at the same time doing some run and gun interviews, I would have been screwed and now that I'm back to small form factor cameras there no real way to carry 2 units so 1 receiver clipped on my belt, 2 cables running back to the camera (I killed my on camera hypercaroid) 1 body pak and 1 shure SM63 with the AT1800 plugin and run with the interviewer. BTW you can get the unit with 2 bodypaks, or 21 plugins or 1 of each. Pays your money takes your choice. Don