Whats wrong ?
 

Hi
My first posting here :)

I am trying to use a Sennheiser MKE 400 microphone with my Sennheiser ew 100 G3 wireless.

But i get this digital noise when the mic is connected.
Is there a setting i have missed? Is it interference from the plug that is not a screw-on like the one that comes with the G3

Or are they not compatible?
Have made a short video on Youtube to demonstrate the problem.
Please turn your speaker/headphones up a little bit to hear the noise
Any help is highly valued :)


Best Regards

Alf-R

Re: Whats wrong ?
 

Assuming you have the SK100 bodypack transmitter, that mic is likely wired for a consumer-type stereo input (tip and ring terminals tied together to feed both L-R channels), and would likely not function with the mono SK100 transmitter. In addition, it's normally recommended that a blocking capacitor be used with self-powered (battery) mics, since the transmitter outputs power to the mic.. (bias current)
You could make an adapter cable or replace the plug with one that's properly wired for that transmitter. However, replacing the OEM plug would limit conventional use of the mic.
BTW, I do not see the benefit of a wireless camera mounted mic?

Re: Whats wrong ?
 

Thanks for answering.
I belive the battery operated MKE 400 dont mix with the g3 as you mention

I work in a newspaper with interview situations often in very noisy surroundings. Just trying to make the best of the equipment i have on hand :)
The MKE 400 is more directional than the mic that was delivered with the G3. The standard mic picks up every bit of unwanted sound

Does anybody have a suggestion for a directional mic to use on the G3 ?


Alf-R

Re: Whats wrong ?
 

Use a lavaliere for interviews in a noisy environment. The ME2 lav that normally comes bungled with the G2/3 system would work. It ain't the highest quality lav mic made, but it's usable just the same.

Re: Whats wrong ?
 

The MKE 400 could be wired to be compatible with your ew100 G3 tranmitter. But not as-delivered. However, as Mr. Reineke says, a clip-on lav is probably a MUCH better solution. Those short little plastic "shotgun" microphones are closer to toys than serious microphones, IMHO. And furthermore they lead people to believe that they have a much longer working distance than they actually deliver in the Real World.

Re: Whats wrong ?
 

I normally use the lavaliere that comes with the G3 on the person we talk to.
But i sometimes need the option to have the lavaliere being used by more than one person.
Interviewer and person/s we talk to.
The reporter needs to direct the mic to point at person answering.
Then the lavaliere picks up to much sorround noise.

Re: Whats wrong ?
 

The digital noise is coming from somewhere - and the only likely source is inside the camera, so this suggests the input level on the camera is very high, so the first thing to do is to turn down the camera gain, and turn up the output level of the receiver, and see if the background noise level goes down. Gain structure is very important to reduce background noise. So you have the transmitter gain to set to make sure the maximum level to the receiver is achieved without distortion. It could be worth also moving the receiver around a little, with the cable to see if the amount of digital rubbish it is picking up and re-introducing into the camera/recorder can be reduced. One of my old JVCs radiated quite a bit of noise from the right hand side, just where my receiver was attached, moving the receiver to the battery at the back reduced it to levels where it wasn't really noticeable.

Re: Whats wrong ?
 

First things first so make sure you have a properly wired cable. The standard mic cable has the tip and ring of the connector shorted together so the same signal is recorded on both the left and right channels when connected to a camera as designed. But the Senn transmitter wants to have a mic level signal come in on a cable where the signal appears on the tip only and the ring is shorted to ground (sleeve). When you want to send a line level signal it's the reverse - you use a cable where the signal goes to ring and the tip is shorted to ground. The path that's shorted to ground tells the transmitter what input to use. But plugging that mic's stock connector directly into the bodypack as is cross-connects the transmitter's mic level input directly over to its line level input. You need to sort that out before you can rationally diagnose anything else. I'm betting the 'digital noise' is actually oscillation from some sort of internal feedback loop set up by having the input's shorted together.

Re: Whats wrong ?
 

Simple - the MKE 400 is wired to both tip and ring so that the signal goes to both channels of a stereo camcorder.

A plug for the G3 transmitter mic. input needs to be wired tip only with ring and sleeve needing to be shorted in the plug to switch off the line input.

SO - you need an adaptor cable with the tip and ring of the socket going to the screw-lock plug tip and the sleeve of the socket going to the sleeve and ring of the screw-lock plug.

Simples.