What do you think of Samson Mics?

I am looking at getting a dual mic set up. I am new here and to video.

I am actually a pro-photographer who like to play with video.

I saw a Airline Micro 32 UHF system for $269 at B and H.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

What do you think?

Any suggestions? I would like to stay under $400 and be UHF (I think?)

Eventually I will get a seconon transmitter. Do I need to get the M-100 XLR thing? Sorry for being such a newbie>

Thanks a bunch.
Shawn

[George Bean]

Hi Shawn,

I have used the samson mics with very good results. The mics are currently for sale, here is the thread in the forum.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=53664

These have 32 user selectable frequencies allowing simultaneous use of multiple microphones. If you are interested please make me an offer. I will be gone to the 4evergroup video summit tomorrow and will return on Tuesday.

Glad to answer any questions.

Thanks George.

I appreciate the info. How exactly does the receiver on this system of your work? That is, how does it mount onto a XL1 and how does it plug into the audio terminals?


Also, what makes these you have worth more than the micro ones I posted about? The ones I am interested in are only $269 and appear smaller in size than yours. Not trying to be insulting, just trying to understand. I am about to buy the ones from B and H.

Thanks

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

I have the same kit as George is talking about and I can say I am pretty happy with it. The Micro 32 serie have the ability to switch the frenquency. The airline serie work on a fixed frequency. Depending of the area you are using the mic, changing frenquency can be useful to avoid interferences.

The micro 32 also is a true diversity system, the airline, as far as I know isn't. That,s why the micro 32 is more expensive. You can have it for about the same price if you buy one from George!

The receiver is relativelly small, and is designed to be attached with velcro stipes to the camera. I personnally use the metal plate provided with the MA-100 adapter to mount it. It come with an XLR cable so you plug it directly in the MA-100/200, but you can also use a mini jack (1/8") cable if you don't have the MA-100 or want to use it with other cameras.

[George Bean]

Hi Shawn,

I think the main difference between the systems is the available frequencies, physical size and input/output connections. If I understand the specs correctly the airline system is a fixed frequency of U1/801.375 MHz. Which means only one device can operate at that frequency.

If more than one transmitter operates on the same frequency they will cause interference. If you are in a controlled environment available frequencies are probably not an issue. Our main work is wedding video and we use multiple mics for the ceremony and more and more churches are updating their mics to uhf. If we encounter a church with a competing fixed frequency system I can change the frequency our mics are operating on.

The airline system has a 2.5mm Jack and the micro 32 has a mini xlr.

The high tech way I have secured the receiver to my xl1 is with velcro. There are probably better options but the velcro has worked well and was inexpensive.

I usually take the output of the samson receiver directly to the second channel audio inputs of the xl1. With the camera set to 12 bit recording the on board mic are channels 1 and 2 and the wireless are channels 3 and 4.

When we record a wedding reception the transmitter is usually plugged directly into the djs audio board. The transmitter has the mini xlr input; the receiver also has a mini xlr input with an adapter acble of min xlr to xlr. I use the adapter cable to tap into the djs sound board.

Please ask any questions and I will answer them as best as I can regardless of whether you are interested in purchasing any of the items I have for sale.

The samson mics are good but you may also want to consider the sennheiser series:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search


The sennheisers also have selectable freqs, very good range, durable metal housing, operate on aa batts and have an lcd setup screen. The transmitter input and receiver output are 2.5mm jacks, which allow unlimited connection options.

Hope this info is beneficial; let me know if I can be of further assistance.

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

George, Can you point me to which cable you are using to plug the transmitter to the DJ board? you say a mini xlr to xlr ? Can it be found on the B&H site? I would like to use my samson kit on a boom pole with a shotgun mic.

[George Bean]

Hi Jean-Philippe,

You are a much faster typist than I am, you replied to Shawn’s earlier post while I was typing.

The cable I referred to was included with the receiver and is designed to connect the receiver output to xlr male.

With the xl1 I use a y cable taking the 2.5mm line output from the receiver to the cameras rca inputs. This leaves the xlr adapter cable available to connect to the transmitter.

Most mixing board audio outputs I encounter are either rca line out or 1/4 headphone jacks. I will use the appropriate adapters to connect from the dj board to the male xlr of the adapter cable.

The samson transmitter is very tolerant of the varying input levels. I believe the proper way to connect to the board would be with a direct box but so far plugging directly into the transmitter has provided excellent results.

I believe this is also the correct cable at bh.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

Hope this helps.

Thanks everyone.

Okay, I do NOT have a MA-100. I will be using this mainly for business promotion. (promoting my own studio) I want to show future customers about a product and do an interview between two people. Sometimes they will be near each other and sometimes apart. Sometimes outside and sometimes in my studio.

I really like the idea of a receiver having a mount bracket of some kind. I have had velcro let lose and break an expensive flash radio slave. Maybe velcro would work but I do not see any place on my XL1 to put velcro. Do you have a picture?

ALSO: I have always had better luck with AA batteries on any remote stuff. They are less expensive than 9Volt, quicker to change, and last much longer. What type of batteries do yours take?

And what the heck is the "plug-in transmitter" thing (cube shaped) I see when researching? It looks like a plug for a XLR thing. Sorry so stupid, but trying to learn.

AND - I see your point about the frequency thing. Does the two lav-mics with two transmitters sending to one receiver work okay? Do you have two transmitters with the system you want to sell?

Thanks

[George Bean]

Hi Shawn,

Sorry for the late reply, I was out of town Monday and our internet connection was down yesterday.

The receiver I connect to the ma-100 adapter, I understand you do not have the ma-100. There are two threaded holes on the back of the receiver, which could accommodate a mounting bracket. You may be able to use an accessory mount shoe or similar attachment.

Unfortunately, the mics I have operate on 9volts. I agree the aa batts are much more economical.

The xlr plug will accept any mic input and send it wirelessly to the receiver. The plug transmitter must be set to the same frequency as the receiver. It is not necessary they both units are the same brand. For example, you could use a sennheiser transmitter with a samson receiver, however the band and frequencies must match.

You can have multiple receivers for one transmitter but not the opposite. To simplify it is just like listening to fm radio. You can have hundreds of radios simultaneously tuned to the same fm station. If you have ever taken a car trip between cities and experienced the overlap of radio stations and you receive some of the sound from each station, a lot of static and poor signal you can see why two transmitters cannot share the same frequency. If you set two wireless mic transmitters to the same frequency they will compete and the receiver cannot distinguish the competing signals.

Hope this helps.

[Jean-Philippe Archibald]

regarding the mounting options, on the samson's site you can view an XL1 with a receiver velcroed to the tape door. http://www.samsontech.com/products/p...=138&brandID=1

[George Bean]

Did that look like the correct cable/adapter for the boom mic?

Thanks a bunch George.

Okay, So I am going to try and get by with just one mic for now.

I bought the Sennheiser eW100.

It has AA batteries and 1400 frequencies. It was $465 at B and H

You all are very helpful.

[George Bean]

The Sennheiser mics are great and will provide you excellent audio in nearly any environement. It may have cost more than the airline but it will perform better.