RF lavalier microphones
 

Mike:
What do you recommend for a RF lavalier microphone for the DCR-VX2000? I have the BeachTek DSA-6, one non-phantom and one phantom power input. I've got an old Sony ECM 55 which is beginning to fall apart and I need to upgrade and I figure to go wireless at this point.
I'd appreciate your (an anyone who's had good experience) on the type of microphone/receiver to get.
Thanks.
Jay Roper

What do you want to spend?
 

I believe one of the best buys is the Senheiser EW112P for around $450.

I second the Evolution 100 series. The lav setup is great. The system comes with both an XLR and a mini-plug output cables so don't get talked into buying additional cables except as spares.

I did purchase a second lav, a spare set of antennae, and a spare set of output cables. The ME2 lav is normally somewhere around $300 but the same microphone set up for the Evolution is around $100 IIRC. The extra microphone, antennae, and cables was around $150 or so.

You might want to think of also getting the plug-on transmitter so you can make most self-powered microphones (if you need phantom power, the plug-on for the 500 series will work just fine) wireless and it gives you a second channel reasonably easy. Set up the lav as normal and the plug-on on an adjacent channel. Then if you have to pick up sound from a podium (or a DJ's console) you only have to change channels on your receiver.

Have a chat with Sennheiser (or any manufacturer for that matter) about which channel range you should select. The Evolutions come in one of 4 different ranges. I think the 'A' range is frequently shipped when the buyer does not specify that choice.

Footnote:

I have fairly good luck repairing the Sony microphones because they almost always fail in the cable right where it enters the housing for the battery. It is a bit tricky but I pull the battery holder, unsolder the wires (remembering which color goes where) and, from the battery compartment side, pull in about 6 inches of the wire going to the microphone. Cut, strip, resolder and you're back in business. I keep 10 of the ECM 44's running through this method at a local community college.

The Sony lavs can be broken by unscrewing the battery compartment from the cover rather than the cover from the battery compartment. Once is all it takes sometimes.

Other than accessories, there isn't much that can go wrong with the Sony's unless you like to dunk them in your coffee.

If the 55 works at all and you want to sell it, let me know how much you want.

strangely enough i have dropped more than one piece of sony audio gear into my coffee and had hardly any adverse effects... :)

Really Sony mics are just fine, I use to have two before the person I lent them lost them!

Sony Mic
 

Mike:
I took that ECM-55 over to some electronic friends who got into the mic part and discovered a loose wire - it works just fine now! I think I'll hold on to it.
Now, as to the Sennheiser Evolution series. I'm going to take all you folks advice and am scraping up the coinage to pay for it. The cheapest I found was, suprisingly enough, at ecost! Almost 15 bucks less than B&H and free shipping which B&H doesn't have. So, I'll be getting it shortly, hopefully.
Again, thanks to all who gave me the advice.
Jay Roper

I believe that like friends, one can never have too many microphones. I think I still have the first microphone I ever bought. Won't mention how many years ago that was.