Slight hiss with wireless lavs

[Benjamin Hodges]

I have the lower-end Sony wireless lav system (UWP-V1 package if you look for it on BH's site). I've used it on a couple shoots, but on the most recent one, I noticed a little bit of hiss on "s" sounds. For instance, if I said the word "kiss", there would be a slight hiss at the end, on the "s" sound, like a slight sizzle. It's not from breathing into the mic - I've placed it under my chin, next to my head, etc, and it still does it. It's not hugely noticeable, but when you make an "s" sound loudly enough, it happens. And it's not peaking.
I've tried it with the stock lavs that came with the package, and also with my Countryman B3s, both with the same results. I've also tried a couple different frequencies with the lav packs. Is there some other option I could explore?
Thanks much.

[Benjamin Maas]

Sounds like the companders in the wireless rig are accentuating sibilance. Probably not going to fix that unless you go to higher quality transmitters and receivers. Shure also has that problem on occasion, but the darker sound of the electroncis counteracts it a bit. Sennheiser, Audio Technica and Lectro are much clearer, but much more expensive.

If worst comes to worst, you can remove some of that with a dynamic EQ or de-esser in post.

--Ben

[Cole McDonald]

A solution from the other end of the equation is to learn to pronounce S's without sending as much breath through your front teeth (Ahhh, vocal training, how I misssssss thee). That will lower the sibilence going into the front end and reduce the need for the circuitry that is cutting it out.

[Colin McDonald]

That's fightin' talk, Cole. If you're not careful, that kind of thinking could seriously undermine the whole PA industry! Why, apart form people learning to project their voices, we might find people having to learn to sing properly and bands having to balance acoustically. Who knows where it might end?

:-)

[Cole McDonald]

Originally Posted by Colin McDonald

That's fightin' talk, Cole

Have I ever told you that you have a great name (diplomacy in action).

There's such a strong focus on technology that often the performance portion is overlooked. Professional voice folks (your sarcastic tone in your last post show you as one of the choir to which I preach) spend years training their voices to work well with the microphone. Purposely pushing specific frequencies and eliminating others through mouth shape and breath control to best match the equipment that's put in front of them to capture their performances.

As a front man in a band, I've had to learn that what sound good in a concert choir will overdrive a microphone and have adjusted my voice accordingly. Just like my guitarists know their amplifiers, I have to know my microphone.

[Benjamin Hodges]

Originally Posted by Colin McDonald

That's fightin' talk, Cole. If you're not careful, that kind of thinking could seriously undermine the whole PA industry! Why, apart form people learning to project their voices, we might find people having to learn to sing properly and bands having to balance acoustically. Who knows where it might end?

:-)

Thanks! And as right as you may be, when using lavs for interviews/shoots/etc, you can't really put the subjects through vocal training.

So the point that people here are making is: I'm basically SOL?

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Options I can think of:
1. wired lav
2. boom mic
3. better receiver/transmitter (already mentioned)
4. point the lav down, to avoid air being expelled into the mic
5. dynamic wireless mic

[Colin McDonald]

Hey Benjamin, your digital delay seems to be set for 11 months! :-)

But good advice from Pete above. I think the options have been pretty well covered. There's a fair number of possible avenues, from direction to tech.

And letsh not forget, a bit of unschripted hissching didn't do Sean Connery any harm after all.

[Benjamin Hodges]

Well, yeah, I mostly stick to a boom when I mix, and only use the lavs when I have no other options, so those other options are what I have been doing. But I was just meaning that with the lavs themselves, there's not necessarily something I can get fixed/do differently with them to get rid of that sibilance.

Thanks for the responses, BTW!