DV Info Net - decent cheap wireless lav system?

DV Info Net (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/)

- All Things Audio (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-things-audio/)

- - decent cheap wireless lav system? (https://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-things-audio/535928-decent-cheap-wireless-lav-system.html)

Re: decent cheap wireless lav system?

I guess the operative question is what is your budget?

Re: decent cheap wireless lav system?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don Palomaki (Post 1944673)

I guess the operative question is what is your budget?

If I could find a reasonable system below $1K that would obviously be preferred, but if the right choice is a $3K system it's not out of the realm, it would just take longer to build out the channel count.

In the end the result is only as good as the weakest link of everything on set. So underspending drags everything down, overspending is wasteful and should instead be put to whatever else the next weakest link is. So the reference point in terms of quality is the MKH-50 for audio, a Varicam LT for picture, and a Skypanel for light if that makes sense. The G3s no longer measure up in that by appearance.

I know this is a bit of a fluid answer, but I try to approach with logic rather than a hard number. Thanks for taking the time to consider the options.

Re: decent cheap wireless lav system?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan Klier (Post 1944669)

Thanks, good to know. I do have to replace a few G3s due to band, so I guess it's trade band or trade-up.

It occurs to me that I may be mounting this horse backwards. For me lavs are generally the backup channel to the boom. I have either a MKH-50 or 8060 on the boom. So I think the better way to ask this question is what lav system is of comparable quality to the boom signal. If I can afford it, that's what I should pair it with, not whatever is the best sub $1K unit. 2 channels is the minimum, 4 would be great over time.

What is the same quality as a boom? NOTHING

Not even if you have the top DPA/Sanken lavs with the best and latest Lectrosonics/Zaxcom/AudioLtd/Wisycom will it out perform a well placed good boom mic swung by a skilled operator.

The only reason we are ever *ever* forced to use lavs is because the camera/DoP/lighting/director/gaffer screw us over :-( Sadly the priority of sound isn't put first! :-o Ah, one can only dream....

Anyway, back to the question at hand, what wireless to get:

Best low end: Sony UWP-D11
Then the high end starts at around the price of a Lectrosonics LR/LT kit (then goes up and up!). And unfortunately there is quite a gap between two those two points which is fairly empty of appealing options (unless you look around at secondhand deals for older top end kit).