Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. at DVinfo.net

Anthony McErlean · March 3rd, 2020, 05:26 AM

HI, my radio mic that never give me any bother over this last years is now starting to give me a cracking sound mixed into my audio.
I would place the receiver in the grooms jacket pocket, I always did this btw and never had a problem with the sound, it was always very clean.

Now, for some reason this is happening, it doesn't happen all the time, and the groom doesn't have a mobile phone on him at all.

Would moving to a different channel / frequency help?

Thanks in advance.

Rick Reineke · March 3rd, 2020, 10:11 AM

Can you post a short demo of the noise somewhere?
Occasional clicks or crackling type noise is usually an indication of a compromised transmitter mic/cable. OTOH, Interference is typically a spitting-whoosh type of sound and can be accompanied by drop-outs. A faulty receiver output cable could also exhibit this behavior, specifically if bias current is present. Phantom Pwr fed to the Rx via an XLR connection can also produce noise and/or rapidly drain the Rx batteries, and in some case or fry the device.

Anthony McErlean · March 3rd, 2020, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Reineke

A faulty receiver output cable could also exhibit this behavior, specifically if bias current is present. .

Hi Rick, odd you should mention that, I shaked the XLR cable that's connected to the receiver while making a test recording and on playback, I did hear the cracking sound.
It looks like its the cable.

Thanks.

Anthony McErlean · March 3rd, 2020, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Reineke

Can you post a short demo of the noise somewhere?
.

Yes, I'll try and get that sorted, thanks

Anthony McErlean · March 3rd, 2020, 03:54 PM

I got the same cracking audio tonight again and the camera was locked off. So I can't blame the XLR cable from the receiver this time...I think.
The cracking sound just comes into it at random, other than that, its perfect.

Anthony McErlean · March 3rd, 2020, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick Reineke

Can you post a short demo of the noise somewhere?
.

Hope this link help.

Thanks.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kj6onuy7x8...audio.ac3?dl=0

Tony McGuire · March 4th, 2020, 01:31 PM

What freq are you using on these. This could be the cause of the noise as 4g is below the 863.000mhz and if you are below this I would say its 4g that causing your problem. I would try 864.000 to 865.000 and see if it still happens

Rick Reineke · March 4th, 2020, 01:33 PM

Firstly, to rule out interference, try another bank/channel.
Sounds like a mic issue though, i.e: exposure to water or something shorting the bias voltage to the audio Try another mic

Anthony McErlean · March 4th, 2020, 02:40 PM

OK Thank you guys.

I always had it set at 839.100 without problems.

Hi Rick, the mic is always used in doors but i'll try a different mic anyway.

Thanks

Tony McGuire · March 4th, 2020, 02:48 PM

Uesing that freq is asking for trouble as its now part of the 4g band which phones now use and you will have problem there for sure. Try and go to 865.500 and see if you have any problems.

I do sound and lighting with a friend here and we also had problems using mic below 863.000 it all to do with 4g. we have 12 body packs and of that 8 of them we can not use as there is not enough room for them between 863.000 - 865.000.

try and change the freq first as it will cost nothing I don't think is the mic.

The 70 and part of 69 was sold off for 4g all over europe when the tv channels where changed to digital

Tony McGuire · March 4th, 2020, 02:56 PM

Anthony here is a site i found and it may help.

https://www.spectrummonitoring.com/frequencies/#UK

look at the 800Mhz and you will see that 839.100 is in the middle of the 4g band and its the uplink from the phones that's causing the problem.

this is why I am telling you to go to any freq above 863.000 to 865.000 and you may get good luck on 865.500

Paul R Johnson · March 4th, 2020, 03:55 PM

Well, my opinion is different. It doesn't sound remotely like digital noise from a sideband of a cellular network - which is a horrible really loud digital scream! That to me is a mic fault where the DC polarising voltage is compromised - simple dry joints, dodgy capacitors that are fixable. The test is disconnecting the microphone. If the transmitter then transmits silence then the fault is either in the preamp of the transmitter, or in the cable. It's possible the noise could be from the capsule - especially if it got very damp at some point and the tiny gap between diaphragm and backplate has moisture in it. Dry joints can produce this sound too.

I've had this probably three, maybe four times. Twice replacing the mic cured it, a dry joint in the preamp on another, and the first time I had it was a proper fault in the pack, which Sennheiser swapped out, so I don't know the exact fault.

Tony McGuire · March 4th, 2020, 04:15 PM

Paul,

I know this as when the radio mics that where 830 to 840 mhz where fine when the room was empty and when the room had about 200 people in it at a school show that when we had problem with pop and cracks.
The school itself is about 15 - 20 mile as the crow flies from the 4g tower as well.

I have also done some test myself after this and did get the same problem when 3 or 4 phone with 4g switch on about a meter from the transmitter and about 4 meters from the RX and it just cracked and popped.

When we first heard it we did swap mics on the kids but the problem was still there, we even changes the pack as swapped the body pack at one point thinking it was faulty but the noise was still there.

Also 4g is packed based and also hopes from one freq to another within the carrier's band plan.

Anthony McErlean · March 4th, 2020, 06:12 PM

Thank you Tony and Paul, I will try changing the mic and freq.

Tony, regarding changing freq, I'm using setting Bank 1, do I have to change bank or will bank 1 still be ok?

Thanks again guys for your time and the link.

Paul R Johnson · March 5th, 2020, 04:12 AM

I've got an RF Explorer - a very useful diagnostic tool, and they are handy showing you visually channel occupancy - and cellular signals are very different to look at.

A good tip is to turn off pilot tone and open the squelch if you can - digital noise, even when listened to on an analogue receiver is very obvious. There's a very similar, but different characteristic sound that happens when the wide band digital signals create receiver desensitisation by being very close, but not on top of, the audio channel - and a fluttery, phutty result appears - that changes as the receiver is oriented in different planes. What I hear in the sample is something caused in the transmitter electronic chain - from mic to the inout of the RF stage, or possibly in the discriminator output of the receiver, through to audio output.

March 3rd, 2020, 05:26 AM	#1
Anthony McErlean Trustee Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 1,076	Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. HI, my radio mic that never give me any bother over this last years is now starting to give me a cracking sound mixed into my audio. I would place the receiver in the grooms jacket pocket, I always did this btw and never had a problem with the sound, it was always very clean. Now, for some reason this is happening, it doesn't happen all the time, and the groom doesn't have a mobile phone on him at all. Would moving to a different channel / frequency help? Thanks in advance. Last edited by Anthony McErlean; March 3rd, 2020 at 08:03 AM.

March 3rd, 2020, 10:11 AM	#2
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,038	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. Can you post a short demo of the noise somewhere? Occasional clicks or crackling type noise is usually an indication of a compromised transmitter mic/cable. OTOH, Interference is typically a spitting-whoosh type of sound and can be accompanied by drop-outs. A faulty receiver output cable could also exhibit this behavior, specifically if bias current is present. Phantom Pwr fed to the Rx via an XLR connection can also produce noise and/or rapidly drain the Rx batteries, and in some case or fry the device.

March 3rd, 2020, 03:54 PM	#5
Anthony McErlean Trustee Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 1,076	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. I got the same cracking audio tonight again and the camera was locked off. So I can't blame the XLR cable from the receiver this time...I think. The cracking sound just comes into it at random, other than that, its perfect.

March 4th, 2020, 01:31 PM	#7
Tony McGuire Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Donegal Ireland Posts: 119	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. What freq are you using on these. This could be the cause of the noise as 4g is below the 863.000mhz and if you are below this I would say its 4g that causing your problem. I would try 864.000 to 865.000 and see if it still happens

March 4th, 2020, 01:33 PM	#8
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,038	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. Firstly, to rule out interference, try another bank/channel. Sounds like a mic issue though, i.e: exposure to water or something shorting the bias voltage to the audio Try another mic Last edited by Rick Reineke; March 4th, 2020 at 04:14 PM.

March 4th, 2020, 02:40 PM	#9
Anthony McErlean Trustee Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 1,076	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. OK Thank you guys. I always had it set at 839.100 without problems. Hi Rick, the mic is always used in doors but i'll try a different mic anyway. Thanks

March 4th, 2020, 02:48 PM	#10
Tony McGuire Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Donegal Ireland Posts: 119	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. Uesing that freq is asking for trouble as its now part of the 4g band which phones now use and you will have problem there for sure. Try and go to 865.500 and see if you have any problems. I do sound and lighting with a friend here and we also had problems using mic below 863.000 it all to do with 4g. we have 12 body packs and of that 8 of them we can not use as there is not enough room for them between 863.000 - 865.000. try and change the freq first as it will cost nothing I don't think is the mic. The 70 and part of 69 was sold off for 4g all over europe when the tv channels where changed to digital

March 4th, 2020, 02:56 PM	#11
Tony McGuire Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Donegal Ireland Posts: 119	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. Anthony here is a site i found and it may help. https://www.spectrummonitoring.com/frequencies/#UK look at the 800Mhz and you will see that 839.100 is in the middle of the 4g band and its the uplink from the phones that's causing the problem. this is why I am telling you to go to any freq above 863.000 to 865.000 and you may get good luck on 865.500

March 4th, 2020, 03:55 PM	#12
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,015	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. Well, my opinion is different. It doesn't sound remotely like digital noise from a sideband of a cellular network - which is a horrible really loud digital scream! That to me is a mic fault where the DC polarising voltage is compromised - simple dry joints, dodgy capacitors that are fixable. The test is disconnecting the microphone. If the transmitter then transmits silence then the fault is either in the preamp of the transmitter, or in the cable. It's possible the noise could be from the capsule - especially if it got very damp at some point and the tiny gap between diaphragm and backplate has moisture in it. Dry joints can produce this sound too. I've had this probably three, maybe four times. Twice replacing the mic cured it, a dry joint in the preamp on another, and the first time I had it was a proper fault in the pack, which Sennheiser swapped out, so I don't know the exact fault.

March 4th, 2020, 04:15 PM	#13
Tony McGuire Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Donegal Ireland Posts: 119	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. Paul, I know this as when the radio mics that where 830 to 840 mhz where fine when the room was empty and when the room had about 200 people in it at a school show that when we had problem with pop and cracks. The school itself is about 15 - 20 mile as the crow flies from the 4g tower as well. I have also done some test myself after this and did get the same problem when 3 or 4 phone with 4g switch on about a meter from the transmitter and about 4 meters from the RX and it just cracked and popped. When we first heard it we did swap mics on the kids but the problem was still there, we even changes the pack as swapped the body pack at one point thinking it was faulty but the noise was still there. Also 4g is packed based and also hopes from one freq to another within the carrier's band plan.

March 4th, 2020, 06:12 PM	#14
Anthony McErlean Trustee Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 1,076	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. Thank you Tony and Paul, I will try changing the mic and freq. Tony, regarding changing freq, I'm using setting Bank 1, do I have to change bank or will bank 1 still be ok? Thanks again guys for your time and the link.

March 5th, 2020, 04:12 AM	#15
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,015	Re: Sennheiser ew 100 G2 annoying cracking sound. I've got an RF Explorer - a very useful diagnostic tool, and they are handy showing you visually channel occupancy - and cellular signals are very different to look at. A good tip is to turn off pilot tone and open the squelch if you can - digital noise, even when listened to on an analogue receiver is very obvious. There's a very similar, but different characteristic sound that happens when the wide band digital signals create receiver desensitisation by being very close, but not on top of, the audio channel - and a fluttery, phutty result appears - that changes as the receiver is oriented in different planes. What I hear in the sample is something caused in the transmitter electronic chain - from mic to the inout of the RF stage, or possibly in the discriminator output of the receiver, through to audio output.