Wireless mics at DVinfo.net

Jim Stamos · March 27th, 2018, 10:35 PM

What wireless mics is everybody using I've been happy with lectrosonics for years I just have no problems with them but I'm needing to get another set and they're just so expensive.
Has anyone use the Sony urx po3 model I just need a good quality one without breaking the bank
Input welcome

Kevin Lau · March 28th, 2018, 01:29 AM

I have a Rodelink kit for spread-spectrum / non-frequency coordinated use, and a Sony DWX for longer range applications, in environments where coordination is possible, or generally outside RF-dense spaces.

It's an interesting time to be purchasing any wireless device as a secondary non-protected use, as the laws are currently evolving rapidly with spectrum auctions for mobile broadband services and television repack underway in the USA and Canada. Typically it's safer to go for devices built for <600MHz and >2.4GHz to assure that you can legally continue to use the system for the next couple of years at least. Downside to spread spectrum is the very limited power and the increased time it takes for both units to lock up again if the signal fades or is otherwise lost below the usable threshold, however they are cleared for worldwide use under ISM bands, per the ITU - if that could ever be a scenario. There are people trying to sell off older product in the repacked bands so be aware if you are looking for product on the used market.

Sony offers MI shoe integration adapters available for the UWP-D single and dual channel receivers to hook onto their compatible products which will power and carry audio. On a Z90, if it's set up like the X70 - you will have to remove the handle to access the MI hot shoe, and if the receiver is a single channel model you will forfeit the secondary input with no option to map the internal mic or the 3.5mm input to the other remaining channel. This seems like a thing they could address in software/firmware but it's not. So you might still want to stick with an analog connection between the receiver and camera to be able to get a secondary audio channel in.

The UWP-D is still a set-frequency FM analog system (the digital refers to companding/conversion system only), so interference and dropouts manifest on them similarly to traditional analog wireless systems however they are the absolute fastest to lock back up once the signal is recovered. My concern with the URX-P03 and -P03D receivers is the non-removable antenna as opposed to flexible wire or detachable BNC/SMA styles on other makes/models. The high end UWP-D receiver, the URX-S03D has detachable BNC antennas. It requires an adapter to break out the connectors though, or a camera that has a receiver slot (which none of the handheld models have).

UWP synchronization is done over infrared, so close-range line of sight: both devices must be held close together (or else you manually enter in the parameters by front panel). DWX uses spread-spectrum for the bi-directional link, and of course the other spread-spectrum models inherently always use 2-way radio communication. This means you can remotely mute or unmute, adjust input gain/pad, sleep or wake up, and change frequencies (or logical "channels" in the case of frequency-hopping types) without having to remove or retrieve the transmitter from the talent. Generally, the pairing process works similar to pairing a wireless keyboard or mouse on those, by a button press.

Note that on the Sony wireless kits, although they may have Micro USB ports, they can't power or recharge off those connectors. Rodelink can power off the port (not recharge) and the Sennheiser AVX can power and recharge (confirmed by Paul in your other thread asking about mounting options).

You might have seen the Saramonic UWMIC systems which are very close clones of the Sony UWP-D models and are available at a very attractive price point. No MI Shoe connector like the genuine Sony product however - it will be a cabled analog connection. I don't have personal ownership experience with that lineup, but they have been showing up at camera retailers everywhere lately. I'd say with those you might want to swap out the microphone lavalier capsule with something better if it's a body pack. All the more budget-oriented models tend to use 3.5mm TRS connections with locking collars.

Lots of options out there, generally decide if you want to go with the spread-spectrum hopping models or stick with the traditional UHF set-frequency types and then compare from there. I wouldn't directly compare across those two major classes, as I mentioned there can be scenarios where one or the other is the more suitable device for the environment.

Pete Cofrancesco · March 28th, 2018, 05:25 AM

I own the Sony UWP-D, and I have no complaints. Btw they can be powered via usb. It’s a great feature that I often use this for long shoots. Sennheiser also makes a similarly priced wireless in the $500-600 range and recently released a new version.

Paul Anderegg · March 28th, 2018, 06:02 PM

To use the Sony on the MIS shoe, you must remove the handle of the camera...AVX was made for little cameras like the Z90. My station just bought AVX's for our studio, and the auto gain that cannot be disabled picks up the air conditioning and raises the noise floor a lot...but for the field, on a tiny camera, can't beat it.

Pau

Jim Stamos · March 28th, 2018, 06:27 PM

Gonna try the D11 set
I'll have 30 days to try on some jobs to see if I like it or not B & H is pretty liberal on returns

John Mitchell · April 21st, 2018, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Anderegg

To use the Sony on the MIS shoe, you must remove the handle of the camera...AVX was made for little cameras like the Z90. My station just bought AVX's for our studio, and the auto gain that cannot be disabled picks up the air conditioning and raises the noise floor a lot...but for the field, on a tiny camera, can't beat it.

Pau

Odd choice by Sennheiser - while I understand it’s “lntelligent” auto gain (in other words it doesn’t continually adjust between words) it seems like it would have been a minor design thing to add in a manual gain control.

It also seems like it costs more than the EWP series.

Paul Anderegg · April 21st, 2018, 07:06 AM

Yes, but we live in the days of automation...the system works well enough in the field for breaking news, but it is definitely not the type of mic system you want for real EFP or other studio work, where you want SILENCE in between spoken voice, because the system cannot do that as far as I know.

Paul

March 27th, 2018, 10:35 PM	#1
Jim Stamos Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 563	Wireless mics What wireless mics is everybody using I've been happy with lectrosonics for years I just have no problems with them but I'm needing to get another set and they're just so expensive. Has anyone use the Sony urx po3 model I just need a good quality one without breaking the bank Input welcome

March 28th, 2018, 01:29 AM	#2
Kevin Lau Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 46	Re: Wireless mics I have a Rodelink kit for spread-spectrum / non-frequency coordinated use, and a Sony DWX for longer range applications, in environments where coordination is possible, or generally outside RF-dense spaces. It's an interesting time to be purchasing any wireless device as a secondary non-protected use, as the laws are currently evolving rapidly with spectrum auctions for mobile broadband services and television repack underway in the USA and Canada. Typically it's safer to go for devices built for <600MHz and >2.4GHz to assure that you can legally continue to use the system for the next couple of years at least. Downside to spread spectrum is the very limited power and the increased time it takes for both units to lock up again if the signal fades or is otherwise lost below the usable threshold, however they are cleared for worldwide use under ISM bands, per the ITU - if that could ever be a scenario. There are people trying to sell off older product in the repacked bands so be aware if you are looking for product on the used market. Sony offers MI shoe integration adapters available for the UWP-D single and dual channel receivers to hook onto their compatible products which will power and carry audio. On a Z90, if it's set up like the X70 - you will have to remove the handle to access the MI hot shoe, and if the receiver is a single channel model you will forfeit the secondary input with no option to map the internal mic or the 3.5mm input to the other remaining channel. This seems like a thing they could address in software/firmware but it's not. So you might still want to stick with an analog connection between the receiver and camera to be able to get a secondary audio channel in. The UWP-D is still a set-frequency FM analog system (the digital refers to companding/conversion system only), so interference and dropouts manifest on them similarly to traditional analog wireless systems however they are the absolute fastest to lock back up once the signal is recovered. My concern with the URX-P03 and -P03D receivers is the non-removable antenna as opposed to flexible wire or detachable BNC/SMA styles on other makes/models. The high end UWP-D receiver, the URX-S03D has detachable BNC antennas. It requires an adapter to break out the connectors though, or a camera that has a receiver slot (which none of the handheld models have). UWP synchronization is done over infrared, so close-range line of sight: both devices must be held close together (or else you manually enter in the parameters by front panel). DWX uses spread-spectrum for the bi-directional link, and of course the other spread-spectrum models inherently always use 2-way radio communication. This means you can remotely mute or unmute, adjust input gain/pad, sleep or wake up, and change frequencies (or logical "channels" in the case of frequency-hopping types) without having to remove or retrieve the transmitter from the talent. Generally, the pairing process works similar to pairing a wireless keyboard or mouse on those, by a button press. Note that on the Sony wireless kits, although they may have Micro USB ports, they can't power or recharge off those connectors. Rodelink can power off the port (not recharge) and the Sennheiser AVX can power and recharge (confirmed by Paul in your other thread asking about mounting options). You might have seen the Saramonic UWMIC systems which are very close clones of the Sony UWP-D models and are available at a very attractive price point. No MI Shoe connector like the genuine Sony product however - it will be a cabled analog connection. I don't have personal ownership experience with that lineup, but they have been showing up at camera retailers everywhere lately. I'd say with those you might want to swap out the microphone lavalier capsule with something better if it's a body pack. All the more budget-oriented models tend to use 3.5mm TRS connections with locking collars. Lots of options out there, generally decide if you want to go with the spread-spectrum hopping models or stick with the traditional UHF set-frequency types and then compare from there. I wouldn't directly compare across those two major classes, as I mentioned there can be scenarios where one or the other is the more suitable device for the environment.

March 28th, 2018, 05:25 AM	#3
Pete Cofrancesco Inner Circle Join Date: May 2004 Location: USA Posts: 2,997	Re: Wireless mics I own the Sony UWP-D, and I have no complaints. Btw they can be powered via usb. It’s a great feature that I often use this for long shoots. Sennheiser also makes a similarly priced wireless in the $500-600 range and recently released a new version.

March 28th, 2018, 06:02 PM	#4
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Re: Wireless mics To use the Sony on the MIS shoe, you must remove the handle of the camera...AVX was made for little cameras like the Z90. My station just bought AVX's for our studio, and the auto gain that cannot be disabled picks up the air conditioning and raises the noise floor a lot...but for the field, on a tiny camera, can't beat it. Pau

March 28th, 2018, 06:27 PM	#5
Jim Stamos Major Player Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 563	Re: Wireless mics Gonna try the D11 set I'll have 30 days to try on some jobs to see if I like it or not B & H is pretty liberal on returns Last edited by Jim Stamos; March 28th, 2018 at 11:02 PM.

April 21st, 2018, 07:06 AM	#7
Paul Anderegg Trustee Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Diego, Califonia Posts: 1,559	Re: Wireless mics Yes, but we live in the days of automation...the system works well enough in the field for breaking news, but it is definitely not the type of mic system you want for real EFP or other studio work, where you want SILENCE in between spoken voice, because the system cannot do that as far as I know. Paul