[Dude Japan]

I work at a film school and we have several of the Sennheiser
evolution ME-4 lav packs. I don't like them as they are hard for
students to use and don't sound that great.

I really want something that's easy to use so that the students will
have a positive first experience with audio.
I also need a lav pack with a receiver that will clip on to a camera
hot shoe or is light enough to be held by the operator.

Any suggestions?

-Clay

[Scott Dorsey]

In article ,
Dude Japan wrote:
I work at a film school and we have several of the Sennheiser
evolution ME-4 lav packs. I don't like them as they are hard for
students to use and don't sound that great.

I really want something that's easy to use so that the students will
have a positive first experience with audio.
I also need a lav pack with a receiver that will clip on to a camera
hot shoe or is light enough to be held by the operator.

Any suggestions?

You could try the Countryman lavs... get the older Isomax II kind. They
sound very good, but they are very large and they will give students practice
in hiding them.

The DPA lavs are even better but they are nowhere near as rugged and I am not
sure I'd hand them over to film students.

What's your budget for the pack? Sennheiser makes some good wireless gear
and some that isn't so good. Lectrosonics is pretty much the industry standard
these days and they make some very good stuff. The new Zaxcom digital stuff
has some oddities but it's not bad either. It's all very expensive, though.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Dude Japan]

What's your budget for the pack? *Sennheiser makes some good wireless gear
and some that isn't so good. *Lectrosonics is pretty much the industry standard
these days and they make some very good stuff. *
--scott
--

Scott,

Thanks for replying. The budget kind of works like: if I can justify
it, then I can get a couple packs. If it's inexpensive then I can get
more than a couple.

My main concern is ease of use of the transmitter/receiver.

The Lectrosonics stuff does seem simple, but if there is something
just as simple and less expensive, I would prefer that.

-Clay

[Richard Crowley]

"Dude Japan" wrote ...
My main concern is ease of use of the transmitter/receiver.

What is it that you find difficult to use with the current rig(s)?

The Lectrosonics stuff does seem simple, but if there is something
just as simple and less expensive, I would prefer that.

Sennheiser makes variations on several models which feature a
small receiver (the same size as the body-pack transmitter). Those
receivers are designed to be mounted on the camera. Vs. the
larger, mains-powered receivers which are designed for fixed
(or at least non-portable) use.

Quality may be more a function of the microhone itself, but you
didn't mention what you are using?

[Dude Japan]

What is it that you find difficult to use with the current rig(s)?

Richard,

Thanks for replying. I did actually mention that we are using the
Sennheiser ME-4 packs.
They come with these http://www.sennheiserusa.com/profess...smitter_503110
transmitter/receiver things

They are a pain to set the frequency and sensitivity.
You have to open the door, push a button, push another button, hold
down on a button, then push another button and close them.

I would really love something with a frequency dial/switch and
sensitivity knob and that's it.

Any suggestions?

-Clay

[Scott Dorsey]

Dude Japan wrote:
I would really love something with a frequency dial/switch and
sensitivity knob and that's it.

Any suggestions?

Some old crystal-controlled Vegas?
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Richard Crowley]

"Dude Japan" wrote ...
They are a pain to set the frequency and sensitivity.
You have to open the door, push a button, push another button, hold
down on a button, then push another button and close them.

I would really love something with a frequency dial/switch and
sensitivity knob and that's it.

Any suggestions?

I don't find them all that difficult to use. I would think that having
the buttons "under glass" and protected from the average ham-
handed actor or student would be a good thing. I figured out the
buttons without refering to the instructions. OTOH, once the
frequency, transmitter sensitivity, and receiver squelch are set,
is there any valid reason for the students to change the settings?

(I was asking about the microphone itself, not the transmitter or
receiver. The microphone contributes a very large part of the
"sound".)

[Laurence Payne[_2_]]

On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:15:21 -0700 (PDT), Dude Japan
wrote:

we are using the
Sennheiser ME-4 packs.
They come with these http://www.sennheiserusa.com/profess...smitter_503110
transmitter/receiver things

They are a pain to set the frequency and sensitivity.
You have to open the door, push a button, push another button, hold
down on a button, then push another button and close them.

I would really love something with a frequency dial/switch and
sensitivity knob and that's it.

Any suggestions?

I'm sure anyone capable of running a sound rig wouldn't find that
over-complicated. And the talent shouldn't be messing with such
settings anyway.

Anyway, I very much doubt you'll find anything much different.

[Scott Dorsey]

Dude Japan wrote:
Thanks for replying. The budget kind of works like: if I can justify
it, then I can get a couple packs. If it's inexpensive then I can get
more than a couple.

My main concern is ease of use of the transmitter/receiver.

The Lectrosonics stuff does seem simple, but if there is something
just as simple and less expensive, I would prefer that.

The higher end Sennheister stuff is almost as simple (setting frequencies
is not as easy to do on the agile stuff) and it's less expensive. I don't
think it sounds as clean but it's certainly head and shoulders over the
Azden and Samson stuff.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."