Sennheiser G3/G4 vs. Sennheiser AVX

[Ashley Stracke]

Hi everyone. I'm looking to get a pair of lav kits on a budget -- interested in the Sennheiser G3/G4 and the Sennheiser AVX in particular. Can anyone advise on the differences in between these two systems in terms of range, dropout, interference, and audio quality?

I know that the Lectrosonic is the industry standard, but it's out of my price range. If there are other recommended options (i.e. Sony UWP-D21) in the same price class, I would be interested to learn about that as well, but am particularly interested in the differences between the UHF and digital systems.

Thank you!

 

[Glen Powell]

I have a bunch of AVX that I use in a small studio setup - I've never had a problem with any sort of interference, after several years of use they are rock solid. I stopped using the G4's because they are on 'Canada' frequencies that I couldn't use on some travel shoots - a problem the the AVX system doesn't have. Audio quality between the AVX and G4 to my ear was similar, the biggest difference caused by what actual lav mic was attached (as with any system).

I also just ordered a pair of the new Tentacle Track E ( https://tentaclesync.com/track-e ) - they are a timecode synced pocket audio recorder, so each person can have their own mic / recorder with no need to transmit anything. Jam the timecode and easily sync in post. As far as I know there aren't any out in the wild yet, so I took a risk and ordered the day the order page went live... Time will tell if they are any good, but they sound promising at an attractive budget price.


Now cue the die hard 'Hire a sound guy' posts...

 

[Ashley Stracke]

Thanks so much for your suggestions. I'm curious if you have (or if anyone else has) experience with either the G4 or AVX in a more documentary context, since that's how I'll be using them, esp. under slightly challenging situations, like crowded urban areas or from a bit of a distance?

The Tentacle Track E does look interesting. While I may want something that I can monitor directly, the idea of not having to worry about dropout or interference is really attractive. Thanks!

 

[Mike P.]

Now cue the die hard 'Hire a sound guy' posts...

LOL!

I have a G3, AVX, and one of those cheap/tiny Rodes, and they all work well (so much so, that I'd recommend at least looking at the Rode merely for the cost savings and smaller size). Admittedly the G3 has been sitting in the pelican as back-up since getting the Rode, so maybe interference has increased since ~2018. Bare in mind, like Glen, I rarely use the included mics on any of them (have had 3.5mm Cos11d that works on all of them), but after even a mild mix, I highly doubt a corporate client could tell the difference (I certainly can't).

On the flip slide, I have heard some signal pffzzzts and pops with G3 captures, but not stuff I've personally captured with my own kit (if I ever noticed fall outs on the day, I'd change the channel... The AVX/Rode on the other hand, do it automagically).

Another thing to note; the G3 (and I presume the G4?) use AA batteries on both RX and TX sides, and I've always missed that on the AVX (which only has an AA adapter for the RX side). There's peace of mind knowing you can hop into literally any store and grab a fresh pair of AAs if you forgot to charge or the day is going on 16 hours without AC (conversely, you can keep one of those USB charging packs in your kit for the AVX or Rode.)

 

[Ashley Stracke]

Thanks!

Is the Rode the RodeLink or the Rode Go? I have the RodeLink and found it does pretty well, generally, although I do get a fair amount of dropout when shooting a subject from a distance in a crowded environment (cell phone interference?) and wondered whether this has to do with the digital signal vs. UHF, or whether one of the Sennheiser models would fare better under those conditions (better range?) Maybe not.

 

[Mike P.]

The Rode Go -- they're super tiny and have a built-in mic on the TX that can be used as a lav in a pinch. When the RodeLink came out, I considered it but opted for the AVX mostly because the Link was bigger than the G3 I already owned and only a 1/3rd less expensive. But when the Go came out I think it was around 1/2 the price of the Link (which itself was 2/3rds the cost of the AVX) and 1/4 the size, so it was a no-brainer as a second unit.

Unfortunately, I've rarely used any (G3, AVX, or Go) in a super crowded space and I'd guesstimate no further than ~20m away from the RX (and that's usually line of sight too, as it's most often piped directly into the camera which typically needs to see the subject).

 

[Ashley Stracke]

Thanks for that. I will definitely look in to the Go.

 

[Ashley Stracke]

Wondering if anyone else has thoughts on the UHF vs. digital question in general. Which is more reliable in 2020 given the proliferation of cell phones?

 

[Maira Fravel]

I'd say UHF is great for distance and you aim for a longer battery life.