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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Weird Pop on Senn Wireless

Steve DiMaggio

Steve DiMaggio

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Pre cursor here, I have sold pro audio gear for over a decade, outfitted major tv, radio and recording studios and I am kind of dumbfounded by an issue I am having, I have a Sennheiser Ew100 (second that I have owned, first had no issue) and I am using with a dpa mic for church ceremonies, it's going into a pix xlr (sound devices). I am getting a pop/sizzle sound every 20 minutes or so, I also get this when I take audio straight from the board.

there is no pattern as far as cabling, batteries, mic, ect that I can find to reproduce the issue except it happens maybe every 20 minutes, only sometimes. I am thinking it is some kind of static build up or discharge of some kind, has any one else seen this before?

steve
 
Has this happened in multiple locations?

Have you tried alternate frequencies?

Might be a source close to the venue on or near the same frequency that is causing interference.
Doesn't need to be a wireless mic. An ever increasing number of devices in a crowded spectrum could be the culprit.
 
it happened every where from north jersey to an amish village in south jersey. again I have had this issue hooked up to a board and completely isolated. I have the mic set up on my desk right now and I am watching the AF peak to see if anything happens. I have a computer, 3 hard drives and a phone next to it with no issues

I have not changed frequencies, this is an example at 16:23, I got the same exact popping sound on the mic this weekend, I am looking for another example with the mic instead of line
https://vimeo.com/163841248
 
I'm surprised that you would use a DPA mic with the Sennheiser EW100, which is a really low-end system. Sennheiser does make some pretty sophisticated wireless systems (including the digital 9000 series), but the EW100/G3 is what I would call a "student film" kind of outfit. It's not awful, but it's going to do things like pop every 20 minutes except under ideal circumstances. The DPA mics are exceptionally good, but it's kind of like putting world-class $5000 tires on a '76 Buick.

My advice would be to buy or rent one of the cheaper Lectrosonics rigs like a 200 system, one in a frequency range that works in your area. A lot of good wireless practice boils down to doing a frequency scan at the beginning of the job so you're aware of where all the interference is, so you can come up with a plan to stay away from it. The newer Lectro and Zaxcom systems provide very wide-bandwidth systems where you've got tons of range, even if you have to use (say) a dozen wireless mics simultaneously.
 
I wouldn't say its that drastic, it's not like I am using a peavy wireless or something ahah, my background is designing recording studios so I know a bit about audio and converters ect. My assistant wasn't freq scanning that was the issue I am thinking.
 
Steve DiMaggio said:
I wouldn't say its that drastic, it's not like I am using a peavy wireless or something ahah, my background is designing recording studios so I know a bit about audio and converters ect. My assistant wasn't freq scanning that was the issue I am thinking.
Click to expand...
I've been really stymied by bad wireless reception in certain parts of LA. There are some parts of town where everything is clear, then about four hours later... BAM, you get hit by severe static and interference. My guess is that either the phone company fires up a weird transmitter, or there's a power generator somewhere sending out random broadband glitches during certain periods of the day.

All you can do is re-scan and try to find some better frequencies free of interference. One thing about the brand-new (not cheap) Lectro and Zaxcom gear is that they're capable of transmitting and receiving across a much broader range than older gear, including Sennheiser G3's. The advantage is you'll have a greatly reduced chance of running into interference.

I have learned through painful experience that there's some things you can't cheap out on, and unfortunately one of them is wireless mic systems. If you use a $3000 mic on a bad wireless system, it could potentially sound worse than a $50 mic. They can also make the difference between getting the shot, vs. not getting​ the shot.
 
Steve DiMaggio said:
so dont know too much about lectro, is this a system that would be recommended
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/751380-REG/Lectrosonics_UCR100_Wireless_Microphone_Kit.html
or this
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ucr100_23_lmb_b1_m152_5p_lavalier_system.html
Click to expand...
Those are very inexpensive, older systems that will technically work today, but they're not good systems.

The 400 series and newer LT series Lectros are the ones to get. Note that it's often a wiser idea to rent wireless mics rather than buy them. You could rent 6 channels of great wireless for a couple of dollars a day, vs. paying ten thousand dollars to own them.
 
yeah I use my wireless 3 times a week so I don't mind paying, I only need 2 channels and I need the receiver to be camera mounted, battery powered
 
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