Sennheiser SK50 Vs Lectro MM400C

[jacobfarron]

5 talent wiress tx, 5 audio packs sending stereo to 5 cameras.

My rental house is recommending Sennheiser SK50 body packs with MKE2 lavs, and the Sennheiser 3041 receiver - with dual Lectro camera hops. = 15 freq's before ifb's.

I'd like to use the Lectro MM400C with B6 lavs, and UCR411 receiver, and Zaxcom TRX900a = 10 freqs before ifb.

I not familiar with the SK50. Anyone here used them? Looks like a nightmare to me: TX only 16 freqs, 50mw power, analog. The RX has no scan feature, only 32 channels, etc. Am I missing something?

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by jacobfarron

Am I missing something?

Yes - a superbly built transmitter and receiver designed for multi-channel work.

The system will already be loaded with the best IM-free frequencies for the best results.

The Sennheiser is still the system of choice for RF safety in difficult situations (pretty well all of London's West End, Eurovision Song Contest, etc.).

Neither Lectro nor Zaxcom, to my knowledge, are used in these situations - however good they are for other applications.

[jacobfarron]

I don't want to be argumentative, but I've only ever seen Lectro's on reality? I called the rental company back and asked if they had the choice what they would use... came back Lectro. I'm just stunned as to why they first recommened the Senns. Maybe a cost issue.

I don't doubt the Senn's function well, but coordinating over 20 freqs and not being able to scan? Arggg...

[Karl_Lohninger]

John Willet (a Sennheiser employee ?) writes:

<The Sennheiser is still the system of choice for RF safety in difficult situations (pretty well all of London's West End, Eurovision Song Contest, etc.).>

Why would that be?

<Neither Lectro nor Zaxcom, to my knowledge, are used in these situations - however good they are for other applications.>

????? Yah right - and we are smoking what?

Sennheiser is a big company with interesting products. In the field of 'wireless systems' for broadcast or film these products really are under-featured and not really players. Not even in Germany.

John, it's obvious you're addicted to (and paid ?) pushing all things Sennheiser, but me thinks it's rehab time. You're overdoing it.

Karl Lohninger
currently supervising 24hBerlin
ARTE + ARD

[John Willett]

Sorry if you think I'm overdoing it -it was not what I intended.

All I'm trying to say is that if you want multi-channel safety, Sennheiser is the one.

If you want range, then use a different make - but you get range at the expense of multi-channel.

And remember, I speak from mainly UK experience.

A lot of "features" in some systems are totally useless in a regulated environment where every frequency you are legally allowed to use is already programmed into the equipment. Calculating IM-free frequencies is best done by people who know what the equipment is. A Sennheiser set will probably not be OK for a Lectro and vice versa, for example.

I was just answering a question - and - I mention and recommend loads of other makes that have nothing at all to do with Sennheiser - in fact, anything Sennheiser I tend to take a step back and often don't push as hard as I really feel. I do lots of recording and most of what I write comes from my own experience of actually using the equipment.

I have been in this industry long enough to know the strengths and weaknesses of most of the better products around.

[Roland]

Audio 2020's, 2040's, are the ENG standard in the UK, the SKF are a high quality Sennheiser alternative. Beyond the transmitter/receiver side there are other alternatives re microphone elements. What John neglected to mention in his previous post is although these may be the choice of most west end theatres in England they are almost all using DPA mic's as are the BBC. The MKE2's are pretty decent elements, cos11's (Sanken should also be considered).

One benefit of the Lectrosound and Zaxcomm are that they are a digital transmitter so they have sound quality benefits over analogue systems, though I've heard varying reports over their range capability, this may or may not be an issue depending on your particular requirements, with the digital it should work at top performance until it drops, analogues deteriorate with distance.


Regards


Roland

[jacobfarron]

Thanks for the info guys.