Anyone here using Sennheiser G3 wireless mics?

[Jaymz]

I use 2 x G3 SK/EK systems, with Tram TR-50 lavs. They're pretty decent and I don't think there's any other choices for that price. One thing they lack is range, but my work is bag based so that's not a problem for me.

Once I'm able to, I'll upgrade to a Lectro SRa / SMQV setup. Then keep the G3's. One as an extra lav setup when needed, the other for sending a scratch track to camera.

[RobAnderson]

Thanks Jaymz.

In your experience, how far can they go (reliably) indoors?

I should mention that I plan to use them with the "rackmount" receiver, so I guess it's possible that this might have a range advantage over the smaller "bodypack" receiver.

[RobAnderson]

I guess another question would be: can these G3 beltpacks power the better elements (i.e. Countryman B3/B6, Sennheiser MKE1/2, DPA 4060/4061, DPA 4099 etc.)?

I know DPA make an adapter for the 4060 to work with the G3, so I am guessing it will work, but sometimes guesses are not a good thing to go on...

[fifthcircle]

DPA adapters work fine...

Inside, I've gotten 80 feet with those wireless easily with the stock whip antennas. If you need more, leave the receiver at the stage and run wires back to your record/pa position.

--Ben

[Rolo 46]

I would hope for 300' outside and with Yagi arrays considerably more
The plug in power should power all the available electrets
Trams are useful under clothing ,4060s above
A pair or more of radios is always useful
Recently did a musical service in an ancient Abbey with music at either end,500' apart
The Radios (Micron Explorers) worked well .

[pkautzsch]

The MKE-2 isn't exactly a bad mic. A bit hyped in the treble and sibilant range, but otherwise it's fine - and takes EQ well.
When I do pro-bono sound for student films, I often have to use their school's wireless kits, which happen to almost exclusively be G3.
The problems I have with G3:
Especially with pocket receivers ("pseudo-diversity") the reliability isn't too good. Lots of short noise bursts. Antennas are susceptible to bad contacts when talent bends them accidentally in their pocket or wherever the TX is hidden. Same applies to TRS connectors on TX and RX.
The range differs very much depending on surroundings. This might have to do with frequency range, as most stuff I get from those schools is in the 863 MHZ range.

If I decide what kit is to be used (ie. on professional jobs), I use AudioDevelopments and Sanken mics.

Is this music or film jobs you're talking about?

[hbphotoav]

Hey, Rob...

I run six EW100 systems: two, paired with two EW500, all first gen, in a rack with a Senny antenna combiner... since 2005... two G2 in a smaller rack... and two of the G3 camera packs (beltpack transmitter and same-sized receiver with output for my Z1 camcorders). I use the ME2 mics supplied with the G3s for most of my interview-based stuff; Shure WL185s and 184s for on-stage lav needs; and Countryman E6 and DPA over-ear headworns (4, total) whenever possible. I also have a pair of 4061s and a PSC Millimic which occasionally see service, usually where I can run a wire (I'm with you, there... and they are terminated in XLR) or through one of the two "plug-on" transmitters in my case.

The EW100 range issues are usually mitigated in my use (not much outside work... mostly indoors) with directional antennas (I have a pair of Sennheiser paddles I use with the combiner) and/or careful placement of the receiver and tuning of the squelch control... i.e., as close to talent as possible, with a long mic cable run back to the camera/mixer, if need be... often, in live sound situations, I run all six racked units back through 150' of snake. If I can set up within 50-70' of the presenter(s), I have zero problems... careful freq selection is usually the more important consideration, especially in RF-intensive environments (my regulars are Chicago, Philly and Atlanta... I don't work NYC or LA).

If you don't want to fork over the $3K-$5K for 250mW Lectrosonics or Sennheisr SK/SR systems, and you can stay in reasonably close proximity, there's not a better sub-$1K solution. Yep... I'm a fan. They work for me, and make me money.

[RobAnderson]

Thanks for the info everybody. It's music jobs mostly. basically it would be nice to pin a lav on a soloist who can't stand still, or in a situation where an accent mic is visually unacceptable. Doesn't happen all that much, but when it does...

NYC is crazy with RF, and these G3 systems don't seem to operate in the safer zones (if there is such a thing).

From what I can tell, the package comes with an ME2 not an MKE-2. not sure how much of a difference there is. I've used the MKE-2's with SK50 in live reinforcement situ and it seems to sound OK. I've been meaning to pick up a pair of 4060's anyway, so I figure that might be a bump up in quality over the Sennheiser.

[Foldedpath]

Originally Posted by RobAnderson

I guess another question would be: can these G3 beltpacks power the better elements (i.e. Countryman B3/B6, Sennheiser MKE1/2, DPA 4060/4061, DPA 4099 etc.)?

Yup, I've been using DPA 4099 instrument mics into a G3 beltpack for a year and a half now, for fiddle or mandolin with our band's compact PA rig. Works fine. My only gripe is the outrageous price I paid for the DPA adapter to go from their micro connector to the locking Senn plug for the body pack. IIRC, it was something like $60 from Sweetwater... maybe someone else has them cheaper.

I use the rackmountable receiver, with a front plate next to it in my rack for the stock antennas. I used to use it for a fiddler in an old version in the band, now it's mainly for going out front and checking the FOH mix during sound check, or if we need to supply an ad-hoc lav mic for a wedding gig. I'm just using the cheap lav mic that came with that version of the G3 100 body pack + receiver kit. I think this is the version we bought (be sure to check Senn's frequency chart for your area, to get the right band):

Sennheiser EW 112 G3 (A Band, 516-558 MHz) | Sweetwater.com

I can't say much about range limits, because we're always operating fairly close to the stage mixer and rack that has the receiver. It seems like a good system for the money, if you're not ready to move up to the Lectro level (which wouldn't make sense for us, right now).

[philper]

G2/G3 are the bang-for-buck leader in wirelesses, but you still get what you pay for. I use them all the time as utility feeds to DSLRs (where the small size is important) and they worked pretty well as hifi camera hops as well (where the audio is already compressed by a mixer). They have a good deal more distortion than the more expensive wirelesses (try the jangling keys test and you'll see what I mean), but if you respect their limitations they can work quite well. I do a lot of audio post on docs where that's what the low-budg filmmakers have used (nearly universally, it seems), and we get away with it. Check Ebay--there always seem to be some fairly steeply discounted units there from box-shops. Check the Sennheiser wireless site re: what block will work best in your area.

phil p

[Rolo 46]

Jangling Keys is a tough test for mics and pres and the ultimate test for a radio.......
Other good tests ,immersion of the electret into water and interior of a car when the door is slammed....

[hbphotoav]

Originally Posted by RobAnderson

...
NYC is crazy with RF, and these G3 systems don't seem to operate in the safer zones (if there is such a thing).

From what I can tell, the package comes with an ME2 not an MKE-2. not sure how much of a difference there is. I've used the MKE-2's with SK50 in live reinforcement situ and it seems to sound OK. I've been meaning to pick up a pair of 4060's anyway, so I figure that might be a bump up in quality over the Sennheiser.

You are quite right... I thought I had corrected that in my first post. It is a ME2... with quite a bit of sibilant emphasis... which is why I relegate it to interview. Screen-off (or the +3 "soft boost" screen) 4060/61 would be the way to go on all but a raucous R&R/country stage. Nice, flat response and no proximity effect. And, as you know, tiny. On an "active" soloist in a classical setting, I imagine the vocal sound would be more consistent, but likely harder to blend than a more typical spot mic solution.

As to the freq thing... that's one of the price separators (along with a higher transmit power)... the range of freqs and the ease of scanning/switching, etc... between entry-level and full-on pro systems. I should think, if you can get the receiver close to the artist (25 feet or so) and with good line-of-sight from the xmitter antenna, run a line level through your snake, and squelch the "best" channel fairly high, you'd be fine with one or two systems, even in NYC. But, as I said, I don't work there. My buddy Rusty King just finished a job with the US Army in D.C. (maybe even worse than NYC) where he had to wrangle 30 systems... I'm glad that was his gig, and not mine.

Rent and test before you buy, I'd say. Certainly test the snot out of a system before it goes mission critical.

But, then, you know that.

HB

[EV676]

I prefer the Sennheiser G2 and G3 series since they give you the option of using another dynamic mic with their "butt pack" option. I ran with a lowly EV635 attached to the Senn "BP" for our sidelines guy this football season and it worked well. I'm using a Shure distribution amp and a pair of home-brew yagis cut to the 516-558 range (I modified an antenna construction article I found in QST). 300 foot range operation was easy with the yagi's though I got decent performance with the stock whip antennas that come with the Sennheiser receivers. I also use a Sennheiser 300 IEM set that works great as well.

You have to have the B-packs in the open, not in a pants or jacket or pocket.
I tried using it across a football field with a sportscaster headset and had too many drop outs for it to work properly. I tried to give the sidelines guy handsfree operation but it didn't quite work they way I intended.