Audio equipment, what do I need?

I have two situations that I am coming up on soon where I am going to need to do some audio recording. One is a set of instructional videos for doing different grooming tasks on horses. The other is video of riding lessons with clinicians. I am leaning toward getting this Sennheiser Wireless Lav kit. Max range that I could encounter would be about 65 meters unobstructed on the clinics.

The instructional videos will likely be shot on my 5DII and the clinics will be shot with my Panasonic camcorder. So my question is, will I be able to get decent audio straight out of the Sennheiser reciever into the cameras? Or, do I need a seperate audio recorder?

Bob

Hot Bob wrote in post #15743015
So my question is, will I be able to get decent audio straight out of the Sennheiser reciever into the cameras? Or, do I need a seperate audio recorder?
Bob

With the proper cable you can, the output of the Sennheiser is +12dB which is too hot for the input of the camera, as such you need to drop that level down, based on that level a 50dB pad should do the job just fine and get you to a managable audio level going into the camera.

http://www.markertek.c​om …/Sescom/LN2MIC-50DB.xhtml

Wayne

The Sennheiser G3 receiver has a built-in pad selectable from the receiver side and works just fine direct into the camera when set appropriately; it can be set for anywhere from +12db to -30db output (nominal at "0db" of signal) in 6db steps. You do not need an external pad to properly match these to a dSLR's input.

I own several of these and they are extremely versatile and nicely-performing units that work great either directly into a dSLR or (with the included balanced cable) into an XLR input-capable device. The ability to run into either unbalanced or balanced devices with a wide range of input requirements is one of the nice features this particular wireless mic set has up its sleeve. I use mine extensively in exactly this application.

tickerguy wrote in post #15749981
The Sennheiser G3 receiver has a built-in pad selectable from the receiver side and works just fine direct into the camera when set appropriately; it can be set for anywhere from +12db to -30db output (nominal at "0db" of signal) in 6db steps. You do not need an external pad to properly match these to a dSLR's input.

Good to know, is that setting in the menu or switch selectable?

Wayne

It's in the menu on the receiver; cycle through to "Audio Out" and make your selection. It's "sticky" once set and persists until changed.

There's two things I very-much appreciate about these units beyond the fact that they have a decent noise floor and are very stable -- that's one of them and the other is that they come with both an unbalanced output cable that works fine into a dSLR or other "consumer" style audio input either at mic or line level, and the kit ALSO includes an XLR cable to feed into balanced devices. The G3s will properly match and work with pretty-much anything on the receiving end without transformers, pads or preamps whether the device wants line or mic level, balanced or unbalanced.

Oh, and they work well with AA NiMH batteries also.

They're not "cheap" but you get what you pay for and they are nicely-cased and durable. If there's one complaint I have its that the microphone connector on the transmitter side is proprietary and I haven't been able to get enough information on what it expects to know if it can be adapted via a cable to other-than-sennheiser mics without blowing things up; I'd really like it if their transmitter unit would accept any condenser mic but I guess that's asking too much

tickerguy wrote in post #15750090
It's in the menu on the receiver; cycle through to "Audio Out" and make your selection. It's "sticky" once set and persists until changed.

Ok that is like the input settings on the AT transmitters.

I borrowed a set and they seemed to work well but I was puzzled on how to change the output level, at the moment I didn't have a manual or the time to read one and being as they where not mine I didn't want to open them up and look for a level setting so I adjusted my camcorder to match the output of the receiver.

The only downsides where the range, they where only good for about a block and then I began having dropouts and there was no way to connect them to my camcorders power system.

The output like I, is definitely un-balanced, so if they are not using a transformer then they are using a T-Pad which by the way is how I connected the receiver to my camcorder, a T-Pad will work but not a good as a transformer match, however the difference is not going to be noticed with a wireless system in this price range.

Actually considering the level of build they are a good bang for the buck, and when I went to replace our "cheap" wireless systems they where on the "a" list and the only reasons I went with the AT wireless where, true diversity receivers, dual channel receivers and being able to run off of the camcorders power system.

If there's one complaint I have its that the microphone connector on the transmitter side is proprietary and I haven't been able to get enough information on what it expects to know if it can be adapted via a cable to other-than-sennheiser mics without blowing things up; I'd really like it if their unit would accept any condenser mic but I guess that's asking too much

Are you sure about that, I could be totally incorrect but the input connector looked to me like a standard 3.5mm locking plug.

http://www.markertek.c​om …cNec/M-3-5S-LOCKING.xhtml

Or you might be able to reverse engineer this cable.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ansmitter_Line_​Cable.html

Now FWIW it would appear they are running phantom power out and audio back in on the tip which makes sense as many low to mid level lavs are two wire un-balanced to the preamp or transmitter.

Thanks guys. Very helpful.

Bob

I might have to play with a cheap condenser mic I won't be TOO pissed if I blow up with the transmitter sometime....

If it's got phantom power on the tip along with signal then it shouldn't be too tough to work with and adapt.... Physically it's just a locking 3.5" three-conductor plug and will accept a non-locking plug and mate correctly (but obviously could be pulled out accidentally) but I didn't have the pin assignments handy and had looked for them -- thanks.