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WM transmitter water resistant in stainless steel and new 5 pin adapter


LarryF

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Here's an email I received about WM water resistant transmitters and about the 5 pin to waterproof connector adapter.

<<hello larry

hope you are well, i am about to add 2 x new tx's block 606 i was thinking of the new WM tx's, for a project next year in salt water, are the WM tx waterproof in salt water? or only fresh water?, its a sea kayaking series so the participants will take an occasional dive in the water will use the correct waterproof connector with countryman emw lavs.

also separately the adapter connector for the mm400 to 5pin connectors will they work with the WM for normal non water use ie i can use my many 5pin wired lavs? I realise i may have to buy a separate 2 wire connector as well as a 3 wire connector, many thanks>>

Reply from LEF:

The standard WM with the nickle-PTFE (Teflon) finish is fine for occasional salt water immersion. Some of the theme parks like Sea World have to replace the cases every few years, even with fresh water rinses after multiple shows each day. The cases don't fail but get pretty ugly. We will custom make stainless steel cases for the WM for users that foresee hundreds of immersions in saltwater. The downside of the stainless is the retail $250 case charge for a single unit and a small increase in weight.

We have a new universal 5 pin adapter for the WM that closely imitates the normal SM 5 pin input. If you have a lavaliere or other device wired for an SM, UM or LM, servo or non servo, simplified or not, TWO or THREE wire, it will work with the new universal adapter for the WM. We have discontinued the two different adapters we have now, one for two wire and one for two wire lavalieres. The new universal adapter also works for line level wirings, etc. The things it doesn't work for are those specials that require 5 Volt power from pin two on the SM or UM. These are our active guitar input cable, our inline mute switch and the cable for the Schoeps adapter. The universal adapter is available in a barrel version and a cable version. If you order the older version, you will get the newer one.

Best Regards,

Larry Fisher

Lectrosonics

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p.s. The new adapter is waterproof on the WM side. Water may get into the 5 pin side but it won't get past the waterproof connector into the WM. So if someone is near water with a 5 pin lavaliere and the new adapter, you don't have to worry about destroying the transmitter if they fall in.

LEF

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Is there a link or pics available for the adapter? I didn't see it on the Lectro site.

edit: Is this the adapter you are talking about?

http://www.lectroson...HRhdGlvbiI7fQ==

It looks exactly like that but has a U in its name rather than a 2 or 3. Both the U cable and the U barrel look like the older style. We'll get the U version up on the web site shortly. No matter what you order you will get the U (universal) version.

Best,

Larry F

Lectro

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You know what Larry, sometimes I just hate the fact that you guys keep innovating...Every item I buy is soon outdated by a new snazzier model!.. Last month I noticed that you had replaced the cabled adapter with the barrel, so I just had to have one... now a month later it is even better, being universal... I know... this is a plot to get all my money! ..It's all right, Really!.. I don't mind having an MM400 without on/off switch or dweedle, an SM400 sans dweedle, and now a barrel that only handles 2 wire lavs… Just joking , coz they still work great...but someday...

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  • 3 months later...

STAY ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY. NOT THE BLEEDING EDGE. somehow we were all able to make movies with a 2 trk nagra , 4 vegas and a black comtek antenna sticking off the top of our carts. i know the demands from post have changed but we still need to keep things in perspective. to buy every new gadget that comes out will leave you with about 4 generations of a sound cart and a never ending balance on your VISA card.

i'm making do with a sound devices 8 trk recorder; a cooper 106+1 ; 6 SM''s ( the 1st generation); 8 of the older comteks; 2 neumans 81i, and one neumann shotgun and 2 VDB poles. somehow... its working.

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You know what Larry, sometimes I just hate the fact that you guys keep innovating...Every item I buy is soon outdated by a new snazzier model!.. Last month I noticed that you had replaced the cabled adapter with the barrel, so I just had to have one... now a month later it is even better, being universal... I know... this is a plot to get all my money! ..It's all right, Really!.. I don't mind having an MM400 without on/off switch or dweedle, an SM400 sans dweedle, and now a barrel that only handles 2 wire lavs… Just joking , coz they still work great...but someday...

Hi Phil,

All SM's have the hardware for the dweedle tone. We put our best guess for the hardware into the SM's before we had the dweedle tone operation fully worked out. Our guesses were pretty good, so the early units just need the firmware to enable the dweedle operation. I believe the most recent firmware for the original SM's is now version 1.9. There are some functions that don't work such as variable power but the major elements are there.

Best,

Larry F

Lectro

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Hi Larry, that's great news about the sm400 and dweedle tone

Mine is s/n 372 and has never been updated.

Would it need to come back to the mother ship, or can an approved service man sort it out?

Thanks, Phil

Hi Phil,

Here or at a warranty station. The mother ship will be a bit better than a repair center for enabling an old unit. Call service for a quote 800 821 1121. The quote will be for the upgrade. Any mandatory upgrades will be at N/C and I assure you there will be some.

Best,

Larry F

Lectro

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I said in a previous posting about the SWM transmitter (Stainless WM) that "The downside of the stainless is the retail $250 case charge for a single unit and a small increase in weight." The increase in weight is indeed small compared to the usual blacksmith anvil but in the interest of full disclosure and to stop lawsuits for hernia repairs, the SWM (10.4 oz lithium ) weighs twice as much as the WM (5.3 oz lithium). When picking it up, the first reaction is "Whoa, something this size should not be this heavy". In a pocket or on a belt, the weight is not that noticeable IMHO but then I'm not petite. Anyway, it is a tool for salt water and/or frequent immersion.

Best Regards,

Larry Fisher

Lectrosonics

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  • 4 weeks later...

... The new universal adapter also works for line level wirings, etc. The things it doesn't work for are those specials that require 5 Volt power from pin two on the SM or UM. These are our active guitar input cable, our inline mute switch and the cable for the Schoeps adapter. The universal adapter is available in a barrel version and a cable version. ...

Best Regards,

Larry Fisher

Lectrosonics

 

Hello Larry & Lectropeople,

what DPA lavs work with the WM (+ Micro Phone Jack <-> TA5 Adapter)? 4071 or only 4063? (I'd really like to avoid their MicroDot adaptors, but that probably won't make a difference anyway)

Many thanks

 

Daniel

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Hello Larry & Lectropeople,

what DPA lavs work with the WM (+ Micro Phone Jack <-> TA5 Adapter)? 4071 or only 4063? (I'd really like to avoid their MicroDot adaptors, but that probably won't make a difference anyway)

Many thanks

 

Daniel

All. You have to add a 1k to 4k series resistor to the hot lead and then treat it as a two wire mic. You can use the resistors that come with the current servo transmitters.

Best,

Larry F

Lectro

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Boomboom & Larry,

 thanks 4 answering.

 

 you'd still have to use the (other) adaptor...

Since Lectros adapters do the 5pin servo bias magic?

 

 You have to add a 1k to 4k series resistor to the hot lead and then treat it as a two wire mic.

As shown in the SMB_e01_series_manual p.13 fig.3?

 

I understand that both quotes apply to all DPA lavs exept the 4063 (and 4067) low DC models (min. 3V instead of 5V). The latter could directly be used with the watertight phone jack?

The DPA lavs would only be operated on WM.

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All the DPAs will work with servo bias and with the WM. All pig tailed DPAs require a series resistor in the bias-audio lead for any current Lectro transmitter be it LM, SM, WM, or UM. With the series resistor, treat it as a two wire mic. Don't worry about whether it is a the low voltage DC version or standard version. That doesn't apply to the servo units. The servo bias actually provides more voltage than some other transmitters since it is regulated to 4 Volts (or 2 Volts) rather than being 4 or 5 Volts through a dropping (load) resistor that can vary the voltage widely depending on the current draw. (The load resistor is not  the DPA series resistor above.)

 

1. All pigtail DPA lavalieres will work with all current LM, SM, WM, or UM Lectro transmitters.

2. All pigtail DPA lavalieres require a series resistor (1k to 4k).

3. Treat all pigtail DPAs as a two wire system in our wiring diagrams.

 

If I've confused things more or made a mistake, holler.

 

Best,
Larry F
Lectro

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Larry,

 

thanks again.

 

whats been confusing were the different voltage values in your and DPAs specs, that appeared to be, but according to you, are not comparable.

Apparently, I am not the only one misunderstanding this. For fellow German speakers, here a link from 2009 on the forum of the "professionals association of film sound", bvft:

 

http://www.bvft.de/forum/showthread.php/934-Lectrosonics-und-DPA-teilweise-inkompatibel

 

My rough translation:

 

Before others step in the same trap:

 

DPA-lavs 4060, 4061 and 4071 are incompatible to Lectrosonics SM(a) and UM(a) series transmitters.

 

Those DPA mics need a minimum  of 5V supply voltage, the transmitters only provide 4V "Bias".

A signal still reaches the transmitter, but appears (to me?) not to be linear.

 

Additionally, Lectrosonics finally published its wiring scheme for the remaining, compatible 4063 and 4067 mics, which therefore are the only DPA-lavs, that really function on Lectrosonics.

 

 

Becoming off topic:

Would a resistor, maybe an SMD model, fit in the micro phone jack (and make sense)?

 

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Larry,

 

thanks again.

 

whats been confusing were the different voltage values in your and DPAs specs, that appeared to be, but according to you, are not comparable.

Apparently, I am not the only one misunderstanding this. For fellow German speakers, here a link from 2009 on the forum of the "professionals association of film sound", bvft:

 

http://www.bvft.de/forum/showthread.php/934-Lectrosonics-und-DPA-teilweise-inkompatibel

 

My rough translation:

 

 

 

Becoming off topic:

Would a resistor, maybe an SMD model, fit in the micro phone jack (and make sense)?

They are totally wrong about the incompatibility. This is when the "Hat" is right. The voltage at the DPA mic wire is about 1.8 Volts, constant. With any voltage above that, the DPA just draws more current until the voltage is pulled down to that voltage. For instance, with a Sennheiser 5 Volt supply and Sennheiser internal 4k load resistor, the DPA pulls the voltage down to 1.8 Volts. This means there is a 3.2 Volt drop across the 4k resistor or 800uA of current to the mic. The important thing here is the 5 Volts isn't necessary to provide the current. Any voltage above 2 Volts can provide the current if the resistor is a smaller value.

Let's try the same mic with the Lectro. With a 4 Volt constant supply and a series 1k resistor, the mic will pull 2200 uA and it is in a happy place, with high output. (4V minus 1.8 V equal 2.2V across the resistor. Divide by the resistor value of 1k equals 2200 uA bias.) With a 2k resistor, the current is 1100 uA with 6 dB less output into the servo input. With a 2.7k resistor the current is 800 uA, the same as the Sennheiser bias. The output is down a further 3 dB. At 4k the current is 550 uA and the output is down an additional 3 dB.

Disclaimer: The mic terminal voltage varies a little as the current changes but for back of the envelope calculations, the above is correct.

Chip resistors will work fine and are very tiny. We can send you some 2k's and 4k's if you email me at larryf@lectrosonics.com. You just have to figure out how to get Paypal to send us $0.008. Actually, since it is less than a penny, we'll round it to zero.

Best,

Larry F

Lectro

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  • 4 years later...
  • 5 weeks later...

I've got a barrel that gets occasional use on my older MM400 transmitters - usually when I want to use my white Cos 11.  It screws right into the unit and is dead solid.  It's a bit of an ungainly protuberance, and can cause a bit of discomfort for wearers who tend to "flow over" the back of their belts a bit.  I've had a couple of complaints about that.  But other than that, I think it's one of the more amazing and bombproof adapters I've ever seen.

Cheers,

Brent Calkin

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On 20/05/2017 at 3:58 AM, hobbiesodd said:

Is anyone here using the TA5 adapter for their WM transmitter? I've seen the short cable version and the barrel type and would like some real world advice on both options.

Thanks!

Evan 

I've bought 3 of the short cable type and found them to be really unreliable - 2/3 failed in short time and I ended up cutting them up wiring the lavs direct, the adaptor cables aren't great.

 

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