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Sennheiser g3 Setup


Influxaudio

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Greetings !

 

I have recently started using a Sennheiser g3 wireless system for recording Lav mic's into a SD 664. 

 

I wanted to ask others here what settings are working best for them as I'm not 100% satisfied with the quality of signal I'm getting.

 

I currently set sensitivity to just over half the range on the transmitter (in case the talent talks louder than in the sound check) and making sure I don't see the AF Peak light at all.

 

Then on the receiver I have the AF Out settings at 0 (with the idea that I'm not adding or attenuating the gain on the sennheiser)

 

Then I'm coming into the 664 at Mic level  and have my Gain Trim at 12.00 (half of the range)

 

What do you guys think of that ?

 

 

Also I'm using a Sanken Cos 11mic and find that even with a pop shield accessory I sometimes get a lot of siblance - is that normal and to be expected ?

 

Really appreciate any advice

 

Influx 

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Start with your transmitter & receiver at a -20 setting especially going into a mic level input. Adjust the levels on your 664 as required. Sibilance is a vocal characteristic, the Sanken is a bit bright but a very good sounding lav. When doing a level check always ask for performance level to get an idea of the vocal range. After the level check you can adjust the tx &rx  in & out levels to give you the best signal to noise ratio and dynamic range.

 

 

Eric

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Hi Eric

Thanks for your reply . Could I ask why you attenuate both Rx and Tx instead of one or the other.

Thanks influx

You adjust the tx for the microphone input level so you don't overload the preamp in the tx.  You adjust the rx output level so you don't overload the mixer input level. You can turn up the rx output to "0" or above but you have to change the 664 input to line level. it's called gain staging. Trust me on this, it works.

 

Eric

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Sanken proved to be amazing buried below clothes... in plain sight it is rather bright... had some nasty sibilance on a few females; but taped to man's chest and covered with clothes it works great... I used settings of -15 and -20 on Sennheisers coming into mic preamps... It worked. The only thing I couldn't solve was wireless hop to camera... Even at the lowest settings the signal from recorder's xlr out and through that g3 cube transmitter into the camera via g3 receiver came in distorted, but silent... even when both set to -30 or less... hmmm...

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I know this is stupid... but perhaps go to where you bought the gear, set it up, and have someone who knows the gear show you how to use it properly.  Getting the "right" settings is not always easy to understand in text.

 

If you didn't buy the gear here in Los Angeles, and picked them up at a box store (you still owe California use tax, by the way), you can perhaps rectify your mistake by asking the kind folks at Trew or LSC or Audio Dept. to show you around your new gear.  It might be in their best interest to get a new client, who will hopefully be wise enough to buy gear from a local dealer the next time :-)

 

Robert

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Sanken proved to be amazing buried below clothes... in plain sight it is rather bright... had some nasty sibilance on a few females; but taped to man's chest and covered with clothes it works great... I used settings of -15 and -20 on Sennheisers coming into mic preamps... It worked. The only thing I couldn't solve was wireless hop to camera... Even at the lowest settings the signal from recorder's xlr out and through that g3 cube transmitter into the camera via g3 receiver came in distorted, but silent... even when both set to -30 or less... hmmm...

 

You were feeding a line level signal into a mic level input. You would need a 40db pad on the recorders output to drop the signal to mic level.

 

Eric

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@Eric - Yes, I thought that feeding mic level to line level was the reason, but I used even -40 or -42 or-45 or what are the lowest sensitivity settings - I forgot now... on that cube transmitter... and also -30 and more on receiver and also changed camera input to line level from mic level and all we managed to do was to get a reasonably distorted but very low level signal... my conclusion was that I must be missing something and maybe that g3 mic kit cannot work as camera hop, too... I stuck with hardwire connection to camera - it sounded good and no problems with the wireless frequency and transmission shit... Maybe the signal got distorted already coming from recorder output into the transmitter, even at lowest sensitivity settings... hmmm...

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@Eric - Yes, I thought that feeding mic level to line level was the reason, but I used even -40 or -42 or-45 or what are the lowest sensitivity settings - I forgot now... on that cube transmitter... and also -30 and more on receiver and also changed camera input to line level from mic level and all we managed to do was to get a reasonably distorted but very low level signal... my conclusion was that I must be missing something and maybe that g3 mic kit cannot work as camera hop, too... I stuck with hardwire connection to camera - it sounded good and no problems with the wireless frequency and transmission shit... Maybe the signal got distorted already coming from recorder output into the transmitter, even at lowest sensitivity settings... hmmm...

 

 

I've used the G2/3 plug on tx as hop transmitters with no problem. It's all a matter of setting up the levels and matching the ins & outs correctly. Also I've ever been in favor of feeding a camera from a recorders outputs. When possible feed the camera & recorder from separate outputs from a mixer.

 

Eric

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  • 4 weeks later...

@Eric - Yes, I thought that feeding mic level to line level was the reason, but I used even -40 or -42 or-45 or what are the lowest sensitivity settings - I forgot now... on that cube transmitter... and also -30 and more on receiver and also changed camera input to line level from mic level and all we managed to do was to get a reasonably distorted but very low level signal... my conclusion was that I must be missing something and maybe that g3 mic kit cannot work as camera hop, too... I stuck with hardwire connection to camera - it sounded good and no problems with the wireless frequency and transmission shit... Maybe the signal got distorted already coming from recorder output into the transmitter, even at lowest sensitivity settings... hmmm...

 

Isn't there a special line level cable for the transmitter?

 

 

Your recorder's output might be too hot. I set my tape out at mic level, instead of buying the above cable. Works fine for scratch, and I haven't had the problems you describe.

 

Although I should probably buy the cable, though I thought it was more expensive than that ^^. 

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The receiver's output is what you set it to. 

 

The wiring of the input is in the manual.  The explanation of both input and output settings are in the manual. 

 

Aimed at no one in particular, just a reaction to some of these question in general:

 

+1 what JonG said.  Understanding signal levels, signal flow, and gain staging are basics for a professional sound mixer. 

 

Forgive the tough love, but if you don't understand these elements (and a whole bunch more), you're not yet a pro, you're just a guy with gear.  Also learn what decibels are and what they mean to what you do (it's a ratio, so unless you know what a dB number is referenced to, it means nothing).  Learn Ohm's law, how it's applied, and why it matters.  Learn what bridging inputs are and what impedance means (I hear frequent references to "impedance matching" from people who haven't a clue that impedance matching is seldom used with voltage gain stages -- since about the sixties.  If you're talking power transfer, it's an issue, but how many people here are designing power amplifiers?)

 

When working with cameras, learn the differences between "time base," "time code" and "frame rate."  They're three different things, and not knowing what they are and how they relate to each other is a recipe for creating issues in post.  And, yes, they're confusing to everyone since different camera manufacturers approach them each in their own unique way.

 

There are massive amounts of misunderstanding in all the above and what you don't know WILL hurt you in this industry.

 

I step down from my soap box now and head out to forage for sustenance as I transition out of "geek mindset" and into "hunter-gatherer mode".

 

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