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Lectrosonic VR Field


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I'm doing more and more shows it seems where I could really use smaller radio packs. My main quad pack has been Microns which I love for their sound and ruggedness but I have been thinking about the field unit

to go with my Deva V for those times when I'm of the cart. If anybody wants to jump in here with pros or cons any info would be appreciated.

Thanks 

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Cons of VRField in a bag:

Its quite heavy (fitted with six modules) to carry around

The VRF is power hungry & does NOT provide a power meter

Pros of VRField:

Supports a wide variety of transmitters (Lectro & Others)

There's a new Wide Band Version Now (right?)

Will power-up two Active shark fin antennas (for when mounted on a cart)

Self contained, easy to update & control via LecNet

The smart tune/scan feature is great for fast RF coordination

Six is better than four (receivers)

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Thanks for getting back. After reading the original post I realized I forgot to mention (hour 16) that I would also be using the SM's with the field. I am looking for smaller packs and a smaller footprint on the cart. Is it just me or does anyone else find the SM's thin sounding? What other smaller sized transmitters are people using? I have not tried the Zaxcom units yet so can not comment on them.

Thanks.

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I use one on my cart and I love it, as anything Lectro, but my cons for the VRF are:

- connectors are on the bottom panel, wich is sort of weird for bag use. You can use right angle connectors but they are much heavier. You could install right angle BNC for antenna inputs.

- no battery meter or warning. This could be solved via software upgrade maybe. I have told Larry but it's good to insist.

- I miss a second battery bay very much, more because you don't have a meter, but even if we'd have one.

- You can not turn off any of the receivers, but this is inherent to the design, wich is inherited from the Venue, wich was designed for situations where power is not an issue. There's no way of turning them off... except pulling them off.

- Twice the price of the normal Venue

What I do is calculate the battery running time based on the meter in my Deva V, since they are both on or off...

Still, I love it as a way of having six receivers together with a great interface (except power metering), small footprint, etc.

The Lectro wireless technology really works and the service is the best I know on the planet.

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actually,  removing unused RX modules will result in a bit lower power consumption, even though most of the power is used by the "global" circuitry; the VR-T's draw a bit more than the VR-S's.

In fact the removal of unused modules was suggested by Lectrosonics, though they noted the difference in battery life would minimal.

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>The VRF doesn't have the ability to monitor the battery voltage it isn't a firmware update fix.

I think that's what Larry told me, I'll check.

There's still hope maybe. A small add on could be installed inside, there's room.

>Audio connectors on the UCR series are on the bottom as well.

Yes, as in most standalone portable receivers, but the focus is on the VRF now :)

I think having the connectors on the sides would be great. Antennae on the top panel also.

But the Field version was just an afterthought (cooked/suggested at TrewAudio IIRC) so some compromises had to be done. I think the portruding sides are carrying the signal/data busses, the idea was to "fold" a Venue to halve it's length...

>Even if you pull the RX module the VRF is using the same amount of power. The design is either off or on.

I don't think that is correct. IIRC, each receiver module drags 1 W

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Thanks for all the info it seems the general consensus is  Footprint, heat, battery metering, antenna design, flexibility.

I rarely take the Deva or the wires off the cart. I am really looking to get smaller transmitters and thought if I'm going in that direction anyway why not get the field unit rather than the Venue for the times when I do have to. Fernando I'm not sure if it came from Trew originally. I think that Doug Ganton and Reynald Trudel came up with that idea when they were doing "Legends of the Falls" and were constantly on and off the cart. The one thing I find very appealing is the service factor. I do like the range you get with the Lectro's but find then power hungry. I have been using the Micron RF's for about the last 15 years and find that I can load a 9 volt at call and go till lunch on one. As far as the thin sound on the Lectro's I guess the question becomes how much quality is sacrificed versus getting the track in the first place.

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"SI".

A real name would be nice...

You've said twice now

Is it just me or does anyone else find the SM's thin sounding?

I'm curious as to what lavs you are using and could you also be experiencing some phasing?

All the SM's I've used have excellent dynamic range and sound great with either the Sanken COS11 or the Countryman B6.

The same if I'm in a wireless boom situation with my Schoeps CMIT-5U, or as a plant with the Sennheiser 50's.

Please explain in more detail what your setup is when you hear "the Sm's thin sounding."

Regards,

RL

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I use Sanken Cos 11's run through a cooper mixer to a Deva V. I think that Lectrosonics make a great product no question. It could very well be that I have spent so much time listening to another product that to my ear I do hear a difference. I guess that's why some people drive Fords and some drive a Chev.

Bill McMillan

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  Is it just me or does anyone else find the SM's thin sounding?

Hey Bill, are you sure your lavaliers are wired specifically for the SM transmitters?  The wiring scheme for the UM and SM transmitters is NOT the same and my guess is that if your transmitters are sounding thin, it might be because the lavs are wired for UM or another Lectro configuration and aren't getting powered properly.  There are compatible SM and UM wiring schemes but these need to be performed -- they're not inherent to the previous UM wiring.

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Thanks for the tip Noah. No they are not wired for SM's specifically. I will ask my shop guys why. And Scott thanks for the great read. I will have some of my Sankens done and test drive them with the field and let you know how it went. Man I wish we had a forum like this years ago. Thanks Jeff!

Bill McMillan

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Thanks for the tip Noah. No they are not wired for SM's specifically. I will ask my shop guys why. And Scott thanks for the great read. I will have some of my Sankens done and test drive them with the field and let you know how it went. Man I wish we had a forum like this years ago. Thanks Jeff!

Bill McMillan

Bill,

when you ask the shop guys about the wiring. ask them to wire the lavs for "all" lectro tx's

that way when you pull out that lav on a dark stage, you will be confident any lav you grab, will work with any lectro tx you are using at the time.

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Bill,

when you ask the shop guys about the wiring. ask them to wire the lavs for "all" lectro tx's

that way when you pull out that lav on a dark stage, you will be confident any lav you grab, will work with any lectro tx you are using at the time.

Frank's suggestion makes good sense for a rental shop or any situation where there is a mix of microphones and transmitters.

However, my understanding of the situation is that the "one size fits all" wiring does not take advantage of the increased dynamic range built into the newer Lectro transmitters. So, if you used that universal wiring pattern, you would not have the benefits of the latest design. You would not be any worse off than you were with the earlier design so that may be an acceptable trade off under the circumstances.

David Waelder

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Yes good idea Frank but David I think you  are correct in assuming that it would not make use of the new wiring because the ones I have been using work with all Lectro's and I would like to hear the difference.

Bill McMillan

And you will hear a big difference. While the "non-SM" wiring will work, using one that utilizes the new Servo pre-amp will be far more quiet.

David W White

D.W. Sound Service

www.dwsoundservice.com

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