Travis Breitenbach

RSVP!

The round plastic containers that electrical tape comes in work nicely for lav storage. You don't have to make your coils too small and you don't have to jam them into little square spaces.

Pretty neat. I like how the Features section on that page says, "NO FEATURES!"

You should have a sit-down with the CS-3e, the MKH 60, and the 416.

For bag work, most people use a Li NP1 set-up, with either a Remote Audio BDS, Cable Techniques Battery Bud, or a Hawks Woods distribution system. I power my 788t from a 2nd external battery source - just a simple NP cup with no power distro. Powering your recorder separately from your wireless can provide some small relief from Rf spray with most any (pro) recorder. With the 788t, you can swap your external power source and it will seamlessly switch to the internal battery even during record. Powering using the internal battery only seems a bit reckless. The CS-3e is a great sounding microphone. The 416 has a slightly longer reach, is super rugged and cheaper, and also sounds great... They are widely available on the used market and still dependable. You could probably score one for <$800 on ebay right now and use the extra cash to buy NP1's with. There is something to be said for modular systems though... It's hard to go wrong here.

It's true most Reality mixers are absolutely embarrassing when they boom, with their shotguns 7 feet away from the action and pointed over the "talent's" heads. It's always annoyed me tremendously. I can only assume that the reason they imagine they're doing an acceptable job is because their HP volume is so loud they're able to make out some dialogue. Reality TV generally doesn't require much booming, but when you need to boom you should do it right and get in there with it. I like to boom properly and I rarely bother camera people, they're usually happy to be working with an audio guy who is nice but still gives a shit. Now, telling someone they can't boom is like telling someone they can't drive - you won't make any friends that way. Keep a level head even if you don't approve, and just don't hire those people when you're Sup'ing.

There is a lot of gear which can be purchased used and still function perfectly. If you're patient you can acquire your wireless that way. IMHO, a nice shotgun is more versatile to start with than a hyper. You can always find MKH 416's in good shape on ebay, or you could go with an MHK 60 and buy the 50 capsule later.. If you go with Lectro, you'll get more for your budget. The resale value is high (you can sell used stuff for the same price you bought it, after deducting it), and you can move to Zax wireless over time. For your budget you can get the wireless you need if you go with Lectro, or SOME of the wireless you need if you go with Zaxcom. Building a kit requires a lot of sub-renting as jobs demand more than you own, so I like to own gear that is compatible with other mixers (at the least the ones I know) and rental houses - again, Lectrosonics. On that note, Reality TV is like a black hole. You'd be smart to avoid it, but if you want to work a lot, it's bread and butter. I started mostly as a boom op on commercials, and years later found myself mixing reality almost exclusively. It has been worth it for me to own the equipment that is used on most reality productions as I am often able to get bits and pieces on multi-cam shows (through friendships with the audio sup, if they are supplying the gear and are short) which would otherwise have hired me only for labor. NONE of the reality people I work with in NYC, or LA use Zaxcom anything. I'm sure they're great and I've always wanted to get to know them, but it wouldn't make business sense for me at this time. What is used in the NYC reality world: SD 552 and 788t (and my Wendt X5 still gets a little action), Lectrosonics 411a/400a or SMQV (start with block 26, that's the most common block owned by NY mixers and rental houses), B6 or Cos11 lavs, MKH 416 or 60, IDX Li NP1's. Good luck out there, Travis

Sony 7506's are essentially the industry standard, at least for ENG. Many other headphones rival or outperform them in terms of sound quality, but you can't beat the fold-ability/form factor. The original pads crush my large ears a tiny bit and flatten out over time. I've found those velour Beyer Dynamic pads to be more durable, comfy for larger ears, and have slightly better isolation. They are also better in hot weather. I've done about a month of work with them in 100-120 degree temps and they were tolerable - at least they weren't the most uncomfortable thing I had on. I've used and use a few other headphones which don't fold up as well. It can be a pain sometimes, but you can always find ways to work with them.

How dare they use rounded corners on their rectangles! Those thieving bastards!

You should add a bicycle bell to the handle for going around corners

I was using an SRa next to a couple of 411a's in the same block in a bag for a while. I found that the SRa's perform at approximately 90% of the 411a's performance. In an optimal environment they are great, but as things got messy I found there were many times when the 411a's were performing perfectly and the SRa's were taking hits, or moments when I was struggling to get good RF with the 411a's and the SRa's were rendered barely usable... I traveled all over the country with this set-up. The experience prompted me to shelf my SRa and replace it with a couple more 411a's. I guess I'd rather lower my stress level then save my back. With the SRb's coming out, who knows. I'd need to do some extensive side-by-side comparison before I'd be willing to swap back. If anyone purchases an SRb in bl 26 and is willing to lend it to me I'll spend a day testing all three systems (411a, SRa, and SRb) side-by-side, dialed into the same freqs, all over NYC. Another couple of notes: the SRa system does appear to be more susceptible to RF spray from other devices than does the 411a. Also, any system used as a hops receiver is going to outperform the same system when used in a bag due to improved physics.

Sorry about that, I guess I should've refreshed the page before posting.

Hi Larry, I don't suppose I can request that my SRb upgrade be of a different block than my current SRa unit, can I? I no longer use my SRa because I've acquired quite a few 411a's in the same block. I had be thinking about selling it and buying another SRa in a different block to use as a secondary hops Rx. If the board could simple be replaced in the block I prefer it would save me a lot of trouble. Best, Travis

It's a threaded post, not a standard screw or something you'd find at a watch shop. Sennheisers lose them all the time, so any rental house or shop should have them and be able to sell you one for about three bucks.

Thanks Derek, Super helpful!

I had a dream (well, nightmare) last night in which I looked down to find that my 788t had 4x as many buttons, knobs, switches, led's, and lcd's than usual and I didn't know what the heck any of them did. When I commenced fiddling with them, they broke off in my hands. I take it 'complicated gadget dreams' are going to replace my 'totally unprepared for physics/calculus final' dreams.

Looks good Derek, Is the antenna on you Comtek aimed downward inside the bag? Also, how do you like it in a bag system? Any problems with RF spray? What output power are you running it at?

The wider straps interfere with booming by decreasing the range of (up-ward) motion in you shoulders. I work with heavy bags daily and tolerate a lot of pain and fatigue, and it's my feeling that all of the harness options out there have terrible designs. Just ergonomically wrong in very common sense ways. The basic design puts the weight far out on your shoulders causing unnecessary fatigue considering your spine has to support the weight regardless. Also, the edges of the straps are wrapped in a stronger nylon material which will dig into your flesh and chaff as things get hot. I often have an outline of my Versa-flex in broken blood vessels on my shoulders at the end I the day. Sorry, maybe this hasn't been very helpful. Buy Versa-flex because they are made in the USA or Petrol because they are cheaper - they use very similiar poorly conceived designs.

I have used both of the poles in question extensively and in my opinion the aluminum 110ccr is actually superior to ktek CF poles in that length. Unlike the CF poles the aluminum is machined very smooth which allows you to keep the knuckles "thumb tight" and still slide the sections smoothly through the joints and have them hold. This allows you to deploy the aluminum pole very quickly with a fluid motion. With ktek's CF poles you have to manipulate each knuckle to extend a section. So, for crazy run and gun work I think the 110 cr is actually much easier to use. Most of that extra weight is in the bulky base they put on the Avalon CCR models, and the rest I make up for by using a low-profile/weight shockmount, avoiding the heavy pistol grip. Alao, avoid the bottom exit Avalon poles, unless you like to have constant shorts in your internal cabling - it's a very poor design.

Very, very cool Larry. I've been using SMQV's on a show about competitive cheerleading. Tumbling routines probably generate a lot of wattage, haha. How is the battery metering when using these?

Looks interesting Sprotnik, I may give them a look.

K-tek K-SSM or K-SM, but use the SOFT bands. The Invisions have better isolation than the K-tek with their MEDIUM bands, but the K-tek with the SOFT bands have better isolation than either. Otherwise, Invisions are easier to pop a mic in, but they can also pop out and need to be taped in on crazier ENG jobs. If you have to run while using an Invision you will find your shotgun swinging by the XLR from time-to-time. Otherwise, the angle adjustment mechanism on Rycotes is better and that counts for something too. I've used them both plenty and those are the ups and downs. I haven't used an AT4053, but my crappy back-up shotgun is an AT4073. The handling noise is horrendous and an Invision mount wouldn't be enough - if the AT4053 is anything like that I'd go K-SSM SOFT. Also, K-tek makes a little adapter kit which will lets you slide the mount into any common zeppelin.

Hahahaha, nice Jeff!

Thanks for your responses Robert, David, and Sean! Sean, how do you use your BST 75-216, bag or cart? It seems to be intended more for a cart. However it looks robust, is about the size of a 411a and could easily be run off an NP set-up. Even set at a lower output it has to perform better than an M-216 option 7 for not much more money... I do own a number of PR-72's so it's good to hear that keeping those alive is an option. I suppose instead of moving over to 216 series I could just buy loads more used 72's for cheap, hm... David and Sean, do you find that you get a lot of RF spray from the unit? Do you power it separately? I do primarily ENG, but am moving over to Commercial so my large ENG bag simply gets plopped on a cart for those jobs. If I could use the BST in the bag at say 50mW and move it to the opposite end of the cart on cart jobs at 100mW I would be happy. I reckon I could run it off the 788t's power source and avoid having to add a third NP system to the bag! Sound reasonable?

Hello Friends, Has anyone been using this newish Tx from Comtek? It looks like an appealing addition to the bag-cart hybrid set-up I've been using. The size is reasonable and it's a great price for the features. But how to orient it in a bag, and will it play nicely with other gear in close proximity? Any experiences or witty remarks? Thanks, Travis Breitenbach