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Turn your Senn G2/G3 into IFB


Mark LeBlanc

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This is a bit off topic, but since we're talking about G2s/G3s, someone might enjoy it. This is a backstage photo from a Slipknot concert last year, showing their IEMs. (Picture from revolvermag.com)

in-ear-packs001.jpg?9d7bd4

Being a big Slipknot fan myself I feel a certain kind of joy knowing that one of the biggest metal bands in the world is using the same gear as I am. It's also a nice point to bring up if someone questions the quality of your gear.

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Damn straight, which is part of my contention that not only are we SUBJECT to interference far more than our ability to CREATE interference... But that the "black van" man would have to basically be standing between craft services and our setups to detect us. By that point, we already know he's there.

I think a lot of the hysterics about dropping those frequencies could have been avoided by simply saying to the manufacturers: "You stop selling that stuff" and just letting natural attrition and high-powered interference take care of the actual user base. There were people that had tens of thousands invested in those channels... And they got a pittance back for it while the FCC pocketed billions. Sad. The users should be allowed (or left alone) to continue using that gear until it is no longer possible to transmit through the noise... Kinda like more than a few people are already doing. If you've got them... Enjoy, but I would expect anything super-important to have a wireless watchdog nearby, so don't heat them up at the superbowl or political conventions. Other than that, you should be fine.

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lol amazing altoids cases. I reckon handing them to a client would add massive novelty factor. Anyway, I'm going to try this out cheers for the info, I've got some comteks but couple weeks ago I was caught out on a job when the continuity girl wanted a feed and I was like... er woops, all out. Plus I got a bunch of G3's lying around so should put them to use reserve the comteks for people who dont know better, I also got a really good deal on a bunch of philips headphones that normally retail for about $150 for some reason a few weeks back, been handing them around to clients in their unopened boxes, gives them a real "wtf this guy takes it too seriously" factor.

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In my case it was cheaper by far. Used IEM G3 on ebay goes for $250 plus.. I already had the cables lying around. I didn't build this unit, I purchased off of ebay for 40, plus 2-3 dollars shipping. I never intended this to be for clients. It came about because a buddy let me borrow his Senn IEM system to try. He's in the live sound world.. My boom op loved the upgrade in sound quality over the Comtek. I saw this on ebay and figured 40 bucks wasn't much and it works quite well. Another factor for me is I rarely setup that far from set so transmitting distance for my Comtek and Senn FrankenIFB is no problem. It was an inexpensive upgrade..

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Rado, sure making these ourselves might not be cost effective. If that's the case, we can follow Mark's lead and buy something off eBay or try the Boosteroo or something. But it's fun to make stuff. And there are a lot of clever projects that fit into Altoids (or similar) tins...collectively known as Mintronics.

Check out the stuff on this page (scroll down a bit to find the Altoid BBQ):

http://blog.makezine.com/category/altoids_and_tin_cases/

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  • 3 months later...

On the idea of using a plug-style mono to stereo adapter:

Out of the question for me.

Used them on a feature I boomed - went thru 2 or 3 a week, sepite being exceedingly careful and re-enforcing with tape.

At least for your client's IFB, in order to keep them away from the same connection problem, you could try something like this, a dual mono earbud: http://www.scansound.com/index.php/dual-ear-mono-earbud-earphones.html

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I've been looking for a couple used EK300's on EBay for years, literally. Nothing ever seems to come up for less that $450. If you ever see any A-Block for $250 each, I'll take 2.

This is what I think about the DIY IFB receiver and it is just my personal opinion.

If you calculate the time you spend building these things and turn it in to you pay rate, you are actually paying more money.

So of you buy used IEM G3 with a volume pod you will save money.

Just my 2 cents

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Ok so this brings up some questions as I have considered turning a couple of my extra g3s into comtec units with the ek-300. I am assuming that what you are doing here is feeding the transmitter a mono out.

How are these received by clients? I have been under the impression that nobody was doing this because most clients expect to see the same old Lectro or comtec boxes they are used to?

Have you experimented with the belt pac transmitter vs the plug on cube? Are they the same in terms of range etc.. or is there something to watch out for with the cubes? My thinking goes to the fact that I have 4 cubes spread across 2 blocks and could easily use one of those for my feed even If I need the other packs for something else.(I have not upgraded to lecto or Zax packs yet and hope to later this year but until then)

For those of you who do use the ek 300 IFB packs, have you had any durability issues. I have personally been pleasantly surprised by the entire g3 line and think they get a bum rap overall. But it bears asking since I am considering spending money on these to give to producers, directors and other various and sundry people.

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  • 7 years later...

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