Jump to content

3 pins Lemo Lav wired for Sennheiser can be used on Zaxcom ...?


hiro nakamura

Recommended Posts

Hi guys,

I just received a Lav mic from a friend of mine as a gift, which is a voice technology VT506 Lav, wired for Sennheiser bodypack.

Just wondering if that's ok to use it on my Zaxcom TRX900LA. I tried it, it sounded great. But there are always so many ways of wiring...

I just don't wanna get screw on the location with hiss or RF interference which I can't solve it on the spot.

And in addition, B&H also has lots of lavs which are claimed for Sennheiser 3pin lemo... Does that also mean it also could be used on zaxcom body packs

Thanks in advance for your valuable inputs

Hiro

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm listening to a VT-500 right now, wired for Senn. LEMO, and it sounds great with my Zaxcom TRX900-LT. No noises, no RF interference, no powering problem (I have been assured that the VT lavs work just fine with the lower DC power on the Zaxcom transmitters). I have the same concern as you since I know that the lavs really need to be wired properly to work properly (this applies to Lectro as well). I will speak to Forrest at Trew Audio on Monday to see if he can confirm that Senn. wiring is the same as for Zaxcom.

 

One other thing I will ask about: the VT lav is out of phase with all of my DPA lavs. This was also the case with the Sanken COS-11s I have --- they are out of phase with the DPAs also. I just have to remember to flop the phase on my Cooper if I'm using Sanken with DPAs in the same scene.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Q: " if that's ok to use it on my Zaxcom TRX900LA. "

A: " I tried it, it sounded great. "

That's an over simplification, which in this case missed the important info that pin 1 isn't connected to the shell. On Zaxcoms, this will sound the same, but may cause drop outs.

Since you work with students, I would think you would encourage people to ask questions rather than do everything on assumptions, but maybe you just like being in the way of conversation. I don't know, but this thread was helpful to me, and your interjection that the OP answered his own question is wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

" I would think you would encourage people to ask questions rather than do everything on assumptions, "

I alsoencourage them to employ: "trial and error".

as to the Q & A: it is OK to use, even if not optimal.

A wiring that causes the transmitter to malfunction (dropout when it otherwise shouldn't) is not ok by my definition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, Pin 1 too has to be connected to the ground?

I followed the Sanken instructions on their website to wire my COS-11s and it seemed to me that they don't talk about Pin 1 to the ground...

Am I missing something?

Thanks, v.

 

attachicon.gifImmagine 11.png

 

In the diagram you posted, the shield is fastened to the shell of the connector, not to pin-2.  And under "Shield to be connected" it says "case."

 

It's not really that pin-1 needs to fasten to the shell, it's that the shell needs to be grounded -- in many microphone configurations, pin-1 is also the ground.  COS-11 is a three-wire lav.  The DPAs are two-wire lavs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

when i first found out about the need to connect pin 1 and the shell to ground, i wired my sanken as described in the sanken picture above. but then later found out that even though, because the shell is grounded at the transmitter which grounds the shell and makes the connection to pin 1 when the connector is plugged in, this wasnt as effective at preventing drop outs with good signal (the symptom of an improperly grounded connector) as making the connection in the lemo connector.

this does make wiring sankens for zaxcom a bit of a ball ache but is doable, and will work just fine with any other radio system that follows the wiring spec. pin 1 ground, pin 3 mic.

 

also note that any mic wired for zaxcom will be wired as a 2 wire mic. the option to use a 3 wire mic was removed quite a few years ago to prevent the need to put resistors in the mic connector.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would hope that Zaxcom could weigh in on this, as well as Ryan and Forrest at Trew Audio since I know they have been following this. What we all know is that proper wiring is vital to the performance of the transmitter - microphone setup, this being true for all --- Lectro, Sennheiser, Zaxcom, etc. I will say that for some reason there seems to be a little bit more confusion regarding wiring for Zaxcom, though once wired properly (as most of us have done) there are no issues with Sanken, DPA, Countryman, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I've made a test today with my 3 Sanken Cos11 and LA-NC transmitters, because I noticed of strange levels behavior in the last days.

So, I have the first Sanken being 10-13dB higher than the second one, while the third one is in the middle (4-5dB lower than the first one, 6-7dB higher than the second one).

 

Made this test with the same gain level on the transmitters, trim was setted the same on Zaxcom Fusion inputs (after a tone calibration).

 

So, basing on your experience, could it be a bad wiring consequence or it is only on the COS11 side?

 

Thanks, v.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i wouldnt be surprised that there is a level difference between transmitters, but did you swap mics over to see if you needed to adjust the gain on the tx to get your level back to the same place, or do the level stay the same when you swap mics.

 

grounding the shell to pin 1 should not affect the output level of the mic.

 

also, do you have the same firmware in each of your transmitters? as 8.54 has a change that gives you more level on a neverclip tx. (check the release notes)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've purchased Sanken mics direct from Sanken that were specified for Zaxcom, and they were not wired correctly.  It took me quite awhile for them (the US distributor) to be convinced that there was a problem, and a couple of back-forth with Zaxcom and Sanken to finally prompt them to accept my mics back and rewire them (at some cost via shipping at my expense - not exactly completely happy about that).  I do not find it surprising that the docs from Sanken are incorrect given that they had been shipping incorrectly terminated COS-11 for an unknown period of time.  This might be one instance where it is better to order the mics from a specialized dealer who terminates their own mics rather than purchasing pre-terminated from the factory.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, when i swap the mic on the transmitters the level changes too, so that the track receiving the Sanken Cos11 "A" has always that 10-12dB more than the "B", not depending on which transmitter it is connected...

 

Could it be maybe a factory issue on the Cos11... really don't know, but it seems a little strange all of this difference in dB...

 

 

i wouldnt be surprised that there is a level difference between transmitters, but did you swap mics over to see if you needed to adjust the gain on the tx to get your level back to the same place, or do the level stay the same when you swap mics.

 

grounding the shell to pin 1 should not affect the output level of the mic.

 

also, do you have the same firmware in each of your transmitters? as 8.54 has a change that gives you more level on a neverclip tx. (check the release notes)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ok. and are all your sankens the same age and been subject to the same use / abuse?

also, is the mic that is 10dB quieter a red dot mic? (sanken offer the red dot version that is 10dB lower output than the normal version)

 

as long as they all sound good, make it obvious which mic is quieter and save it for a shouter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, all of them bought at the same time about 3-4 months ago. Not hardly used, normal shoots.

None of them is red dot.

It seemed they sound good, I started listening more background noise on the channel when the first Sanken was and the fact i have to take the gain a little too low than what it is supposed to be... so my doubts...

On the transmitter/Receiver side all seems ok (tried to swap tx and rx an the one with that Cos11 is still higher).

 

Anyway, I wrote an email by the Sanken website, let's hope in a good answer.

 

"as long as they all sound good, make it obvious which mic is quieter and save it for a shouter."

 

The fact is that it seems to me not that two are quiter but that one is too high...

 

Thanks anyway for all of your answers.

v.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...