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Senn Evolution 500 receivers - rackmount vs bodypack (EM 500 G2 vs EK 500 G2)


Danijel Milosevic

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Hi all! A post-production guy here, occasionally jumping over to locations to feed the family and breathe some fresh air.

I'm about to shoot a low-budget this summer in Serbia (where I live), and the production is still undecided if they will be renting good equipment (Cantar, Lectrosonics etc.), or buy their own for about 12k euros. Wireless will be dominant over boom on this movie, because of wide angles and long scene-shots, so we have to have 5-6 wireless sets, and all we can squeeze in this budget are the Sennheiser Evolution 500 series. Now, I am positive they will do just fine on this project, as I have visited the locations, went through script etc, and I have extensive experience with the Evolution 500 stuff. In fact, I know that rackmount receivers would work for me, but I'm curious about the performance of body-packs, which I have never used. I'm obviously interested in them because of their size and portability. I imagine I could mount them very close to the frame edge and very fast.....

What I'm interested in is, has anyone had experience with both kinds or receivers, the rackmount and the bodypack? How would you describe the difference in reliability of reception?

Here are the contenders (they cost about the same):

EM 500 G2

167033.jpg

http://www.sennheisernordic.com/nordic/icm_eng.nsf/root/products_wireless-systems_evolution_series500_21630

EK 500 G2

167031.jpg

http://www.sennheisernordic.com/nordic/icm_eng.nsf/root/21631

Thank you!

Danijel Milosevic

www.danijelmilosevic.com

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The main reason to have the smaller RX is if you think you'd want to work out of a "bag" or doco kind of setup.  The little Senn RX don't work all that well as rack mount gear, due to where the display, connectors and antenna are placed, so if you think you will always be able to use your rack then I'd go for the rack units.  However, if you have to do some "run-and-gun" or even insert car shots, you are probably going to have trouble w/ the rack mounts.  How about 4 or so of the rack mounts and 2 smaller ones to cover yourself?  Are you intending to use separate antennas per RX or make an antenna distro system so you can use just one for all?

Philip Perkins

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Thanks Philip, the suggestion about the mixed receivers is brilliant...... and obvious - why didn't I think of that? :)

I have this crazy idea of sound department with no wires and bulky objects on the set: the boom-op would be recording his own mic (along with one or two least important lavs) into a light shoulder recorder (an Edirol R-44), while I would be recording the four significant lavs into another R-44 mounted in a shoulder-bag, along with the small receivers. Director and the others would be monitoring wireless, so both me and the boom-op would be very close to the set, completely wire-free, carrying everything on us, and acting as moving antennas. (I find the two of us monitoring different things is a big plus - I hate having to monitor both the boom and the lavs with just two ears.)

Now, the silliest part is that I imagine I will be able to find the best spot for the antennas (mounted on me) by walking the frame-edge and listening to the reception. How silly is this? Would it in fact be a problem for the reception if I moved during the shot?

But this is definitely not a "run-and-gun" shoot, on the contrary, we will have no more than 4-5 shots / day. I guess I must have got tired of running with billions of cables and carrying heavy mixers, racks, etc. One thing I hate about locations is the often-repeated scenario of when the Sun is going down, and they decide to quickly move the shot a 100m down the road by just running with the camera and the actors..... End of rant.

I will try to imagine the 4 rack / 2 body receivers combination, as you suggested, It might not be such a bulky setup after all, with still the option to run..... Thanks!

P.S. no antenna distro system - I don't know the prices, but we've already maxed the equipment budget anyway.....

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I think you could probably get 6 sets of Senn G2's, small Rx version, 100 series is as good as the 500 series, IMHO (even good used units @ $350 USD each) a 788T with CL-8, and a wireless boom setup (Senny as well) and still be on budget.  Production could even consider selling the gear afterwards to make at least 50% of their money back.

This way you and the boom op will be mobile and have 8 ISO tracks.

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Thanks Jason, the option of selling the gear has never occurred to any of us, but looks pretty promising.

BTW, I used Evolution 100's a few times (albeit rented), and I found them to be grossly inferior to the 500's..... Like, I would get RF noise on 4-5 times lesser distances then with the 500's. Maybe the 100's were broken? Does your opinion (on 100 vs 500) comes from dealing with rack or body receivers (I only worked with rack receivers of both models). Thanks!

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I only ever used the 500 series in the bodypack version.  The rackmount receiver will definitely perform better because you have the benefit of external (dipole or directional) antenna and diversity.  However you will have to deal with plugging into the wall :)

Maybe your frequencies were not coordinated properly, but who knows!!??  I have used 4 of them together without issue and under optimal conditions (line of sight) I could typically get 100-150 feet of good useable range.  I wouldn't expect more from this class of equipment.  I currently have 3 units and use them as IFB feeds, camera sends, monitor return (along with the Zaxcom Stereoline) as well as just a personal mic (with a Tram or COS-11) !

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You might also try picking up some used Letrosonics sets.  Because of the FCC sell off, you might be able to get some great deals on Block 28 and 29 units (if you can use them in your country)  For example-  check out Ebay for Lectro 210's, you can get 2 complete sets for $1300 USD (cheaper and better in every way compared to the Senn 500's)

-JP

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even Sennheiser will tell you that the 100-300-500 wireless are all built on the same hardware platform, differing almost entirely in the firmware enabled additional features. (I know, the 500 plug-on includes PH powering!) While the pack RX's are not as capable as the 1/2 rack units, (obvious, isn't it?? for example, the RX packs are not diversity! they have no balanced out)  I have mixed and matched the series's with no noticeable differences in performance within the Evolution G2 line, but if your own experience is different, so be it; for real differences, you must leave the entire G2 series for either Senn's or others' higher priced more fully professional units.  The Senn Evo 100 G2 is one of the best "bang for the bucks" deals you'll find!!  comparing the 1/2 rack RX units with the pack RX units is apples and oranges to comparing the 100-300-500 series' amongst themselves.

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Hey, thanks everyone, plenty food for thought.

I expected some cheap second hand stuff from the US, but still didn't do my homework as to what units, frequencies etc I'm looking at (and I am almost certain that I'll be able to use any unit here for quite some time, but I'll check into that also).

I'll try and find more info on the exact G2 series differences.....

Off to another round of googling, calculating etc :)

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