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Wireless upgrade Lectrosonics?


Rawturnip

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Hey Guys, I'm considering an upgrade of my wireless kit. I started with Sennheiser G3s and now run 3 Micron Explorers which have limiters.

 

I use the G3s for headphone sends and wireless hops.

 

I like the look of the Lectrosonics systems but they are soooooo expensive. 

 

What would I gain by upgrading?

 

I work on a variety of shoots including Film, TV and corporate.

 

Would love all your thoughts. 

 

 

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Yes, any quality equipment costs a decent amount of money but there are lots of reasons why. There are lots of threads here describing the different wireless systems including Lectrosonics. Try doing a search on what you are looking for. 

 

Also try going to one of the usual suspects and use and listen to them. You’ll know why they cost more money but hopefully understand what they will

offer in terms of quality and reliability. 

 

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I have six Lectro systems (very few compared to lots of people here). But since Lectro (and Zaxcom and other top brands) last a long time, you could consider looking at used systems. If you can get the frequency blocks that work in your neighborhood (sorry; I can't recall if things in the UK are as up in the air as are things here in the US), you can save a lot of money and get serious solid equipment at a reasonable price.

 

One advantage of Lectro, beyond reliability and audio quality: you can drive over their transmitters with a truck. Yep, I've "tested" that feature. 

Ya, that's silly and atypical, but I do appreciate that their stuff holds up to the abuse I and the people I wire subject my equipment to.

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On 18/03/2018 at 9:16 AM, Rawturnip said:

What would I gain by upgrading?

 

Primarily, audio quality.  The SR receivers with smqv transmitters (for example) will sound much clearer with loud noises and the like.  They'll essentially sound as though you've got an invisible wire between you and the microphone.  They're very reliable too and as Jim has said, very, very well built.  My tx's live in the leather cases they came in (some people don't like those) and they're as fresh as the day I bought them.

 

As for range, you'll find they go further than the G3s by a long way.  I've shot diagonally across the length of a football pitch with the presenter's tx in his front pocket on several occasions and got a reliable, usable signal.  That's on 50mW with just the whips.  Obviously that was in an empty stadium, but you see my point.  Indoors they work extremely well, although I have had occasions inside reflective buildings where the receivers have got a bit confused.

 

The G3s are a very good system (I have two) but the Lectros are far superior.  If you're buying new, may I also suggest you look at Zaxcom's gear with internal recording and remote control of gain/frequency, and the new Audio ltd stuff which also does internal recording.

 

One more thing - the Lectros use digital technology, there's a 3.5ms delay in the audio chain.  You need to consider that when mixing with non-delayed sources like microphones.

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