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Sterilizing lav mics


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Hmm. I used some wipes my TV station provided me with.. I don't know if that's the reason my lav looks like this now.. it could be the talents as well, as they have to attach the lavs themselves now as I am not allowed to get too close..IMG_20200610_163726.jpg

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How old is that lav?   That looks like damage that could occur to a mic that is old enough that the cable jacket has gotten stiff with age, exposure to sweat and air pollution as well as many alcohol wipe downs, not to mention maybe getting caught in a slammed door etc.  I think that on long jobs (or ever short ones with careless talent) lav mis are an EXPENDABLE, and busted ones should get billed for that way.

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12 minutes ago, Philip Perkins said:

How old is that lav?   That looks like damage that could occur to a mic that is old enough that the cable jacket has gotten stiff with age, exposure to sweat and air pollution as well as many alcohol wipe downs, not to mention maybe getting caught in a slammed door etc.  I think that on long jobs (or ever short ones with careless talent) lav mis are an EXPENDABLE, and busted ones should get billed for that way.

You're right. But I get paid for my equipment in total. Not for worn out lavs. Does an insurance for equipment cover that kind of damage. Then I have to get one soon again for the next lavs to come. ;) This one should be three years old, but I didn't use it too frequently. I try to fix it with heat shrink and keep it as a backup. Does anyone know good and not too expensive lavs for Sony wireless units? Unfortunately they have a different minijack connection than Sennheiser..

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Damage to equipment on a job, especially as done by talent, should be paid for by the production.   If they had gotten this mic from a rental house and returned it looking like that they would have been charged for it for sure.   Equipment insurance in the USA has a deductible, so probably a single lav mic would not be worth reporting.  Do make a fix with heat shrink tubing if you can, but this mic would not be one you'd want to use as a first choice.  That's just the way of lav mics--they take terrible beating and don't end up lasting all that long if you use them a lot.   All lavs can be connectored for any wireless--you can find the wiring diagrams online or send the mic to a repair shop and have them do it.  You are in Germany, so Kortwich?

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3 hours ago, Sound said:

Sony wireless units? Unfortunately they have a different minijack connection than Sennheiser..

Almost any lav can be wired for any wireless. Find ones you like, take care of them, and bill production when talent or the like destroy a microphone.

 

recently had talent rip the head right off a fairly new DPA 6060. You better believe I made production replace it!

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"Does anyone know good and not too expensive lavs for Sony wireless units?"

.Assuming they are still in biz... Oscar Soundtech in NJ. Their OST 801/802 are Tram clones, The TL40 is a 4mm oilcan shaped lav w/ a flat response. Decent  mics for about $130 usd with most any type plug. Email them (Dave) for a price list and order info.

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On 5/13/2020 at 2:43 PM, Johnny Karlsson said:

Reading the Johns Hopkins doc posted by JB above, I learned that the virus is “not a living organism”, and therefore cannot be ”killed”. This answered my question about why they keep saying soap and water is better than sterilization or sanitizer.

It’s DNA, a protein cell covered by a protective layer of fat. Soap dissolves the fat and basically breaks it down. Alcohol works since it also melts the fat, but it must be minimum 65% alcohol (Vodka won’t do it, since it’s only 40%).

 

Today I Learned:

I need to buy stronger Vodka!

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1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

 

Today I Learned:

I need to buy stronger Vodka!

If you don't want to have your mics and cables smell like the floor of your local bar,  I have been using Glissen Nu-Foamacide to disinfect equipment and cases.

It is EPA registered to disinfect for COVID-19 and other RNA Viruses.  It has a very light non-chemical scent and comes in a concentrate

that is diluted in water .  1 Oz of Nu-Foamacide makes 36 Oz of disinfectant.  Safe for Food surfaces etc.  Got mine from Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Glissen-Chemical-Nu-Foamicide-Disinfectant-Food-Contact/dp/B086339RQS

 

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On 6/11/2020 at 7:06 PM, Rick Reineke said:

Assuming they are still in biz... Oscar Soundtech in NJ. Their OST 801/802 are Tram clones, The TL40 is a 4mm oilcan shaped lav w/ a flat response. Decent  mics for about $130 usd with most any type plug. Email them (Dave) for a price list and order info.


Last time I checked those were rather expensive in germany due to import..

Didn‘t find any good lavs on a budget so far, I‘ve heard the new ME2 should be decent, the Deity standard lav might be worth trying, and I hope Tentacle will come up by a good bundled solution for their recorder.

 

but for important stuff you probably want to get a sanken or dpa anyway.

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