WHAT EARWIGS ARE YOU USING?!

[Daniellow]

Hello all, 

 

I'm doing sound for all the pick-up / insert / and additional shooting that an episodic going into it's fourth season is doing here in LA.  Production has requested an "earwig" or anything essentially invisible to the camera for the talent to have in-ear so that VTR can cue them with content already shot.  First round of this I used my Sennheiser IEM system with the Bubblebee Sidekick 3 IFB in-ear, and it worked fabulously.  The cable is INCREDIBLY discreet, but there will likely be scenes coming up where we don't have the additional support of a wig to help conceal. 

 

SO...  WHAT ARE Y'ALL USING FOR NEAR INVISIBLE IN-EAR IFBs?   

 

I know there are offerings by Phonak, Otto, PSC, and Comtek, but is there any codified, go-to standard for this need?

Also noteworthy is production can only throw $200 or so dollars at whatever we choose.

(Bubblebee Sidekick 3 in the image below)

 

[DanieldH]

I'd use what is available at the local rental place and alternatively contact hearing aid shops as plan b.

Phonak is probably what I'd end up with in my part of the world.

[Shastapete]

the best option these days is the Phonak Roger system – but that's around $1500 a receiver plus $1500 for a transmitter.

 

The next step down is an inductive earpiece and a neckloop which is around $400 for the earpiece and another $50 or so for the loop – it also sounds bad.

 

The sidekick is by far the best bang-for-buck earpiece of size and quality.

 

You might find something on amazon if you look for a "covert bluetooth earpiece" or something – but you get what you pay for