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B6 inconsistancies & overloads


Phil Palmer

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I have been using B6 lavs for most of my female actors over the last couple of years, and have been getting less and happy with the performance.  I've got 5 of them, and they all seem to sound a little different.  The most common feeling I get is that they sound dark, and they don't handle loud situations very well.  Wondering if mine have had a short life, or whether this is a common situation.

Anyone?

PPWP

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I've had a similar experience.  I've been working on a reality show, running 4 to 6 channels of wireless, all lectros with B6's for the last year or so.  The mics kept crapping out, and one of the problems that I encountered all the time was that they seemed to become over sensitive to the point that loud talking (not shouting) would clip at the capsule.

The show is a vehicle makeover show, so I just figured the environment (the guys working while wearing mics) was causing the damage.  I've now switched to the B3's.  They're still small enough to not be a problem for picture, and the heavier capsule and shielded cable have held up MUCH better.

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Philip, are you mics the grey band model.  I know that there were 3 different sensitivity models at one time.  Blue, Red, and Grey band.  I have 2 grey band models and they also sound a little different.  I use them with my Lectro UM200c xmitters and find that they are far less sensitive then my Sanken cos-11's.  I usually run the Sankens around 10-12 on the xmitter gain and the B6's around 1-3 o'clock on the xmitter.  I have not noticed any overload problems but they do sound different.    It may be worth checking with Countrymann about the sensitivity models.  It may also be that the mic capules deteriorate over time because of the size (longshot).

Just a note on Countrymans, I also have 4 EMW's and they all seem to sound sligtly different as well and are wired as a 3 wire mic.  I have experimented with the 2 wire mic sceme and they are quieter and have a higher output, but are out of phase with all the 3 wire mics.

Hope that gives you a starting point !!!

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I can't comment on the inconsistancies, but I have had a B6 overload on an actor that I had wired into the brim of his hat. I changed to a cos-11, to the same position, and it was all ok! I have always thought the Cos-11 was a hotter mic compaired to the B6 and was flabbergasted when I heard the clipping. Even lowering the Tx output didn't help!

I don't use the B6 as much as the cos-11, so this has only happened to me once.

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was flabbergasted when I heard the clipping. Even lowering the Tx output didn't help!

It sounds like we are all talking about the same thing, with regards to the clipping and overloading.

Mine are all gray banded, and out of phase...another annoying issue.  But I've dealt with that.  The mics seem to deteriorate over time.  Now all are somewhat different sounding.

Thanks for the responses.

PWP

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Hi!  I am going through the same problems with my B-6'S.  I have been scratching my head in wonder.  I thought my new  Lectro SM/ VENUE system might not be working right.  Guess I will now have to buy new Lav's.  I am thinking of going to the Sankens. 

Coleman

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Do you think sweat or some other corrosive moisture is at work?  I recall that my TRAMs and Sonotrims would always eventually "wilt"--start sounding funny--after a few years.  Do you have any B6s that you use less than some others or a new one that you could do a comparison with?  Have you swapped out caps?  Does the same mic sound bad on everyone, or an just some voices?

Philip Perkins

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If the sound quality is going to deteriorate, I'll give you $100 for both :)

Sorry , looks like they are gone already...

I have a third that I use "just in case I can't hide a sanken" but to be honest I'm not too fussed on the sound of them. I brought three , tried them a few times and went ummm, may have a use someday. But in saying that, It has got me out of one or two situations where I was scratching my head :-)

Grant.

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I have 2 blue banded B6's. I use them on my 200c TX. But they are much too hot for anything other then a quiet voice. They clip on me all the time even with the TX level set to min. However, they perform much better when plugged into my 195 TX.

I switched to them because I was working on a reality'ish type home makeover show, and the Sankens kept cacking out on me whenever the people wearing them started to sweat. I would remove the mic, immediatly put it into a ziplock bag with a bag of silica gel, and within 2 hours or so, they would come back to life. But one day, when i had 3 go down, i decided to try the B'6s water proofness.

In a dream world, i would have the Sakens sound with the the Countrymans size and waterproofness.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have encountered similar situations with the B6. A lot of it has to do with "grunge" blocking the cap, or the protective screen on the mike itself, which is a very fine mesh.

I have used isopropyl alcohol and a sharp q-tip to lightly clean the mesh, which helps to some degree. However, I think that it's tough to get the worst of the dirt out that very fine mesh they use on the capsule. It's tempting try a small brush (like that used for cleaning cartridge styli), but I haven't been that brave yet.

Regarding variations between mikes-I have found significant differences between mikes when they are right of the box (this applies to almost all lav's, with the Sonotrim being the best in this regard). A number of years ago, I took quite a few new lav's into the anechoic chamber at Shure Bros. to see what the response was like. It wasn't pretty....,.

Scott D. Smith C.A.S.

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