-
Lavalier Microphone with a lot of movement noise
Hi everyone,
To be honest I don’t really know if this is the most appropriate segment of the forum for this question, but as I scanned through it this one seemed best for it. If not, my apologies.
The last few years I’ve recorded a lot of people’s voices while they were talking before the camera. Quite recently we bought ourselves a lavalier mic+wireless set because renting became a little to expensive. And we used it well, but I must admit the microphone itself is very vulnerable for movement noise.
In this case we use a Sennheiser EW 122P G3-B set. So we use the mic that came with it. We have used the same one from the rental company and that one is just silent. To be blunt; we could attach it and one could almost jump around like an idiot before the camera and sound would still be good. But right now, with the current mic, even the smallest body movement can be heard.
We have tried a lot of stuff; including taping the wire, making a small loop, extra taping the mic, taping the mic without the clip and even tested the mic while it was lying around on a table and we just touched the cable. And we keep hearing it. It’s not wind or radio noise. And I’ve about watched 15 tutorials and tried almost every trick in them.
So I would like to have your opinion. Might this be a defect in the mic or the cable from the mic? Or are the mics from the set just weak (like kit lensen on a DSLR for example)?
And which lavalier mics can anybody recommend with the Sennheiser EW 122P G3-B that can handle some movement?
Thanks!
-
6 Replies
-
The Sennheiser EW 122P G3-B set appears to come with their “ME 4 clip-on microphone (cardioid)”. Wireless kits (of virtually all brands and price-levels) typically come with a rather low-end microphone just so you have a complete kit. Frankly, most people put that mic back in the box and plug in a better microphone. It seems quite possible that the rental company put a better microphone with the rental kit.
The big question is: Which microphone did the rental kit come with? Is your microphone the ME4? Did the rental kit come with an ME4, or was it some better microphone? If they are both ME4, then maybe you got a bad microphone with your kit.
———————————————————————————
Recording audio without metering and monitoring is exactly like framing and focusing without looking at the viewfinder. -
Hi Richard,
Thanks for the reply.
I guess what you say sounds very plausible. The mic looks different…but I have been unable to determine which type of mic the rental company uses, simple because I haven’t rented one since we got our own. We have already determined to rent one for the following shooting day and compare them.
I think that might be the only solution for now.
What bothers me a bit is that I have googled the ME 4 clip-on microphone and the EW 122P G3-B and I see a totally different clip coming with them, which is strange. I have already contacted Sennheiser about this (yesterday afternoon) but haven’t heard yet from them. In the back of my mind I almost fear that somehow the wrong mic (or at least the wrong clip) came with it.
Anyway, for now I know what to do; rent and compare. If they are the same in type; send the mic back for a repair. If they are different; look into that a bit more.
-
I found out that their kit isn’t the ME4 but the older ME2.
I read on this forum that ppl don’t like the ME4 much: https://forums.creativecow.net/thread/30/860989
Will read that one! Thanks
-
The ME2 is no great prize either. Those are very basic default mics and most people replace them with something better as soon as they can afford it.
———————————————————————————
Recording audio without metering and monitoring is exactly like framing and focusing without looking at the viewfinder. -
[Daan van den Berg] “I found out that their kit isn’t the ME4 but the older ME2.”
It may well be that you’re hearing the difference between an omni (me2) and cardioid (me4). In general cardioids are more susceptible to handling noise than omnis.
BTW, unless you’re doing a fair amount of training of your talent on the dos and don’ts of cardioids, I would (and I do) avoid cardioid lavs like the plague (that they are). I don’t know anyone who even owns a cardioid lav. They are just a PITA in general. The only lavs I own are omni.
If you want a replacement for your me4, first place I’d look would be Oscar SoundTech. I’ve got a pair of their 802s, and they increase the sound quality of my old Sennheiser G3s by quite a bit over the stock Senny mics (me2s in my case). They are a bit more sensitive to handling noise than the me2 however. That said, I’ve never had any problems with them — my typical installation is to make a strain-relief loop in the cable right below the mic and tape that loop down such that the cable running from loop to mic has just a little slack in it.
That cured all of my handling noise problems with the OST 802s. Clearly YMMV. But it doesn’t cure clothing rustle which takes another layer of inventiveness to quell. ????
-
Hello Daan and welcome to the Cow Audio Forum,
Yes, you have the right room.
The Sennheiser MKE-2 sounds better than the omni ME-2.
I use Countryman B6 and EMW lav on a G3 with usually few problems.
Wardrobe has everything to do with clothing noise. Silk ties, polyester and nylon fabrics are all very noisy.
Regards,
Ty Ford
Cow Audio Forum LeaderWant better production audio?: Ty Ford\’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide
Ty Ford Blog: Ty Ford\’s Blog
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up