The right eng audio package

[Steve Culpepper]

Just to clarify a bit here, I’m talking eng mixer, wireless, and shotgun. I mostly work with older guys with older gear and I’m sure in the digital tx/rx age things are changing rapidly and drastically.

Thanks

[Rodney Morris]

If I were starting over today, the equipment I would buy would be:

Sound Devices 552 mixer
2x LectroSonics 411 Wireless units
2x Sanken COS-11 lav mics
Schoeps CMIT 5U shotgun mic

You’re looking at about $11K worth of equipment right there (and this is a basic setup), not including cables, boompole, mic suspension/wind suppression, mixer bag, headphones…

I use the SD 442 (no longer in production), lectro 411 wirelesses, tram and sanken lavs, sennheiser MKH60, Schoeps MK41, so I’m not suggesting anything I’m not somewhat comfortable with.

Don’t waste money on inferior equipment. It’ll just bite you later on.

Hope this helps.

Rodney Morris
Freelance Sound Technician/Mixer

[Sam Mallery]

There’s no way to know what wireless frequencies will be open to us in the future. As it stands right now, the future is up in the air, and anyone who tells you what frequencies are safe is just making guesses.

As far as gear goes, I agree with Rodney. Sound Devices 552 is the best way to go, mixer wise. If you can’t afford Lectrosonics wireless, you can get away with Sennheiser G3’s. Sanken COS-11 lavs and a Sanken CS3e shotgun.

You can’t get into location audio inexpensively. The minimum investment for a basic kit will cost you over $10k.

http://www.sam-mallery.com