Sennheiser G2 Wireless fatal flaw?

[Paul Kellett]

I've got the Sennheisers,off the shelf batteries last around 9 hours at least.

Paul.

[Paul Kellett]

Phil Bambridge.

I just noticed that you're from Bristol. So i just wanted to say hi.

Paul.

[Richard Gooderick]

I like my G2s too and I'm glad they can't get turned off easily.

[Steve Oakley]

well if the receivers are on the camera, power them from the camera battery - at least if you have AB or V mount you can.get a power tap cable and put a coaxial connector on it, or Y out and put 2 on. vastly more reliable and economical. in the audio bag they run on the bag's battery system (24V & 12V). I can't recall the last time I used a 9V in a receiver.

if you really must use 9V's, at least get a set of the iPower rechargables from Trew or another pro audio dealer. you'll pay for them quick enough.

[Bob Grant]

Just a word of caution. A lot of the NiMH "9V" batteries are not 9V and we've found the Senny kit will not run with them. Even the AA NiMH batteries are 1.2V not 1.5V although the newer kit does seem happy enough with them.
Also be careful that the higher capacity NiMH batteries have a higher self discharge rate than the ones around 2100mAH. Not an issue if you charge them the day before use.

Aside from that we've got around 8 G2 kits and they've been rock solid.
I can't understand why anyone sees making the on/off switch hard to get to a problem. What is a problem is that the mute switch is too easy for the talent to get to.

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Bob,

I agree that the NiMH are rated at 1.2 volts.

Fresh off the charger, a good NiMH (Energizer Brand 2500 mah battery will read about 1.40 volts. If you use it within a day or so, it will still read near 1.40 volts. (Note: It is considered best practice to remove the battery from the charger when the charge cycle is complete. If you leave the batteries in the charger, the charger will drain the batteries after a while.)

I read about 1.56 volts on fresh non-rechargeable alkaline batteries.

So, you do lose a little in voltage, but, just as you say, the Sennheiser G2 units work very well with these batteries.

Switching from the 9v batteries that the G1's used to the AA's in the G2's allows us to use these great, low cost rechargeable batteries while getting great run times.

[Jack Walker]

Originally Posted by Bob Grant

Aside from that we've got around 8 G2 kits and they've been rock solid.
I can't understand why anyone sees making the on/off switch hard to get to a problem. What is a problem is that the mute switch is too easy for the talent to get to.

In the long standing tradition of suggesting something five times the price of the equipment being talked about, if you need to turn the transmitters on and off, I highly recommend the Lectrosonics SMa or SMDa unts together with the RM remote control to turn them on and off and make other adjustments:
http://www.lectrosonics.com/wireless/wireless.htm

The RM is only $580. The SMa transmitter and a 401 receiver can be gotten for only $2465:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Wireless.html
(The 411 receiver is a little more.)

[This is a very good unit. If any one has an SM transmitter they want to sell cheap because they are upgrading to the SMa or SMDa, please let me know.]

[Jack Walker]

Originally Posted by Bob Grant

Aside from that we've got around 8 G2 kits and they've been rock solid.
I can't understand why anyone sees making the on/off switch hard to get to a problem. What is a problem is that the mute switch is too easy for the talent to get to.

In the long standing tradition of suggesting something five times the price of the equipment being talked about, if you need to turn the transmitters on and off, I highly recommend the Lectrosonics SMa or SMDa unts together with the RM remote control to turn them on and off and make other adjustments:
http://www.lectrosonics.com/wireless/wireless.htm

The RM is only $580. The SMa transmitter and a 401 receiver can be gotten for only $2465. (The 411 receiver is a little more.)

[This is a very good unit. If any one has an SM transmitter they want to sell cheap because they are upgrading to the SMa or SMDa, please let me know.]

As far as rechargeable, Thomas Distributing is a good source and here is a 9.6 volt:
http://www.thomas-distributing.com/mh-96v230.htm

Here are some similar batteries:
http://thomasdistributing.com/shop/-...2_104_109.html

[Dean Sensui]

I've been using the AT-1800s for a couple of years and they've proven reliable.

As mentioned in the review it's possible to scan into a busy channel. And it can be frustrating to find a clean one sometimes. But that can also be a problem with any other wireless units that cost less than a Lectrosonics setup.

Good point about redundancy. But even in the absence of a working wireless, there should be a plan B. Mine is a wired mic. Not a great option but workable in a pinch.

Eventually we'd like to get a second unit and a recorder as there are times when having 4 wireless lavs would help get better audio.

Battery life with the AT-1800 is pretty much what is claimed by the literature. It takes six batteries to run the receiver and four to run the two bodypacks. That's 10 batteries per 6-hour stretch. So if you're doing a long day, you'll need at least 20 AA's.

I just keep that in mind when out in the field. I have to keep everything "on" and ready in the type of work I do. You just never know when the fish will strike. It's not easy being on alert for 9 hours but that's how it is sometimes.

[Damian Clarke]

Just thought I'd share my absolute misery with my 2 sets of Sennheiser G2 ew-112's.
Just like my previous 2 weddings, the wedding I shot yesterday had some interference/dropouts etc. Nowhere near as bad as the first but still unacceptable. I'm no audio expert but I have tried different frequencies, scanning for free channels etc.
Everything seems fine then when it really counts it starts to falter. BOTH of them falter so it's unlikely I have faulty units. I'm running out of options and I shouldn't have to 'wonder if my audio will behave itself this time' at every wedding. Crazy.
I'm wondering if anyone else is having so much trouble with their G2's and I've started to look at the Audio Technica 1800 system. Could this be my saviour or just more money down the pan?

Also, I've noticed most of you in the US seem happy with the Senn G2, so perhaps this is a UK specific problem?...have tried looking into frequencies but like I said I'm no audio expert!

[Dan Keaton]

Dear Damian,

Please let us know what frequencies that you are using. I am wondering if you are using two frequencies that are close together.

What is the distance from the transmitter to the receiver?

Do you have the antennas oriented in a similar direction, such as both up or down, or is one up and the other horizontal?

After scanning for an open frequency for one unit, do you then leave the first transmitter on and then scan for a second open frequency?

Are their guests close to you, or close to the transmitters or receivers that have cell phones on? I realize that this is almost possible to control, but may be the source of your problems.

[Chris Soucy]

Dan beat me to the punch and asked all the right questions.

I noticed you said ew-112's, which have the mains powered rack mount diversity receivers.

Given that these receivers have even better reception characteristics than the EW G2 "bodypack" units, I'm convinced there is a suitably large dose of "operator error" going on here, especially if two entirely different units are affected.

I've used the G2's at up to 200 METRES (admittedly over water and not an obstruction in sight) and got good sound without dropouts.

The most obvious thing I can think of is mutual interference.

From my reading of the Sennheiser manual for the G2's, each bank of 4 frequencies has been tested to ensure that none of the 4 will interfere (under normal operating conditions) with either of the other 3 in that bank.

If you're using two systems, try choosing each units operating frequency from the the same bank, not different banks.

Works a treat with my two systems - having said that, NZ doesn't have the radio clutter so prevelant in the States and the EU.


CS

[Ty Ford]

Wrong frequency block, cell phones, Nextel Phones, iPhones.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[Graham Risdon]

I had all manner of problems with some Sony radios, and was about to go with the G2 kit. Had a chat with a sound recordist chap I know who sells both and he suggested the AT1800 range, although he said there was a fault with early models that caused some alising in the audio when both channels were used.

Long and short of it, he lent me a kit (2 x Tx, 1 x Rx) and having tested them, I bought them. They perform well both on the back of my DSR-450, and also through a mixer. I have another AT radio kit as well and that has never given any problems.

Ty - thanks for the review - spot on as usual!

[Ty Ford]

Hello Graham,

Thanks for the hat tip. :)

Regards,

Ty Ford