New Sennheiser Wireless Generation coming out?

[Benni Katz]

Hey all,
as I just saw on the official Sennheiser page, there seems to be a EW 100 G3 Series
coming out.
If you take a look here you can see that there is already something without text included in navigation:

Sennheiser Worldwide: Microphones, Headphones and Wireless Systems

Does anybody know something about that or am I just wrong with my assumption?

[Andy Wilkinson]

Interesting! When I looked at your link yesterday it did indeed show a page at the final stages of construction about a G3 (alas without a picture of the 'G3'). Today it just redirects me to the official home page with a message saying 'function under construction'.

I know no more than you do but this certainly suggests that a G3 (with whatever feature set it might have over a G2) is maybe just around the corner....

[Dan Brockett]

They have to have something to sell to all of those G2 700Mhz owners who are out in the cold!

Dan

[Michael Liebergot]

There will be a new G3 line coming out sometime next year. I have never heard an exact date for release on this, but have spoken with someone from Sennheiser a few weeks ago, while inquiring about the new FCC rulings and asked him about the upcoming G3 series. he didn't have much info at the time, but did say that they will have a G3 system sometime next year.

It will be very similar to the G2 line, but will improve on some aspects such as pickup range and I think he mentioned better fidelity. But I don;t think that it will be anything earth shattering. Certainly nothing that could help out in regards to possible interference of new deices coming to market for wireless broadband use, PDA's, cell phones, etc., which will be using the wireless white space 500-600 mhz arena.

[Benni Katz]

Thx for the information!
Somehow thats what I expected.So current G2 owners wont really feel they have to update their system.

[Ivan Snoeckx]

You were right benni. Here they are. The Sennheiser ew 100 G3 Series.

Sennheiser ew 100 G3 Series

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Ivan Snoeckx

You were right benni. Here they are. The Sennheiser ew 100 G3 Series.

Sennheiser ew 100 G3 Series

It was announced at Frankfurt yesterday.

The nice thing for the video user is that the camera-mount receiver is now diversity (it uses the output cable as the second antenna).

[Michael Liebergot]

Originally Posted by John Willett

It was announced at Frankfurt yesterday.

The nice thing for the video user is that the camera-mount receiver is now diversity (it uses the output cable as the second antenna).

That's pretty cool.

I was wondering how it could have been diversity with only having one antenna.

[Bill Ravens]

I don't know what kind of experiences others have had with the senn ew100 G2, but mine have been pretty bad. These devices are all but useless. Despite my using the search function to try to find a free freq, the RF signal is maintained as long as the xmitter and receiver are 6 inches away from each other. As soon as the talent turns, moves, or otherwise changes position, the RF signal is lost. I spent good money on these wireless sets, and I've found them to be absolutely frustrating and useless. I don't think I would invest in another Senn wireless system.

[Ivan Snoeckx]

Originally Posted by John Willett

The nice thing for the video user is that the camera-mount receiver is now diversity (it uses the output cable as the second antenna).

That's very smart solution!

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Bill Ravens

I don't know what kind of experiences others have had with the senn ew100 G2, but mine have been pretty bad. These devices are all but useless. Despite my using the search function to try to find a free freq, the RF signal is maintained as long as the xmitter and receiver are 6 inches away from each other. As soon as the talent turns, moves, or otherwise changes position, the RF signal is lost. I spent good money on these wireless sets, and I've found them to be absolutely frustrating and useless. I don't think I would invest in another Senn wireless system.

This sounds like it's more down to you than the equipment, I'm afraid.

It looks like you are in the USA - are you using a version "C"? These frequencies are no longer used for this purpose and this version is now no longer sold in the USA - you could be getting blatted by the new legal user of this band.

An alternative possibility is the transmitter antenna - if the antenna is touching the body you will get an attenuation of the signal by about 60dB - worse if the person is sweating. So try and get the antenna off the body by at least 1cm (1/2").

Transmission can also be affected if the person has any metal fibres in the clothing.

This very short distance is nothing to do with the equipment itself - unless you are unlucky enough to have a faulty unit or have bought a fake off the internet (you *are* sure you have a genuine system aren't you?).

G2 systems work reliably over distances of many metres (up to about 100 metres normally) all over the world and a fault as you describe can only be:-
A) It's a fake
B) Attenuation due to body absorption of the transmitter
C) Too much metal close to the receive antenna
D) You are being blatted by a powerful transmitter close by
E) You have a faulty unit.

I hope this helps.

[Marco Leavitt]

John,
Given what little information we have to go on, it seems a little presumptious to assume this is operator error. If you do a search, you'll find a number of people in here with similar experiences with the G2. In some areas, the system apparently has a lot of trouble. In my own experience, the G2 has performed reasonably well, but no where near the reliability or range of the AT system. I'm assuming that's what this new "electronic diversity" function is supposed to correct. I've also never heard of fake G2s. This is pretty sophisticated gear. Are you sure fakes exist?

[Bill Ravens]

Originally Posted by John Willett

G2 systems work reliably over distances of many metres (up to about 100 metres normally) all over the world and a fault as you describe can only be:-
A) It's a fake
B) Attenuation due to body absorption of the transmitter
C) Too much metal close to the receive antenna
D) You are being blatted by a powerful transmitter close by
E) You have a faulty unit.

I hope this helps.

a-Purchased from B&H-one of this site's sponsors/vendors. Doubt that it's fake
b-it fails whether the antenna is touching something or not
c-no metal, unless its my zipper or my tooth fillings. I don't wear a gold necklace... ;o)
d-now, this could be a possibility, however, other locations, several miles from here, fail more miserably than in my studio
e-how can I tell if it's faulty? It has never worked, not from the day I purchased it brand new.

In my experience with RF equipment, this unit behaves like a distinctly underpowered transmitter. The level of brand loyalty astonishes me. I am not thrilled with Sennheiser equipment. It's OK stuff, just not the best on the market. I agree, the AT stuff seems better for the money.

[Michael Liebergot]

Originally Posted by Bill Ravens

a-Purchased from B&H-one of this site's sponsors/vendors. Doubt that it's fake
b-it fails whether the antenna is touching something or not
c-no metal, unless its my zipper
d-now, this could be a possibility, however, other locations, several miles from here, fail more miserably than in my studio
e-how can I tell if it's faulty? It has never worked, not from the day I purchased it brand new.

Bill sounds like a faulty unit. I have used my G2 systems (3 of them) in very high trafficked environments and never really experienced a problem.

One quick question though...

What positions are your antennas facing?

Both your transmitter and receiver antenna should be facing in the same direction.
So if your transmitter antenna is facing up then your receiver antenna should be facing up as well. Same goes for downwards, sideways/flat etc.

You might find the best reception is having the antenna face downwards towards the ground, for both transmitter and receiver. The reason for this is that there is less of a distance for the signal to travel before bouncing the floor, than if the antenna is facing upwards and bouncing off of the ceiling or walls.

If you are still having issues with your unit, then you should contact Sennheiser and have them take a look at the unit.

[Marco Leavitt]

Bill,
The G2 is probably the most used location wireless system in the world, so it obviously works. Still, some people, such as yourself seem to have no luck with it. I couldn't say why. It may be you have a bad block for your area, or even that the unit is malfunctioning. I'd call a wedding or event company in your area (most of them use G2s), and ask what blocks they're on and how well the system is working out for them.