Lapel Mic for Weddings - Help!

Jordan Block · August 17th, 2009, 02:37 PM

Ask yourself this:

"Can I afford to give refunds and lose referrals when my audio turns out unusable because I bought sub-par equipment?"

Wireless kit is the last place to be going cheap.

Mark Boyer · August 17th, 2009, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jordan Block

Ask yourself this:

"Can I afford to give refunds and lose referrals when my audio turns out unusable because I bought sub-par equipment?"

Wireless kit is the last place to be going cheap.

Also relying only on a wireless and not having a backup is bad. (I would rather have to haul a spare tub with cords and cables than to have the wedding start and your wireless system go down)

Chip Thome · August 17th, 2009, 03:01 PM

I have two friends who both use Arzden and both like what they receive form their gear. On another forum board I belong to, the owner/moderator is a fan of Audio-Technica PRO 88W and did a review on it some time back. I bought the new Nady you listed, and have yet to use it. No one has said anything good about it, other than Nady has sold a ton of wireless gear over the years. I look at it as it is going to "get me in the game" at least enough to get a demo done.

I come to this from my main focus of shooting band promo videos for online playback. I have had many conversations with the various performers often relating to the quality of the performance we used the footage from. None of them has complained about what I recorded or how the recording sounded, but ohhhhh the complaints I have heard about so and so messed up a rip or so and so was a bit flat on that song etc etc etc. NO ONE from the audience has EVER told me anything any band has done has sucked and should not be uploaded. NONE of the fans has EVER complained their favorite band was "a little flat" in my videos or the recording sucked.

Bottom line, worry about what your audience is going to see, hear and think, not what the experts think of the brand name you have. Worry about how closely you are matching your competition in quality, for the same price point you are charging. If your target market is the $5000. price point, you better gear up to that quality level. If your target is $1800, gearing up like the house who is doing it for $5000. is just kinda dumb.

Steve House · August 17th, 2009, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Babin

...
I know people has different experience with products and frankly I am still confused on what to get. My wedding is on the 21st so it right around the corner and it's just my cousins wedding. It's not a huge fancy wedding. Soon I will be able to afford better equipment, but for now I need something just to work for five minutes.

Thanks again everyone!!

Rather than purchase budget equipment and run the risk of marginal performance, why not consider renting a pro quality rig? You'll get much better gear at a fraction of the price. 4 days before a gig is not the time to buy gear for it, especially sight unseen off of eBay. You're just up the road from New Orleans and there's a thriving film industry there with a number of rental houses I'm sure. And professional supply houses like Trew Audio in Nashville are used to renting shipping via overnight Fedex.

Steve House · August 17th, 2009, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chip Thome

... If your target market is the $5000. price point, you better gear up to that quality level. If your target is $1800, gearing up like the house who is doing it for $5000. is just kinda dumb.

On the other hand it is often said that to get where you want to be, you must look like you're already there.

Alex Babin · August 17th, 2009, 03:24 PM

Well B&H has this Azden:

Azden | WMS-PRO VHF Wireless Lavalier Handheld Mic | WMS-PRO

Which Im pretty sure most of yall know of. I can get fast delivery on it and hopefully doesn't give me a problem. I'm stressing!

I dont know of any places around me that rent out gear tho.

David Barnett · August 17th, 2009, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Babin

Well B&H has this Azden:

Azden | WMS-PRO VHF Wireless Lavalier Handheld Mic | WMS-PRO

Which Im pretty sure most of yall know of. I can get fast delivery on it and hopefully doesn't give me a problem. I'm stressing!

I dont know of any places around me that rent out gear tho.

Alex,

I'll post a clip of my weddings vows tonight & post it. I bought that model off Amazon & got it the next day. Either way, I'm sure B&H will ship fast as well. If you want to invest $600, go ahead, if you're satisfied with the results I'll post, you should be ok.

Alex Babin · August 17th, 2009, 04:37 PM

Thank you very very much!!!!

Hurry though! haha I need it to order it something tonight!

David Barnett · August 17th, 2009, 08:43 PM

Alex,

Sorry for the delay (rendering sucks!! Especially when your first try the size is too big). Here is where it's going to be. Will prob take a few minutes for Vimeo to digest. Just the vows portion grabbed arbitrarily, nothing much to it.

http://www.vimeo.com/6155109

FWIW here's the pre-ceremony trailer I had done for it.

http://www.vimeo.com/6155254

Mel Enriquez · August 17th, 2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Barnett

Alex,

Sorry for the delay (rendering sucks!! Especially when your first try the size is too big). Here is where it's going to be. Will prob take a few minutes for Vimeo to digest. Just the vows portion grabbed arbitrarily, nothing much to it.

http://www.vimeo.com/6155109

David,

Vimeo says it is private video. Maybe you can make it public?

Alex Babin · August 17th, 2009, 08:48 PM

No problem man, I appreciate the help! Well I went to it and it says it's private...

Mel Enriquez · August 17th, 2009, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Babin

Thank you very very much!!!!

Hurry though! haha I need it to order it something tonight!

Alex,

I symphatize with you! I know I need a Senheiser G2 (or now the G3) but can't afford it at this time. I have edited other people's work using the Azden and I can tell you that it has drop-outs and noise/hissing, pops that come just like that with no apparent reason, and at the some of the most inopportune moment! In one wedding I edited for another, the camera with the wireless receiver was just 8ft or so away from the groom who was wearing the Transmitter/mic!! I just don't know what caused that pop and hiss!

Some in our country, some have used the Audio Technica Pro 88. Now, I can vouch for this. It is good. Way ahead of the Azden. Yes, it is VHF, but in my use of this for weddings, only one time did it have a bad hiss. Thank goodness it was in a quiet moment in a part of the wedding where it was not important.

I got this for around U$130 at BHPhoto about 2 years ago. I use rechargeable 9-volt batts and it's seems to work well. 9-volt batts in our country is expensive. It's about 1/3 the price of a 9-volt rechargeble. Might as well pay that 2/3 and not buy rechargebles for the next 3 years!

So, until you can get "up to speed," so to speak financially, maybe you can try this out. I hope others can chime in on this model if it's any good, but I can assure you, that this is 2-3 heads up over the azden! I can't vouch for the interference in your locality as vhf is more susceptible to that, but this is a good model. I know that even movie production outfits use this for some of their shoots.

The bad news is that I just checked at BHPhoto and it's no longer U$130 :( It is now U$199.

Audio-Technica | Pro 88W - Camera Mountable VHF | W88-24-830

This is my limited experience on wireless.

Alex Babin · August 17th, 2009, 09:07 PM

Thank you! Well Im about to spend all my savings tonight...yippie. On equipment. I really dont have much but I can at least put in the extra $30 for this one! Thank you again!!!! Im going check it out now!

Alex Babin · August 17th, 2009, 09:08 PM

Holy crap I use this one as well as a back for my company now haha crazy!

David Barnett · August 17th, 2009, 09:33 PM

Ok, it should be up & avail now.

August 17th, 2009, 02:37 PM	#16
Jordan Block Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: BC, Canada Posts: 67	Ask yourself this: "Can I afford to give refunds and lose referrals when my audio turns out unusable because I bought sub-par equipment?" Wireless kit is the last place to be going cheap.

August 17th, 2009, 03:01 PM	#18
Chip Thome Major Player Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Green Bay Wisconsin Posts: 553	I have two friends who both use Arzden and both like what they receive form their gear. On another forum board I belong to, the owner/moderator is a fan of Audio-Technica PRO 88W and did a review on it some time back. I bought the new Nady you listed, and have yet to use it. No one has said anything good about it, other than Nady has sold a ton of wireless gear over the years. I look at it as it is going to "get me in the game" at least enough to get a demo done. I come to this from my main focus of shooting band promo videos for online playback. I have had many conversations with the various performers often relating to the quality of the performance we used the footage from. None of them has complained about what I recorded or how the recording sounded, but ohhhhh the complaints I have heard about so and so messed up a rip or so and so was a bit flat on that song etc etc etc. NO ONE from the audience has EVER told me anything any band has done has sucked and should not be uploaded. NONE of the fans has EVER complained their favorite band was "a little flat" in my videos or the recording sucked. Bottom line, worry about what your audience is going to see, hear and think, not what the experts think of the brand name you have. Worry about how closely you are matching your competition in quality, for the same price point you are charging. If your target market is the $5000. price point, you better gear up to that quality level. If your target is $1800, gearing up like the house who is doing it for $5000. is just kinda dumb.

August 17th, 2009, 03:24 PM	#21
Alex Babin New Boot Join Date: May 2009 Location: Norco, Louisiana Posts: 8	Well B&H has this Azden: Azden \| WMS-PRO VHF Wireless Lavalier Handheld Mic \| WMS-PRO Which Im pretty sure most of yall know of. I can get fast delivery on it and hopefully doesn't give me a problem. I'm stressing! I dont know of any places around me that rent out gear tho.

August 17th, 2009, 04:37 PM	#23
Alex Babin New Boot Join Date: May 2009 Location: Norco, Louisiana Posts: 8	Thank you very very much!!!! Hurry though! haha I need it to order it something tonight!

August 17th, 2009, 08:43 PM	#24
David Barnett Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Philly, PA Posts: 951	Alex, Sorry for the delay (rendering sucks!! Especially when your first try the size is too big). Here is where it's going to be. Will prob take a few minutes for Vimeo to digest. Just the vows portion grabbed arbitrarily, nothing much to it. http://www.vimeo.com/6155109 FWIW here's the pre-ceremony trailer I had done for it. http://www.vimeo.com/6155254

August 17th, 2009, 08:48 PM	#26
Alex Babin New Boot Join Date: May 2009 Location: Norco, Louisiana Posts: 8	No problem man, I appreciate the help! Well I went to it and it says it's private...

August 17th, 2009, 09:07 PM	#28
Alex Babin New Boot Join Date: May 2009 Location: Norco, Louisiana Posts: 8	Thank you! Well Im about to spend all my savings tonight...yippie. On equipment. I really dont have much but I can at least put in the extra $30 for this one! Thank you again!!!! Im going check it out now!

August 17th, 2009, 09:08 PM	#29
Alex Babin New Boot Join Date: May 2009 Location: Norco, Louisiana Posts: 8	Holy crap I use this one as well as a back for my company now haha crazy!

August 17th, 2009, 09:33 PM	#30
David Barnett Major Player Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Philly, PA Posts: 951	Ok, it should be up & avail now.