Sony UWP-V1 or Sennheiser at DVinfo.net

Mike Sroka · January 23rd, 2010, 12:12 PM

VERY new to the world of motion. Just moving from stills into video. Purchased a Canon HV40 to get my feet wet. Going to be doing some dictating from the back of the camera while filming and demos in front of the camera for some college courses I am teaching. Concluded that a wireless/lav set-up is the way to go.

What are your opinions on these two specific models? I need to order something on Monday. After reading through the forums. I realize that sound is half the video and don't want to short change myself. I have ruled out the VHF sub-$200.00 category, but I am still on a budget. Is there a 200 dollar difference between the two? You can find the Sony out there discounted to around 400, the Senn is locked at 600.

There was a post elsewhere referring to the "noise floor" being a problem on the Sony. It was a post from a year or two ago, and I am wondering if anyone can speak to this?

Thanks for the input. Looking forward to shooting and submitting to the forum.

Mike Sroka · January 23rd, 2010, 01:11 PM

Oops! EW122-p G3 is the specific Sennheiser I am wondering about.

Guy Cochran · January 23rd, 2010, 02:16 PM

Hi Mike,

If budget is a concern, go with the Sony UWP-V1. The sound quality is sufficient for most. You may hear a bit of the compander more than you would with the Sennheiser G3, but to an entry level videographer, it's at the top end of the under $500 wireless systems. With the money you save, you may be able to afford to get a headset mic from Audio Technica, the AT892 is in the under $200 range. The headset mics are great to have as an option if you're in very echoey rooms. Some may not like the looks during presentation, but I can guarantee that you'll get better overall sound than with the standard Sony lav. With the beige color, the headworn mics are hardly noticeable.

BTW, here is my range test with Sony - it'll go over 200 feet. You can see the tape measure in the wide shot along with my 3 legged puppy.

YouTube - Sony UWP-V6 Wireless Lavalier Microphone 200' distance

Mike Sroka · January 23rd, 2010, 03:06 PM

Thanks for the info Guy.

I have seen your videos. The one with the dog is amazingly clear sound (and quite entertaining). No noise/"buzz" there. It says that is the V6 not the V1. Are they similar in sound quality? BTW, you seem to be a great resource for the vid community.

If I remember correctly, you (or one of your associates) were the one the "noise floor" post was talking too. Not positive about that. The poster eventually returned the Sony, and went with the Sennheiser? If I am going to hear a small amount of "buzz" with the Sony and NO "buzz" with the Sennheiser, I would probably come up with that extra cash. If you think it was an isolated incident, improper settings, etc. I would feel better about the Sony. I may be overthinking this, but I have been a serious commercial stills shooter for years and notice things like muffled sound, interference, background noise, etc. in vids produced by others. Most of my work will be on location and not in a sound controlled environment. As someone else mentioned, I will upgrade the camera before I upgrade the sound.

After this ramble (sorry)... still think I am OK with the Sony?

Gonna research headsets and figure out what "compander" means? Lord, it's gonna be some learning curve I am heading for!

Thanks in advance for any reply.

Guy Cochran · January 23rd, 2010, 09:45 PM

The Sony UWP-V1 and V6 share the same bodypack Transmitter and Receiver. The difference is that the V6 simply adds the plug on transmitter in the same box and is priced accordingly. It's worth getting the V6 if you'll ever need to make a handheld mic wireless. I haven't put the video up yet, but that same day we shot the lav video above, we went over 500 ft with a handheld mic and Sony plug-on transmitter - line of sight, zero dropouts or RF interference. Very solid.

I'm not sure if the customer that returned the Sony for the Sennheiser had everything set correctly because I haven't noticed the compander distortion as much as he spoke of. He's a very smart guy though with good ears, professional sound crew with cred. If it helps to know, we sell about 20 to 1 Sennheiser over the Sony wireless in our store. So, personally, I would spend the extra few bucks and get the Sennheiser - just because of the track record for ease of use and durability. However, if budget is the main concern, then the Sony will be fine - really.

Shaun Roemich · January 23rd, 2010, 10:03 PM

I'm certainly not one to argue with our learned friend Guy but MY personal experience with the previous generation Sony UWP that I own versus the G2 and G3 systems from Sennheiser was that in MY former market, I took hits ALL THE TIME with the Sennheiser and NEVER with the Sony. Even at 5 or so feet with great line of sight, I would take hits with my client's Senny.

Of course, your mileage may (and probably WILL vary) but I won't spend MY money on a Sennheiser wireless, while I love the rest of their stuff.

I always ran my Sony transmitter at full power (50mW I believe). Can't remember where the Sennheiser was set or if it was changeable.

Mike Sroka · January 23rd, 2010, 10:43 PM

LOL...

This is as bad as the forums for my sports car! I was ready to spend the extra coin on the Sennheiser. Now I'm not so sure. After the aspirin kicks in, I'll guess I'll flip a coin. Must be a the law of forum physics. "For every answer, there is an equal and opposite answer"!

Thanks for the input. Anyone else want to contribute before I flip the coin?

Shaun Roemich · January 23rd, 2010, 11:06 PM

Also keep in mind that I have brought this up several times before on here and have NEVER had anyone else voice the same concerns so PERHAPS it's my MAGNETIC personality or something... The general consensus is WITH Guy. Bu like I said, it will be a cold day in Hades before I spend MY money on a Sennheiser G2/G3 system.

Mike Sroka · January 23rd, 2010, 11:43 PM

Well the majority of folk definitely favor Sennheiser. That said, I haven't found much definitive info on the Sony. Lots of fluff, very little serious info/opinion on youtube, etc.. Guy's one of the exceptions. I am leaning towards the Sony. Hard to pass up the sub 500 price point. As I am just starting the video thing (20 years of "stills" including 5 with the Snowbirds), choosing the Sony makes sense to me. If I upgrade the camera in the future, I can also upgrade the mic (if necessary).

D.J. Ammons · January 24th, 2010, 12:40 AM

Mike, you will enjoy the Canon HV40. I got my feet wet in HD with the HV20 when it came out. However beware that it will probably just make you want more and soon you will be looking at the prosumer cameras with all of the cool manual controls!

A couple of years ago I graduated to the Sony V1 and love it despite a couple of shortcomings. If I were upgrading from the Canon HV20 now I would probably go with the Panny HMC150.

Soundwise I use the much ridiculed Azden UHF 325 dual wireles lapel set that in one unit mounted on my Sony V1 gives me the two lapel mics. In Wedding Videography one for the minister and one for the groom.

My other mics are a Rode NTG2 shotgun mic on the second V1 and then on my Canon HV20 the Rode Videomic little shotgun mic which does an amazing job!

John Willett · January 24th, 2010, 01:13 PM

The G3 is much better than the older G2 as the camera receiver is now diversity.

Mike Sroka · January 24th, 2010, 05:01 PM

190 views, only 4 responses? Conclusion from the few posts here and research elsewhere...

Sennheiser EW122-p G3 w/ ME-4 Cardioid Mic (G Band, 566-608 MHz)

Better sound quality, Sennheiser sales 20:1 in Guys shop, improvements from G2 should cut down interference problems some were experiencing, G Band.

Thanks guys.

Guy Cochran · January 24th, 2010, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Sroka

LOL...

This is as bad as the forums for my sports car! I was ready to spend the extra coin on the Sennheiser. Now I'm not so sure. After the aspirin kicks in, I'll guess I'll flip a coin. Must be a the law of forum physics. "For every answer, there is an equal and opposite answer"!

Thanks for the input. Anyone else want to contribute before I flip the coin?

Ha ha. That's too funny. I know exactly what you mean. I'm the newbie on a few of those car forums myself so I know how ya feel. Which intake? exhaust? chip? Sway bars, lift lower etc.....

Are you in a big city? Maybe you can rent a set to see if it'll work well in you area. What Shaun was describing is likely due to being near a TV station blastin' out some serious RF. Sennheiser has a very useful frequency finder to help you figure out which channels to stay away from. I recommend everyone consult the Sennheiser Frequency finder before flying out to any out of state gigs. My buddy goes so far as to print it out and tune before a trip.
Find Available Frequencies

Heck, if you want to try either the Sony or the Sennheiser, we offer a full 30 day return. You'll just have to pay shipping. And John is right, the G3 is better than the G2 with a lot of improvements. If you decide to order, just put "$50 off-dvinfo.net discount" in the comments field during checkout and I'll make sure you get the savings applied.

Sennheiser Mics at DVcreators.net

The Sony UWP-V6 Wireless System with Lavalier and Plug on Transmitter at DVcreators.net

Guy Cochran · January 24th, 2010, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Sroka

190 views, only 4 responses? Conclusion from the few posts here and research elsewhere...

Sennheiser EW122-p G3 w/ ME-4 Cardioid Mic (G Band, 566-608 MHz)

Better sound quality, Sennheiser sales 20:1 in Guys shop, improvements from G2 should cut down interference problems some were experiencing, G Band.

Thanks guys.

You'll want the EW112 with ME-2 omni lav for general use. The EW122 with ME-4 cardioid is a big ole marble of a lav and can sometimes accidentally get turned sideways or upside down and really cause a problem. Cardioid is more useful in sound reinforcement applications where you might get feedback from stage monitors.

Here is a demo we did that may be helpful. It shows the differences between omni-directional, cardioid, super cardioid and shotgun (lobar). Microphone Polar Patterns - Video Examples to learn from at DVcreators.net

Mike Sroka · January 24th, 2010, 05:58 PM

Thanks for all the info Guy.

I live just north of you on Vancouver Island. Most of the stuff I plan on shooting will be in the Victoria area, small island communities and regional/national parks.

There is only one small TV station in the city of Victoria. I'll take your advice and go with the omni mic. Probably stay with G band. Thoughts?

I am in Milwaukee visiting family until March 1. Using the time to get this video thing figured out. My brother is doing the same thing. So is my girlfriend! We are all getting into the video game. All of us are part-time educators and will use video in courses we are teaching.

In addition to your great advice, I'll take you up on your offer for the discount and call your store in the morning to place my order for the Sennheiser.

Thanks again!

Now about those coil-overs? I already have the sway kit installed. lol

January 23rd, 2010, 12:12 PM	#1
Mike Sroka New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 8	Sony UWP-V1 or Sennheiser VERY new to the world of motion. Just moving from stills into video. Purchased a Canon HV40 to get my feet wet. Going to be doing some dictating from the back of the camera while filming and demos in front of the camera for some college courses I am teaching. Concluded that a wireless/lav set-up is the way to go. What are your opinions on these two specific models? I need to order something on Monday. After reading through the forums. I realize that sound is half the video and don't want to short change myself. I have ruled out the VHF sub-$200.00 category, but I am still on a budget. Is there a 200 dollar difference between the two? You can find the Sony out there discounted to around 400, the Senn is locked at 600. There was a post elsewhere referring to the "noise floor" being a problem on the Sony. It was a post from a year or two ago, and I am wondering if anyone can speak to this? Thanks for the input. Looking forward to shooting and submitting to the forum.

January 23rd, 2010, 02:16 PM	#3
Guy Cochran DVCreators.Net Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 892	Hi Mike, If budget is a concern, go with the Sony UWP-V1. The sound quality is sufficient for most. You may hear a bit of the compander more than you would with the Sennheiser G3, but to an entry level videographer, it's at the top end of the under $500 wireless systems. With the money you save, you may be able to afford to get a headset mic from Audio Technica, the AT892 is in the under $200 range. The headset mics are great to have as an option if you're in very echoey rooms. Some may not like the looks during presentation, but I can guarantee that you'll get better overall sound than with the standard Sony lav. With the beige color, the headworn mics are hardly noticeable. BTW, here is my range test with Sony - it'll go over 200 feet. You can see the tape measure in the wide shot along with my 3 legged puppy. YouTube - Sony UWP-V6 Wireless Lavalier Microphone 200' distance __________________ Guy Cochran DVinfo Sponsor, Cool Gear - DVeStore!

January 23rd, 2010, 09:45 PM	#5
Guy Cochran DVCreators.Net Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 892	The Sony UWP-V1 and V6 share the same bodypack Transmitter and Receiver. The difference is that the V6 simply adds the plug on transmitter in the same box and is priced accordingly. It's worth getting the V6 if you'll ever need to make a handheld mic wireless. I haven't put the video up yet, but that same day we shot the lav video above, we went over 500 ft with a handheld mic and Sony plug-on transmitter - line of sight, zero dropouts or RF interference. Very solid. I'm not sure if the customer that returned the Sony for the Sennheiser had everything set correctly because I haven't noticed the compander distortion as much as he spoke of. He's a very smart guy though with good ears, professional sound crew with cred. If it helps to know, we sell about 20 to 1 Sennheiser over the Sony wireless in our store. So, personally, I would spend the extra few bucks and get the Sennheiser - just because of the track record for ease of use and durability. However, if budget is the main concern, then the Sony will be fine - really. __________________ Guy Cochran DVinfo Sponsor, Cool Gear - DVeStore!

January 23rd, 2010, 10:03 PM	#6
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	I'm certainly not one to argue with our learned friend Guy but MY personal experience with the previous generation Sony UWP that I own versus the G2 and G3 systems from Sennheiser was that in MY former market, I took hits ALL THE TIME with the Sennheiser and NEVER with the Sony. Even at 5 or so feet with great line of sight, I would take hits with my client's Senny. Of course, your mileage may (and probably WILL vary) but I won't spend MY money on a Sennheiser wireless, while I love the rest of their stuff. I always ran my Sony transmitter at full power (50mW I believe). Can't remember where the Sennheiser was set or if it was changeable. __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

January 23rd, 2010, 11:06 PM	#8
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	Also keep in mind that I have brought this up several times before on here and have NEVER had anyone else voice the same concerns so PERHAPS it's my MAGNETIC personality or something... The general consensus is WITH Guy. Bu like I said, it will be a cold day in Hades before I spend MY money on a Sennheiser G2/G3 system. __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

January 23rd, 2010, 01:11 PM	#2
Mike Sroka New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 8	Oops! EW122-p G3 is the specific Sennheiser I am wondering about.

January 23rd, 2010, 03:06 PM	#4
Mike Sroka New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 8	Thanks for the info Guy. I have seen your videos. The one with the dog is amazingly clear sound (and quite entertaining). No noise/"buzz" there. It says that is the V6 not the V1. Are they similar in sound quality? BTW, you seem to be a great resource for the vid community. If I remember correctly, you (or one of your associates) were the one the "noise floor" post was talking too. Not positive about that. The poster eventually returned the Sony, and went with the Sennheiser? If I am going to hear a small amount of "buzz" with the Sony and NO "buzz" with the Sennheiser, I would probably come up with that extra cash. If you think it was an isolated incident, improper settings, etc. I would feel better about the Sony. I may be overthinking this, but I have been a serious commercial stills shooter for years and notice things like muffled sound, interference, background noise, etc. in vids produced by others. Most of my work will be on location and not in a sound controlled environment. As someone else mentioned, I will upgrade the camera before I upgrade the sound. After this ramble (sorry)... still think I am OK with the Sony? Gonna research headsets and figure out what "compander" means? Lord, it's gonna be some learning curve I am heading for! Thanks in advance for any reply.

January 23rd, 2010, 10:43 PM	#7
Mike Sroka New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 8	LOL... This is as bad as the forums for my sports car! I was ready to spend the extra coin on the Sennheiser. Now I'm not so sure. After the aspirin kicks in, I'll guess I'll flip a coin. Must be a the law of forum physics. "For every answer, there is an equal and opposite answer"! Thanks for the input. Anyone else want to contribute before I flip the coin?

January 23rd, 2010, 11:43 PM	#9
Mike Sroka New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 8	Well the majority of folk definitely favor Sennheiser. That said, I haven't found much definitive info on the Sony. Lots of fluff, very little serious info/opinion on youtube, etc.. Guy's one of the exceptions. I am leaning towards the Sony. Hard to pass up the sub 500 price point. As I am just starting the video thing (20 years of "stills" including 5 with the Snowbirds), choosing the Sony makes sense to me. If I upgrade the camera in the future, I can also upgrade the mic (if necessary).

January 24th, 2010, 12:40 AM	#10
D.J. Ammons Major Player Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 506	Mike, you will enjoy the Canon HV40. I got my feet wet in HD with the HV20 when it came out. However beware that it will probably just make you want more and soon you will be looking at the prosumer cameras with all of the cool manual controls! A couple of years ago I graduated to the Sony V1 and love it despite a couple of shortcomings. If I were upgrading from the Canon HV20 now I would probably go with the Panny HMC150. Soundwise I use the much ridiculed Azden UHF 325 dual wireles lapel set that in one unit mounted on my Sony V1 gives me the two lapel mics. In Wedding Videography one for the minister and one for the groom. My other mics are a Rode NTG2 shotgun mic on the second V1 and then on my Canon HV20 the Rode Videomic little shotgun mic which does an amazing job!

January 24th, 2010, 01:13 PM	#11
John Willett Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 976	The G3 is much better than the older G2 as the camera receiver is now diversity. __________________ John Willett - Sound-Link ProAudio and Circle Sound Services President: Fédération Internationale des Chasseurs de Sons

January 24th, 2010, 05:01 PM	#12
Mike Sroka New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 8	190 views, only 4 responses? Conclusion from the few posts here and research elsewhere... Sennheiser EW122-p G3 w/ ME-4 Cardioid Mic (G Band, 566-608 MHz) Better sound quality, Sennheiser sales 20:1 in Guys shop, improvements from G2 should cut down interference problems some were experiencing, G Band. Thanks guys.

January 24th, 2010, 05:58 PM	#15
Mike Sroka New Boot Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 8	Thanks for all the info Guy. I live just north of you on Vancouver Island. Most of the stuff I plan on shooting will be in the Victoria area, small island communities and regional/national parks. There is only one small TV station in the city of Victoria. I'll take your advice and go with the omni mic. Probably stay with G band. Thoughts? I am in Milwaukee visiting family until March 1. Using the time to get this video thing figured out. My brother is doing the same thing. So is my girlfriend! We are all getting into the video game. All of us are part-time educators and will use video in courses we are teaching. In addition to your great advice, I'll take you up on your offer for the discount and call your store in the morning to place my order for the Sennheiser. Thanks again! Now about those coil-overs? I already have the sway kit installed. lol