Microphone Problem - Or is it just me?!

[Matthew Stokes]

Hi there.

Im trying to establish if I have a problem with my microphone or the set up? Ive got nothing to compair to, so is this normal? I know the cable isnt taped down etc, but as you will see, there is a lot of noise with the most subtle of movement.

ME4/EW100 G2 Sound problem test on Vimeo

Mic: Sennheiser ME4
Transmitter: EW100 G2
Camera: Panasonic HMC151
Settings: Default
Sensitivity: -20DB

Please let me know your thoughts.

[Mike Beckett]

Matthew, have you checked this out?

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/all-thin...phone-lav.html

The (Audio God) John Willett provided some good advice about how to use a lav, and how to decouple it from the cable to reduce clothing noise/rumble etc.

[Matthew Stokes]

Yes, I have read this, but as you will see the noises are notcoming from the microphone itself, but from the cable...

[Gary Nattrass]

The ME4 is a cardioid mic and is not the best option for lav use, the ME2 is better as it is omni directional and also has a better mic clip that isolates the capsule from the cable, the ME4 has the cable clipped to the mic head mounting and with it all being plastic it is making everything too sensitive.

Hard to tell from your video but I think the mic head should be connected to the clip at all with the clip just holding the cable. I am not a big fan of this type of clip and the metal one with the ME2 is better as it isolates things better as said.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/cat...wAA#ps-sellers

Also your -20 setting is about right on the transmitter but what level do you have set on the receiver? a high receiver level may be driving an auto gain circuit on your camera and causing the audio to be squashed and compressed making any handling noise worse.

I use the same radio mics with ME2's and have not had huge problems with noise at all, you can have a listen to this item recorded on two ME2's hidden under their coats to protect them from the wind.

iNorthEast.tv

[Paul R Johnson]

To be honest, the amount you're getting is higher than normal, but it is possible that you do have a dodgy microphone. The ME4, is always a tricky one because it's cardioid and it's so easy to go off-mic, and need to increase gain - which will bring up the noise.

The one thing that may be worth checking is that you actually have a genuine ME4 - there were a number around, usually being sold on ebay that were not genuine Sennheisers - and they had quite low quality cable - much harder and a little bit thicker than the genuine ones, and the hardness of the cable let vibration travel up the tube to the capsule, where the mounting was not isolated - and tapping the cable, even half way down the cable sounded like tapping the mic!

John's tips on mounting lav mics is worth reading - but I suspect in your case, you can make things a lot better by some small cable loops to prevent as much noise travelling up the cable as possible - AND making certain the mic points at your mouth.

If you want a cheap omni that works exceptionally well for the money - these are dirt cheap, and very good - for the money, I'd get one to try.
PULSE|MIC-500LJ BLACK|MINIATURE LAVALIER TIE-CLIP MICROPHONE | CPC
They use a pretty common electret capsule and while not being an MKE2 - my favourite - they're quite usable.

[Matthew Stokes]

Originally Posted by Gary Nattrass

Hard to tell from your video but I think the mic head should be connected to the clip at all with the clip just holding the cable. I am not a big fan of this type of clip and the metal one with the ME2 is better as it isolates things better as said.

The clip does hold just the cable, but even when the microphone is held perfectly still (as in the video) the problem still occurs.

Originally Posted by Gary Nattrass

Also your -20 setting is about right on the transmitter but what level do you have set on the receiver? a high receiver level may be driving an auto gain circuit on your camera and causing the audio to be squashed and compressed making any handling noise worse.

-18db which is about what it should be, and adjusting it doesnt seem to help : (

[Gary Nattrass]

Thanks and I think you are doing things OK but it is just that the ME4 is cardioid and is either faulty or not suitable for your needs, I have never used one so can't comment any more re the mic you have.

As said an ME2 or omni lav mic is what is normally used and I certainly don't get the handling problems with mine which I have set at -20 and -12.

Maybe John Willet can shed more light on this as he is the sennheiser expert!