Static damaged OST lav mic? at DVinfo.net

Phillip Palacios · February 4th, 2013, 07:32 PM

Pretty sure that's what happend. I was sitting in one of those plasticy stacking chairs adjusting the position for an interview and sound checking the overhead mic, then got up and picked up my wireless lav that was sitting by my camera to do a sound check.

Nada. Switched lav mic back to the one Sennheiser sends along with their G3 packs, and it works fine. Tried the same OST on my other Senn system. Nada. Switched that one back the stock Lav, works fine.

NO physical damage to the mic, no cord pull etc... this was the third time out with that OST.

I switched out the chairs as a precaution.

Anyone have similar experience?

Panagiotis Raris · February 4th, 2013, 09:01 PM

i would assume they should be pretty impervious to static damage; its an on-talent mic, and wool, polyester, carpets, chairs, etc all generate static electricity. If that was the case, and static electricity was a risk, i assume there would be a warning and many, many more threads/results about it, which i could not find with a quick google search.

I haven't used lav's much, but i have rebuilt a few PC's or had the bare motherboard on a desk and was working on it/touching it while wearing polyester shirt and polyester fleece sweater on (i have a full head of dense hair and i can feel when said shirts build up a charge on my scalp) without killing them. Same with PC parts like HDD's, graphic cards, RAM, or one of my old DSLR's i decided to disassemble. I assume you mean one of those all-plastic curved bucket seats like they have in lunchrooms or kindergarten classes that you can really get your static on with. Interference and a crackle i would expect, but your mic may just have died for other reasons. try disassembling it and use a multimeter to isolate the problem connection (this is from an automotive electronics and general electronics amateurs' diagnosis background).

I may be entirely wrong, but static has yet to kill anything under my 'knife', even with explicit warnings and anti-static bags or wristbands denoted as necessary.

Phillip Palacios · February 5th, 2013, 10:07 AM

I would assume that as well, but it was working earlier that afternoon, and suddenly stopped without trauma. The only thing that changed was the static charge when I picked up the mic...
It may have nothing to do with each other, but it may.
Regardless I think I'll be a bit more cautious to discharge static buildup on something a bit less sensitive.

Panagiotis Raris · February 5th, 2013, 04:53 PM

i find my assistants' earlobes work great. or pretty much anyone within arms' length.

seriously though i would imagine those static wristbands may help, or running water.

Phillip Palacios · February 6th, 2013, 08:27 AM

Lightstands, tripods (not the camera!) etc from now on!
Ordered two new countryman b6's If it wasn't static, I don't want another lav from OST that spontaneously quits.
p

Rick Reineke · February 6th, 2013, 10:29 AM

Contact Dave, OST's customer service is outstanding, I'm sure they will take care of any issue.
While the B6 is a great mic, it ain't very versatile and have their own pro and cons. I have two and rarely bring them out, while my Trams, OST 802s and TL40s are the usual go to .

Phillip Palacios · February 7th, 2013, 02:06 PM

Contacted them via their archaic website. I'll post results when I know anything.
p

Phillip Palacios · February 7th, 2013, 08:43 PM

Very quick response. Sending it in tomorrow. I still think I fried it, maybe not though.

February 4th, 2013, 07:32 PM	#1
Phillip Palacios Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 233	Static damaged OST lav mic? Pretty sure that's what happend. I was sitting in one of those plasticy stacking chairs adjusting the position for an interview and sound checking the overhead mic, then got up and picked up my wireless lav that was sitting by my camera to do a sound check. Nada. Switched lav mic back to the one Sennheiser sends along with their G3 packs, and it works fine. Tried the same OST on my other Senn system. Nada. Switched that one back the stock Lav, works fine. NO physical damage to the mic, no cord pull etc... this was the third time out with that OST. I switched out the chairs as a precaution. Anyone have similar experience? __________________ always learning www.phillippalacios.com

February 4th, 2013, 09:01 PM	#2
Panagiotis Raris Major Player Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Reading, PA USA and Athens, Greece Posts: 269	Re: Static damaged OST lav mic? i would assume they should be pretty impervious to static damage; its an on-talent mic, and wool, polyester, carpets, chairs, etc all generate static electricity. If that was the case, and static electricity was a risk, i assume there would be a warning and many, many more threads/results about it, which i could not find with a quick google search. I haven't used lav's much, but i have rebuilt a few PC's or had the bare motherboard on a desk and was working on it/touching it while wearing polyester shirt and polyester fleece sweater on (i have a full head of dense hair and i can feel when said shirts build up a charge on my scalp) without killing them. Same with PC parts like HDD's, graphic cards, RAM, or one of my old DSLR's i decided to disassemble. I assume you mean one of those all-plastic curved bucket seats like they have in lunchrooms or kindergarten classes that you can really get your static on with. Interference and a crackle i would expect, but your mic may just have died for other reasons. try disassembling it and use a multimeter to isolate the problem connection (this is from an automotive electronics and general electronics amateurs' diagnosis background). I may be entirely wrong, but static has yet to kill anything under my 'knife', even with explicit warnings and anti-static bags or wristbands denoted as necessary.

February 5th, 2013, 10:07 AM	#3
Phillip Palacios Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 233	Re: Static damaged OST lav mic? I would assume that as well, but it was working earlier that afternoon, and suddenly stopped without trauma. The only thing that changed was the static charge when I picked up the mic... It may have nothing to do with each other, but it may. Regardless I think I'll be a bit more cautious to discharge static buildup on something a bit less sensitive. __________________ always learning www.phillippalacios.com

February 5th, 2013, 04:53 PM	#4
Panagiotis Raris Major Player Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Reading, PA USA and Athens, Greece Posts: 269	Re: Static damaged OST lav mic? i find my assistants' earlobes work great. or pretty much anyone within arms' length. seriously though i would imagine those static wristbands may help, or running water.

February 6th, 2013, 08:27 AM	#5
Phillip Palacios Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 233	Re: Static damaged OST lav mic? Lightstands, tripods (not the camera!) etc from now on! Ordered two new countryman b6's If it wasn't static, I don't want another lav from OST that spontaneously quits. p __________________ always learning www.phillippalacios.com

February 6th, 2013, 10:29 AM	#6
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	Re: Static damaged OST lav mic? Contact Dave, OST's customer service is outstanding, I'm sure they will take care of any issue. While the B6 is a great mic, it ain't very versatile and have their own pro and cons. I have two and rarely bring them out, while my Trams, OST 802s and TL40s are the usual go to .

February 7th, 2013, 02:06 PM	#7
Phillip Palacios Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 233	Re: Static damaged OST lav mic? Contacted them via their archaic website. I'll post results when I know anything. p __________________ always learning www.phillippalacios.com

February 7th, 2013, 08:43 PM	#8
Phillip Palacios Major Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 233	Re: Static damaged OST lav mic? Very quick response. Sending it in tomorrow. I still think I fried it, maybe not though. __________________ always learning www.phillippalacios.com