Sennheiser SKP100G2 Plug On Transmitter--for dynamic mics only?

[David Ennis]

Sennheiser's more expensive SKP500 plug on transmitter can be used with any mic--it supplies phantom power.

Is that the only difference between it and the SKP100G2 plug on transmitter that comes with Evolution G2 kits? The latter is described as being for dynamic mics, but couldn't it be used for a condenser mic in conjuction with a phantom supply?

[Greg Bellotte]

Originally Posted by Fred Retread

couldn't it be used for a condenser mic in conjuction with a phantom supply?

I do this with really high end Sennheisers and Sonys all of the time. Trick is to find a place for the phantom supply as wireless usually involves mobile usually involves lack of space...

[Matt Gettemeier]

EDIT: Sorry for not being clear... Please see the next post from me below this one. I was trying to say that it would be stupid for anybody to pay the premium for the phantom in the 500 butt-plug versus doing this:

I don't know of anything besides an MM-1 (sound devices) that does this. That bit of gear also gives you a -126db pre-amp, headphone monitoring for your boom op, and control over the mic level.

Rather then pay an extra $200-$270 for a phantom powering plug-on I'd go $349 and get ALL those other bonuses added to the plug-on you already have. (100)

EDIT: but YES a phantom power supply would get you everything the 500 butt-plug gains over the 100... phantom is IT.

[David Ennis]

Matt
I guess you really didn't follow the question. Throwing the MM1 into the discussion of transmitters seems a bit OT. I can't follow the logic of your first two sentences at all.

My main question was whether the SKP100G2 plug-on transmitter, described in its literature as being for dynamic mics, could be used for condenser mics if you added your own phantom supply.

If so, my related question was what justifies the greater price of the SKP500G2 plug-on transmitter?

[Matt Gettemeier]

The only difference in 100 and 500 is phantom on tap... that's it.

Yes you can get a phantom p/s and use your 100 butt-plug.

And to answer what justifies the extra cost? Nothing. It's what people will pay if they want the convenience of phantom built into the butt-plug.

Sorry to pull your question OT but I have very recent experience with what you're trying to do and I was offering an alternative that you might not have considered. If you're running a shotgun or other condenser wireless... like with a boom op... then the ability to monitor the mic pickup and adjust the level is pretty handy... otherwise you have to do everything through the menu on the butt-plug and manually change it if you need to... and then the boom op is "shooting in the dark" the entire time.

If I ask about the extra cost of an option for something and somebody else comes along and shows me a much better alternative in the same price range I wouldn't call that off topic... I'd call that "thanks for the tip".

[David Ennis]

Matt,
"OT" has a negative ring to it that I ddin't intend. I just meant that I didn't see the connection since in my mind I considering a plug-on transmitter to avoid running cable to a mic on a stand or to a mixer. I've never used a boom pole. Now that I understand, thanks for the tip :>)

[Dave Largent]

But for handheld you're going to want to get the
500 over the MM-1 setup, if you need phantom.
If I were deciding between 100 and 500 to add to
my G2 setup I'd go with the 500.

[Matt Gettemeier]

There are definitely advantages to getting the 500 plug-on... but from the place I bought MY ew100engg2 the price increase was $250 more.

Anytime you see a news show and you see the stick mic they use it's a dynamic eng mic. So they don't need the phantom power. You can plug that 100 right onto your re50 and away you go! All good.

About the ONLY time you actually NEED the phantom power is when you decided you want to use that plug-on for your boom or some other CONDENSER mic which requires the p48 (phantom power). There will be cases where maybe you want to phantom a good mic and you don't need to be WITH that mic for control... like say you want to do a wedding and for some reason you can't lav the groom or run a wire to the altar... in that case you might plug in an Oktava (or whatever) with a 500 plug-on... go back to one of the cameras you're using... and test the wireless transmission.

Aside from that I can't imagine when you'd want phantom but WOULDN'T want control over the mic.

Let's say you want to boom wirelessly. You need phantom for ANYTHING to happen... so you can pop a plug-on on the end of the mic at the top of the pole (no good for weight reasons) or if the pole is internally cabled you can pop it on the end. This is a cool solution, but what then?

Try your best to point the mic at the action and hope that no offending sounds are making it to tape. You won't know until you get home anyway because you can't hear it! And if the mic needed to be gained down OR up you won't know that either! So let's say you have one guy on the cam and one on the mic... the guy at the cam can listen and tell the guy at the mic to do something... by walking over to him or gesturing with his hands... and then the guy can pull the boom back in, stop everything, and make adjustments to the plug-on.

Then when he sticks the mic back out there and one voice is quieter then the other... can he tell where to split the difference on position or is he guessing?

I don't want to blather on endlessly... but the gist is that for that extra hundred bucks... you could be spared ALL of that. If not for a boom or some other distant, but controlled situation... when else do you need to phantom a mic? We already ruled out ENG 'cause those mics are dynamic. Yep, just plug your D230 right onto the 100 and go.

So for an extra hundred you get 1) active monitoring 2) level control of the mic 3) -126db SN pre-amp which is top-end! 4) built in limiting better then anything else 5) a communication link between the cameraman and sound guy 6) and finally the phantom power that you paid the first $250 for anyway! So at that point what's a hundred bucks?

I think it would be certifiably insane to pay $250 over the 100 plug-on to upgrade to the 500 plug-on... when for an extra $99 you could get the world on a stick (litterally).

[Jay Massengill]

I agree with Matt, I think the MM-1 would be a great way to supply power for a condenser mic coupled with the 100 series plug-on for boom-pole use. I never actually plug the plug-on into the mic when using it with a boom anyway because of the extra weight that adds to the mic end. I wear the phantom supply and plug-on transmitter at my belt. There is some argument that keeping the plug-on separate from the mic reduces the range of transmission, but I haven't had any problems at normal ranges. You can do the same thing with the belt-pack transmitter and an input cable, but it's not as durable a connection into the transmitter.

[Richard Jacana]

If I understand this all correctly :) (I too was thinking of getting a Sennheiser kit from B&h) you guys are telling me I should go with the (Mfr# EW100ENGG2A • B&H# SEEW100ENG2A) for $599 then get the Sound Devices MM-1 for $349 (Mfr# MM1 • B&H# SOMM1) instead of the Sennheiser kit with the 500 one?? I am looking for a nice wireless setup for documentary work but have a boom pole too and a nice shotgun mic.

Thx
Richard

[Richard Jacana]

So why then would I need the plug on SKP100G2 - couldn't I just use a transmitter that the lavs would use - the SK100G2 BodyPack Transmitter ? Hmmmm ..... ? Ok for an interview with a dynamic mic right TV new style? Sorry for answering my own questions here but I am still trying to figure this stuff out in my head.

R

[David Ennis]

Originally Posted by Jay Massengill

...I wear the phantom supply and plug-on transmitter at my belt...You can do the same thing with the belt-pack transmitter and an input cable, but it's not as durable a connection into the transmitter.

Jay, so a body pack transmitter would be fine for a front of stage mic on a stand, or connection to a mixer? If so, in my case I'd forego the plug on altogther for now and get the MM-1.