JW: Just Wondering - re Sennheiser ME 3 headworn microphone

[Colin McDonald]

Just on the off chance that anyone on here is well clued up on Senny gear :-)

I've been asked to try and find a budget head-worn radio mic that would work with an old Freeport system for a Church Hall. (Don't worry, the sanctuary is rather better equipped!) So rather than look for a complete new system which can use the UK licence exempt frequencies I thought I'd just switch the mic. The Sennheiser ME-3 ew would be fine if it can work with the FreePort SK 2 body pack transmitter.

Don't get me started on how the various organisation leaders should learn how to fit and test a lav mic properly (they have been told) let alone learn how to use their voices effectively...

[Rick Reineke]

The Sennheiser ME series mics (ME-2, 3 and 4) normally come bungled with the Evolution G2/3 series wireless systems. They work.. but sound mediocre compared to the MKE series and other manufacturers pro level mics. I don't know anything about the Freeport system except it's low cost and probably not worth the trouble and to adapt the mic to it . A used G2/3 system with the EM 100 base station receiver would be money better spent IMO
PS- Senny is not a word

[Colin McDonald]

For a words that doesn't exist, it has a remarkable number of hits on this site and others!

I doubt if Sennheiser would be unhappy with this other usage:

1. Senny
A beautiful, creative and talented individual who is very radiant yet down to earth. Many people admire Senny from afar, too nervous to approach the seemingly perfect being God has bestowed upon the earth.

[Gary Nattrass]

So long as the freeport system is providing power to the mic it should work although for a budget system I would probably just be buying one of the low cost headset mic's or a couple of the skeletal ones so you could also have a spare.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-earh...item2a309a1601

I have a couple of the freeport hand helds and they work very well for a budget UHF system and are the same as the Trantec that was available a few years ago.

P.S they also sell the ultradisk 4016 mics that I use as spares for my G2's and they now come with sennheiser type plugs fitted: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-CARDIO...item2a2b7f19b1

I did a job recently when I had to do audio for a video and the PA and found that the low cost mics did a better job than the sennheiser ME4 that was provided as the clip was far better and the sound of the 4016 was better as it is more omni than the ME4, I also had an ME2 but that was too omni directional for PA use and the 3016 seemed to fit somewhere between the two but was still useable upside down. Soundwise there was marginal difference and I did some tests ages ago here:

ULTRADISK Mic Tests - YouTube

[Rick Reineke]

My bad. Well I guess "Senny" is a word..
The Sennheiser Co. prefers "Sennheiser"

[Colin McDonald]

Originally Posted by Gary Nattrass

So long as the freeport system is providing power to the mic it should work although for a budget system I would probably just be buying one of the low cost headset mic's or a couple of the skeletal ones so you could also have a spare.

Black - earhook Headset Microphone For Sennheiser Wireless Mic Mike System | eBay

I have a couple of the freeport hand helds and they work very well for a budget UHF system and are the same as the Trantec that was available a few years ago.

P.S they also sell the ultradisk 4016 mics that I use as spares for my G2's and they now come with sennheiser type plugs fitted: Pro "CARDIOID" LAVALIER TIE LAPEL MICROPHONE FOR SENNHEISER WIRELESS | eBay

Thanks Gary, that's very helpful. I have been using the FreePorts as radio links for PA for many years and like you have found them surprisingly good and reliable for their price bracket though I wouldn't go out my way to use them as lavs for recording work. I'll be investigating the budget mics!

@Rick:

I suppose that I use the term as a kind of pet name - a diminutive for a very familiar brand that embodies value, technical excellence and reliability. (Can I claim my discount voucher now?) :-)

[Gary Nattrass]

Vive le difference Rick and we have been using Senny for a long time in the UK to describe sennheiser product, now pass me the coke but I find that a whole glass is too much and a spoon full does the job nicely! ;0)

I have actually used the freeports on several live broadcasts for racing UK on ch70 and they worked absolutely fine alongside the senny G2's.

What I normally do is have the lav G2's on the presenters and use the freeport stick mics for interviews when they do pres down at local pubs etc! One person operation by me so I have a mixer feeding Ch1+2 of the camera and the cam fx mic on 3+4. I then feed the sat truck with HD SDI so the mixer at base can pick up all four channels for the uplink if they wish to add some ambience.

[John Willett]

As far as I remember the ME3 will plug directly into a FreePort and work fine.

[Colin McDonald]

Thanks for that reply, John.

[Colin McDonald]

Just for the sake of completeness, I have been informed that the official headworn mic for the FreePort systems is the AVL618 Freeport Headworn Microphone. At a list price of £82.57 it's cheaper than the ME3 but still rather more than the budget mics already suggested. I'll let those who will be paying for it decide.

Thanks to all who contributed.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Colin McDonald

Just for the sake of completeness, I have been informed that the official headworn mic for the FreePort systems is the AVL618 Freeport Headworn Microphone. At a list price of £82.57 it's cheaper than the ME3 but still rather more than the budget mics already suggested. I'll let those who will be paying for it decide.

Thanks to all who contributed.

I forgot that - the AVL618 is basically the same as the ME3 but has a more sweat-proof capsule as FreePORT was popular with Aerobics instructors.

[Gary Nattrass]

Just as a side note I did some more non broadcast training interviews last week and used two ultradisk 4016 low cost lav mic's so you can hear them here: Ultradisk 4016 lav mic's in use - YouTube