Trantec v Sennheiser

[Dave lee]

Hi All

 

We're replacing our aging Sennheiser EW300 G2 radio mics but can't decide whether to replace them with G3's or the Trantec S5.5 'Racked and Ready' system.

 

Personally I have always opted for Sennheiser but after seeing the S5.5 at PLASA Focus was impressed with how compact the racked and ready system is, but is it as good?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated....

[chelgrian]

Hi All

 

We're replacing our aging Sennheiser EW300 G2 radio mics but can't decide whether to replace them with G3's or the Trantec S5.5 'Racked and Ready' system.

 

Personally I have always opted for Sennheiser but after seeing the S5.5 at PLASA Focus was impressed with how compact the racked and ready system is, but is it as good?

 

Any advice would be much appreciated....

 

Unless you absolutely *need* to replace them wait until the channel 38 G3s become available or buy an alternative system which already tunes to channel 38 assuming you can use channel 38 in your area. If you can't use channel 38 (essentially around Cambridge and South Manchester) then keeping your current mics going or renting is the best option.

[timtheenchanteruk]

the trantecs already do the Ch38, Ive been a trantec fan for years, don't get me wrong the senn stuff is good, I just found it a little overpriced for my needs v functionality.

 

seeing as I have some 15 y/o Trantec stuff still going, seems to last long enough, that said I also have some senn stuff of a similar vintage.

[cedd]

Yurp, myself and another local engineer are looking at investing in some new channel 38 racks. Waiting for Sennheiser G3 to be ch38 isn't a problem, but the Trantec is currently winning in our books!

The big win is the battery life on one AA. Also the packs look more robust, the 4 pin mini XLR is a far less faffy connector than the locking minijack, the USB monitoring is useful and the Trantec's are cheaper too!

 

We're looking at S5.3 though. We don't need to be able to program by USB, and the ability to use channel 39 on the 5.5's is useful - but as the channel 38 frequencies are the same on both models, why not just buy S5.3 for your first batch, and if you need to cross the 12 channel count into channel 39, just buy S5.5 for the higher frequency systems and save money on the first 12.

 

Trantec have my vote all the way so far! I would honestly be interested in hearing if anybody has any negative thoughts on them though.

[strandgsx]

We added two s5.3 cubes and a handful of loose systems to hire stock a couple of months ago, they have been and are brilliant systems for the money!! Excellent build quality.

 

Big thumbs up!!

[jonnyf]

Does anyone know how long it will be before the Ch38 G3's are available?

 

Thanks,

Jon

[chelgrian]

Does anyone know how long it will be before the Ch38 G3's are available?

 

The last information from Sennheiser was back in november 2009 when they said they were 'working on it'. Perhaps they are just delaying and hoping people will buy the rather more expensive 2000 series instead which already come in a version that tunes to channel 38.

[cedd]

Speaking to somebody on their stand at Plasa focus, I seem to recall it was back end of 2010. Fair way off!

 

Have Trantec taken a calculeted risk and developed this product early, knowing they'd be the only ones with a product ready to go? If so then it was a risky move, but it seems to have paid off for them!

[timtheenchanteruk]

I seem to remember similar, pretty much the same as the other manufacturers there.

 

not sure is if it was a risky move by trantec, or whether their kit was more easily adapted??

 

I'll have a dig in my e-mails, Im sure I enquired a couple of weeks before plasa

[chelgrian]

Have Trantec taken a calculeted risk and developed this product early, knowing they'd be the only ones with a product ready to go? If so then it was a risky move, but it seems to have paid off for them!

 

It may not have a been much if a risk it entirely depends how well their design lends itself to different RF modules and how fast they can change the mix of ones they are ordering and what the financial risk on those orders is for them.

 

The trouble is that, at least for me, the Trantecs don't have the feature set. They don't seem to have the telemetry from the belt pack to receiver for battery level or if the mute switch is set, they don't have the funky dual colour display telling you if the mic is happy or not (for if the units are beside the engineer) and they don't have the ethernet based remote monitoring of the receivers (if the units aren't beside the engineer).

[timtheenchanteruk]

The trouble is that, at least for me, the Trantecs don't have the feature set. They don't seem to have the telemetry from the belt pack to receiver for battery level or if the mute switch is set, they don't have the funky dual colour display telling you if the mic is happy or not (for if the units are beside the engineer) and they don't have the ethernet based remote monitoring of the receivers (if the units aren't beside the engineer).

 

the ethernet doesnt bother me, but I work in smaller venues where haviong the units beside you isnt a problem, so for me the USB monitoring would be OK, which gives you the telemetry data.

each to their own...

[jonnyf]

Just found this in another thread if it helps anyone. Pretty much answers my question - although would be interested to know what the cost would be.

 

You send the kit to Sennheiser UK. They change the boards and anything else that needs to be done. Then they send it back to you. Yes, you will have to pay them some money (that's the hard bit), but a lot less than buying replacement kit.

 

'Kit' refers to G3 E series btw.

 

Jon

[revbobuk]

I've been following this discussion with interest. But could someone enlighten me - I can find (easily) charts which identify 'channel' (as in 38, 69, 70) with a particular frequency. But some manufacturers (especially Audio Technica) refer to 'Band' (as in D, I, J etc) without any kind of cross reference. How do the two tie up?

[Shez]

How do the two tie up?

It depends entirely on the manufacturer as they all make up their own schemes. The better ones will publish the details in the manuals; the less helpful ones keep it to themselves...

[chelgrian]

I've been following this discussion with interest. But could someone enlighten me - I can find (easily) charts which identify 'channel' (as in 38, 69, 70) with a particular frequency. But some manufacturers (especially Audio Technica) refer to 'Band' (as in D, I, J etc) without any kind of cross reference. How do the two tie up?

 

'Channels' are actually TV channel bands and don't strictly apply, however they are so firmly engrained on most people's minds that it's easy to talk about them. The actual license frequency bands can be found by looking at the JFMG sample license from

 

http://www.jfmg.co.uk/pages/licence/Licenc...cLicUHFCust.pdf

 

This tells you that you are licensed on:

 

- Any frequency between 606.5 to 613.5 (Channel 38)

- Any frequency between 614.5 to 6215 (Channel 39) and 622.5 to 629.5 (Channel 40) until they are withdrawn in 2012

- 14 specific frequencies between 854.9 to 861.75 (Channel 69) until they are withdrawn in 2012

 

If you then look at say your Audio Technica site you find that say the 2000 series is available in:

 

840.000 - 865.000 MHz (F Band)

795.000 - 820.000 MHz (E Band)

 

So the F band product is currently suitable for use in channel 69 in the UK and the E band product is not suitable for use without a site specific license from JFMG, which may or may not be available.

 

Audio Technica don't yet seem to make a system which tunes to the channel 38 frequencies even in the 4000 or 5000 series mics.