Radio Mics

[zonino]

hi all,

 

I'm looking to buy a number of belt-pack radio mikes for stage use (including singing) to hire out to various people (university society shows primarily, but others as well)

 

budget is around £400-£450 per set,

 

any particular brands you would recommended/avoid?

 

thanks,

[J Pearce]

I have experience with sennheiser and shure. And some really expensive ones I had on hire and can't remember the manufacturer.

Sennheiser receiver/transmitters are nice but the bundled mics are a bit cheap.

Shure receiver/transmitters are a bit cheap but the bundled mics are lovely.

 

We have both at church and have needed numerous resolderings on the cheap mic bundled with the sennheiser package.

Don't let someone wrap the cable around the belt pack, the wire breaks inside the vinyl plug on the mic.

 

The shure system is reliable, with a much nicer mic and cable, but the belt pack is plastic unlike the metal sennheiser, for light use at church every week this causes us no problems, but in full on drama I could see it breaking.

 

Also the sennheiser receiver will easily rackmount as all its connections are on the rear. The shure has its aerials on the top so won't rackmount.

 

The shure comes with a nice carry case, the sennheiser doesn't.

 

Will try to find the model numbers of the units we have at church. Each system cost roughly the same.

[paulears]

At that budget level, has to be sennheiser G2's. I'd always been a total Trantec convert, till they went TOA - then I lost my access to the service info, the programming software and they didn't even answer my emails. My 4000's (I have 12) are also suffering fro display segments dissapearing, and now service is outsourced - I don't bother. The Sennheisers, on the other hand, have been totally solid.

[J Pearce]

We have trantecs at college and they are very nice, but over budget for the OP.

[paulears]

Trantec 4000's are under £400 - similar to Sen G2's.

[bassman]

Got to put a vote in for Sennheisers again. Solid metal construction on receivers, beltpacks and handhelds. We have the original Evolution range and some of the new G2 range in our hire stock and so far (touching wood) they have been brilliant, surviving numerous hires to schools for musicals some with less than careful students!

 

G2 range is loads better than the original, much smaller packs, backlit LCD on beltpack, AA batteries, rechargeable option (300 and 500 series).... There is an option to have a 'better' mic on this range in the shape of the MKE2EW which is the 'special' G2 version of the well known MKE2 miniature mic.

 

Mipro may be an interesting range to watch in the near future though, pricing looks quite keen at this stage.

 

S

[J Pearce]

I only have experience with the expensive trantecs.

 

But as I said the build quality is great on the sennheisers, but a better mic might be a good idea.

[Mr.Si]

I've not really used Lapels as such, though at church we just have an Audio Technica system, which is fine for what it's used for.

 

But I seem to remember that the guy who runs the uk side of things for d&b audio technik likes to use CROWN mics for use as a lapel.

 

Cheers,

 

Si

[Russ]

Yet another vote for the G2s, they are really quite nice, and decent value.

[mr_towers]

Another vote for the G2s here as well! As a matter of fact, I'm using them at the moment during our musical!

[ben.suffolk]

I have a number of the Evolutions mics, both Originals and G2's. Spanning hand held, tie clip, and headworm along with just belt packs for guitar use. So my money and vote goes this was as well.

 

Ben

[williamjones]

We have a few sets of the new G2 stuff (Mics + IEMs), not had a chance to use any of them yet but they are supposedly very good.

 

My college also has about (some work on and off!) 8 channels of cheap Trantecs, had nothing but intermod problems with them and I dont like their sond that much either (although I believe the more upmarket ones use SM58 heads?), drop em once and you need to buy a new transmitter etc...

[Guest mattladkinlx]

Personally I would agree with using sennheiser G2's or the original 100 series mics.

 

Never had any problems and they are a good piece of kit! We have 8 systems of lavier (apologies for spelling - I think!) and 8 of handheld and they can all be run together no problems!

 

Trantec are ok but a bit too cheap. If you want a quote PM me and ill get one from work.