Best Wireless Microphone Solution for A7RII?

[fototripper]

I'm in the market for a good quality wireless microphone for the A7RII to do field recordings.

 

Can anyone recommend a product that does a great job and perhaps let me know which ones to avoid?

 

Ideally I'm looking for something I can wear on my person for maximum voice capture with minimum

ambient noise. I'll be shooting a lot near noisy waterfalls, city streets etc.

 

Thanks in advance for any tips.

[dowjonesphotography]

http://www.rode.com has great mics for various budgets that i use all the time for documentary to interviews etc.

[fototripper]

The RØDELink Filmmaker Kit looks like the one to go for. I'll check out some reviews. Thanks.

[midoja]

This is a great solution (Sony UWP-D11):

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1025751-REG

Together with this (Sony SMAD-P3):

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1079814-REG

It's using Multi Interface Shoe for signal transfer and power for receiver. Very fast setup and works flawlessly for me.

[fototripper]

Thanks Midoja,

 

Looks like both the Rode and the Sony system are evenly priced. I'd love to hear a comparison. I expect the Rode has it's own batteries while the Sony system is semi powered by the camera.

[joema]

The more-or-less industry standard is the Sennheiser G3: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=618739&gclid=CjwKEAiAkvmzBRDQpozmt-uluCQSJACvCd1lXwXTtV5BXbjCs8XRwPI6DOwCzykaOtE8OetYNHOTJRoCa2Dw_wcB&Q=&ap=y&m=Y&is=REG&A=details

 

We have several of those kits and they work well.

 

However in some cases we use the less-expensive Canon WM-V1, which also works well: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=canon+wm-v1&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

 

The WM-V1 can be quickly clipped on someone's lapel or garment, vs "plumbing" a bodypack mic through their clothes. Thus for a series of rapidly changing speakers it is quick to change. OTOH it is larger and more visible.

 

I have seen several good reviews of the RodeLink, it is less expensive than the Sennheiser, so I would be tempted to get that if I did not already have an investment in Sennheiser.

[fototripper]

Thanks for the tip Joe. The Sennies are bit pricier but it's always good stuff and I don't mind doing a bit of cable plumbing for a better look.

[TBREIT]

WIRELESS MICS AS A "SYSTEM"

Wireless mics MUST be viewed as a “system”, not just bolting components together like swapping a lens on a camera.   I am an Electrical Engineer, have worked in acoustics, loudspeaker, and amplifier design for 30 years.  I own and use Audio Precision Systems measurement tools, Bruel and Kjaer reference microphones, and Genelec reference speakers.  I have compared many of these systems inside buildings in Chicago and Florida loaded with steel rebar and outside line of sight and around barriers. 

 

I am increasingly frustrated with brands that toss out partial solutions such as mic companies with good mics but poor or RF solutions or transmitter devices that never match up well to the camera - a BIG problem trying to adapt pro products to consumer cams.  Many of these devices work with their own reference settings that may not be compatible with the consumer camera world having lived mostly in the XLR, pro-cam system business such as impedance matching or voltage levels and compressor circuits that pump way too much for consumer cams.  I found this to be a HUGE headache making such adaptations - either live in the pro world or the consumer world.....force-fitting the two is constant frustration if you do not know what you are doing.  

 

SONY SOLUTIONS

To Sony’s credit they offer VERY simple 900 MHz systems all the way to pro-grade UHF solutions.  Their entry systems are quite poor, and their premium systems are good but there are other solutions from kings like Sennheiser and Shure that make it difficult to justify a Sony when you have these truly professional options.  Based upon upon the original request it sounds like you are looking for a fairly simple but good balance of quality for price.  I have just worked through many of these devices with mostly poor experiences but was pleasantly surprised with the mid-priced Sony solutions.  Actually, I was stunned with how well they performed in audio quality, build, RF performance. 

 

The Sony ECM-AW4 is a pair of 3” tubes and is a REMARKABLY good solution just over $150.   This can work with ANY recording device that has a 3.5mm jack like a simple Zoom or Tascam recorder.  You can also plug into the transmitter your own lapel mic.   The Sony ECM-1WM uses basically the same transmitter as the AW4 but has a 1” cube receiver that sits on top of a Sony camera with the approved interface.  No battery is inside this cube as an added benefit but the transmitters for both units use a AAA batter which I have found to run about 6 hours continuous. 

 

The only flaw in the Sony units is with the AW4 since it “locks” the gain settings inside the camera but their limiter circuits are quite good without the usual “chopping” if you overload it.  But, there is also a MINDBLOWING slick little benefit with the mic transmitters!  You can plug an earpiece into the unit you carry and then "listen back" from the camera operator or simply listen for the camera to beep or make other noises that might warn you.  This is rarely talked about but is a tremendous feature!  

 

LAPEL MICS

Both transmitters accept a lapel mic via an input jack and it has bias voltage which will power nearly any lapel mic that needs bias.  This is really important since many lapel mics need a small watch battery and becomes a HUGE headache.  My favorite, reasonably priced mic is the Amazon JK MICJ044 for $30.  I have found it to have better tonal quality than $100 units, good low frequency response without boom, has a LOT of gain to help suppress low level hiss, is quite low noise, but the tie clip is a flimsy.  The highs of the JK are also quite solid without being "hissy" which is very common to lapel mics.  Most import is the ability for the JK mic to direct connect to the camera if needed - my RX10ii and A7Rii work perfectly.  Also, you can buy a good backup 10-15 foot extension cable should the transmitter die.  I would not go much longer than this or you will likely have RF noise pickup issues.  

 

RF PERFORMANCE

The Sony units work on a very high powered Bluetooth solution which is rarely used but it works VERY well!  Outside I have achieved CONSISTENT 200 feet with NO dropouts or noise.  From about 200-300 feet you will start to have some buzzing, clicks, but they are usually a lower level.  Inside a Florida “rebar house” I never have issues up to about 80ft.  This high power Bluetooth is just a great solution without UHF designs which are big and need big battery packs.

 

BOTTOM LINE

If you absolutely need gain riding control, get the dual Sony tube with the 3.5mm jack system.  For 99% of Sony users, the MIS interface shoe $200 AW4/JK mic combo is an outstanding, compact, reliable solution.  You really do need to exceed $400 to get a noticeable step in performance and $600 for a truly pro solution.  But, I would NOT spend less than this $200 solution since almost nothing wireless works well using lower cost RF solutions - it's just physics.  

[joema]

 

...The Sony ECM-AW4 is a pair of 3” tubes and is a REMARKABLY good solution just over $150.   This can work with ANY recording device that has a 3.5mm jack like a simple Zoom or Tascam recorder. 

 

The Sony ECM-AW4 seems almost identical to the Canon WM-V1, which I described above. The Sony is a little less expensive, but they are probably internally the same product.

 

Canon WM-V1: http://amzn.com/B004JNXDH6

Sony ECM-AW4: http://amzn.com/B00JWU6WWO

 

My documentary group has many Sennheiser G3 lav kits and they work very well. However sometimes we use the WM-V1 instead if there will be a rapidly-changing parade of speakers or for very quick informal interviews.

 

The audio quality of the Bluetooth "lipstick" mics is quite good, however battery life is significantly shorter than on the Sennheisers. Normally this has no operational impact but if shooting long form material (say over 2 hr) the Canon/Sony single AAA battery will need replacing.

[fototripper]

Excellent responses guys. TBREIT - thanks for the lengthy essay, very useful and lots to think about. I'll read it a couple more times, do some research and ask some questions.

[TBREIT]

Hello fototripper!   I could have written a book but I tried to keep things short.  The ultimate challenge is to Engineer an affordable 'good' product that satisfies 95% of the users vs. a 'great' one that satisfies the last 5% for the real professional.  In the audio world there remains way, way too much "personality" pushed into the tonal quality of mic and loudspeaker products when they should be focused on tonal neutrality.  

 

Everyone here has made reasonable points but there really is a "bottom" to a reliable, low noise, good fidelity products, be it the mics only or the entire system.  If you cannot afford at least the Sony $200 wireless system I can ONLY recommend a low cost, wired solution with an extension cable and buy a decent mic such as the JK mics, Shure, Sennheisers, Audio Technica or the Giant Squid.   

 

JK/G.Squid came out of nowhere as remarkably good alternative products for their prices with surprisingly neutral tonal character.  This is now common for Chinese OEM suppliers to start selling direct or via a "house brand" if they cannot expand their sales otherwise.  The consumer often wins from this but such brands can also make mistakes such as JK and Squid mounts which are a weakness compared to others where another $5 for good mounts/cables would turn a good prouduct to 'great' status.  Still, such products are often 30-50% the price of the well known brands and in some cases "jewels" like JK and Squid.  You just need to be very careful with them not to stress the mounts or cables where robust mechanics are common with branded systems.  

 

In contrast, I am not pleased with some well known brands that were early in the video business and got established due to opportunity timing, or unique hardware, and not really their performance.  I do not like to 'dis' brands but I have been frustrated with the wide variance in Rode products except for their higher priced units but when you move into the $500 region there are MANY good choices.  Lower cost Rode mics tonal character tend to trade off low frequency response for noise isolation which is fair but it comes across overly aggressive.  Also, their midrange is very pronounced to give a 'punchy' sound which is desirable to many users but is also fatiguing to most listeners over time.  Their new wireless hardware appears to be really good for the money yet their lapel mics and shotgun mics are stuck with this 'buffalo hump' frequency response which can be replaced but the consumer should not have to figure this out.  Rode is one of several that makes such tradeoffs which are appreciated by many but also frustrating to the consumer who is valuing tonal accuracy much more with the new Sony cams and portable recorders which FINALLY can capture really good audio.   

 

Sadly, the entire audio business is still 10 years behind the photo/video side due to such personal character integration which is not good Engineering but is good for differentiation in sales.  It will straighten itself out in the next 5-10 years.  

[Batis]

The RØDELink Filmmaker Kit looks like the one to go for. I'll check out some reviews. Thanks.

 

I have two Rode Filmmaker kits. Can't recommend them enough! Example audio https://youtu.be/yIOkx_GW7ig and it just works. 

[Disambiguous42]

Here is a comprehensive review with samples of several different audio systems, including most of the ones mentioned above:  

 

It even includes combinations of different elements and different systems.

[TBREIT]

Good find on the video test and I believe it confirms many of my points.  Unfortunately, shotguns remain an ongoing collection of trade-offs and are maturing very slowly.  In comparison, good lapel mics and wireless solutions are evolving nicely.   The Rode wireless electronics are getting good reviews but I emphasize caution on their inexpensive mics, especially the shotgun units.  In general, I feel shotguns are a historically driven product when wireless was horribly expensive/unreliable and lapel mics just stunk.  

 

Regardless of history, any shotgun is a compromise of fidelity for a narrow polar response.  It is all physics and no amount of Marketing or money can fix that.  The only way a shotgun can maintain decent fidelity while narrowing its polar response is for it to grow longer.  This length is basically a tuned "pipe" which narrows the polar response which also then "gains up" the signal straight ahead.  But, the downfall of such a design is a common "hollow" sound that is created and often a loss in the bass response.  Also, the shorter designs using electronic cancellation steering ciruits may be convenient but have a very hollow tonal quality and are prone to "pumping" where the electronics "chase" the off-axis soundfield problems.  Not good.  Simple physic will NOT allow decent sound quality from a shotgun mic less than @10" long and that is just a starting point.  The TV networks only use LONG shotguns for a reason and they have more money than God.  

 

The $500+ shotguns from Sennheiser are exceptionally good holding sound quality while narrowing the listening pattern but are very long.  The better Rode shotguns do a pretty good job but there are many options in the $200-$500 price range.  I have found the mid-priced Audio Technica AT875/897 are bargains but you start bumping into other compromises like lower output levels, bias voltage issues, and XLR outputs needing preamps.  The Sennheiser M66/67 are very good but also interface concerns.  Rode has lots of output, low noise, and easy video camera interface (their strengths) but is the weakest of this trio in tonal accuracy.  Again, constant trade-offs which can be quite maddening even to the pro's.   

 

Again, for affordable (sub-$50) good sounding solutions I can only recommend a simple lapel mic with an extension or the $200 Sony wireless solution with a better lapel mic added to it which performs remarkably well.  A belt-pack setup is great but lower convenience and easily double the money for a decent package.  Rode, Movo, AudioTechnica and others are busting down this price point but you need to improve the lapel mics in all cases.   If you really want a shotgun with good sound quality plan on laying out 5 big ones or don't bother playing in this area - you will be very disappointed.