Having recently worked with Sound Mirror (a classical recording firm) on an opera production and then installing a new sound system at the Indianapolis Zoo, both using Lectrosonics wireless gear, I wrote the company to ask how I might build a multi channel
measurement rig. Below are the answers I received from John Muldrow @ Lectrosonics. Note that I use Earthworks measurement mics so the list includes the adapter needed to have those work with the HM plugin transmitter.
This is a list of the gear needed which uses the 1RU Venue receiver frame:
QUOTE:
(5) HM plug-on transmitters (specify block)
(5) VRS/E01 receivers (specify block)
(1) VRMWBL mainframe.
(5) MCA-M30 Earthworks Polarity adaptors
(2) A500RA antennas (specify block)
We would recommend block 470, block 19 or block 20. The lower blocks work well around the country so you shouldn’t have too many problems.
END QUOTE:
One could also purchase (5) of the Lectrosonic TM400 measurement kits.
The up side of using the TM400 kits is that you can take as few or as many as you need and each one is discrete. I like the idea of a single rack space receiver and then (5) HM plugin transmitters. Everything could store in a rack drawer including the antennas.
Before you run out and spend the money, consider this. Lectrosonics will be releasing a new hardware series soon (around end of 2015) which might have benefits that we would want. Here are the specifics to built a rig using that gear once it’s available:
QUOTE:
Equipment for Venue2 would be:
(1) VRM2WBL
(5) VRT2
(5) HMA transmitters
(2) A500RA antennas
(5) MCA-M30 Earthworks polarity adapters
The Venue2 and VRT2 modules will start shipping in December.
HMA will possibly star shipping in December as well hopefully.
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Bob McCarthy explains in his workshop that (5) mics are a minimum to measure a system efficiently. Based on my research on line, street price for a (5) channel Lectrosonics measurement rig based around the Venue / VRS / HM plugin transmitter is around $10,000 not including the mics. Street price for (5) Earthworks M23 measurement mics is in the $2500 ballpark. So for around $12,500 you could join the RF measurement club!
Hopefully Ole Saint Nick will be generous this year to all of us!!!