"Frank Kruse" <frank@wildtrax.de> wrote in message
news:96ec8d22.0405110306.40d78339@posting.google.com...
The Schoeps guys told me that for the vast majority the problem is a
non-issue.
Grrrr...... I've had the problem for years with video transmitters and neon
lights.
. He also said that the RF-issue
came up at he same time as "particular zaxcom machines entered the
market". I guess he ment either the digital wireless or the deva.
The Zaxcom brought it to a head because when the problem was only with video
xtrs you could move the video transmitter. In scenes with Neon lights I had
to switch to Sennheisers, but they were few and far between. The Digital
transmitters raised the ante because it was an either/or situation.
He said that they had major problems even creating the
described effect in their lab. They had to buy very expensive RF and
HF- generators that generate huge fields that you usually never
encounter in reality just to find out what complaining people where
talking about.
... GRRRR!!!!! Not true. I went to Zaxcom and we were able to duplicate
the problem with a common AM signal generator. That's when we realized that
the problem wasn't just with the Zaxcom transmitters. The Schoeps were very
sensitive to AM RFI (which includes AM radio, video transmission, neon
lightsm etc). AM signal generators are very common on the surplus market
for $300+. Of course you can spend up to $100,000 for the ultimate in test
gear, but I contacted Schoeps and told them their mics were sensitive to AM
rfi at -60db, modulated with a 1k tone at 300-800 mHz. And they're not
'huge fields' (!), we're talking <10 mw (that's less then 10/millionths of a
watt). Here's a link to all they needed to diagnose the problem (for
$500!). I'm surprised they didn't have one already.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=25407&item=3814331744&rd=1
Funny, a few threads back I was passionately supporting Schoeps. Now....
Anyway, I'm glad they fixed the problem. They had to. There was a weakness
in their mics that would have cost them market share. They should be
thanking Zaxcom (and actually, me) for identifying it for them and bringing
it to their attention.
And thanks Frank for passing on their comments from AES/Berlin and for your
other reports.
Billy Sarokin