DEITY Connect Wireless Lavalier Microphone Review - 2 Mics 1 Receiver
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- čas přidán 19. 04. 2019
- Deity Microphones just released a new dual channel wireless microphone system. This kit includes two transmitters and microphones which transmit to a single dual channel receiver. This is one of the few dual channel systems available for under $700 USD. In this episode, we dive into the details and find out how it sounds, how well it remains connected without interference or dropouts, and how it works with various cameras or recorders.
#Wireless #Microphone #Deity
If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses at school.learnlightandsound.com including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F8 and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders.
Links to gear used in this video:
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Deity Connect Dual Channel Wireless Microphone System
Amazon: geni.us/peRBf
B&H: bhpho.to/2GajPzH
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Panasonic GH5
Amazon: geni.us/Efb6r
B&H: bhpho.to/2UNeAA0
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Panasonic 12-35mm f/2.8 OIS Lens
Amazon: geni.us/uMsKam
B&H: bhpho.to/2i6s2gv
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Copyright 2019 by Curtis Judd
Music Copyright 2017 by TVAC. Used with permission.
Ethics statement: Some of the links above are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, or other affiliate links.
As someone who has met Curtis, I can confirm that 5:06 is how he talks in real life. 😂😜
Hahaha! 😂 No wonder I have a sore throat so often...
I thought that was the best bit! Gave me a LOL!
Such a calm person, if he actually did yell at me, I'd jump out of my skin. :)
LOL xP thats me doe
It's especially funny to me because I was just watching his Sound Devices 633 review moments ago (the first time I've ever heard him yell) came straight to this just-uploaded video, and got another dose of it. I think the juxtaposition will be priceless no matter how many times it happens, though. 🙃
*Important Notes* UPDATE 2 May 2019: DEITY just released the v1.1 firmware update which helps improve the self-noise performance, improves the meter, and improves the input limiters. The meter is much larger and easier to use. The limiter is more transparent and avoids distortion. My copy seems to still generate more self-noise than Andrew's (Deity) test copy so we're still working on how to improve that. I don't work for Deity, but I would like to see this system improve. It is an incredible start.
Do not use the distance tests in the office and on the parking garage as sound quality tests. I had the output on the receiver set incorrectly for a camera with a 3.5mm stereo microphone input. Should have been set to DSLR rather than "RECORD". Because I had it set incorrectly, the phase of the second channel was inverted which is why the audio sounds so odd. Nevertheless, the distance test is still valid.
Andrew from Deity was asked about the internal batteries in an interview with Gotham sound and he said that the battery is actually user replaceable. One removes 6 screws on the TX or RX, slides the metal portion of the case off, and the battery has a terminal which can be removed. He also indicated that Deity would supply these batteries, though no reference to the price. You can see the details here: czcams.com/video/rc4HCo6gPjE/video.html
When I say "Digital Wireless Systems" here I mean digital systems which do adaptive frequency hopping like the DEITY Connect. There are digital UHF systems which don't do frequency hopping such as the Audio Ltd. A10 system.
Hey Curtis do you know if I could run a 3.5 mm y-splitter with the Rode wireless Go to run two receivers into my dslr/mirrorless to create a dual system? Thanks!
Should be able to.
Curtis Judd thank man!
Can you test the effect of the noise floor and limiter again? Thank you
@@APPLE10000009 Yes.
Thank you for the review, I've been looking forward to this all week.
👍
Yes! I've been looking forward to this review for a while now. For the price, this seems like a terrific set of wireless. Should make a nice addition to my kit.
👍🏻
ALL HAIL THE WIZARD! Thank you for yet another killer review man.
DSLR Video Shooter love your channel Caleb! You’re reviews and tutorials are awesome brother!
Thanks Caleb, I learned much of this from you. 🙌
Amazing chronology. I paused for the beginning summary, and continued for the video. Very good organization, thanks for adding purity to the world.
Thanks for the feedback, Joey.
New Curtis Judd video? Let me grab a snack. Also, diggin' the thumbnail. 👍😃
Thanks Gerald!
you did the crash course (which I loved) and now curtis will do the in depth one :D love both channels
His thumbnail game is strong
Hahah I always do the same thing but with a beer.
HE is the real master of the machines...
I love this product.I think I will get one soon. Thanks as always Curtis!
Thanks Kreigh!
Great video. Very useful. Thanks, Curtis!
Thanks Denis!
Hey Curtis! Been subscribed for awhile but just stumbled onto this video while researching wireless systems.
Great video and I always appreciate your objectivity, perspective, and lack of hype.
Ended up ordering this Deity system this morning to use with my Nikon Z6 II as well as my MixPre3 II. Perfect for my needs!
Thanks for all your videos!
Thanks Jon, I hope it works well for you!
Another great review, you think about every single detail.. excellent Curtis, thank you very helpful 👍🏼
Thanks José!
Great video Curtis, as always!
Thanks!
I can't wait to get this and hook it up to their upcoming 3mm lapel mics, which sounded freakin awesome at NAB. Firmware updates - bet they'll jump all over this soon. Distance is always a big thing, yet in my experience, it has been RARE to wirelessly lapel and record someone half a football field away, unless you're using REALLY long lenses. And WTH?? How in the heck do you get soooo much done!!?? I know you work like me probably 100+ hours per week, so there must be some secret. Ever thought about a video sharing your work week.workflow? Just sayin'. :) Good stuff man and thanks for the exceptionally thorough review. Love the new upper and lower thirds!! :)
Looking forward to those new mics, too. Thanks for telling me about them at NAB!
another great review ! cant wait for the RODE WIRELESS GO
Thanks Ariel! GO review coming soon!
Curtis thank you for adding the update information in the comments. Found it beneficial to read about the firmware releases and improvements Deity is making in such a short amount of time. It is coming down between 2) Rode Go's vs 1) Deity Lav kit
You bet and will post more as we learn more!
I really Don't mind a bit of latency or the internal battery, but the self noise is very noticable, and
Since most of the times I Will not be the editor to "fix it in post" this is something to consider.
Nice video as Always.
Thanks Felipe.
Hello Curtis, Thanks for the Review
it was Pretty Helpful
👍
I love your review! Thank you for this. I got my Deity kit yesterday, and I’m really pleased with it so far. Haven’t had a chance to use it on a shoot yet, but the beginning impressions are good. I’ve gotten the chance to use multiple wireless kits over the years, the best of which was the Shure FP. After a scan, I never got a single dropout on many shoots through the entire time I had it. But it was 600 MHz. After that issue, 2.4 GHz seemed really attractive. I always do decently extensive post production on my audio, so the self noise isn’t a huge issue for me. The only con for me at the moment was the non-removable clip that had me scratching my head a bit. Thank you for covering that, so I know I’m not an idiot overlooking some obvious way to remove the clip.
Thanks Nick. That's a pretty small detail, but I'm thinking they can address that pretty easily. Good luck - I hope it works well for you!
Curtis Judd Yep! I usually use the clip in that direction anyway, so it’s not likely to have an effect on my setup very often. And, I already tested with the self-noise, some careful application of Waves noise-suppression plugins and it fades away pretty easily.
Curtis Judd Your review helped me get familiar with it faster, so, much appreciated!
One of the best educators on the internet. Thanks. Oh..also quite trustworthy source of information.
Thanks Manoj.
New subsciber and future youtuber. Thank you for your review. It was very instructive.
Thanks George and best wishes on your channel!
We bought 2 because of you 😅. Thank you for all you do!
Thanks Steve, happy recording!
@curtisjudd such a great comprehensive video about the Diety Connect. It’s always so much more meaningful coming from a pro who knows what he’s talking about, vs just some youtuber. Thank you for taking the time and helping me make my wireless audio solution search easier.
Thanks! 👍🏻
Great review....Thanks!
Thanks.
This is a nice review much love from Uganda.
Thank you and much love from USA.
Great review :) thanks
Thanks 👍
Love those Focal monitors BTW!
Me too!
Great review! :)
I hope you do another review using the 633 or the F8 system or any recorder with a good preamp and the deity TX connected with a Sanken or B6 or the stock sennheiser mic. =)
Hope to hear from you soon! Keep up the good work! Cheers Curtis!
Although not included in the video, I did test this with the 633 and a Sanken COS-11D and at least in terms of self-noise, the results were nearly identical.
@@curtisjudd Thanks for the response. I want to ask also Curtis that if you're going to compare it to the Sennheiser G3/G4 or with the SONY UWPD11 System -- is it going to cut it or the two reliable prosumer system will still be the *best* in it's category? :) Thanks a lot!
@@curtisjudd were you running the reciever at Line into the 633, or mic? Great video btw, i'll probably buy two units for a small indie cart, waiting for deity to comment on the self noise though
@@tommaso.ferrari Update from Deity: They did some testing on their end and found that the outputs are much cleaner when set to DSLR mode rather than RECORD mode. They asked me to test with my copy which I will do once I get back to the studio. Will publish the results as well.
There isn't really a line and mic setting, just a range of output levels (don't have it here with me but -40 to +18 or so). Per Deity's suggestion after I told them I was hearing a lot of self-noise, I set the output level to -18 and the 633 to mic rather than line level for the input. The 633's inputs are very clean so I suspect they are not the likely culprit.
@@curtisjudd thanks for the thorough reply.
nice review. thanks
👍
Excellent review, as always, Curtis. Thank you. The aforementioned self-noise is a bit disconcerting, and the resulting tonal quality of the lav used comes off as it's tucked inside a pill bottle. Did you have better luck with the countryman or other lavs? Hopefully Deity can improve the self-noise. Thanks.
Hi Leo, I tested with a Sanken COS-11D and the self noise results were similar. On my voice, I would probably increase the high frequency boost on the TX a touch for real-world situations but left it flat here so that everyone could hear the results without any processing real-time or in post.
@@curtisjudd You read my mind Leo. During all the test we heard, was the receiver connected to a Gh5 or to a professional mixer ( I secretly hope the noise floor could be at least 2 times better)
@@tiagomcnicollcastolopes6064 Deity contacted me just a few minutes ago and we have some further settings to test. They are claiming that they get much cleaner results in DSLR vs. RECORD mode which controls the outputs. Will post the updated results as soon as I have an opportunity to test and confirm.
@@LearnLightAndSoundSessions I received mine and I tested it. It is effectively better. There is definetly place for improvement but I am used to use lectrosonics so it is normal that the quality doesn't reach that level. I think the noise floor can still be lower.
@@tiagomcnicollcastolopes6064 Great news, thanks!
these sound really good to me. warm, tight & not odd frequencies im noticing that could make it feel electronic and less than smooth. just curious though...i just checked B&H and of the 2 reviews they were both damning. interesting. anyone here been using these over a period of time that could vouch for their reliability and performance. as usual CJ does great informative demos.
My copy has been reliable so far. 😀
I would LOVE for you to do a review of the new deluxe kit with the advanced BP-TRX and lav.pro (I know you've reviewed these individually).
Hope you're doing really well! Your videos are fantastic.
Still waiting for that BP-TRX to arrive.
excellent review
Thanks.
@@curtisjudd I Bought one the other day , works really well with my Sony HXR NX80 and Zoom H5
@@KiaTaatje Glad to hear it! Happy recording!
Great Review, and great information thank you Curtis. I will invest on this system, I already preordered it here in UK.
My only concern at this point is the self noise that I can clearly hear with my Sennheiser HD 25 headphones but it sounds quite clean trough my desk audio monitors.
My question is, how the self noise compares against systems like, Sennheiser G3/G4, Rodelink etc...?
I'm used to work with Sennheriser G3 in the studio where I work, and they are "ok" not perfectly clean but usable, is it better or worse than that? Are you able to do a side by side comparison?
This is the raw audio with no processing here. Seems that the self noise is a bit more prominent on the Connect than on G3/G4 and RODELink. But not by a huge margin.
@@curtisjudd Thank for your answer, I appreciate the time you are spending for as!
so much better review than the gerald guy curtis is the audio dude on yt. great vid
Thanks. Gerald is my friend. He’s way better at camera reviews than me. 😀
You’re awesome man! Been waiting for this. Two questions before I pull the trigger
Is the self noise manageable? I have RX advanced and that’s been a life saver for me.
You said they’re bulky for narrative films....is it “mission impossible” or “mission difficult” to use Anthony Hopkins’ bit from MI2. I guess I could upgrade/downsize then if too bad.
Thanks in advance.
Hi David, yes, the self noise seems generally manageable. It is not mission impossible. About the same as Sennheiser G3 packs if that helps.
Thank you!
👍
Curtis, thanks for your quick feedback... It holds true: "If It Seems Too Good To Be True, It Probably Is". By the way that Lectrosonics cable, their proprietary 5 pin to Female XLR, worked out awesome for the remote Boom Shot I wrote you about. I have had a Mackie 48v Phantom Power injector for years which I put in line with my 30 year old Sennheiser 416. It's Like a Best of the best, at it's best! Thanks for your assistance on that project. On that
Saramonic UwMic9 TX9+RX-XLR9 I like the Direct XLR 2 Channel Receiver.
Like you I like having replaceable Batteries. I have been using Deleepow Rechargeable Lithium/Li-ion AA Batteries, 1.5V 3200 mWh 1500 Cycle AA Rechargeable Batteries 4-Pack, with 4 Bay Micro USB Charger. Unlike Eneloop Pro High Capacity Ni-MH Rechargeable Batteries (All the Ni-MH batteries) only produce 1.2V which makes many of the best pieces see as 75% Charged when installed. Rechargeable Lithium/Li-ion AA Batteries put out 1.5v and stay there until they fall below 20%. Flashes, Belt-packs (Receiver/Transmitters) really seem to like that true 1.5v every thing reacts as they would with Top-Shelf disposables installed. They also make 9V's as well... Here is a short cut: (www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QV8GYV3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
I really have loved the Eneloop Pro High Capacity, but it's like to see all the light LIGHT when you install the Lithium/Li-ion AA Batteries they give the device the 1.5v it's looking for. Best Wishes and may yo and your's stay safe and healthy... Todd
Thanks Todd and thanks for the details!
You have neighbors? And, you hurt my feelings when you started yelling at me at 5:15. 🤣🤣🤣
Sorry MrHeng, just checking 1, 2, 3!
Curtis Judd 😂😂😂
It’s nice to see that Diety is trying to bridge the gap between consumer and pro wireless. This seems like a great package for an extremely low price. Despite the self noise and limiter issues (which I’m sure they will fix), I’m still iffy about the 19ms delay. I’ve used the Sennheiser AVX before paired with a boom and other G3’s and it sounded terribly echoey. I know you can delay the other tracks to match them up but you’d have to find the exact delay of your other wireless and subtract that by 19 to know how much delay to set. Also if everything is delayed by 19ms, would that be noticeable when synced up with the picture? Many questions...
Thanks Chris. If everything is 19ms off and you record sound independent of camera, the latency becomes a non-issue as syncing in post corrects that issue.
Deity just announced a firmware update this morning with improvements including softer limiters and less self noise. It'll be interesting to see how effective these updates are!
Amazing! Can't wait to try it out!
Curtis, thank you for the review! Any thoughts on how this compares to the Sennheiser G3?
This is a whole lot easier to use than G3/G4 and has a dual channel receiver. G3/G4 will potentially hold on to signals a little longer through doors and walls, but that depends on so many other factors that you cannot rely on that for certain. The Deity actively changes its frequency whereas G3 has to be set manually and doesn't change until you change it so it is less able to adapt to changes in RF interference in real time. I prefer the sound of the Deity mic to the Sennheiser ME2II. G3/G4 has replaceable batteries (each person has to decide whether that's and advantage or disadvantage for themselves). The G3/G4 seems to product a bit less self-noise and does not have an analogue limiter as far as I'm aware.
High latency is important when mixing with sources that aren't delayed. You can't, for instance, mix one of these microphones with a wired lapel mic because it will sound awful - like you're in a bathroom. That's the consideration people need to make. 19ms is about 20 feet.
Fair point, but for narrative work, the mix usually uses the boom or the Lav for any given line of dialogue, not both. Are you referring to some other scenario?
@@curtisjudd A group discussion requiring more than one microphone. Say if you had this system but had three guests and were mixing down to two channels, you couldn't use a wired lapel mic for the third person in that scenario. The delay would ruin the audio. If your mixer doesn't have adjustable delays on the inputs you'd have to ensure post production were informed. I run Lectros and they're only about 3.5ms delayed, but even that small amount requires correction.
Got it, makes sense. So you'd need to be all Deity channels or fix it in post. Not ideal.
Depending on your recorder, you can often introduce a delay on the wired channel which to align the signals.
Thank you! Yet another very processional and informative review. I was thinking of buying this product that looks like the best offer out there in my price range. Did you try it with other mics?
Yes, I also used a Sanken COS-11D. This did not improve the self-noise performance. But overall, the Connect system is pretty impressive for its price.
@@curtisjudd Looks like a great product! Thank you for your wonderful review great job again!
Thanks Curtis! I think this new system suffers from many of the other similar systems: too many buttons and too much digging into menus. This is why I prefer the beauty of the simplicity offered by the new Rode Wireless Go and Sennheiser’s XSW-D systems. For me, less is more.
Depends on who your target market is, for many other people they prefer having more power and flexibility in their hands
Hi Roy, definitely understand what you're saying. In context of the other professional wireless systems out there and the consumer digital systems (XSW-D and GO), the Deity falls nicely between the two in terms of ease of use and flexibility. In fact, probably even more flexible than many of the non-frequency hopping pro systems. It isn't for everyone, totally understood. But for people doing paid work, I'd much rather have the ability to fine tune things like on the Deity.
@@curtisjudd Several months ago I purchased the "ENG Set" from Sennheiser, their "Evolution Wireless G3," (bought it from B&H). I have never used it because, while reading the manual, you have to have a PhD in videography just to turn it on (I'm joking, of course, but you know what I mean). These wireless systems, cameras and camcorders are SO COMPLEX that I have no desire to spend hours and hours on each device trying to figure them out before I use them. I just ordered the "Rode Wireless Go" because I MUST have simplicity and ease. Again, for me, Curtis, less is far more.
@@adobemastr Makes sense.
While the distance tests are interesting I can't honestly recall ever watching either an interview or film with people out of sight and 25 meters away. Just my 2 cents. I am however impressed with Deity's speedy response to their user community, much like Zoom. This can only mean good things for the future. From new products and innovations to that healthy kick in the pants for the other manufacturers who are resting on their laurels and need to be prodded into action. That's good for them and all of us in general. Very much looking forward to more products and further reviews.
Yes, I agree, I don’t usually do interviews 25 meters away. However, I did work on a narrative piece yesterday where one of the wide shots required me to be about that far away. While that isn’t the norm, it is good to know the limits.
@@curtisjudd .... hahaha touche' In that case it most definitely is good to know.
Wow... I'm amazed that they'd put out a product with so much noise... Their other stuff is fairly solid. I've watched a few reviews from others, and you can hear the obvious noise reduction they've applied... so thanks for not doing that and letting us here exactly what this is.
You bet! What I have observed with Deity and Aputure is that they develop their products in an iterative fashion where the first generation is ok, but the second generation is usually very good. I hope that will be the case here.
Great video! I've been impressed with Deity, they seem to take the best of Audio-Technica and produce solid products at the semi-pro level, but are still usable for some professional situations. Better than Comica, on par with (or slightly below) with Rode and Sony? This system seems easier to use than other systems.
I've never used a 2-channel receiver before; when connecting to a recorder, are there 2 XLR inputs from the receiver, so each mic can be recorder on a separate line?
Wouldn't it better to use the recorder's limiters?
How would this wireless system work at NAB, or in a convention scenario?
Thanks!
Hi! The Connect has two outputs so you can record to separate inputs on an audio recorder or camera if it has multiple inputs. For a limiter to be effective, it needs to be near the start of the signal chain so it can manage any over-loads before they overload anything downstream.
I noticed on the rooftop outdoor test and the office test ( green jacket)the sound was incredibly thin and unpleasant. Your talking head bits in your basement sounded great but I couldn't remember if you were recording that with this system and its lav mics or a shotgun mic. Is that the normal sound of this system plugged into a camera ? I need a wireless mic system but that sound quality has me a little hesitant. Great work as always.
All of this video, including the talking head parts, were all recorded with the DEITY connect. In the office, you're hearing some phase effects and comb filtering because I was wearing both transmitters.
I am avoiding all products with built-in non-user replaceable batteries. I've had a couple of bad experiences and am trying to find good products with regular batteries. It's not easy, as the trend is to make products that obsolete themselves or require factory service. This wireless set looks great for my use except for that issue. Good review as usual ... Thanks .... I just read that the batts are user replaceable, just not "Pop out" batts. That's ok with me as long as I don't have to send my equipment in to get it worked on. I am a retired guy and my equipment is limited without much redundancy.
Understood. :)
Wow! I'm really impressed with this budget system and your in depth review of it. I'm curious, @CurtisJudd is the self noise (Hiss) something that could ever be improved via a firmware update?
Evidently some people have done a bunch of in-depth testing and found gain and output settings which reduce the noise a bit. I haven't followed up to test again.
Hello. Thanks a lot for the review. Just one question. Does those transmitter can provide 48V phantom power energy to a shotgun microphone ? Thanks a lot for you answer.
Hi, unfortunately, no, the transmitter does not provide phantom power.
Great review as always! Just subbed. A question: Because I ran into this with my Wireless GO and now with the Deity Connect system-are there any glaring reason why I would be getting dropouts at 15ft and less? 2-3 WiFi networks nearby, TX and RX both within line of sight (aside from the TX being clipped in a pants pocket), power at 100mW. I’m new to wireless systems, but after having tried two different brands of wireless systems that both work on similar tech and experiencing the same issue of multiple random dropouts from
Hi Justin, Are you working outdoors or indoors? I found I had to keep the transmitters on the front of talent when working outdoors. These consumer grade 2.4GHz wireless systems need absolute line of sight when working outdoors. Also, 100mW doesn't always help so you may need to experiment with that as well.
Hello, i preorder from Gotham, my first test was bad because the noise floor, now i updated with the 1.1 firmware and now it is usable, more gain options , limiter works but the volume decrease when active. Next step test in different places. Recharge battery take me 1:30 hours or more. Thanks for the great review!
Thanks for the info Guillermo!
Hi Curtis, always appreciate your in depth reviews. I'm currently using the system (firmware v.2) and have it running on set. I'm constantly having drop outs even at 3ft distances. This happens on set with a lot of wifi usage and also at my apartment with probably just 10 wifi signals (that is displayed). Specifically, my "A" unit has the worse drop outs. Have you run into this issue with your unit? I've tried researching a lot but seem to be able to find little info/solutions on said topic.
I'll also mention that I do have two Sennheiser AVX Wirelss Lav kits as well and those work perfectly on the same set. I've used these for many years and is going strong.
Hi djktman, I haven't run into this issues, but with 2.4GHz, I am not at all surprised to hear this. AVX uses 1.9GHz as I recall, which is often far less congested.
@@curtisjudd Ah, ok. Thanks a lot Curtis.
Hi Curtis, great review.
Just wondering if you could put your body between the transmitter and receiver when doing the distance tests please? Maybe walk back from the furthest point or put them on the front of your belt when walking away.
Otherwise really in depth review of what is a great little system. If they can lower the self noise and fix the limiter I’ll buy 2.
Done. Did that on the way back. It doesn’t do nearly as well as UHF systems.
Hi Curtis
Is there a particular setting for Rx and Tx gains in order to have less floor noise possible with gain staging? I use also a MixPre6
According to one of my friends, he suggested this:
RX: 0 and low latency mode. Higher latency adds some distortion
TX for lav: +18-24, and I like to use the limiter and a low cut around 80-90 Hz.
Yes!!
👍
As usual, your reviews are excellent, and this one is no exception.
I currently have two Sennheiser G3 wireless lavs, and find them a bit awkward to both mount on my Panasonic EVA1 (and especially hard with my GH5). So, the Diety dual receiver is attractive to me. That said, I'm concerned about the latency, and curious about the sonic quality (frequency, dynamic range, self noise, etc.) of the Diety system compared to my trusty G3 system. In your line-of-sight range test, the Diety started dropping out at 25 paces, which I believe is much less than the G3. I rarely need that much distance, but it suggests that the Diety may be more prone to dropouts and interference. Do you think the Diety is a worthwhile replacement for my G3 system?
I would stick with your G3’s for the time being. Maybe if DEITY produces a dual-channel UHF system, that could be worth considering.
@@curtisjudd Thanks for taking time to reply. Much appreciated!
Curious how this would compare to using 2x RØDE Wireless Go units with the receivers Velcrod together, especially with respect to self noise and mic quality. They would be cheaper and simpler to use. Also curious about using either of the systems with better Lavs.
We’re working on these exact tests. 😀
@@curtisjudd Hey Curtis.. any update on this test? I would love to know.. Also how is the self noise with the update?
What power output were the transmitters set to when they achieved 13 hours battery life? Fantastic review as well.
They were set to auto. Likely they were using 10mW since they were all in the same room within 15 feet of each other.
So, is this a better option than, 2 Rode wireless filmmaker systems... as I already have one and a sound devices mix pre 3.
It is better in terms of features and having a single receiver. But if you’re happy with the performance of your RODELink, adding another is the cheapest option.
there's a lot of self noise on this video. Is that due to the DEITY system? great vid!
Yes, it is.
Great video! Thank You. Is there any resource that explains each setting in more detail? I'm new to all of the audio gear and don't really understand how to set this up to its best settings. There is also a new firmware update 2.0 that came out. Is there any resource that explains the new update in detail? Thanks!
Hmm, I think the Basic Filmmaker channel here on CZcams has started a series on the DEITY Connect. You might check that.
@@curtisjudd thank you!
your review is amazing ! Thank you! But i want to know more about the sound quality between the Deity connect and G3/RODELink. I am going to buy a wireless system .The deity seems to be the best choice for me but i really confuse about the sound quality . What is your feeling about the sound quality?Thanks for your answer ^^
Strictly looking at sound quality, the G3 and RODELink sound better to my ears.
What a pity about the sound quality...however,in overall specifications,should I buy a Deity connect or 2 sets rodelink
Thanks 😊
When I’m working a sound job, I choose the RODELink over the Connect. I wish i could choose the Connect but I owe it to my clients to make cleaner recordings than I feel I can get with Connect.
Great review as always Curtis. A question about polarity. When you were wearing both mics/transmitters I did a flip to mono test. Almost complete cancellation. I know my system is good! Any thoughts?
Hi Mike, yes, I had the output set incorrectly. It should have been set for DSLR so that it wouldn't invert the phase on the second microphone channel.
Thanks!
Hi Curtis. Do you have anything else to recommend around this price range? I get a little discouraged about the self-noise and built in batteries. Other wise the Bp-trx has good stuff going on. I have the Senheisser Avx system that I like to upgrade from.
Actually, I'd stay with the AVX unless there's something about it that isn't working well?
Curtis, from your experience, for Deity to improve the self-noise issues, we are looking at a Version 2 of the product, or you think it is fixable with a firmware?
Likely hardware and a version 2 but one never knows. Some have suggested that my copy has more self noise than others and Deity is looking into it.
Curtis: I hook a Deity Connect System up with a Panasonic Lumix S1. I note the Deity system mics ship with the input levels at +24dB. This seems.... extraordinarily high. Is this system intended to output to line level recorders? Why so high?
It can output mic or line level which is nice. Not sure why it ships with a default of +24dB but definitely adjust it to suit your camera’s input.
Curtis, I want to level up and get this unit. Since I am new to using sound gear, how does a person check sound levels before a shoot ? or verify gear is working ?
Plug headphones in or some other way ? do you have a video or instruction ? 🙂
Yes, headphones on your audio recorder or camera. Also use the level meters on your audio recorder or camera.
@@curtisjudd, thanks Curtis, i have been recording with lav to my cell phone. You have a recorder suggestion to go with ?
@@RVKevin Lots of them! Here's a meta-review covering recorders at different price ranges: czcams.com/video/hqgCZCEq0_8/video.html
Is there any way to work around the self noise issue? Would using a pro lav mic like the Countryman or Sanken help with that? And do you know if Deity has improved the issue since you made this video? Thanks Curtis!
Not that I know of - I tried a Sanken COS-11D and experienced the same noise floor performance.
Given the choice between this kit or the Sony UWP, which would you choose?
I haven't used the UWP system enough to make a really informed decision and they're quite a lot more expensive than the Connect so that's a tough one. If you've got a bigger budget, the Sony is possibly the least expensive pro dual channel receiver system before the Connect came along and likely perform well. They transmit via UHF frequencies and don't do active frequency hopping so are a bit more work to set up and operate in RF heavy locations. I don't like that Sony wires their lavaliers differently than just about everyone else so you have to use mics specifically wired for Sony.
@@curtisjudd I did not know that their wires were different. My plan was to get some MKE 1s. I guess the pigtails are necessary, and solder them myself.
Is that me or it’s a bit too much self noise (environment noise/preamp issue) in this review? Your videos and reviews are great, I really appreciate it.
Hi Essi, it is up to you to decide if the hiss is too much for you. Let your ears help make that decision.
Thank you for another great review, Curtis, how would you rank the Deity Connect when compared to Comica Boom XD D2?
Unfortunately I haven’t worked with the COMICA so I’m not sure.
@@curtisjudd thank you for responding, would love to see your take on the Comica when it's possible.
Hi, is it worth buying the w.lav pro and using it with the BP-TRX? Would there be a considerable improvement in the audio?
It'll help a little in terms of sound quality, but keep your expectations low. Just a little better.
Thank you for great reviews Curtis! I have a question in regards to 19ms latency. What problems it could cause in location sound scenario? How it would affect sync if location audio and video is TCed or if wave sync is being used in post. Also what if production request stereo mix rather than iso tracks? Really interested in this system just can't get my head around this issue. Thank you in advance!
Hi Skirmantas, If you record a wired boom plus the Connect at 19ms on the same recorder, they will be slightly out of sync. The general rule of thumb is that humans can start to detect sync issues when video and audio are 10ms or more out of sync. But if you record just wireless from the Connect and no wired mics, sync by waveform should work without a problem at all. Timecode sync will be off by 19ms unless you compensate for it. Some apps allow you to tell the sync feature to apply an offset to compensate for such latency.
Thank you Curtis!
Curtis, I hopping your still staying well as we move through this Pandemic... I am looking through your library for something on inexpensive Wireless, specifically two channel with the option for two Wireless Lavs or One Lav and an XLR interview plug-in. The Saramonic UwMic9 TX9+RX-XLR9 is the one that I'm circling. I am really most impressed with the receiver device and design. I sh0ot 99% with a Sony NX3 Handy-cam, Great 24X Optical Zoom for the Sports I shoot. The built in XLR is amazing and I currently use it with my 416 Boom Mic, which is awesome, but some times I am a one man band. Booming the mic is getting tougher with all the iPhone Competition (I have an iPhone 11Max, I use it as a phone). I have not seen any reviews on them by you, any feedback? Thanks for all that you do, Todd
Hi Todd, I tried twice to review the UWMic9 system and both kits had horrible interference issues and a very loud noise floor so I never finished the reviews. Not recommended based on my experience. It is possible I just got a couple of bad kits.
Thanks as always for your reviews! The limiter test is nasty! Would lowering the input gain at the transmitter set the threshold for the limiter at a safer place? That may be at the expense of extra self-noise, but I can fix with with Izotope RX. It would be great if a firmware upgrade allowed user adjustment of the limiter threshold.
Any chance you'd be willing to do a review/tutorial regarding replacement antennas? I've read that some people have retrofitted antennas to the Senn G3 systems for longer range, but I'd like to know if that's practical.
Hi Dave, thanks for the questions. You could reduce the TX input gain, of course. I feel like the copy I had was on the edge in terms of self noise so I'd want to avoid dropping the input level too far.
I researched antennas a bit and I believe they need a special type made for 2.4GHz rather than those made for the Sennheiser UHF systems. Do you know where you saw that info? I'd like to have a look.
@@curtisjudd Thanks for the reply.
Having owned some cheap, noisy mic preamps in the past, finding the balance between input gain before limiting and self-noise was a delicate thing. I shoot a lot of corporate interviews that require me to upload files to clients without ANY post work, so the audio has to be clean. I'm thinking this may be a good set to get for close distance work to avoid dropouts, as along as the talent speaks loud and clear. Maybe Diety will do some tweaks to the limiters in a firmware update.
Hi thanks for your videos! I have just a question, please where you finding the page Deity's 2.4Ghz Protocol? Cause in the website them, i don't find it ... Thanks for answer
I don't know about any documentation on the protocol they use. I just talked with Andrew from DEITY.
@@curtisjudd okey thanks for your answer, like I saw it at 14 min 20 on your video, it’s for that. thanks again for your videos I learn so much 😊
Hi Curtis. But the self noise could be also due to the base noise level of GH5? Maybe it should be better to (re-)check that on the F4/8 to see the real noise dB.
That was my thought too when listening to this, the GH5 is surely waaay noisier than a F4/F8n
I also tested using a Sound Devices 633 with nearly identical results which is why I have concluded that the bulk of the self noise is in
the Deity Connect. Also tested with a Sanken COS-11D and same results.
@@curtisjudd ah , good things to know
@@curtisjudd Perfect, thank you.
@@curtisjudd But I watch other video can't find any self noise, maybe you need find Deity to figure out the problem.
Hey Curtis, i just bought these and am using these with the F8n. I've noticed that when the F8n input for these are set to Mic they seem really really hot or high gainy but if switched to line it's significantly quieter. Is there a reason for this and is one better than the other... Or more importantly one is the correct way to set this?
The DEITY Connect can output line level so I would set them both accordingly - the F8n to line input, and the Connect to the right gain level so that the peaks are at the same level on the F8n meters as on the Connect.
Thanks for great video! Seems like RF may be suitable for my needs, but your video seems a but inconclusive about audio quality and noise. It would be awesome if you could compare this with Sennheiser G4 directly in terms of noise and overall audio quality, with same microphones.
Or, perhaps, you can just briefly mention this here in the comments: how does it compare with G4 (and other competitors) in terms of sound?
G4 was cleaner in terms of self-noise in my experience. But it doesn't offer dual channel so there's a tradeoff. It is also more complex to operate (must scan and find a channel) but on the flip side, that allows you to solve interference problems. With the DEITY, if there's interference it isn't handling, you're pretty much stuck.
@@curtisjudd Thanks!
Thanks you again Curtis. In Chile with a friend we always said. If Curtis did not review a piece of gear, its interesting but unknown. At this point we have a question. How did you conect the sistem?, its directly to the GH5? or you are using a field record mixer.
Thanks Nacho! In this video, yes, the audio was all routed from the Connect into a GH5. I also tested with a Sound Devices 633 with resulted in nearly identical sound quality and self-noise which was interesting.
@@curtisjudd That's good to know, What about if you test it with a different lav capsule?
I also used a Sanken COS-11D. The sound was a little different, but surprisingly similar to the included microphones. Unfortunately, the self-noise performance was identical. This seems to suggest that the self-noise is mainly in the TX-RX part of the signal chain.
I figured out how to reduce less mic noise floor, set the transmitter to +0 and the receiver as well. And on the zoom f6 32bit mode set that as well to +0 and let leave it there. Then in Adobe audition or iztope rx9 when you set 23lufs you do bring a little noise but with denoise or clarity plug in you can remove it without messing up the dialogue.
When you gain the deity transmitter say +15 or +21 as they say in the deity video you are adding noise floor. So leave everything at +0 and you will have a nice sound.
Thanks. Interesting that anything outside of the default setting results in extra noise, and not just a little, quite a lot.
Great review. i amwondering how you would adress latency of the Deity connect with the mixpre series, it is possible?
you have been a super pleasent and greaaat teatcher in my sound Recording endever!
best ragards from Portugal
The MixPre has a delay feature for each input. So I would apply a 19ms delay for all wired microphones
In some shows, I can see that the presenter has 2 mics, one on the right, one on the left. Would you use this wireless mic with this configuration? Or is it mainly for two different persons?
You could use it that way but would only keep one on standby otherwise you end up with substantial phase effects.
Curtis Judd merci. And thank you for your great videos. You are amazing.
@@curtisjudd Is there no phase flipping in field recorders?
@@thejoehaege On some, yes, others, no.There just isn't a good reason to keep both mics in the mix at all times that I can think of. Good to keep them both gained up and ready to switch, but even with a phase invert switch, you can still end up with weirdness.
Hi Curtis, is this now effectively obsolete if Deity have stopped making this and successor BP-TRX?
I'm wondering about support for legacy products by Deity and whether it's now smarter to invest in other mainstream kit instead (eg from Sennheiser)?
I would, yes. If you've got the budget.
I am considering purchasing the Connect system, but I have a couple questions that I haven't found a clear demonstration of yet...
- How well does it handle light-of-sight issues? I know 2.4GHz systems (and others) tend to have problems in large open areas when the transmitter is hidden in a back pocket, etc. Basically blocked by the talent's body.
- I read somewhere that when operating both transmitters, and there is a dropout on one, the other channel also drops. Is that true?
- I have also read the included lav mic heads are quite large and the cap doesn't come off, (e.g., like on the Senneheiser ME-2), making it difficult to use hidden. Is that true?
Hi mokyoworks, this has issues as demonstrated in the distance tests. Usually when one channel drops they both do. Yes, the lavaliers are large but you can remove the grill and remove the clip. Best wishes.
@@curtisjudd Thanks for the reply. Your videos are very helpful! When you are first talking to the camera at ~6:36, there doesn't seem to be a problem with the transmitters on your back. Though, when you turn around at 25m there is that definite dropout. Would be curious to see the limit on the "blocked" line-of-sight.
@@paulndorosh its at about 15 to 20 meters but it depends a LOT on the location. Outdoors without any walls nearby is the toughest situation for ALL 2.4GHz wireless systems.
Will be great to see how it compares to sennheiser avx and G4. Contemplating on which one I should buy.
Hi Benjamin, first and most important thing is that the AVX and 100 series G4 only have single channel receivers. So if you need a dual channel receiver, the Deity is the only option among these three. If sound quality is top concern, I prefer the AVX and G4. The G4 seems to be a bit more flexible (you can change frequencies) and it is more likely to be able to transmit through walls, but it also takes more time and effort to set it up. So there's that tradeoff. I hope that helps a bit and best wishes!
This definitely helps, thank you Curtis
1 yard is 0.9144 meters. I would stick with one of the systems or do the calculation properly. just mentioning. Great reaview !
Thanks for the advice.
Thank you so much for the review! Just a quick post question for you, Curtis. I'm looking to purchase my first wireless system and this is a big consideration for me (I'm primarily doing narrative and cooperate work). What are your thoughts with the Deity Connect plus some COS-11s for easier hiding? Thanks in advance!
Post question I just thought of, in doing the range tests, the lavs seemed quieter to me. Were the settings different at all or am I just imagining it?
Think about the Tascam DR 10L, or, better yet, the DR 10c, available outside North America. They are tiny recorders, have a safety track, run 8 hrs on ine AAA battery. $179 ea.
Scott Slotterbeck I actually currently have the DR-10L and don't get me wrong, I do love the little thing. I'm just feeling slightly restricted because it's harder to use while on narratives because you have to keep starting and stopping the recording or have one huge file which I don't like. And I'm starting to build a sound kit to do location sound things and I'm trying to save money and this feeling like a good wireless system.
Yes, it does make one file, but it may be possible to record sequential files? To me editing one long audio file isn't that big of a challenge.
It's more just another thing for post to do. I love using them for weddings and that because I know I won't get cut outs from transmissions. But I don't really want to really use these for narrative work, I just don't feel that they are that great because of that and you can't really monitor during takes and such.
Hi Daniel, I tested the Connect with Sanken COS-11Ds and it works well. I only wish that there was a bit less self-noise to make post a little easier. As long as you won't be pushing big distances between the TX and RX, I think the Deity should be great.
Hi Mr Curtis, been watching your videos for a while, really informative
Quick one, can this system be connected to a Zoom F6, and will its 32-bit float recording be as good as a directly-connected XLR microphones? Will there be that epic +/- 60db edit? :D
Thanks a lot
Hi Donatus, great question! No, not entirely, unfortunately. It'll help if you set the fader incorrectly on the F6 as long as the audio does NOT clip in the transmitter of the Connect system. But if the person speaking overloads the Connect transmitter or microphone (both of which are very possible), the F6 unfortunately cannot save that. I hope that makes sense. Best wishes!
@@curtisjudd I see, so basically I have to monitor the peak first on the Deity, under-gain it (I came from photography, so like under-expose a shot), and then set the fader accordingly on the F6?
also, is it good to under-gain the whole thing, and boost it in post?
I am used to Nikon files, which is great if under-exposed and then corrected in post 😅
Not so much under gain but just set a comfortable amount of headroom on the tx. If you undergain too much, you’ll end up with a fair bit more noise.
@@curtisjudd thank you so much, really appreciate that Mr Curtis ✌🏻
Given that these are $700 units. WOW! You have to give these a good look.
👍
Have you been able to update the firmware to 2.0? The DUO-RX updated flawlessly, but both of my BP-TX's will not update. I even tried 4 different USB sticks formatted in FAT32 and ExFAT.
Hi Joel, sorry to hear about the issue. I updated both of my kits to v2.0 without a problem. Have you contacted DEITY support? Andrew covers that and should be able to help out. Best wishes!
@@curtisjudd Glad it worked for you, this is so strange I've never seen a USB be rejected before. Yes, my first step was to contact support but no reply yet. I think the company is just too small to deal with servicing customers after purchase.
@@Rice_Cake_ Hi Joel, I hope they contact you soon. The potential benefit of it being a small company is that they should have great customer support.
Impressive for the price even if you factor in the Cons. I know this is shocking but you can get a lot better sound and performance for 8X the price from the UHF wireless guys. Regarding your test, I would not have put two TX on as you walk tested the system because that is a good way to create a lot of intermodulation products. Obviously the system manages mapping different frequencies to prevent that as much as possible but I wonder if it caused lower performance? Regarding dual diversity, I question if that is real because if it was dual diversity, when you removed that one antenna there should have been no RF signal loss, but the signal went completely away until the antenna was put back. Anyway, it seems like a significant new product. Get them while you can (if you know what I mean).
Yes, thanks for the correction, I did mean charge cycles, not hours.
Hi Curtis, Greetings from Cali, Colombia
i Have a few questions about this system... The situation is this: i have to start a "small" Reality show in a few weeks, and i will need 8 wireless microphones on set (is a big house and wi will shot video and audio for around 18 hours per day, and caracters will bee around the whole house) so, the question in my mind is: 1st, how long is the transmiters battery live? how far do you think that those caracters can be away from the receivers? does the revceivers can be plug to the external power via USB, without using their internal battery? (is that can damage the internal battery of the receivers?) can i run the 8 channels that i need for this, at the same time? i mean, this 8 channels, will not fight for signal? if you believe, tham the deitys can handle this can of work, what other brand can i use for this? (in the same range of money) Thank you very mucho for four hellp and hope you see this message soon
Hi Adrian, I would be hesitant to use this system for the show you describe here. I have not tested with more than 2 channels so if I were you, I would be sure to test extensively whether this will work. I'm skeptical that it will work well with that many channels. We covered run time in the video so I won't bother you with those details again here. Yes, you can power the receiver by the USB-C port without damaging it. UHF wireless systems are much better suited to using a lot of channels like this but I don't know of any I'd trust for about the same price of the Connect system with 8 channels. I'm sorry about that.
@@curtisjudd oh ok, don't worry curtis, actually i really apreciate you take the time to answer and try to help me... I am a big fan of your chanel, and i follow your videos almost all the time, so, thanks again for your help and have a good night, bye 🤘😎
Thank you very much for your review. Just a quick question, I'm having bad results with the noise floor of the Deity. Someone says that the Sennheiser Mke2 gold (which I use) do not work well with the Connect. Have you ever experienced it? Thank you very much.
I get more noise floor than I'd like with the Connect with all the microphones I've tried. I think it is mainly the Connect system itself. I haven't specifically tried the MKE2 because I don't have one. But I don't think it is just you.
@@curtisjudd Thank you very much. I'm really kind of confused now on what to do. Some says that the Deity works well with Deity lavs. Who knows. Anyway I really appreciate your support. Take good care
@@enricofrancese6333 I think what it comes down to is peoples' standards for self-noise. I'm pretty picky and it sounds like you are, too. In that case, the DEITY Connect may not be the best option for you.
@@curtisjudd it seems a very reasonable point. I'll give it a thought.
One last thing... Have you ever made a tutorial regarding monitoring headset? Apart from the Comtek... Would be nice to see if there are cheaper options.
@@enricofrancese6333 No, I just use the comteks. I believe DEITY has a new product coming called the BP-TRX which is a transceiver and could be used to transmit audio. Or many others have talked about how they re-purposed consumer wireless systems like Wireless GO to fit this purpose.
I found a good price on a used unit, should I get the new rode wireless pro or this 4years old system? thanks
I’d go RODE or the newer DEITY THEOS: czcams.com/video/kY_ZjGBdy0o/video.htmlfeature=shared
Do you have an opinion on how the deity connect compares to the rode wireless lineup. Not so much in features but in sound quality.
The RODELink sounds cleaner to my ear.
Had the self noise been fixed, would this make a good camera hop
Yes, and still can be a decent camera hop depending on the requirements of the production. Usually a wireless hop to camera is for scratch audio.
Hi Curtis, will you also be reviewing the Saramonic UwMic9S (Kit2) ?
Greetings from Germany!
No plans at the moment. Haven't had a good experience with the previous Saramonic UHF wireless kits. But if I happen upon a kit, I'll try it out.
@@curtisjudd I share your experiences. I just saw, that the "S" set was received major upgrades and since you can get it for under 400,-€ (here in Germany) it could be a very good entry to wireless lavs for some people.