Audio Process goes fully digital with Lectrosonics
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Their cart and bag rigs run the gamut of digital receivers: DSQD four-channel, DCR822 dual-channel, and DCHR compact stereo units. Sending signal to these is a host of DBSM body-pack transcorders, the DPR-A plug-on transmitter for boom work, and DCHT camera hop transmitters. Communications are all-digital as well, thanks to the M2 Duet system’s four-channel M2T transmitter paired with M2R beltpack receivers.
“We dove into the Lectro digital world headfirst,” says lead location recordist Rob Morrice. “This past summer we did a show which follows a teenager who wins a singing competition, not unlike The Voice. It covered the behind-the-scenes of his life and the other contestants and was challenging because at any time we were jumping between musical performances and scripted scenes, with as many as eight talent members at a time needing wireless. We used the DBSMs and DSQDs in this application, and with those plus comms for producers, there were a lot of frequencies flying around. It all worked flawlessly the first time out.”
When asked what improvements are noticeable in the D Squared system, Morrice doesn’t need to pause to think. “First and foremost is range,” he explains. “The legacy gear - say, SMVs being picked up by SRCs - was always pretty robust. But with any transmitter, you could get dropouts or a bit of a noise floor if you got out of range. The DBSM doesn’t do that. First of all, the range is just phenomenal. Second, if you do push it too far, you just hear a little roll-off of the high end and that’s how you know. But that hasn’t happened on any actual show I’ve used them on. I haven’t had to worry about signal issues, especially for my critical talent mics.”
“This has improved our workflow on all our productions,” adds co-owner and location recording manager Ryan Altschuler. “We fly our ALP690 antennas close to set. That lets us keep the cart a lot farther back, which is important as a Covid precaution. “This was helpful with the Hybrid kit, but with the D Squared it has been even more rock solid in terms of range.”
