Mic/Equipment Help (for trade show)

[philarnold]

Hi Everyone,
This is my first post, and I signed up because I need some audio equipment help.

First off, I wasn't hired at my company to shoot video initially, but I've sort of found myself producing videos for our YouTube channel every week. The limitations of using a DSLR has prompted me to get a Canon XA10 which arrived last Friday.

We had a Sure Dual Channel Diversity Receiver and a couple of bodypack transmitters that worked well with the XA10, the audio was great, but the boss DOES NOT want to use this for trade shows because you need to plug in the receiver to an outlet.

What I need is the capability to use two (2) wireless lavalieres for two separate people so I can be mobile during a trade show, or with our regular productions.

Would I need two of these?
http://www.dvestore.com/sennheiser-ew-100-eng-g3-wireless-system/
Or one of those and and additional bodypack transmitter?

As you can see I'm not the most well-versed when it comes to audio. I'm learning as I go along.

I'll also be recording a meeting in August. It'll be held in a larger convention center meeting room. I'll be recording the main presenter and anyone who asks questions. Should I use the wireless lav for the presenter and a shotgun for questions in the audience? If so what's a good shotgun to buy in this circumstance?

Money is no object, here. The boss wants this done right. So please, please help me.

I appreciate any tips or advice you could give.

[turk690]

You need an on-camera receiver and that sennheiser fits the bill. I bet it sounds fabulous, too, & since you said money was no object you may well get that. But there are other just-as-good brands and models that costs less like those from Azden which may make you look better to your boss. I use an Azden SGM-1X shotgun with my XA-10. The XA-10 is a small camcorder and mounting a long shotgun takes imagination; I don't use the shock mounts that came with the Azden, but instead fitted two O-rings so it can be clamped by the camera mount. I set mic att on, and dial the audio level to less than half on the knob, and monitor always with headphones. I'd connect the on-camera receiver to one channel and the shotgun to the other, and mix in post. A concern is getting short XLR cables for connecting the shotgun to the camcorder audio input; I'm not about to pay $20 for a 1' long cable so I cut & soldered my own.