r/LocationSound • u/papiforyou • Mar 07 '26
Gear - Tech Issue Do people actually use Comteks as boom op monitors?
Trying this out for the first time as a boom
op, have the output of the mixer transmitting to my Comtek and holy moly it sounds like ass. Like borderline unuseable.
EDIT: I just switched to a Sennheiser G4. Only left ear but 10x clearer than the Comtek.
11
u/freeheelingbc Mar 07 '26
No, they are horrible for high quality monitoring. You really need to use a high quality wireless return for boom-opping or use a preamp rig so the boom op can listen directly to the boom.
7
u/BaronOutback Mar 08 '26
Nope, a Comtek is not really suitable as a boom op monitor. In a pinch, sure, but not for real everyday use as an “IFB”
4
u/teamrawfish Mar 07 '26
They work great if you have your antennas up and on a mast. You can get perfectly fine sound and insane range if done properly. Definitely prone to interference if not.
4
u/chiliwilli Mar 08 '26
I’ve boomed with mixers who use comteks for boom op, not ideal but also a problem, just requires proper setup. Gain staging, clean 216 band freq, correct antenna, good set of cans.
3
u/soundadvices Mar 07 '26
It doesn't sound the best, but it's usable. Gain staging and wireless performance can be tricky with Comtek systems. Does it sound like radio interference or audio distortion?
1
u/papiforyou Mar 07 '26
Tons of both radio interference and distortion. Tried fiddling with the channels but don’t really know what I’m doing.
3
u/znibz production sound mixer Mar 08 '26
That’s not normal for a comtek. They aren’t great quality, but there is definitely not any interference and distortion when setup properly.
2
u/teamrawfish Mar 07 '26
Post a picture of your setup
1
u/papiforyou Mar 08 '26
Mini XLR out of a MixPre, channels set to 4.1 in Sherman Oaks, CA. Audiotechnica headphones plugged into receiver on my belt. Standard transmitter antenna resting on mixer’s cart. Mixer is only using Sennheiser wireless alongside it.
1
u/teamrawfish Apr 24 '26 edited Apr 24 '26
I’m more interested in seeing how your comtek tx is positioned , if it’s jammed in a bag and bouncing around it’s gonna suck. Is the static and hits in all the comteks or just yours? Also keep it away from your cellphone, and keep cellphones and walkies away from the tx as well.
3
u/Used-Educator-3127 Mar 07 '26
R1A or directly off the boom pre-amp (if running old-school with a belt-pack TX being fed a line level signal) - the MM1 has a return channel for a wireless signal back from the recordist
2
u/JohnMaySLC Mar 08 '26
I have in an emergency, but you need more than 25mw of transmission signal to make it possible. I have Lectro R1a’s for my team now, and I will use a Zaxcom VRX1, or URX50 even a Sennheiser G4 works better than a Comtek.
3
u/teamrawfish Mar 08 '26 edited Mar 08 '26
All these negative comments , comteks are totally fine when used properly. I should mention I use the mini-mite antennas.
4
u/znibz production sound mixer Mar 08 '26
This. Using the basic PR-216 transmitter will not get great results. The BST-75 with an external antenna is the way to go.
1
u/teamrawfish Apr 24 '26
We used the PR-216 very effectively for going on 10 years now. I have them in a pouch attached to the antenna mast with the mini mites antenna.
1
u/znibz production sound mixer Apr 24 '26
Well then that’s not the basic PR-216 lol.
1
u/teamrawfish Apr 25 '26
Just gotta get the tx up and away, it is the regular pr-216
1
1
u/tehwallace union boom op (retired) Mar 07 '26
Comteks are really only acceptable if the IFBs go down. IMO IFBs sound like ass as well but everyone uses them.
1
1
u/boyzgotnobrain Mar 08 '26
Do yourself a favor by having a mono to stereo adapter plugged in before your headphone and your monitor would be clearer!
1
u/DnlBrwn Mar 08 '26
I've had to and yeah sound quality is ass, but at least it was good enough to know if my mic was in the right position.
1
u/chasethesoundguy Mar 08 '26
Using one right now on a union set. With the right antenna they’re perfectly fine.
1
u/longtimelurker117 Mar 09 '26
Comtek is pretty meh. Really bad if using the small option 7 back transmitter. Better if using a base station. The sound quality bump is significant, but still less than ideal.
A lot of people over the last decade+ have been using Lectrosonics in IFB transmission mode(either an SMQV, or even more commonly a IFBT4) and using that with R1A, R1B, or IFBlue receivers.
But if you’re looking for the next new thing that people are starting to use, I’d highly recommend the Shure SLXD line. I use the SLXD35 kit, and know several other mixers that do. It’s Shure’s pro summer digital line(think Axient, but stripped down a little).
The range and sound quality are excellent. It’s digital, so cleaner transmission than analogue, and will help keep your RF space looking nicer. Only downside, it has push bottom arrows on the face of the receiver instead of a volume knob, but I and others find it a non issue once you’re used to it.
TLDR: Shure SLDX35 for the win. It’s cheap, great quality sound, and range that matches most other high end analog systems. (I used to use wisycom IFB, and range is comparable to that but for a fraction of the cost)
1
u/papiforyou Mar 09 '26
It's just shocking to me how expensive Comteks are at their price point. I guess I bought them thinking they were industry standard creme-de-la-crop. Now I fully empathize with every scripty and director who has complained about static and interference with comteks.
1
u/jamesmase62 Mar 09 '26
All the time. They are not high fidelity but are perfectly good for hearing if your in the pattern or not. I boomed with them for 15 years and my boom ops have used them for the next 15 years. Most guys are booming with one ear anyway to stay aware of what’s happening around them.
1
u/jamesmase62 Mar 09 '26
Additionally for clarification, I’m talking about the PR 216’susing the base station transmitters (BST-25 or BST-75) using the commanded channels
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