Denver, CO – July 2011… As a production sound mixer for reality TV programming, there’s very little margin for error when it comes to capturing audio. Second takes don’t happen very often, the audio quality must be ‘up to snuff’ the first time, and the equipment had better be reliable. One’s failure to deliver typically results in a very short career. Such is the business of sound mixer Bruner Dyer. To ensure the best audio performance with minimal fuss, Dyer looks to his arsenal of Lectrosonics wireless equipment to get the job done.
Dyer has been involved in location sound work for the past eighteen years. He’s worked in just about every type of show from reality TV to live sports productions, where he’s served as a field sound mixer, studio engineer, as well as an A1 and A2 in numerous production trucks. His credits include work for Food Network Challenge on the Food Network, DIY Network’s Dominator and Disaster House, the 2002 XIX Olympic Winter Games (downhill ski event), as well as ESPN’s XGames.
Since he first began using Lectrosonics equipment back in 1995, Dyer has worked with a wide range of the company’s equipment. On a recent project that involved several big multi-camera shoots, Dyer, associate John Sayles, and their crew used roughly 20 Lectrosonics transmitters on the talent, including SM Super Miniature models, plus several UM400a’s, UM400’s, and UM200C’s. On the receiving end of the equation, Lectrosonics SR Series units, UCR411’s, UCR401’s, UCR211’s, and UCR201’s completed the setup. For the producer’s monitoring setup, Dyer deployed 20 Lectrosonics R1a IFB beltpack receivers paired with 6 UM400a transmitters. For extra control flexibility, he used the Lectrosonics RM remote with the host’s SM transmitter.
Dyer discussed why he depends on Lectrosonics. “The sound quality of the UM400 series is excellent,” he says, “and the scanning feature on the receivers is a great tool that I use often. I love the fact that the transmitters are solidly built and can take a beating—especially the UM series transmitters. Also, the backwards compatibility of the UM400 series makes it possible for me to mix and match with the company’s older equipment. Of particular note, the UCR411 works very well in hostile RF environments — seemingly when wireless shouldn’t work at all. The company’s Digital Hybrid Wireless® technology is extremely robust.”
On a recent reality competition show, the Lectrosonics R1a IFB beltpack receivers helped Dyer resolve a vexing production challenge. “On that show,” he explained, “the supervising producers needed to be able to listen to different mixes from different crews without having to wear six separate Comtek beltpacks. We now utilize the programming feature on the R1a’s and are able to feed a total of six selectable submixes to a single receiver.”
Quality customer and technical support is critical to someone like Dyer, whose equipment must always be in top form. When asked about Lectrosonics’ support services, he offered the following thought. “The company is very responsive,” Dyer says. “Whenever I call, I don’t end up in some voice mail system. I get a qualified human who understands what I’m looking to accomplish and helps me resolve my issue. The support staff understands the application for the equipment.”
As he prepared for another day of field production, Dyer offered this closing thought, “The way I operate, the wireless gear must work reliably. I need my equipment to work consistently, and Lectrosonics RF equipment delivers exactly as I expect it to. I know I can count on Lectrosonics to get the job done right.”
To learn more about Bruner Sound, Inc. and Bruner Dyer, contact the company via Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Bruner.Sound.
About Lectrosonics
Well respected within the film, broadcast, and theatre technical communities since 1971, Lectrosonics wireless microphone systems and audio processing products are used daily in mission-critical applications by audio engineers familiar with the company's dedication to quality, customer service, and innovation. Lectrosonics is a US manufacturer based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Visit the company online at www.lectrosonics.com.
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Photo Info: Image of Bruner Dyer.
