Summary of "NAB 2026: Lectrosonics [LIVE REUPLOAD]"
Product(s) covered
- Lectrosonics L1 Lavalier (waterproof MEMS lav) + DSSM digital transmitter
- Lectrosonics S1 Short Shotgun microphone (RF bias, symmetrical polar pattern, light aircraft aluminum)
- Lectrosonics IFB T2.0 (new IFB transmitter/base station for IFB applications)
1) Lectrosonics L1 Lav (with Sonora/MEMS capsule + DSSM)
Main features
- First Lectrosonics product to ship with the new MEMS capsule as part of their Sonora technology development.
- Waterproof / watertight: demonstrated operating underwater, including audible confirmation via headphones.
- Very low self-noise: 11 dB(A) equivalent self-noise
- Claimed >10 dB lower than most lavs
- Also described as 15–20 dB lower than most
- Compared favorably to some pencil condensers.
- High SPL handling: 135 dB max SPL
- Intended to handle loud sources while remaining quiet.
- Two sensitivity profiles via DSSM transmitter firmware
- High sensitivity mode vs low sensitivity mode
- ~20 dB difference
- Implemented through internal circuit/gain switching (not just a passive pad)
- Lets one lav be used with either sensitivity profile when paired with the DSSM
Included accessories / ordering variants
- Molded waterproof connector made by Lectrosonics (to mate with waterproof DSSM).
- Includes two acoustic caps with different EQ “bumps”:
- One for a slight high/upper mid bump
- One with a sharper bump around 10–14 kHz
- Kit version includes:
- carry case, lav mic, clip, windscreen, both acoustic caps, and ID rings (to differentiate units)
- Naked version (cheaper): mic + both acoustic caps only.
- Connector options affect pricing depending on kit/contents.
Price & availability (from the video)
- Not on the market yet; “coming very soon.”
- $500–$700 list price, depending on connector and kit.
- TA5 version mentioned as available in samples shown:
- Two versions: high sensitivity and low sensitivity, with ~20 dB difference
- Note: wiring/connector design affects sensitivity
- Potential for rewiring using wiring charts
- Expecting/considering a pigtails version for users who want to wire their own
Pros (explicitly emphasized)
- Waterproofing extending to underwater operation
- Near-unheard-of low self-noise (11 dB(A))
- Studio-grade performance claims for a ~5 mm capsule
- High SPL capability (135 dB)
- DSP/transmitter convenience: two selectable sensitivity modes in DSSM without swapping the mic
Cons / limitations (implied or not fully provided)
- Requires the DSSM digital transmitter for the dual sensitivity profiles described.
- Availability is imminent but not yet shipping (timeline only “very soon”).
- No explicit compatibility statement outside Lectro’s DSSM ecosystem for the two-mode feature (charts mentioned “coming later” for other wiring cases).
2) Lectrosonics S1 Short Shotgun (RF bias)
Main features
- Short shotgun using an RF-bias capsule
- Said to be impervious to humidity
- Designed to avoid crackling/sound changes common to DC bias condensers
- Low self-noise: 10 dB(A)-weighted
- Positioned against some of the lowest pencil mics
- Aircraft aluminum body
- Very light: ~78 g
- New interference tube design
- Provides a symmetrical polar pattern
- Uniform response regardless of pointing angle (no “side vs top/bottom” distortions)
- Frequency / “sweet” range (distance + response)
- Response: about 3 dB down at 50 Hz
- Proximity effect: low-frequency rise when closer than the reference distance
- Up to 20 kHz
- Broad upper-mid bump intended to match the lav’s sound profile
- Suggested distance sweet spot: ~1 meter (possibly “a little less”)
- Accessory compatibility
- Claims a standard ecosystem:
- 5.4 mm outer diameter for the lav-style portion (lav concealers/mounts possible)
- Standard 19 mm for shotgun mounting
- Mentions common short-shotgun accessories (e.g., blimps/mounts/shock mounts)
- Claims a standard ecosystem:
Pros
- Humidity resilience via RF bias
- Low self-noise
- Very light weight
- Consistent polar symmetry across angles
- Tonally designed to pair with L1 (upper-mid bump alignment)
- Uses common accessories (no proprietary mounting needed)
Cons / limitations (explicit or implicit)
- Not waterproof
- RF bias helps with humidity, but the S1 itself is noted as “waterproof? No.”
- Availability later in the year (second half)
Price & availability (from the video)
- Second half of the year
- List price: $1639
- Timing hinted as mid/late year, depending on finishing stages (roughly third quarter/fourth quarter)
3) Lectrosonics IFB T2.0 (IFB transmitter)
Main features
- Positioned as an evolution of long-running Lectro IFB products (T1/T4 lineage; with T4 noted as over 20 years old).
- Modern usability and IO:
- Modern color display
- Menu structure similar to other Lectro products (audio/radio settings)
- Tactile buttons (under a cap) rather than membrane buttons
- Dedicated front-panel button to toggle carrier on/off
- Two-channel transmitter with independent channels
- External DC power
- Wall/cart friendly
- Uses Hirose 4-pin DC connector
- Connectivity:
- Dante connectivity
- Ethernet port compatible with Wireless Designer
- Inputs:
- Combo jacks accepting analog mic level, line level, RTS, Clear-Com
- Blocks DC (wet line issues not expected)
- Accepts AES digital inputs
- RF power levels: menu-selectable 10 mW / 25 / 50 / 100 / 250
- Wideband power strategy:
- Uses giant custom passive circulator isolator (two units)
- Intended to enable high power wideband with controlled intermods
- Modes:
- IFB mode
- New hybrid mode
- EU hybrid described as effectively the same as the new hybrid
Receiver compatibility (explicit)
- Compatible with any Lectro IFB receivers made in the past 25 years, specifically:
- IFBR1, IFBR1A, IFBR1B, IFBR1C
- IFBR1C includes infrared
- Used to program preset lists via the Wireless Designer ecosystem
App/software ecosystem
- Uses Wireless Designer
- System appears with:
- red carriers / transmitter channels
- blue receiver channels
- System appears with:
- Mentioned support with Wireless Designer version 2.1.11+
Power/antenna notes (from Q&A)
- Underwater/RF dunk tests used a coax antenna with SMA
- Tip outside the water for RF transmission
- For the demo: they didn’t go extremely deep
- Unit supports SMA, so users can attach suitable coax/whips
Pros
- Modern UI/UX and networking (color screen, Wireless Designer, Dante, Ethernet)
- Flexible inputs (mic/line/RTS/Clear-Com/AES)
- High power strategy for wideband (up to 250 mW with intermod-control approach)
- Strong backward compatibility with many existing IFB receivers
Cons / limitations (explicit or implied)
- Availability depends on FCC lab testing clearance (expected in about a month at time of video).
- Higher pricing (MSRP referenced)
Price & availability (from the video)
- In FCC lab testing; expected clearance in ~1 month
- MSRP about $4200
Comparisons made
- L1 vs other lav mics
- 11 dB(A) self-noise framed as drastically lower than “any other lav mic” they’re aware of
- Also lower than many pencil condensers
- L1 paired with S1
- Described as designed to match each other’s sound profile (upper-mid bump alignment)
- S1 RF bias vs standard DC bias condensers
- Emphasized humidity resistance (no crackling/sound change)
- IFB T2.0 vs prior IFB hardware
- Framed as evolution from older T1/T4 systems, adding modern connectivity/usability while keeping established IFB functionality
Unique user experience / demo notes
- L1 underwater demo
- Headphones used to confirm behavior as the lav goes into and out of water
- Continued operation after ~1 hour in the demo
- Live adjustment during the show
- Plosives occurred when the mic was too close to the speaker
- Reinforces practical lav placement considerations
Overall verdict / recommendation
- L1 lav: Recommended for users who need a true waterproof lav with extremely low self-noise and high SPL handling, especially when paired with the DSSM for dual sensitivity modes. Best suited for professional environments with water exposure or loud/variable sources.
- S1 shotgun: Recommended as a humidity-tolerant, lightweight short shotgun with consistent polar response and tonal pairing designed for the L1. Likely well-suited to interior/news coverage.
- IFB T2.0: Recommended for facilities needing a modern, networked IFB transmitter with strong compatibility and flexible input types. Higher-cost and infrastructure-oriented.
Speaker-specific points (who covered what)
- Carl (Lectrosonics)
- Covered L1 MEMS/waterproof/self-noise/high-SPL specs, DSSM dual sensitivity profiles, acoustic caps, pricing/variants (kit vs naked), TA5 sensitivity versions, and rewiring/pigtail expectations.
- Covered S1 RF-bias humidity resistance, self-noise, weight/specs, symmetrical polar response/interference tube design, frequency response, distance guidance, accessory compatibility, and pricing/timing.
- Covered IFB T2.0 front/back panel features, Dante/Ethernet/Wireless Designer integration, RF power strategy (isolators), receiver compatibility, FCC testing/availability, and ecosystem/software behavior.
- Nick (Gotham Sound / NAB host)
- Guided the session and asked key questions, including pricing/availability, sweet range, pigtails/wiring, receiver pairing, underwater RF antenna needs, app/software integration, bag version possibility, and more.
Category
Product Review
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