[USA] For over two decades, production sound mixer Greg Murphy has been the man in the background capturing audio for high-profile network shows, documentaries, and news. Working with a client list that spans major networks like ESPN, HBO, Fox News, and the MLB Network, Murphy’s fast-paced Electronic News Gathering (ENG) workflow demands equipment that is unfailingly reliable. Over his career, he has wired up CEOs, national dignitaries, and every U.S. President since Bill Clinton.
To navigate everything from presidential interviews to theme park roller coasters, Murphy relies on a core kit of Lectrosonics gear, anchored by DCR822 Compact Dual Channel Digital Receivers and SMDWB Dual Battery Miniature Wideband Transmitters.
Seeking a lifestyle change and less travel, Murphy relocated with his family from New York City to Florida in 2016. Today, his primary go-to audio bag features a Sound Devices 633 paired with two Lectrosonics DCR822 receivers, giving him four immediate channels of high-quality wireless. “I love the 822 receivers; the technology gives me the flexibility to scan and navigate the dense RF ‘schmutz’ when doing major sporting events like MLB Spring Training,” Murphy explains.
“I love the 822 receivers; the technology gives me the flexibility to scan and navigate the dense RF ‘schmutz’ when doing major sporting events like MLB All-Star Game or World Series.”
For unpredictable Florida locations, such as theme parks, the internal recording capability of his Lectrosonics SMDWB dual-battery transmitters is a critical failsafe. “If I’m doing a feature at Disney and the talent is on a roller coaster, obviously I can’t ride along with my audio bag,” he notes. “Its internal recording capability is a lifesaver and gives me that extra assurance that I can get the job done.”
Other essentials in Murphy’s wireless arsenal include Lectrosonics UCR411a Digital Hybrid Wireless Compact Receivers, SMQV Dual Battery Digital Hybrid Wireless UHF Belt-Pack Transmitters, and HMa Digital Hybrid Wireless UHF Plug-On Transmitters.
Murphy’s audio philosophy centres on uncompromising quality and extreme preparedness. “Chance favours the prepared mind, so I prepare endlessly,” he says, noting that he used to mic his own children when they were crawling babies just to practice getting clean audio in unpredictable situations.