Review: The URSA WireRig is a Gooseneck

At first glance, the URSA WireRig looks like a contraption out of a James Bond movie. It may not be something that saves the world, but it is something that saves our Production Tracks from time to time when nothing else works. It’s perfect for car rigs & plant mics.

WHAT IS IT?

The URSA WireRig allows you to use your lavalier microphones in a completely new way. It is a little black disk thing thet has a flexible copper wire wrapped around it. It extends up to 40cm from the core like a snake.

The notches are used to lock off the wire when you find your desired length. Think of it as turning your lavalieres into a snake that could stand up on their own merit. The WireRig will do just that, and it allows the head of the lavalier to be positioned up and pointed in any direction.

The closest thing I can equate it to Microphone Flex Mounts. These are just smaller (and more useful in our line of work).

HOW DO I FASTEN THE WIRERIG DOWN?

Fastening the WireRig down depends on how visible it could potentially be.

For example, if shooting a wide shot in a spaceship, the WireRig could fasten with Very Stickies to anywhere on the dash or ceiling. Next, hide the transmitter and run the wire up wire into position. All WireRigs come stock with 20 “Very Stickies” which will adhere the WireRig to pretty much anything. If you run out of Very Stickies, Super Top Stick works just as good.

If exposing isn’t an issue, then your fastening options become much simpler. Simply taping the WireRig down using papers or gaffers tape depending on what the surface can handle. Then from there, you only need to focus on hiding the pack and the wire followed by running the head of the lavalier up the WireRig into position.

Coil the mic cable around the wire and bend the end back to lock the mic in place. Then adjust the wire to get the mic just where you need it. The malleable wire acts like a suspension to help reduce noise being transmitted down the cable to the capsule. 

To avoid wind noise simply apply a Bubblebee Windbubble or Rycote Mini-Windjammer. The added weight of this will not effect the WireRig. 

DIMENSIONS; 35mm long x 25mm wide x 8mm tall. Wire Length : 40cm

CAR RIGS

With cameras getting smaller, it means our Car Rigs need to be more thought out. The URSA WireRig works incredible in vehicles when you are able to hide the transmitter underneath the visor. In these situations, you can twist tie all of the cable slack and hide it up with the visor and then poke the wire out just a little bit into position. It is all about pulling the head off the top of the car which will help the pattern of the microphone pick up properly as well as ultimately be more secure.