Microphones Odd Microphone Wiring (seen on TV)

techietim

Active Member
Hey techs!

I saw this really odd microphone wiring set-up on TV the other day and me nor my friend can work out what on earth is going on. Three cables?! Anyone got any ideas?..
proxy.php



Tim :)
 
Could be a lot of things. There could be a gate switch on the mic that he can switch. There could be a effects switch on the mic he can switch. Could be an element gaffed to the thing for the broadcast guys. Who knows. What act is this? Many singers are going further with effects these days. It is not uncommon to route a VOX mic to a pedal board before it hits FOH. That way the talent can ride the effects as they want. This could be that without the pedal board.
 
Could be a lot of things. There could be a gate switch on the mic that he can switch. There could be a effects switch on the mic he can switch. Could be an element gaffed to the thing for the broadcast guys. Who knows. What act is this? Many singers are going further with effects these days. It is not uncommon to route a VOX mic to a pedal board before it hits FOH. That way the talent can ride the effects as they want. This could be that without the pedal board.

It's obvious when you know, eh! Thanks for that, I think that's cleared it up massively and now I feel a little silly. ;)
 
I'll present an alternative (coming from a rock background): Could be the guy is incredibly rough on microphones and snaps the conductors on the cables often (Think Roger Daltrey.) Often, I have seen bands and their tech people come up with creative methods of avoiding show stoppage due to singer antics. Three mic cords braded together leading to a microphone that is embalmed in gaff tape that extends 6 inches into the cord... Looks like Rock and Roll to me!
I once knew a soundman that had made a mic cord for the lead singer made of 16/3 SJ (Amazingly, no buzz!) I asked him why and he said it "was the only cable that held up"... then he smiled and added, "for a while." ;)
 
I'll present an alternative (coming from a rock background): Could be the guy is incredibly rough on microphones and snaps the conductors on the cables often (Think Roger Daltrey.) Often, I have seen bands and their tech people come up with creative methods of avoiding show stoppage due to singer antics. Three mic cords braded together leading to a microphone that is embalmed in gaff tape that extends 6 inches into the cord... Looks like Rock and Roll to me!
I once knew a soundman that had made a mic cord for the lead singer made of 16/3 SJ (Amazingly, no buzz!) I asked him why and he said it "was the only cable that held up"... then he smiled and added, "for a while." ;)

Ah, yes, nice one! That's also a very good explanation and I've just realised it's from the "Radio 1 Rock Show", so yes I think your explanation is probably correct. Why can't people just be nice to the mics? :( haha!
 
Ah, yes, nice one! That's also a very good explanation and I've just realised it's from the "Radio 1 Rock Show", so yes I think your explanation is probably correct. Why can't people just be nice to the mics? :( haha!

Could have found your own answer real quick if you would have told us this was Incubus from the get go. It is exactly what JD said it was. Brandon Boyd is know to be a bit of a runner at times and probably had his cable pop out more then once. They always tape it up to keep that from happening. I guess this 3-fer cable is just the newest installment of that.
 
I call that the "Daltrey wrap".

You plug the XLR into the bottom of the microphone, loop it 180° and take it all the way up the mic and gaff it, and then loop it 180° again and take it all the way back down the mic, and gaff it again... that way when he spins the microphone by the cord it doesn't come flying off into the audience.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back