Advice for voice reinforcement.

[macheath]

Hi!

In our small theater company - we use often a pair of "Bartlett TM-125C" as moderate reinforcement for the actors' voices. They work fine! Now, wanting to buy some new microphone, we are undecided whether to buy other boundary mics (such as Bartlett), or buy a pair of small-diaphragm microphones (like the Rode NT5). Any advice?

TNX

 

[JLNorthGA]

I would say it depends on your house - and your actors. We have two boundary microphones and four condenser microphones which feed into our mixing board. Typically we send the mix right into the hearing impaired system. I've fed the microphone output into the PA system for performances by children, as they usually can't project that well. Our community theatre gets a wide variety of actors - with a wide variety in ability to project.

When I have to absolutely reinforce the actors voices (or children) - the microphone outputs goes into compressor/limiters before going to the amplifiers. If you want to use Rode NT5 microphones - go for it. For our purpose, I've found that less expensive microphones work reasonably well. Our biggest problem is limiting the ambient noise pick-up from other sources. We've built shielded boxes and adapted other things to help minimize this.

 

[macheath]

Thanks JLNorthGA!
The company was formed by professional actors with a good projection capability. For this reason, strengthening the voice is necessary only in special situations (we are primarily a "tour company"): outdoors, in certain non-theatrical spaces or when speech alternates with singing and/or musical instruments (to mitigate the difference in volumes).

Our curiosity is exactly this : could a "mixed system" (2 boundary mics + 2 small-diaphragm mics) be a good solution? And, if yes, could NT5 be the right choice? (Rode NT5, Shure PG81, ...)
PS: We are interested in NT5 mics also a matter of versatility... could also be useful for amplifying occasionally an acoustic instrument.
PS2: With boundary mics, we never needed a compressor. If it will become indispensable with the Rode, this would be an important thing to consider!

 

[JLNorthGA]

I don't use compressor/limiters with the boundary microphones - only with the condenser microphones. Given the sensitivity of the Rode NT5 microphones, you may find a compressor/limiter to be of use. YMMV.

Have you considered going with lavalier microphones? That may be your best bet. They also make some very unobtrusive wireless headset systems - though the wireless are quite pricey.

 

[macheath]

Yes: good wireless is pricey! However, we just got a "Line6 XD-V55" headset plus a Samson SE50 Head-worn mic... for try them out. If this will work well, then we buy some more.
Could you recommend a "budget-friendly" decent compressor/limiter? Just in case...

 

[FMEng]

While the NT-5 isn't a boundary mic, it would still be used as an "area mic" to pick up actors at some distance away. Mic sensitivity has nothing to do with needing to reduce dynamic range, and I can't see any benefit to using a compressor on an area mic. Most of the time, area mics are run pretty close to maximum gain before feedback. The last thing you would want is to fight with a compressor that opens up, driving the system into feedback, or pulling up extraneous noise.

With a headset or lav mic, yes a compressor would be a very useful tool. Compressors work fine with close micing, when you have extra gain to throw away.

 

[JLNorthGA]

Yes: good wireless is pricey! However, we just got a "Line6 XD-V55" headset plus a Samson SE50 Head-worn mic... for try them out. If this will work well, then we buy some more.
Could you recommend a "budget-friendly" decent compressor/limiter? Just in case...

Alesis 3632 dual channel. dbx 166xs dual channel. YMMV

 

[museav]

The company was formed by professional actors with a good projection capability. For this reason, strengthening the voice is necessary only in special situations (we are primarily a "tour company"): outdoors, in certain non-theatrical spaces or when speech alternates with singing and/or musical instruments (to mitigate the difference in volumes).

Our curiosity is exactly this : could a "mixed system" (2 boundary mics + 2 small-diaphragm mics) be a good solution?

You seem to encounter a variety of significantly different spaces and varying performance requirements, thus if any 'one size fits all' solution is practical it may be a compromise for any one particular situation. Is there perhaps a more limited set of circumstances or some things in common where you most need additional reinforcement?

How do you envision using the small diaphragm microphones? Are you trying to pick up areas of the stage or individuals? Are you thinking of them being located out in the house or on/over the stage? On stands or hanging? As individual microphones, as a spaced pair or as a coincident or near-coincident pair? Or would the application change from one situation to another? For example, if you wanted to use them as area mics and hanging or flying microphones is not feasible in some outdoor or non-theatrical spaces then that could possibly make them a less practical option for that situation.

 

[macheath]

First of all: Thanks to everyone for the advices.

I want to specify that - as I mentioned in my introductory message - when possible, we hire the right material and entrust the work to "real" technicians. We have a small amount of equipment for small and emergency situations. That's why our focus is on value for money and versatility.

Most of our productions has a standard configuration (frontal). Generally spoken theater or visual theater (in visual theater microphones are used to amplify body and environmental sounds). More and more often we use live accompaniment of some acoustic instrument (but that's another matter...).

Until now we have always used our two microphones on the proscenium. The problem is that when the actors recede towards the bottom of the stage, the volume falls significantly. There has been suggested to use a pair of small-diaphragm microphones (one at the right and one to the left of the stage, mounted on stands, at about half of the depth of the stage) to reinforce the farthest part of the scene.

I hope I have not done too much mess with my English!

 

[bishopthomas]

I agree that compressors can do more harm than good, especially in this scenario. And if you're looking for a "budget-friendly" compressor then you probably better off to go without.

 

[macheath]

Grazie! Thank you!

Another question that comes to mind is (given the positioning, presumably of three-fourths, on either side, in the middle of the stage) whether it is better to opt for a cardioid like the Rode NT5 or for a shotgun supercardioid like the Rode NTG1.