Wireless Capsule Tips?

[cekren]

Hi, so my school uses Shure ULX-P wireless packs for all of our bigger productions with a few mixed Countryman capsules and the response varies quite a bit mic to mic... Some are very muffled, dull, etc. but a few sound fairly good. Now I assume this is mostly because of the mixing and matching of models (and I suspect brands as well, some are unmarked as far as I can see...) but one thing I haven't checked is the positioning of the capsule on the actor's faces. We typically route the mic over the ear and double-side tape it to the temple.

I've seen some setups where the mic is routed directly over the forehead, and I was wondering if you guys had any tips on how to even out the response of these packs without resorting to heavy eq'ing... Is there a better technique to use for placement?

*Just a note, the mix appears to include capsules similar in design to Countryman B3's as well as some that look like EMW's...

 

[themuzicman]

First thing to know - microphones like the Countryman B3 and other sub-miniature lavalieres are considered disposable, show-run items.

Start by testing each and every microphone on the same pack and listening to it through headphones on the receiver -- the most basic way to test before the signal hits your system. Mark any imperfections, and the ones that sound the best you put where you think you need the best sound. The one's that don't sound so good, put where you think you need them (or, hopefully get new ones). You can't make a bad and broken mic sound great via EQ, just try to salvage the sinking ship.

One comment on your choice of mic placement, you're going to get a ton of cheek and face noise, it's just not a great placement.

The two big places I resort to are over the forehead, and on a boom, off of an ear. You have to take many considerations in for placement - ie if they don't have hair, it goes on the cheek, is the actor talking into someones face the entire time? It goes where it'll create the least amount of phase issues. Does the actor wear a hard-brimmed hat? It goes onto the cheek.

For the forehead, I'll give the actor a toupee clip or two, one for top, one for back. I then put some tape on the neck, and a tiny tiny stripe right above the mic element on the forehead. Trying to hide it under the hair, or minimize the visibility depending on the hair situation.

For the ear, I use a hellermann tool to band the mic to an earloop. I then use some floral wire to stiffen the earloop and mic, helping to keep the thing off of their face.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

It's generally a good idea, too, to do mic quality evaluations with an extra person; it's hard to get a good idea of whether a mic is in decent shape if the voice you're listening to through it is your own.

 

[FMEng]

The Countryman B3 comes with three end caps, with flat, bright, and very bright response. If you have a mixture of caps on your mics, they won't sound the same. I would also carefully inspect the caps. If some are caked with makeup, that would make them sound bad. I'll bet the mics are fine, and you just need the correct, clean end caps.

 

[cekren]

Thanks for the replies! Found out the actual models are Shure SM93's and Countryman b6's. The 93's definitely sound more dull and muffled, but I'll see if we can try some different placements...