Commercial ear Rigs/Booms?

[aldenf]

Hi guys!

Looking at a production of Rocky Horror. We only have EW500s with MKE2s. The designer wants booms. It is a rock show, duh. Don't have the budget to rent/buy E6s or DPAs. I'll have to make them myself. Ugh.

I have never made good ear rigs/booms. They always look really ghetto and require a lot of maintenance. I'm also booked so tight here at the playhouse that I don't have time to build 13 units... Did I mention I have no dedicated A2 on the show? I'll have a general deck hand to help with problems...

Has anyone used DPA's ear hooks for their d:fine booms? Would they work with floral wire, etc?

http://www.dpamicrophones.com/en/products.aspx?c=Item&category=269&item=24453

The ear hooks MAP for $30 ea. I need 13 rigs (12 & 1 spare). If I can score them for $20 ea., I think I can get producers to cough up $300 or so.

Any thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Any other choices besides the DPA ear hooks?

Thanks!

~Alden

 

[themuzicman]

While the d:fine stuff looks nice, you can do it MUCH cheaper with a hellerman tool and some ear loops. You can pick up a Hellerman tool for around $100, a 100 pack of size 16 and a pack of size 20 hellerman sleeves for $15 a piece, and a dozen plastic earloops for $5-$8 a piece for all within your budget.

http://books.google.com/books?id=QhgsCu8UHtUC&lpg=PT39&dq=hellerman ear loops&source=bl&ots=ygd9_KOLlJ&sig=qdFHgOeifx6_ahX1wCmkVQaJQDU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZAhaUrSQJrGn4AP0lYDQDg&output=reader&pg=GBS.PT39 -- Check this link out to see what it'll look like, you may have to click over a page or two.

 

[aldenf]

Thanks, themuzicman! First, I must admit, my RF rigging education has been incomplete. In 20 years, I've only dealt with rental RF, not making current inventory work. Of course, I've used an ear loop to get an element in front of the sideburn. But I've never had to build full-length booms for shows. E6s are no more expensive to rent with your RF package than MKE2s. I have tried my hand at rigging a boom for a one-off event but have never been really happy with the results. I've not been successful rigging a boom over the ear (E6/MX153 style) and really prefer the commercial booms that come under the ear (DPA/Sennheiser style). Booms that extend from under the ear seem to be handled better by actors getting into their own mics. I will not have a crew to help and I have far too many responsibilities with FOH sound, projections, teching the band, etc to help the actors get into mics. The other issue I have is simply time. I have three events in the playhouse this week. I serve as both TD & A1 and will have little time to build DIY booms by next Sunday... I have a Hellerman and sleeves. Maybe I'll try building one tonight like the Sennheiser Ear Set 1 ( http://en-us.sennheiser.com/wireless-ear-worn-microphone-headmic-headset-live-ear-set-1 ). It's simply very frustrating to put out high-quality, professional work with little to no budget or help... If anyone else has any thoughts/ideas, I'd love to hear them. =)

 

[BobHealey]

When I helped on a community production of RENT, the director wanted ultra obvious, over the top, visible mic booms. As money was next to non-existent for audio, we resorted to wire coat hangers and gaff tape for the sharp ends. booms did a full 180 around back of head, with a short piece hooking over one ear, then running around to the other ear and bending down to end near the performer's mouth. Capsules were the cheap cardiod capsules AT and Shure throw in with their low end wireless sets.