Hello, I am the TD at a High School and we are currently using Countryman E6 mics with our Shure Body Packs. However, I find that after almost every performance at least one is damaged or broken and needs to be repaired. I am curious if any one out there is using a Mic Element that they find is durable enough to stand up to the abuse that high school kids seem to inflict on them. Thanks!
Durable Wireless Mic Elements
- Thread starterJVV
- Start date
blueeyesdesigns
Active Member
Can't say that I have. How are you protecting the packs and connectors? Do your actors wear mic belts? Tape at the neck? I switched to packs from wirelessmicbelts.com a few years ago and my number of breaks and shorts plummeted because they protect the connector as well as the pack. You can tuck a little cable into the pouch and get strain relief.
Do you know that you can send them back to Countryman for repair and they'll usually send you a new one for the cost of repair?
Switched venues recently and now I'm actually thinking about going the other direction and getting the cheapest mics I can stand and trying not to care if they don't last. Pyle makes a $40 ear set that doesn't sound terrible and I won't lose any sleep if it doesn't survive the run.
Do you know that you can send them back to Countryman for repair and they'll usually send you a new one for the cost of repair?
Switched venues recently and now I'm actually thinking about going the other direction and getting the cheapest mics I can stand and trying not to care if they don't last. Pyle makes a $40 ear set that doesn't sound terrible and I won't lose any sleep if it doesn't survive the run.
themuzicman
Well-Known Member
Mics are typically seen as perishable items, which doesn't always sit well with budget conscious theaters that can't buy mics for every new show. As far as durable mics that still sound decent, it totally depends where your breakage is happening. With the E6 you have 3 breakage points -- 1. The element itself 2. The point where the element connects to the cable and 3. The connector.
If it's the point where the element connects to the cable, ditch the E6's and go for the B3 or the B6. If you need earpiece functionality go buy some Telex AEF-2 Earloops and a Hellermann tool and gain back your earpiece that way. You'll have one less point of failure.
If it's the connector failing, they aren't terribly hard to fix -- here's the E6 pinout for Shure. Chop the connector and you can have the thing rewired in a minute or two.
Pin1 = S
Pin3 = W
4.7k pin 2 to Pin 3
5V Zener Diode
stripe end to Pin 3
other end to Pin 1
If it's the element failing due to moisture, the B3 is probably the best replacement in terms of maintaining a balance of audio quality and durability.
If it's the point where the element connects to the cable, ditch the E6's and go for the B3 or the B6. If you need earpiece functionality go buy some Telex AEF-2 Earloops and a Hellermann tool and gain back your earpiece that way. You'll have one less point of failure.
If it's the connector failing, they aren't terribly hard to fix -- here's the E6 pinout for Shure. Chop the connector and you can have the thing rewired in a minute or two.
Pin1 = S
Pin3 = W
4.7k pin 2 to Pin 3
5V Zener Diode
stripe end to Pin 3
other end to Pin 1
If it's the element failing due to moisture, the B3 is probably the best replacement in terms of maintaining a balance of audio quality and durability.
Jay Ashworth
Well-Known Member
EdSavoie
Well-Known Member
Our School doesn't have very many mic packs, so to preserve our few shure packs, we loan kits from our school board. Aside from the the time they gave us two conflicting kits (That show became notorious around us, because perfectly timed mic dropouts made it sound like the Baker's wife did 'things' with the prince "Did a prince really _____ me?")
Whatever earpieces they use for em seem to stand to many a production before failing. These same mics get bounced from school to school throughout the year for their productions. I'll try and get you the model, but I'm looking at one from a production Three years ago that still works! (The Earpiece got a green colour from zombie makeup, and was already several years old by that point)
Whatever earpieces they use for em seem to stand to many a production before failing. These same mics get bounced from school to school throughout the year for their productions. I'll try and get you the model, but I'm looking at one from a production Three years ago that still works! (The Earpiece got a green colour from zombie makeup, and was already several years old by that point)
Joel - Studio 52
Member
I use earhook mics from bodymics.com. Rod Reilly is very easy to work with. He also carries many other wireless supplies.
Like Jay, I've never been able to hear an appreciable difference between the high $ mics and the cheap versions. I figure it's better for my clients and my own bottom line if I replace a $30 mic over a $300 mic. And I carry several spares as I go through a number of mics every year.
I've considered trying to repair, but in that price range, my time is more valuable! lol
Like Jay, I've never been able to hear an appreciable difference between the high $ mics and the cheap versions. I figure it's better for my clients and my own bottom line if I replace a $30 mic over a $300 mic. And I carry several spares as I go through a number of mics every year.
I've considered trying to repair, but in that price range, my time is more valuable! lol
Matt Davidson
Member
