Headset mic of choice for musical theatre?

[jneveaux]

My community theatre group is using DPA 4066 units. Conductors from plug to mic are breaking pretty often. had to replace two in last year. Any ideas of how to prevent, or if I replace, a better model to choose with same sound quality?
Thanks.

 

[rwhealey]

DPA is generally regarded as having the best sound quality but is expensive and fairly fragile. I find the Countryman E6 to be a good balance between cost, sound, and durability. The Shure MX153 is the cheapest I would go but sounds somewhat acceptable.

Headset mics should be regarded as expendable - plan on replacing a few every year no matter what model you buy.

 

[jneveaux]

Countryman E6

Thanks. We really like the headset models but can't find one for Countryman with Shure connector.

 

[rwhealey]

Thanks. We really like the headset models but can't find one for Countryman with Shure connector.

http://www.countryman.com/downloads/dl/file/id/61/e6_earset_selection_guide.pdf

There are so many e6 versions you will need to call your supplier to get the right one - they're hard to find online due to the high number of options. The -SL suffix to the part number covers most Shure models. You can also call your local Shure dealer as Shure distributes Countryman mics with a Shure part number.

 

[tschnuckel]

I second the e6.

Audio-technica makes a version with the Shure connector. Ear piece is different than e6, sound is pretty good. Price is slightly lower too.

Don't forget the fun of putting the mic in the hair line ...

 

[themuzicman]

My community theatre group is using DPA 4066 units. Conductors from plug to mic are breaking pretty often. had to replace two in last year. Any ideas of how to prevent, or if I replace, a better model to choose with same sound quality?
Thanks.

I was going to post DPA 4066 or DPA 4065 when I saw the title. Yes, DPA connector break a lot if they aren't placed well on the actor. Simply re-terminate the connector, it's a fairly straightforward process, if you are wary of the process as some can be intimidated by the tiny bits PM me - I reterminate microphones professionally for a reasonable fee.

I go through 2-3x DPA 4061 per show per week with connector breaks on dancing shows - with DPA the name of the game is placement and strain relief. Invest in a hellermann tool and band all of your mics at the connector.

If you are going Shure, I highly suggest re-terminating all microphones with Rean TA4F connectors - they blow Switchcraft out of the water in terms of durability.

 

[ratthepoodle]

Countryman e6 is pretty solid for most applications. To go cheap, you could get the Mogan standard http://www.moganmicrophones.com/Standard.html. I keep a couple on hand for spares. As rwhealey said, headsets end up being expendable, no matter what mic you have.

 

[gafftaper]

I've given up on the E6 because they keep breaking and I can't afford to spend a thousand a year on "expendable" microphones. So, I've switched to Countryman B3s. You have to tape and pin the e6 on anyway, why not ditch the fragile boom and just tape the wire to their cheek? Sounds great, it's much more durable than the boom, and performers find them more comfortable because it's a flexible wire and not a rigid boom being taped to their face. Or go really pro and hide it in their hair/clothes. If the B3 is visually too big for your tastes go with the B6 it's an E6 without the boom.

 

[LPdan]

I have also found the E6 has trouble holding up to community theatre abuse. As gafftaper said, the B3 is much more rugged, costs less, and still sounds great. Countryman will put any connector you want on them.

 

[mikeydoesstuff]

Thirded on the B3, and dont forget to CLEAN them well and often! Makes a BIG difference in their sound quality. I wipe them down per performance, and deep clean them per show/3 weeks of run.

 

[dbaxter]

What do you do to "deep clean" them?

 

[mikeydoesstuff]

soak in a 50/50 mix of iropropyl 90 and distilled water for about 5 minutes or so, depending on how gross they are, scrub off all the visible junk, and hang to dry overnight. I usually soak removable windscreens for 15 minutes and blow through with canned air to clear them fully. works great.

I admit though, I learned the method from someone else.

 

[themuzicman]

I've switched to Countryman B3s. You have to tape and pin the e6 on anyway, why not ditch the fragile boom and just tape the wire to their cheek? Sounds great, it's much more durable than the boom, and performers find them more comfortable because it's a flexible wire and not a rigid boom being taped to their face. Or go really pro and hide it in their hair/clothes. If the B3 is visually too big for your tastes go with the B6 it's an E6 without the boom.

I cringe every time a microphone is taped directly to someones face. It sounds like face. Get some medium gauge wire (Cheap solution) and make either a cheap ear loop or a cheap boom depending on the needs of the show, or buy some fancy metal Telex AEF-2 Ear Loops from B&H ($10/per) that are totally re-usable, and either hellermann the microphone to the wire/loop (moderate cost) or use Transpore and tape it to the ear loop.

You will suddenly get a much better sound, and it'll look better. You can keep the B3 tucked just under the ear lobe via the ear loop or boom it out an inch or two with an ear loop/floral wire combo.

 

[firewater88]

I cringe every time a microphone is taped directly to someones face. It sounds like face. Get some medium gauge wire (Cheap solution) and make either a cheap ear loop or a cheap boom depending on the needs of the show, or buy some fancy metal Telex AEF-2 Ear Loops from B&H ($10/per) that are totally re-usable, and either hellermann the microphone to the wire/loop (moderate cost) or use Transpore and tape it to the ear loop.

You will suddenly get a much better sound, and it'll look better. You can keep the B3 tucked just under the ear lobe via the ear loop or boom it out an inch or two with an ear loop/floral wire combo.

Just looked up those Telex loops, very interesting. Any chance you could post a pic of a completed one with a mic on it? Trying to visualize what you explained.
Thanks

 

[themuzicman]

Just looked up those Telex loops, very interesting. Any chance you could post a pic of a completed one with a mic on it? Trying to visualize what you explained.
Thanks

I found this with a quick Google http://www.brightandloud.com/microphone-placement.html -- it covers pretty much every way a professional applies a microphone to an actor -- ear rigs are the last thing I go to, unless I have a bald actor. I would much prefer to halo or clip it in. The ear rig in the link is sort of bulky, but you can go under the loop, or over the loop, really whatever you think looks best - but they are never usually much more than 2'-3' off the loop for a boom so they can stay hidden a little bit.

 

[ctc]

I go through 2-3x DPA 4061 per show per week with connector breaks on dancing shows - with DPA the name of the game is placement and strain relief. Invest in a hellermann tool and band all of your mics at the connector.

Sorry to revive an old thread, but could you please explain (with a picture if possible) what you mean by 'banding the mics at the connector'. I'm familiar with the hellermann, just not sure how you're using the sleeve in this application. We're currently using 4061's via microdot into QLXD's.
Thanks!

 

[Evans Poulos]

soak in a 50/50 mix of iropropyl 90 and distilled water for about 5 minutes or so, depending on how gross they are, scrub off all the visible junk, and hang to dry overnight. I usually soak removable windscreens for 15 minutes and blow through with canned air to clear them fully. works great.

I admit though, I learned the method from someone else.

I'm interested in pursuing this portion of an older thread! Lol.
I have a box full of possibly only gunked up lavs... Does this mean actually submerge the whole thing? Element, connector etc or is this just for cleaning the wires?

 

[ratthepoodle]

I'm interested in pursuing this portion of an older thread! Lol.
I have a box full of possibly only gunked up lavs... Does this mean actually submerge the whole thing? Element, connector etc or is this just for cleaning the wires?

Use the solution on the cable and removable caps/windscreens as needed. For the actually element and connector, the only thing you can really do is blow it out to get rid of any accumulated dust.

 

[themuzicman]

Use the solution on the cable and removable caps/windscreens as needed. For the actually element and connector, the only thing you can really do is blow it out to get rid of any accumulated dust.

If you've sweated out the element (or have loss of HF), dip the entire element in distilled water, lightly scrub diaphragm with a q tip, and leave to sit in a tiny bag with some silica gel. If distilled doesn't work, you can do it in a 50/50 mix of isopropyl alcohol and distilled water.

 

[sdauditorium]

I agree with the E6. We roll with 22 of those and have been extremely happy with the durability, even being in a school district/community PAC where we produce a 5th grade musical and high school show. In all of the years, I believe I've only lost one actual E6 - during the Wizard of Oz in the final costume change when they're back in Kansas. Apparently, when they were quickly trying to scrub Scarecrow makeup from the actor some got logged into the actual element. Not intentional and definitely understandable how it happened. However, as is fairly well known, I always budget/plan to go through 2-3 of the replacement cables. I do utilize the face tape method, but go for as little as possible while keeping the element slightly off the cheek and behind the mouth.