Lapel Mics

[LPdan]

Hello,
I use Countryman B3 mics for theatrical work all the time and love them. However, I have not had much luck making them sound good when worn as a lapel mic on shirt collars for presentations, etc. They seem to be picking up a muffled sound from the throat.
I know one option would be something like an E6 that has the boom, but some presenters don't want anything on their head. Can anyone recommend a good lapel mic, or give any tips for mic placement I might be missing?
PS: I have tried B3 mics with both gain designs (red band and normal).
Thank you in advance!

 

[FMEng]

Lav mics need careful placement and significant amounts of EQ. I don't think there's a magic model that will sound perfect without doing those things. Don't expect lavs to sound as good as a headset or handheld mic. The mouth is a directional source, and the chest has resonances.

The last time I regularly used lavs, it was with an analog console with "British" EQ, so this may not translate well to different equipment. I place the mic about 4" below the clavical (bone at the base of the neck). Centered horizontally is ideal, or as close as clothing will permit. When the mic is higher, closer to the chin, it sounds less natural and the loudness varies more with head movement. Too low, and you lose acoustic gain. I make a broad cut around 450 Hz. A boost at 3 kHz might be needed, but some lav mics have a presence boost already.

Here's an interesting document from DPA
https://www.dpamicrophones.com/mic-university/how-mic-placement-affects-the-voice

 

[TimMc]

Hello,
I use Countryman B3 mics for theatrical work all the time and love them. However, I have not had much luck making them sound good when worn as a lapel mic on shirt collars for presentations, etc. They seem to be picking up a muffled sound from the throat.
I know one option would be something like an E6 that has the boom, but some presenters don't want anything on their head. Can anyone recommend a good lapel mic, or give any tips for mic placement I might be missing?
PS: I have tried B3 mics with both gain designs (red band and normal).
Thank you in advance!

What @FMEng said... if you're clipping at the shirt collar... uh, no. On men, just below the 2nd shirt button (close to where FM suggests). High pass the input around 150Hz, you may go higher or a tad lower, this depends on how much gain is needed in the PA and how much body cavity (chest) resonance the wearer has. Headphones are your friend - PFL/Solo the mic while the wearer is speaking and move the mic to where it sounds the most balanced. If you get too much resonance, use EQ to make cuts and let you preserve the rich, wholesome goodness parts.

Using omni elements you can point them down (or sideways) without audio degradation, and you won't get wind noise when wearers look down and exhale...

 

[LPdan]

Thank you both so much for these tips, and also the links to those helpful articles!

 

[macsound]

I love this poster. It's the hardest thing in the world to convince directors that mounting mics through the actor's hair is better than over the ear. To them it's just a microphone and placement couldn't possibly affect how things sound.
I echo Tim and FM. Around the 2nd shirt button.
Also watch out for lanyards. Part of me thinks that's why Countryman made Earsets, just for conventions where literally everyone wears a lanyard that bangs right into a lapel mic.

 

[LPdan]

Thanks! I was definitely clipping it too high up, trying to get it closer to the mouth. This gives me a lot of direction to refine positioning.