Hi-
Thinking about purchasing a "headset" style wireless mic system but am concerned about performance limitations.

Obviously you cannot use traditional hand held microphone performance techniques with a headset mic as the mic is situated at a "fixed" position/distance from your mouth.

Are there special headset style microphone performance tips/tricks which can be used to "simulate" handheld microphone techniques (getting close to the mic (eating the mic), backing off, etc)? Are headset microphones limiting in this regard or are there ways to overcome these limitations?

Thanks,

Scott

California (SF Bay Area), USA

I am the happy user of a headset mic. In my opinion it has many more advantages than limitations.

Sometimes, when I'm singing louder, I reach up and pull the mic away from my face, and sometimes I pull it closer. So you can do that a little bit, but a hand held is probably better if these techniques are essential for you.

I like being able to look at every one in the audience, even people behind me as I sing and play the keyboard. I like not having to deal with a boom. I recommend that you purchase a headset mic, and return it if it doesn't suit you. One problem I had with a professional headset mic is that it wasn't loud enough. I turned the volume up on my PSR 740 all the way, and it was just barely loud enough. Instead of going with a mic preamp and complicating my life, I've been using a Radioshack headset mic for $49.95. I've been happy with the sound, and for $15 I purchased a 3 year warranty. I own two of these mics, and whenever one gives me a problem (every 6 months) I drop it off at the Radioshack and use the other one. I play at retirement homes, nursing homes, and schools. If I were trying to sign with a major record label, I would go another way, but the system I have works perfect for me. Good luck!

Hi Beakybird

My experience is similar to yours. I have two AKC410Cs with battery pack. I have used them wireless, but usually use the wires. I like not having to think about mic placement, it is hard enough playing keyboards and singing. I also have a boom mic and sometime use it when I do not feel like putting on the headset, but overall I much prefer the latter. While it is not the same as boom mic effects, one can always switch vocal effects using footswitches.

Hi, Beakybird,

the headset R.S. phone may be what I need for my PSR-740.

I am having trouble recording via PSR-line-out 'cause the mic level is so low. When singing, one listens also to the live voice and looks OK, but when recording, only the signal through the wires gets recorded and the voice, one finds, is so low.

I also play the harmonica (harp) and the PSR-740 together, using a head brace. I do have a small head mic that can be clamped to the harp holder, and being small can be cupped into the hands. But that type of mic does not have a battery and does not work through the PSR. The one you describe, I hope, will work.

Have you gotten good sigal ratio (voice-to- keyboard-sounds) WHEN RECORDING to an external device (WAV's to a PC, for instance), with that headset mic IN THE 740?

Do you get good results with PSR's VocalHarmony?

Thanks for replying.

mbl.

I haven't done any recording with the Radioshack headset mic. I play live with it about 3 hours a day. It gives a very hot signal. The vocal harmonies sound very good too. Since the vocal harmonies when scrutinized closely don't sound like real human voices, I use them to fill in the sound. I don't turn them up too loud. I've been very pleased with the Radioshack mic.

I wanted to ask Cliff about "I have two AKC410Cs with battery pack." What mic is this? What is the battery pack? I might be interested in other headset mics if they have a battery preamp. The great thing about the Radioshack preamp is that it's so micro, it's practically part of the input cable.

One other thing I'll say about the Radioshack mic, is that the cable is ridiculously long. It is a cable to accompany a 1/8" plug, but the mic comes with an adapter. I have two mics. With the first one, I unraveled the cable (removing the twist tie) and I had to unknot it every time I performed. What a drag. With the one I've been using every day, I kept the twist tie on and it's still plenty long to perform with. I can even stand up. I just can't walk around the room. Good luck.

Thanks Beakybird for replying.

Yesterday at R.S. I traded their PRO 500 ohm model for their headset-type model 33-3012 and thus DID SOLVE THE SIGNAL PROBLEM that I was having. I finally did record well voice and keyboard sound to WAV files via the SB-Live card at the PC.

Also, the ergonomics of not having to freeze my neck to a stick-mounted mic, and of not having the pole across the keyboard are a lot better - helps me from stiff neck problems, and the SIGNAL IS STEADY even when I move the head to glanze down at the keys or need to find and push a button.

It is an OMNI-directional mic and picks sound EQUALY from the front or back side. But the black foam mask can be pulled off and I covered the back-side of the pickup with a small piece of electrical tape, so now it only picks up sounds from the mouth- end.

Many thanks for your contribution. I am now one step further into the unknown.

mbl

More input on PSR-740 and R.S. mic.headset..

Into the R.S. 33-3012 amp/battery/switch module, I plugged a Labtec C-316 headset ($20 at computer stores) that I had already, and I feel that the sound is a little better than with the original R.S. pickup.

The Labtec has a built in ear-speaker so one can do sound monitoring while recording.

Since the ear part and the mic part are separate plugs, one has the choice of muting the PSR or not. This reduces the feedback from speakers on recording. One can independently raise the volume to the earphone output, while the line-out recording output is constant.

So it boils that the little R.S. micro-amplifier is the good factor for improved mic signal, so important in recording.

I do not have now the 'PRO' low-impedance mike, but I feel that if I would plug it into the micro-amp with an adapter, it would probably do even better sound quality (minus the important ergonomics of the headset types).

The above info is my 2-pennies change back to the forum.

mbl.

Excellent idea. I'll try some of these things soon. Thank you!