headset mics redux anyone? and mo'....

Ok, I've searched most of the past threads on this subject,
but many were a few years back.. since technology changes so quickly and i'm considering going to a headset again, perhaps there are some new wrinkles, maybe some
new experiences I can benefit from..and vice versa. I used a wired AT (also tried a lo-end Shure)a few years ago for several months, and loved the obvious benefits vs dynamic-on-a-stick. no need to rehash all the ways, Gary and others have made the case as well as it can be made.

2 reasons I went back to the popsicle: one, I would forget
to grab a volume knob or reach down to flip the switch on the beltpack on too many occasions..i'm not a cougher or a throat-clearer, but I would answer people who talked to me on-mike by turning my head aside, forgetting the headset mike came with my head! maybe the newer rigs
have addressed that issue better? the other reason was
that although i had no complaints re the sound, (and I found a new technique I can share to eliminate some of the proximity problems many have) it just didn't compare
in warmth and tone to my favorite mic, the AKG D880.
I'll come back to the technique and the AKG in a sec..

I'd like to hear from those who have tried the latest and best out there and can compare with others, rather than those who just say: "I use the Shmendrik FU2 and I like it" I'd also appreciate a comparison wired vs. wireless pro/con and recommended models of each.. and is the Crown Cm-311A still the industry standard?

Also would like to know if anyone has tried a lavaliere-type which would, all else being equal, have some of the benefits of the headset, but allow one to turn the head away and talk, or sing loud notes at a distance from mic?
what makes this type unpopular vs the headset?

Ok, you all have your assignment now, hop to it!
but i always try to give as well as take, so here's one for
you--i tried this and it worked like a charm for me: put your headset mic up against your cheek, not in front of your mouth! yes, i am a cerifiable lunatic but you have to humor me or i get a rash. you have to adjust your settings but it eliminates a lot of proximity problems, no pops, no hisses, no breath problems, no overload, and it sounds better. it may not be easy to do with your present rig, so
just hold it there with your hand instead of with the headset on your head if it's awkward. when u r convinced
of its quality, then you can figure out how to bend your
headpiece or replace it so you can get cheek-compatibility.

re the AKG D880. years ago Keyboard Magazine ran a mic comp series. they judged the D880 extremely sexy: to wit, it had a lot of interesting coloration at the top and bottom. for someone like me with mostly mid-range, it is
heaven, it is like playing an instrument to use it and explore its qualities. best $85 i ever spent, only one close for me is SamsonQ..but for someone who values or needs transparency AKG is not the one..i had a Sennheiser..an 855 i think..great expensive mic but just tooooo smooooth for me to get anything out of it..and i sound blah on the SM58, but i always carry one because it's best sound for female singers who sit in. I have a friend w/a girlish Smokey Robinson-type voice who loves the 58, and hates my 880. but if the AKG D880 works for your voice,
it will make you a better singer, because using its coloration is like adding a musical instrument.

Oh, and a tip for those that hate having to set up mic stands..i found a half size stand at Sweetwater online that plugs right into any X-stand. a pleasure..5 stars...

Miami Mo
(hey i said and mo', right?) btw i will be in Lakeville, nw connecticut from may 19-oct 30 so anyone in that area, woodstock, tanglewood, etc..would like to get together..
my gig or yours.. please email me..

I hope you get some responses. I am always considering a headphone mic but still stick with my good old SM58.

What specific stand from Sweetwater do you use. I looked and wasn't sure what you were referring to.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/BoomMount/
it's in the kb stand section, not the mic stand section.

http://www.quiklok.com/catalog/?p=productsMore&iProduct=138&sName=QLX-4

looks to me like the sweetwater one is a simpler solution
than the q-lock, but don't want to go off on a tangent--

am anxiously awaiting replies that compare top-end headset mics, compare wired v. wireless, offer answers
re lavalieres v. headsets, evaluate my suggestions re cheek v.mouth placement, and/or any other akgD880 reactions

Talk to Gary Diamond (Travelin easy) he uses one for years.

right, i referred to Gary in this post and i have read most of his posts re reasons for using a headset, and his praise of the Crown cm311a. what i need now is comps, updating on what's out there and all things i just mentioned in last reply.

Just my thoughts...

I have a COuntryman E6, the super-light, nearly invisible mic that everyone likes to use because it is so small. Most people from the 2nd row on back don't even realize I have a mic on....

PROS : Nearly invisible, super lightweight, decent sound.

CONS : Becuase it is so thin and small, the wiring is super-small and thin as well, thus I've had to have it serviced at least 3 times to repair breaks in the wire from when it gets hung up on something.

Granted, I have it hardwired to a standard XLR plug that is clipped to my belt, (I lead worship from my keyboard and never move the entire service becuase I run sound and record all the messages as well from my perch), I have a tendency to unhook from the XLR lead leaving just the XLR plug leading to the mic on me as I walk around, etc. More than once the excess cord hanging from my ear got hung on a pew, table, etc. while walking around and that was enough after a couple of times to break the wiring inside.When I went to prison ministry about 2 months ago, I had just gotten the mic out of the shop for the 3rd time since I've owned it for rewiring, when I had the XLR connection at the wrong angle, sat on it and have completely broken and destroyed the leads and circuitry around that area so now it's going to require placement of the entire part.... way more than I want to spend right now so it is in it's pouch waitintg on the day I decide to spend the extra money to have it fixed.

Bottom line : If you are careful with it and are going to maybe hook it to an actual battery pack/ transmitter on your belt in back so that the wire is not in a dangerous place, then it has been a great mic and I would recommend it to anyone. If you are not as careful and have a tendency to be around a bunch of stuff or move around a bunch, the wires could get broken and you could be stuck with repair bills or repairing it yourself on top of the $400 price tag of the mic itself plus whatever wireless set up you want to use it with.


Hope this helps....

Jeff

Jeff, thanks, i am unfamiliar with the countryman. the fragility problem may be exacerbated by the ultra-thin wires, but all the wired headset units have some degree of problems if they are subjected to what you exposed your unit to. I guess that would be a plus for a wireless setup, wonder what the minuses are..

anyone else know this unit and can comp it to a crown or other?

Just look up the countryman E6 on the net and you'll see what I'm talking about...

sharp looking little mic...

Not being able to 'work' the microphone for different timbres, and singing strengths has always kept me away from headsets (I tried in the 80's), and until I find anything as transparent as my EV N/D767a (new replacement for my N/D457 I used for ten years), I gotta pass on this one.

Plus, I still gotta put up a real mike for my T-bone....!

There are several things that I want to add to the debate regarding the Crown CM311A.

I have been using one for almost five years. It needed a repair only once - which was a few months ago - and the repair cost $20.

I hear a lot of complaints about a headset being problematic because a singer's high notes are louder, and you can't back away from the mic.

Since using a headset, my voice has adapted itself so that my high notes are only slightly louder than my low notes. I am not straining to hit them. I am learning that if I relax I will hit the high notes better, without the spike in volume. So that's a good thing.

Visibility with the CM311A could be an issue. It is quite conspicuous, and with my glasses and large nose, I'm sure I must look like a space creature to some of the seniors I play for who have Alzheimer's.

The Countryman E6 sounds interesting, but sturdiness is very important to me, especially if I'm going to shell out $400.

If I was in the market to buy another headset mic - if my CM311A totally fritzed out at me, I would look at the Countryman, and some of the other ones out there, but I'm very happy with what I have.

In case folks haven't read previous posts on the subject, one of the greatest advantages to using a headset mic with an arranger is that if you need to look down at your console, you can keep on singing and your voice will stay amplified. Furthermore, you can make effortless eye contact with anyone on either side of you and stay amplified.

Beakybird

I've been using the Crown CM-311A for three years, and never experienced any problems at all. I checked into the Countryman E6 unidirectional model, which is about $500 street price. The problem is the manufacturer and their major distributors say this is a special order mic and there is a no return policy. If you were to order their standard mic, which is omni directional, the price was about $100 less and if you didn't like what you heard they would take it back if it was returned within 14 days. I'll stick with the CM-311A for now.

I'm also rigged wireless with the CM-311A using a Samson Airline WSAX1 wireless mic system. It's clean as a whistle, the transmitter is the size of your thumb and plugs directly into any XLR mic plug, thereby making any mic, headset or handheld, wireless. The transmitter runs about 12 hours on a single AAA battery and the reciever is the size of a pack of cigarettes.

Gary

Gary: I can't find anything online on "Samson Airline WSAX1". Can you double-check the model number or provide a link?

I don't like lav mikes for singing at all. They are meant to be speaking mikes, not singing mikes. Also, if you use any kind of monitors on stage you will get feedback problems to no end using a lav. They are not meant to be used at high volumes. They don't usually have a really good frequency response and can sound kind of telephonish.

The countryman you guys are talking about, is that the one that just fits over your ear, it isn't really even a headset? I just used a Countryman like that a couple weeks ago, so I'm wondering if that's the one you're talking about. Although I liked the ease of putting it on, I didn't particularly care for the vocal sound. I sounded like a TV news anchor or something, again, great for speaking but didn't really like the sound I got from singing.

Typically I use an AKG wireless headset. I forget the model number. I really like it but for one thing. It seems to really accentuate the really high frequency, causing problems with syllibant (spelling?) sounds. You kind of have to know how to EQ it, but for rock or pop music which usually has pretty bright vocals anyway, it does sound rather nice. Doing country music, I like a little warmer sound, so I've learned how to EQ it.

am i breaking new ground here pulling out my own quotes? and is anyone going to try the cheek techneek? (0r is it chic technique?)

Mo

This is the system I use.



You'll find the details at Samson Wireless Mics

I don't know if this model is still in production, but I believe it is available.

Good Luck,

Gary

------------------
Travlin' Easy

Gary: Thanks for the details.

since I have little need for invisibility and tend to be spacey re being careful about wires, the tiny earset won't be for me, but I saw there was a very sleek and very cool-looking headset mic that Countryman offers, and i'm wondering how that compares sonically and comfort-wise to the Crown headsets. anyone know?

i think i want to go wireless, I always will keep a dynamic and my little plug-in mic holder w/me, so if rf problems i can make a quick switch. but so many different types and brands of wireless to go with the above headsets, i don't know where to begin..

Mo

Mo I don't want to condemn your "cheek technique" without trying it (because I haven't) but I've been using my Shure headset (wired) for a while now, and I've noticed they're VERY directional (if you want to get the best sound) and I can only assume (yes, just assume) that if I used this technique myself, I'd have to turn my gain and volume up to feedback inducing proportions to get any decent volume level with the cheek placement.

I could be wrong, maybe you DO have something here, but I'm - quite frankly - afraid to try it for the sound quality/feedback reasons mentioned above.

hellboy, as i recall, when i used to do it i didn't have to turn up all that much, and i don't think you will either..why don't you just try it at normal level and gradually turn it up? can't go wrong doing it like that.
btw. the Countryman earset mic looks to me like it is sort of a cheek-mic type of arrangement..the mic doesn't look in the fotos like it's in front of the mouth. wonder if i have an infringement lawsuit there????LOL

I was setting up with my akg mic today in the garage,
using the shortarm plug-in boom, and i was trying to see what everyone is talking about re disadvantages of working that way...and i can't locate the problem. First of all, I don't find the mic blocks my vison of the keyboard to any significant degree. Secondly, one doesn't have to face
straight ahead to sing or speak into the mic, one can just
turn their head if not 180, then at least 120, which is all
you need. you stay on mic by moving your body to the side as you are working the mic.

i'm still in the market for a headset mic because I just won a Korg X50 demo on ebay, and I'm going to set that up with a strap to use as a keytar, so I'll want a headset when
I use it that way. ( i TOLD you i was a lunatic!)

Miami Mo