Headworn Wireless mic system

[Cowgirlie]

Who here has experience with headworn wireless mic systems? I'm part of a love show, and want to disengage from the mic stand....Want quality vocal, and hopefully, no belt pack. I just ordered the Samson wireless for guitar, which has no belt pack (Yay!)and wonder about the same for a vocal...and can I run the vocal mic through the same receiver?

[ronmac]

Part of a "love" show? Tell us more! 

I have tried quite a few wireless setups over the years and have found Sennheiser to be very stable and reliable. They aren't the cheapest, although they are good value.

Wearing a headset mic will take some experimenting and a bit of adjustment. Since the mic is in a fixed position, you will need to learn how to control the dynamics of your performance. A compressor on your vocal channel is highly recommended.

You will need a separate receiver for your headset.

nb. When purchasing any wireless product make sure you are getting product with the new channel assignments (700Mhz band has been reassigned).

[ducktrapper]

I know nothing but I just have to say how much I dislike the ... um ... entire aura of these things. How would Roger Daltry be Roger Daltry with one of them? Maybe it's just the Garth Brooks revulsion experience, I dunno. Give me an SM-58 (and a long cord), anyday.   

[ST]

Hi Cowgirlie,

I use a very subtle wireless microphone for spoken word. It is all but invisible from 10 feet out. It is however, an omni directional microphone and it doesn't do well for a LOUD live music show if the stage volume is high.

I just got new wireless gear this weekend (head set and guitar).  I LOVED going without the microphone, microphone stand, wires as tethers on my psyche.  The headset microphone is a little more visible than I would have liked but it is very good in terms of gain-before-feedback. 

As far as I know - you will need two receivers (or an expensive dual receiver).

Just running out the door for awhile, but I'll get back to you with more thoughts.

Who here has experience with headworn wireless mic systems? I'm part of a love show, and want to disengage from the mic stand....Want quality vocal, and hopefully, no belt pack. I just ordered the Samson wireless for guitar, which has no belt pack (Yay!)and wonder about the same for a vocal...and can I run the vocal mic through the same receiver?

[ST]

Hi again Cowgirlie,

Back at a keyboard again.

Echoing ronmac (above) - I didn't see his post as I was writing mine - yes - microphone technique is different.

If you "work" the microphone with a handheld microphone in hand or on a stand - then you probably have some adjustment / adaptation in your future. A few years back I decided to stop trying to do dynamics with distance and to do it with voice control. I am rarely more than 1/2" from the windscreen when I'm singing into my regular microphone.  I just mention this because with my headworn microphone the same thing applies but since I'm used to that - it's not an issue.

Good headset microphones can run into major money just like good handhelds.

I just went through some research and trial and error getting to the state I'm in now.
I've got three body packs, three microphones, two 1/4" jack connectors for instruments and three receivers. All the belt packs and receivers are from the same manufacturer (Shure) but I could just as easily have gone with another one.

Here is why
My applications:
- spoken word (public speaking - I walk around a lot and am fairly animated at times)
- music: vocals and guitars - acoustic and electric (solo, duos, bands, guest events)

At any given time I need two receivers at most. The third is for backup
The same is true for the belt packs.

Having the third receiver and beltpack allows me to have two different guitars rigged and ready to go, but if one of anything fails, I'm still well covered.

Multiple Channels
All the receivers and beltpacks support multiple channels (frequencies) and have automatic pairing. So the receiver can seek an open channel and then when it finds one, the beltpack can sync up to it (connect) automatically. This is most important if I am working with other people who are also running wireless systems, or if I am moving to different venues with different wireless systems in the environment.


As ronmac mentioned above, you might want to verify with the manufacturer that you are in an allowed frequency range.

Gotta run.

More later.

[ST]

Hi again Cowgirlie,

You mentioned that you hoped to find a microphone without a belt pack.  I found this online. I don't have any direct experience with this one but I thought you might be interested to see it.


--== click the picture to see it in context ==--

I found your video

Sideshow Romance  (Loved it! - you're amazing)

and I had a couple of thoughts.

You might find the headset microphone with integrated transmitter (like the one pictured above) a little bulky under your hat. I guess you'd have to try it on.

I noticed that you play standing with a strap. You could attach a belt pack to the strap if you didn't want to hook it onto a belt. But I had an odd thought. I'm pretty sure my belt pack would fit in your hat.

I noticed that you are very consistent in your microphone technique so I don't think that you'll have much adapting to do with respect dealing with the microphone in a fixed position with respect to your mouth.

I hope that there's something for you in these posts.

[Cowgirlie]

Thanks....I have looked at that one, like that it is pack-free. It is not where to hook a belt pack that is a problem, and I have hooked them on straps for other shows, I just want a cleaner look if I can get quality without a big ol' belt pack. I think I could position that transmitter below a hat brim. I am pretty good with dynamics without moving off the mic much....I learned a long time ago that if you are having to pull off too much, nobody is fooled, they just know you can't really hit the notes 

[unclrob]

I just did a set this past weekend with the kinda rig your looking into.I used the headset mic on my guitar via velcro with the mic placed over the end of the fingerboard and a lapel mic clipped to my shirt for vocals.Worked well enough with the crappy PA I had to run it thru.I did velcro the guitar transmitter to the butt of the guitar and wore the lapel transmitter on my belt.If I played standing up I'd but both tranmitters on the strapHope this helps.

[unclrob]

Oh I forgot to say the one I'm using is just your basic cheapy since it was/is/could work as an experiment.The company is called SKY/USA.I bought 2 because each come's with one transmitter and one reciever.On the plus side I it come's with both a headset and a lapel mic.The headset came apart easy enough to rig to the guitar.Like I said experiment that worked.Now I need to apply it to a full band setting.I'm thinking of adding a wireless for my electric and my MIDI to cut back on all the cable's that surround me now.

[ST]

Hi unclrob,

I tried using a tiny wireless microphone in my new Koa yesterday. It was great when playing solo. It wasn't great when I had loud company on stage. The microphone picked up too much of other instruments and vocals and things got muddy.

You can see pictures here Koa - amplified


I picked up a rubber sound-hole stopper this morning. It stops the problem but I didn't like what it did to the sound of the instrument.

Hope you have better luck.

[unclrob]

I saw that.I've experimented with all sorts of mic's on the guitar,in a duo setting I didn't have a problem with other mic's.The electric band will be an adventure.I plan on trying it out at rehearsal this week I'll let you all know.