arobinsonaudio Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 This is sort of a double question. 1. What is the best sort of lapel microphone out there? Price is not an issue2. What is the largest number of the lapel mics I could have running at any one time.Thanks in advance people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plinque Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Depends. How exactly do you plan to use the mics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shez Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 1. What is the best sort of lapel microphone out there? Price is not an issue Depends entirely on the application. 2. What is the largest number of the lapel mics I could have running at any one time. There is no limit. If you wish to attached them to radio transmitters however, that's an entirely different question... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arobinsonaudio Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 the microphones are for a show of oliver. And they all need to be wireless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shez Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 The answer still depends somewhat, mainly on budget. For the capsules, consider DPA, Countryman and Sennheiser. As for how many, you can have a couple of hundred if there's sufficient empty RF spectrum at the location of the venue and you have deep enough pockets for the licencing. (There was a TV ad a couple of years ago for one or other of the mobile phone companies who used 500 simultaneously at Trafalgar square. No mean feat but it's possible.)PS. I wouldn't suggest using lapel mics for a musical. Been there, done that, it was poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 To expand on the above: In the theatre, lapel mics are almost never used on lapels. They're tucked up in the hairline, over the ear (or you use headset mics instead). The best mics themselves are, indeed, Sennheiser, DPA and Countryman. All make great (and small, easy-to-hide) mics. Sennheiser MKE2s, DPA 4060s and Countryman B3s are the "goto" mics for theatre work...and the DPA and Countryman headsets/earsets if you go that route. The best radio electronics for theatre use would be Sennheiser or Shure. If you REALLY mean "money is not an issue" then probably the Sennheiser 3000 or 5000 series (but sit down before reading the prices). However the various EW G3 series are good for the money. However, at the risk of being condescending, if you have to ask this question you need to involve a professional sound engineer. You don't just put the mics on people, hook them to an amp and speakers and let them go. The frequencies have to be planned, the mic placements planned and the show mixed like mad. FYI, I've done Oliver and, checking my records, we used 16 radio mics. Some were permanently on lead characters and others were swapped around at planned times. We also had a row of float mics across the front of the stage for chorus work etc. and some fixed spot mics specific to our set (which was multilevel) to pick up specific lines from people without radio mics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjrails Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 HI Guys Shez is right don't use lapels, as soon as the head is turned you loose the vocal, mic needs to be in the front hair line using thin elastic or hire grips. Or you could use one that fitsover the ear and stays to the side of the mouth (on the cheek) but make sure they are flesh coloured so they can be blended in with steri-strip plaster and make up.See you are based in Derby why not talk to a hire company like Hawthorns who are not far from you, the guys in the hire dept are very good with their advise. HTH PJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arobinsonaudio Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 bobbsy thanks for your indepth reply. the only reason I aksed which mics to use is I haven't done this kind of show before I lean more to the rock and roll side. And as for the quantity I just wanted to make sure the information I had was accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 You're going to find the technique for mixing a scripted show with a pile of omni lavs tucked over the ear or up in the hairline is very different from a rock show with SM58s being eaten by the singers! Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron-Hill07 Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Yeah, you don't need to worry about quantity of mic's on Oliver!... I'd personally be looking at some Shure UR4s with countryman.. nice combo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Yeah, you don't need to worry about quantity of mic's on Oliver!... I'd personally be looking at some Shure UR4s with countryman.. nice combo! What on earth is that supposed to mean? Yes, budget willing, there won't be a problem getting enough frequencies for a show like Oliver but you still need to consider how many you need. As for your recommendation of what mics and RF systems to use, an unsupported statement like that is totally pointless. Why do you prefer the UR4 to any other Shure system (and why do you prefer Shure to Sennheiser for that matter)? Why Countryman over Sennheiser or DPA? I'm not saying you've suggested bad choices--they'd be fine--but without giving some reasons for your suggestions, it's a pretty pointless post. And, true or not, the OP asked for the BEST mics around regardless of price. The UR4 and Countryman are good--but are you going to argue they're the best? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappie Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 (There was a TV ad a couple of years ago for one or other of the mobile phone companies who used 500 simultaneously at Trafalgar square. No mean feat but it's possible.)There were only about 160 mics that were "real", but still no mean feat to coordinate in the centre of town! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shez Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 There goes my memory again... Here is the thread about it that I didn't look up before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramdram Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Sennheiser has its very own, very good "how to" site with diagrams and photos on exactly the sort of thing you are considering. (However I blush to say I could not find the page but see links further down) Mics are positioned in the hair line and the cable led back over the scalp and down into the costume thence to the tx pack. IIRC they even show you, or rather the slap ladies, how to part the hair, lay the cable then comb the hair back into the proper parting. Fitting the kit is a joint operation you might say. A bit of gen here: http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=11143 or: http://www.brightandloud.com/microphone-placement/ HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JONAV Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 You will need to consider getting licences for the frequencies you are using. We found the PMSE licence the most cost effective for our school (see the OFCOM / JFMG webite for more info) We have done many musicals including Oliver and Ive found that 16 - 19 radio mics are a good number to have. You might have to do some swapping about on characters with minor speaking roles however. We have 16 Audio Technica systems using the PMSE licenced frequencies and 3 Sennheiser systems using the unlicenced band. This works well enough for us as we have a 32 channel mixing desk so that leaves a few spare channels for the band, SFX, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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