Headset mics

[OllieT]

Hi all,

 

I school I am involved with have 4 AKG PT450 beltpack transmitters that are currently used with lapel mics that always seem worse than useless. I want to try to "upgrade" them by replacing the lapels with headset mics, as when we hire mics they come with headsets which are much better. I don't really want to spend too much, but they need to sound decent (I know they are never going to compare to the Sennheiser G3s that we hire).

Has anyone got any specific recommendations of headsets to buy as I am baffled by the vast array online, and the vast range of prices! They will be used for both singing and speech, and will be in a school so need to be relatively robust, although they will only be used a few times a year. The belt pack needs a headset with a mini XLR connector.

 

Thanks in advance

[revbobuk]

What age children? headset mics are almost as much about fit as they are about sound quality!

[OllieT]

What age children? headset mics are almost as much about fit as they are about sound quality!

 

Adult size- mostly 17-18 year olds

[cdm]

I've used mics made by micronic https://micronic.co.uk/collections/ear-hook-microphone and had good results for church use, and for a bit of amateur theatre use, and in my opinion they compare well sound wise to the pulse headset mics from CPC, but with the advantage of having a replaceable cable, and they only cost around £20 so can be treated as consumables.

[Alec]

I've used mics made by micronic https://micronic.co.uk/collections/ear-hook-microphone and had good results for church use, and for a bit of amateur theatre use, and in my opinion they compare well sound wise to the pulse headset mics from CPC, but with the advantage of having a replaceable cable, and they only cost around £20 so can be treated as consumables.

Agreed on all points - have been using their BPE-S63 hear-hook mics (also available here from eBay) for the last year. Had two DOAs, but promptly and helpfully replaced. Happy with the performance, no issues with fit, they have proven robust, the removable lead is great, and delighted with the price.

 

Also delighted that they come with a range of connectors. My previous cheapies were 3 pin XLRs, where I had to keep reterminating to the TA4Fs I need. Much easier to buy them pre-terminated.

Edited October 3, 2019 by Alec

[cedd]

Also a micronic and CPC user here. Although it’s worth mentioning that Theatre Sound Supplies also have their new range of Applaud mics which seem to be getting good reviews. Look to be adjustable and TSS do great customer support.

[DavePallant]

 

 

Has anyone got any specific recommendations of headsets to buy as I am baffled by the vast array online, and the vast range of prices! They will be used for both singing and speech, and will be in a school so need to be relatively robust, although they will only be used a few times a year. The belt pack needs a headset with a mini XLR connector.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Hi, I'm working with a mix of primary and secondary kids in a theatre group and there is always some damage from each show so buy the cheapest I can. I've now bought three lots of three from ucoo-zone on ebay and have never had problems with them out of the box. They work out about £13 each but the sound quality is good and copes well even with some of the older kids who can really belt! I use them with Sennheiser XSW transmitters and receivers so buy headsets with locking 3.5mm jacks to replace the lavaliers that come with the cheapest Sennheiser systems, but they do sell them with various connectors.

Dave

 

[OllieT]

Thanks everyone for all the help with this.

 

Massive thanks also to graemeftv of Ultralightsound, who very kindly sent me (for free) a headset and some other bits that he had lying around, it was massively generous of him, and is very much appreciated!

[Pete Alcock]

Hi Ollie,

 

I've been hiring radiomic systems and (reluctantly) headsets to schools for years, and have bought just about every type and style available. I've been through all the CPC ones, Proel etc. and the same fate has met them all - the tiny screws get lost, the boom wires get all bent out of shape, the little plastic tips on the earhooks go missing (rendering them positively dangerous!) and the cables fail. It's impossible to recharge all this breakage to schools and I'd all but given up offering them until I found these:

 

Specific Headset Mic

 

They are absolutely the best for a few reasons:

 

The mic boom is a bendy gooseneck. It's not the most discrete, but anyone sat more than a few rows back won't see it. Key thing is they can't break!

The Earhooks are soft mouldings and won't get lost.

The capsule is decent quality and sounds fine. It's no DPA, but a touch of eq and it won't disgrace any amateur or school theatre production.

The cable seems tough and resilient and if it does get yanked out of the plug is easy to re-solder.

 

So, that's my recommendation. Since I've gone over to these, I've seen a dramatic decrease in the number of non-working returns off hire. I'm gradually replacing my entire headset stock with them.

 

Trust this helps,

 

Pete.

Edited October 30, 2019 by Pete Alcock

[grantr22]

On 10/30/2019 at 9:07 AM, Pete Alcock said:

Hi Ollie,

 

I've been hiring radiomic systems and (reluctantly) headsets to schools for years, and have bought just about every type and style available. I've been through all the CPC ones, Proel etc. and the same fate has met them all - the tiny screws get lost, the boom wires get all bent out of shape, the little plastic tips on the earhooks go missing (rendering them positively dangerous!) and the cables fail. It's impossible to recharge all this breakage to schools and I'd all but given up offering them until I found these:

 

Specific Headset Mic

 

They are absolutely the best for a few reasons:

 

The mic boom is a bendy gooseneck. It's not the most discrete, but anyone sat more than a few rows back won't see it. Key thing is they can't break!

The Earhooks are soft mouldings and won't get lost.

The capsule is decent quality and sounds fine. It's no DPA, but a touch of eq and it won't disgrace any amateur or school theatre production.

The cable seems tough and resilient and if it does get yanked out of the plug is easy to re-solder.

 

So, that's my recommendation. Since I've gone over to these, I've seen a dramatic decrease in the number of non-working returns off hire. I'm gradually replacing my entire headset stock with them.

 

Trust this helps,

 

Pete.

Hi Pete, I'd be grateful if you could please post a current link or the make and model of the head mics you recommend, cheers 

 

Grant

[cedd]

Can't be sure, but it sounds a lot like this one from AliExpress;

https://a.aliexpress.com/_uyhnXa

No experience, just the description sounded familiar. 

[grantr22]

Thanks cedd, certainly fits the description as you say. Annoyingly they're only allowing one unit of the Sennheiser plug type per customer at the moment, I'll have to keep checking back. 

[DavePallant]

I have bought several batches of these to use with kids of different ages in local drama groups.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302993558497

They take a couple of weeks to come from China. The sliding parts that hold the boom to the headpiece are quite strong and that has been the main failure point with previous thin wire headsets with tiny plastic clips. The strain relief on the connector is pretty good too. Slight downside is they are a bit large for the tinyiest kids so some gentle bending needed to fit them.

[grantr22]

Thanks Dave, they're very well priced! 

What do they sound like? 

 

[sunray]

Are they compatible with Trancec S4.4?