Budget Headset mics - Thomann/CPC / other?

[TomHoward]

Does anyone have any recommendations for budget headset mics?
I've been using the Pulse/CPC ones for years - seem okay but are very partial to breath noise and the jack connectors need resoldering every couple of years. 
There's the CPC ones with replaceable cable - are they more trouble than they are worth as they have another connection?
Or the Thomann ones - at least you'd get a 3yr warranty?

Or is there another supplier? Ideally sub-£60 a headset for school musicals - paired with Sennheiser EW so 3.5mm jack with locking ring

[kgallen]

For better or worse I buy something like this (various sellers): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/302993558497

For a UK supplier of similar product I use these guys who are helpful/responsive: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271817195023?var=570644972552

For cardioid I've bought these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204309188211?var=504860860293

They are good enough for amdram and if they last a dozen performances then I'm happy enough (although I don't like the EE waste really, but am I going to spend £100 or more per headset of my own money, unfortunately not).

I use these with Senny EW G2 300/500 series.

Edited October 19, 2023 by kgallen

[Keith_]

I agree - they stay on, but are not very comfortable. The sound quality and level varies quite a lot depending on how the mini gooseneck is positioned but you get what you pay for. If you want something better, that will last, Senn ME3 is the one I recommend, > £60 new, but s/h often on ebay. Having said that those wee wire things are less obtrusive, which is obviously important for am. dram and musicals. I believe you can get them in child size too.

 

 

[kgallen]

28 minutes ago, Keith_ said:

 I believe you can get them in child size too.

Can you share a link? I've been looking for some smaller sizes for some time...

[TomHoward]

Cpc have a child sized headset in the catalogue at least?

[kgallen]

36 minutes ago, TomHoward said:

Cpc have a child sized headset in the catalogue at least?

Thanks, do you have a CPC order code?

https://cpc.farnell.com/w/c/audio-visual/professional-sound-lighting/microphones/performance-headset-microphones/prl/results?connector-type=3.5mm-locking-jack-plug&sort=P_PRICE

 

[Keith_]

Yes, I am sorry, I made a not very good mental note last time I saw them. CPC seem only to do the StageLine children's size and it terminates in a mini XLR, unfortunately. I could not find a mini TRS in that size (and StageLine website is very unhelpful). I have in the past had Micronic (https://micronic.co.uk/collections/ear-hook-microphone/products/ear-hook-headset-microphone-for-sennheiser-3-5mm-locking-jack-transmitters) on youths (the adjustment of the boom helps), but not properly tiny people. I'm sure I have seen small ones elsewhere, but racking my brains, I still cannot remember, sorry.

[paulears]

Plenty direct from China at pretty well throwaway prices.

Like this fifty quid for 5

[sunray]

1 hour ago, paulears said:

Plenty direct from China at pretty well throwaway prices.

Like this fifty quid for 5

Last year pennies under £90 for 12, without seeing them since March I'd say looking similar. Come end of panto season we had one missing, 10 working but 2 broken and one discoloured by ?make-up/paint?. The hire fee across 4 panto's (headsets specifically listed separately) just about covered the purchase price.

Until now always gone for CPC but now ~£40 each.

Edited October 19, 2023 by sunray

[mksound]

I’ve been using these for the last couple of years https://www.highlite.com/en/products/audio/microphones/wireless-microphone-accessories/d1433-eh-4.html

They are bulletproof, I’ve had a couple of leads to go faulty but they’re a cheap replacement and the mics themselves are very good with lovely audio quality.

[Fleeting]

Good morning,

We sell and use the Stagecore headsets. They are a little more robust than the pulse ones. But at this price point you really get what you pay for..

 

https://www.fbtaudio.co.uk/stagecore/headsets-and-lavalier-microphones/head-worn/

 

Ian..

[GR1]

Am I the only person who objects to pink coloured microphones being referred to as 'Skin Coloured' ?

Suppliers like Highlite listed above seem to live in the stone age.

[J Pearce]

Most companies have rightfully moved to white/beige/pink/brown/black. I regularly buy beige, brown, and black as good matches for skin, and have a drawer full of paint pens for getting even closer matching.

[intyra]

Re the Thomann t.bone headsets – we bought 20 of these recently. They are:

• Obviously from the same factory as the CPC headsets
• A slightly pinker colour than their CPC comrades
• Slightly more durable and comfortable than the CPC equivalent; they are able to be resized more easily
• Worse sounding than the CPC equivalent; specifically, all of ours have significant hiss and sound more muffled compared to the CPC equivalents

In summary I'd avoid them. For a similar price the Pulse / CPC headsets are significantly better in terms of sound quality, albeit somewhat less durable.

[cedd]

On 10/29/2023 at 2:07 AM, intyra said:

Re the Thomann t.bone headsets – we bought 20 of these recently. They are:

• Obviously from the same factory as the CPC headsets
• A slightly pinker colour than their CPC comrades
• Slightly more durable and comfortable than the CPC equivalent; they are able to be resized more easily
• Worse sounding than the CPC equivalent; specifically, all of ours have significant hiss and sound more muffled compared to the CPC equivalents

In summary I'd avoid them. For a similar price the Pulse / CPC headsets are significantly better in terms of sound quality, albeit somewhat less durable.

I also had a number of them fail in an identical way to how I'd seen the CPC ones fail - capsule suddenly started emitting loud rumbling/static. You could make it come and go by flicking the capsule. 

RE. the skin tone options on these, I completely agree. I've been looking for some reasonable but cheap ones in brown for a while. CPC sold off a tonne of them very cheap years ago when they switched to just beige, but I'm down to my last few. I know one argument is simply, colour them yourself (as is done in professional theatre) but I've yet to find a solution that still allows the headset to be adjusted to different people and that retains the colouring long enough. Factory painted in the correct colour really is the only way. Black isn't a solution, and is no better a skin tone match than beige on a lot of people. A brown option really is essential to any range. 

Still a big fan of the Microphone Madness headsets, which aren't in the same league price-wise, but aren't DPD prices either. They sound lovely.