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Need opinions based on experience: Headset Mic?


Weird Uncle Tim

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I would LOVE to get rid of the Mic stand. I play guitar and sing sitting/leaning on a high stool. I am an average guitarist (working on getting better) and I rely heavily on my voice to get me through. I have a deep and powerful voice and I use mic technique to equalize the volume. How would I compensate with a headset mic that I can't back off or snuggle up to?

Right now I use a SM57 with a wind screen for plosive control into a TC Helicon GTX out to a Bose L1 Classic with two B1 subs.

My set list is pretty standard Johnny Cash/Neil Diamond/John Denver/JamesTaylor Stuff.

I need to hear from experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

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Quote Originally Posted by Weird Uncle Tim View Post
I would LOVE to get rid of the Mic stand. I play guitar and sing sitting/leaning on a high stool. I am an average guitarist (working on getting better) and I rely heavily on my voice to get me through. I have a deep and powerful voice and I use mic technique to equalize the volume. How would I compensate with a headset mic that I can't back off or snuggle up to?
That's the biggest adjustment when using a headset. If you're familiar with the songs enough where you can quickly reach up and move the mic portion of the headset out before big notes and then back, that helps. Otherwise I'd suggest getting very familiar with the nuances of vocal compression.

I love using a headset. Mine's wireless and with the guitar wireless, I'm mobile...which is awesome.
Brian V.

P.S. Happy happy joy joy...
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I had a headset mic 20 years ago, and liked it for most things. It was a cheap Audio Technica and Nady 101 wireless. On loud notes I kind of sang out of the other side of my mouth. I did find that I tended to look at my guitar too much when I didn't have to look down my stand mounted mic. I would get one today except that I play a harmonica. Also Garth and Brittany Spears kind of soured me on the looks of them.
Why does everyone like shure so much? Try an EV. They have a lot more gain and bass response. I tried all of them when I was young and ende up with a PL80. Then I went to the N/DYM and had several of them. I'm now using a 767. I haven't seen much love for EV here, though.

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I'd like to be able to use a headset mic, so I could stroll out into the audience and stuff, but I "work" the mic, getting up on to it or as far away as 6-7 inches, for tonal/volume variations and that sort of thing.

Can't do that w/ a headset mic while playing solo...Garth and Brittney's soundmen "work" their mics for them when they're singing at all (they both lip-synch a bit, as well).

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Quote Originally Posted by Loner View Post
I had a headset mic 20 years ago, and liked it for most things. It was a cheap Audio Technica and Nady 101 wireless. On loud notes I kind of sang out of the other side of my mouth. I did find that I tended to look at my guitar too much when I didn't have to look down my stand mounted mic. I would get one today except that I play a harmonica. Also Garth and Brittany Spears kind of soured me on the looks of them.
Why does everyone like shure so much? Try an EV. They have a lot more gain and bass response. I tried all of them when I was young and ende up with a PL80. Then I went to the N/DYM and had several of them. I'm now using a 767. I haven't seen much love for EV here, though.
Use a 967 and actually my preferred mic over a 58! Nice mic.
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Would you want to buy a mic that someone else put their lips on and didn't like?

Good point.

I like simple too and I don't want a more expensive mic just for show. I have never had anyone tell me I would sound better with a better mic. I do use a Beta58 at church (Their mic) and I don't notice any difference.
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Quote Originally Posted by Weird Uncle Tim View Post
I love the look of the 55 and it would certainly fit my style, but I worry about using it live. Anybody use one on a regular basis?
Yeah. I love that mic. And it's heavy as a pistol. I doubt they sound that good. I am pretty sure they have the same innards as a 57 or 58. Nothing to worry about. It's not radically different than what you are using now except it has good plosives suppression.

Drawback is that after a couple years, mine stinks pretty good. I should dip it in lavoris.
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Way back when headset mics first came down in price, our lead singer at the time ran out and got one. We (I was the sound guy as well as guitarist) discovered a lot of things about them, not just the plosives, proximic/dynamic and timbral issues, but breathing...yeah, think about it...every breath you take is taken right into the mic. After a few gigs with it, he gave it up. The newer models are better but still, every one I have tested had issues. I would be much happier to go with a wireless headset, but until they get some kind of 'smart gate' technology built in, I'm out.

The Shure 55SH is one of my favorite mics; I own one, but our harmonica player usurped it...he said it looked funny leaned in on a boom stand, and worse on a gooseneck...so he has it on a straight-up stand rolleyes.gif
Also, who said there was no love for EV mics here? I love.gif my EV967 thumb.gif

(if yo uguys are wondering where the other posts went, I spiked them...the OP was asking about headsets....wave.gif

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Quote Originally Posted by daddymack View Post
discovered a lot of things about them, not just the plosives, proximic/dynamic and timbral issues, but breathing...yeah, think about it...every breath you take is taken right into the mic.
And that is true. For the breathing part, I only notice it when I'm recording--like when I recorded Springsteen's "Thunder Road". I was kinda out of breath by the guitar outro part. I had to be careful to breathe out of my mouth instead of my nose. But live at bar/winery levels that I play at, it's not noticeable for me. Until you need to sneeze or cough!!! And indeed, you might not be so inclined to belt out the Really Big parts--the screaming out of the side of your mouth thing works pretty well. I NEVER move the mic before the big notes, as I'm kinda too busy at the time! If I prepare for the note and support it with my diaphragm, I can generally get the same Big Note effect without making the meter hit the red zone. The plosives aren't a big issue for me since the mic isn't right in front of my mouth.

So my take is that the pluses far outweigh the minuses: I can look around, at the charts, at the neck of the guitar, the people, and I'm never off-axis. My wife used to complain that my level with a standard mic would come and go. If I strayed from proper mic technique, I payed dearly for it. To me, that's worth the other down sides. And load in-n-out is easier. If I wasn't playing guitar at the same time, or was brilliant enough to ditch the charts, yada yada, I might feel different. But as it is, the headset makes a big plus for my act.

Also, though, I like the 55SH idea: it makes the mic part of the stage show. It's a great looking prop. Grease your hair back, put your collar up, put a pack of smokes in your T-shirt sleeve. It rocks!
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Quote Originally Posted by Loner View Post
Try an EV. They have a lot more gain and bass response. I tried all of them when I was young and ende up with a PL80. Then I went to the N/DYM and had several of them. I'm now using a 767. I haven't seen much love for EV here, though.
Quote Originally Posted by daddymack View Post
Also, who said there was no love for EV mics here? I love.gif my EV967 thumb.gif
Hmmmm, Lemme see,,,,rolleyes.gif

I've ggt three N/D767a's, three N/d 267's, three PL-84's, two PL-44's, two PL-24s', one N/D 868, two PL-37's, two PL-33's, and eight PL-35's.

What was that about EV mics again??? wink.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by Loner View Post
Try an EV. They have a lot more gain and bass response. I tried all of them when I was young and ende up with a PL80. Then I went to the N/DYM and had several of them. I'm now using a 767. I haven't seen much love for EV here, though.
Quote Originally Posted by daddymack View Post
Also, who said there was no love for EV mics here? I love.gif my EV967 thumb.gif
Hmmmm, Lemme see,,,,rolleyes.gif

I've got three N/D767a's, three N/D 267's, three PL-84's, two PL-44's, two PL-24s', one N/D 868, two PL-37's, two PL-33's, and eight PL-35's.

What was that about EV mics again??? wink.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by daddymack View Post
.he said it looked funny leaned in on a boom stand, and worse on a gooseneck...so he has it on a straight-up stand rolleyes.gif
I agree with him that they kind of dictate a theme that doesn't go to will with a boom or gooseneck.

I am 6'4", so a straight stand aint an option. None of them are tall enough. Plus, rocking a full hollowbody and full beer belly, my face is too far away. Elvis I ain't. For a long time I used a gooseneck and thought it did look better than the boom.

I recently bought a nice chrome atlas boom and I dig it enough that I don't care about the incongruity of style. With that mic, the cast iron base and counter weight, I am pulling about 40 pounds of heavy equipment to sing through icon_lol.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by cephus View Post
I agree with him that they kind of dictate a theme that doesn't go to will with a boom or gooseneck.

I am 6'4", so a straight stand aint an option. None of them are tall enough. Plus, rocking a full hollowbody and full beer belly, my face is too far away. Elvis I ain't. For a long time I used a gooseneck and thought it did look better than the boom. ...
and with a gooseneck, you can move it and get that great retro CREAEAEAEK sound!
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