Headset performance mic suggestions, please

wuzzo

wuzzo

668- the neighbour of the beast
Hello,
I'm a solo guitarist/songwriter and I use a small 30watt acoustic guitar amp. with an instrument input and a mic. input.
Up until now I've just amplified the guitar and sung acoustic but I now need to add a mic and I don't want the fuss of a mic stand so I'm looking for a wireless headset mic solution.
I'm playing sitting on my amp- just small open-mic gigs- so I'm OK to mix my sound myself. Any suggestions ? Something around £150- 230 US$- 190 Euros would suit my pocket.
 
mjbphotos said:
They don't provide a mic and PA system at the open mics you are going to? Strange!
Click to expand...

Sure they do. I want my own, independent, system under my own control and consistent from gig to gig. You see the wisdom in that ?
Anybody have any recommendations ?
 
Buy a mic stand and a normal mic like an sm58. Headset mics are a pain, and only the extremely expensive ones sound any good.

Alan.
 
Trust me. A mic stand is a lot less fuss that a wireless system.

However, if you insist on going the wireless headset route, the cheapest systems I could recommend would be the Sennheiser XS but that's around double your budget. You could probably get the AKG WMS40 within your budget and they're okay-ish but far from great.

If you're in the UK make sure you get a system that works in the 863-865MHz range (basically the bottom half of UHF Channel 70) or on 2.4 GHz, otherwise you'll need to buy a licence. If you see a "to cheap to be real" deal online chances are it will be fake gear on illegal frequencies...there are tons around. Don't forget the cost of changing batteries every second show and replacing the headset once or twice a year. There's a Chinese company that actually does okay headsets cheap--I tend to treat the headset as a disposable now except for the most high end gig--I can did out their details if you decide to go ahead.

Otherwise, buy a mic stand! It'll be much easier in the long run.
 
Bobbsy said:
Trust me. A mic stand is a lot less fuss that a wireless system.

However, if you insist on going the wireless headset route, the cheapest systems I could recommend would be the Sennheiser XS but that's around double your budget. You could probably get the AKG WMS40 within your budget and they're okay-ish but far from great.

If you're in the UK make sure you get a system that works in the 863-865MHz range (basically the bottom half of UHF Channel 70) or on 2.4 GHz, otherwise you'll need to buy a licence. If you see a "to cheap to be real" deal online chances are it will be fake gear on illegal frequencies...there are tons around. Don't forget the cost of changing batteries every second show and replacing the headset once or twice a year. There's a Chinese company that actually does okay headsets cheap--I tend to treat the headset as a disposable now except for the most high end gig--I can did out their details if you decide to go ahead.

Otherwise, buy a mic stand! It'll be much easier in the long run.
Click to expand...

As a stop gap I'll look at the possibilities of adapting my existing kit ( five mics. and three stands ) for the small space/easy erect option. I'll look again at the headset option when I have a bigger budget.
Thanks to All for your comments. They make such decisions a lot easier.
 
wuzzo said:
Sure they do. I want my own, independent, system under my own control and consistent from gig to gig. You see the wisdom in that ?
Anybody have any recommendations ?
Click to expand...

Actually, as someoone who has hosted open mics, the last thing I want is a person bringing in their own amp and mic. The host has to deal with one person after another, getting them on stage and playing as quickly as possible. The host has the PA system set up for the venue. If a guitarist brings in his own amp, then the host most often has to set up a mic in front of it, as the small amp does not spread the sound the same way as the PA system, without miking the amp, it is a battle to balance the PA vs the mic. You would want to put the amp behind you (probably angled up) so you could hear yourself, and that would further limit the sound getting to the audience.
Before going this route I would strongly suggest talking to the hosts of the OMs you are planning on going to - if they are ok with it, then go ahead with your plans.

In this area we had a guy who showed up at open mics with guitar, amp, MP3 player, vocal processor (and mic) and a guitar pedal board. He would want to get everything set up before the OM started - getting in the way of the host setting up, and leaving his gear in everyone's way all night. When he came to my OM, I told him to leave the amp at home, he could plug into the PA (he wasn't happy about that and didn't return to my OM). Eventually, he has been told by two other OM hosts in the area to not come their open mics - his whole set up and demeanor is disruptive, doesn't sound good and adds nothing to the event (he brings no friends, doesn't order anything from the bar).
 
Well he'd be welcomed at my club. Sounds like just the sort of free-thinking, precise, out-of-the-box performer that my audience would take to.

Incidentally- your vocals are out of sync. with your video. Wayward around 0.48 in the windy ' Metropolitan backdrop ' scene.
 
wuzzo said:
Well he'd be welcomed at my club. Sounds like just the sort of free-thinking, precise, out-of-the-box performer that my audience would take to.

Incidentally- your vocals are out of sync. with your video. Wayward around 0.48 in the windy ' Metropolitan backdrop ' scene.
Click to expand...

Where's your club? You host an open mic there?

I'm well aware of the video synch - that section of the video was done without any audio cueing, kind of a second thought when my wife and I were down in the city. And my wife is NOT a good photograher - she can't hold a camera steady, and doesn't center/keep things level very well. :rolleyes:
 
DPAs are also great favourites of mine...when somebody else is paying!

Seriously, there are some wonderful sounding headsets out there (DPA and Earthworks being two favourites) but, even though the price is 10-20 times the Chinese cheapies, the service life is maybe double. A bit of EQ can make the cheapies sound okay and the price makes them a disposable like batteries rather than something to be coddled and nursed.
 
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