When it comes to picking up both the spoken and sung word in church sound applications, you could say the lavalier mic earns the coveted Triple Crown. A lav mic keeps your hands free to do other things, is inconspicuous, and can sound fantastic.
Audio-Technica has long been a leader in lavalier microphone technology of both the wired and wireless variety. The company’s newest lavalier — the UniPoint AT899 — sits at the top of the A-T line. At $299 (U.S.), the AT899 is an affordably priced mic with a tiny footprint, good sound, and impressive flexibility.
Disappearing Act
Though not the smallest lavalier mic available,
the AT899 is tiny by any standards. At just 5 mm in diameter (about the size
of a wooden
match head) and roughly
15 mm long, the mic element assembly and its slender cable disappear readily
into clothing. The foam pop filter increases the mic’s profile, but only
slightly. When the pop filter isn’t required, a small element cover keeps
the condenser element safe from moisture. A beige version of the mic and accessories
is also available; having one of each mic color on hand would allow for unobtrusive
sound pickup with all types of clothing.
An electret condenser mic, the AT899 requires an external power source for its electronics. The mic will draw power either from an 11-52 volt phantom supply in the mixer or a AA battery in its barrel-style power module. This power module acts as a converter between the mic’s compact TA3F output connector and standard XLR jack, and also contains the mic’s electronics and low-cut filter with recessed switch. The AT899 has no power switch, but the AA battery is good for around 1,200 hours of continuous use. Replace the battery once a month just to be safe, and the AT899 should never run out of juice.
The AT899 comes standard with an extensive accessory kit that opens up nearly unlimited placement options. This nifty kit includes an alligator-style spring clip, a viper clip, and a clever magnetic clip, all of which accept interchangeable single and dual mic holders. Three of the single and two of the dual mic holders are included, as are two element covers and two foam pop filters. The mic even includes an alligator-style spring clip just for keeping the cable out of sight. The accessory kit is also available separately as the AT899K ($64 U.S.).
The viper clip has two sharp steel pins (like teeth) that stick into the outer layer of clothing for a secure hold. They’re long enough to go through thin fabric and back out again, protecting skin from accidental pricks. Heavier fabrics require less care.
The magnetic clip has a strong, flat magnet about the diameter of a pea. This magnet attracts a small steel backing plate placed behind the fabric, delivering a very strong grip — even through a relatively thick garment. The end result is a mic that appears to be suspended on the wearer with no means of support. A nylon lanyard keeps the steel plate from falling if the mic is dislodged, avoiding a potentially embarrassing search. This is an ingenious way to hold a mic in place without clips, pins or other visible means of support.
Between the AT899’s small mic element and connector is about 10 feet of thin, supple cable. This is enough cable to leave the power module on the floor and run the cable up a pant leg, if the speaker is largely stationary. Tuck the power module in a pocket, however, and you’ve got a lot of cable to find a home for. AT899 models made for beltpack wireless operations have a shorter 55-inch cable. Versions are available not only for Audio-Technica systems, but also for Lectrosonics, Sennheiser, and Shure wireless systems.
In Use
Once you decide which mounting method is most appropriate
(with the accessory kit, that is), placement of the AT899 is a breeze. The
mic’s cable snaps
securely into the clip just below the mic assembly, at which point the mic
can be rotated easily if necessary. Audio- Technica recommends placement about
six inches beneath the chin, and testing confirmed this to be the best location
for sound.
Though not in the blast zone for the usual plosives (“b” and “p” sounds, for example), the AT899 sometimes exhibits breath noise from the “s” sound. The small foam windscreen tames this noise, and also increases the mic’s resistance to wind noise. It’s worth noting that the foam windscreen reduces the “crackle” of wind noise considerably, but the mic still generates thunderous bass energy. This is where the AT899’s low-cut filter comes into play. With a mic that’s flat down to 20 Hz, such a filter is a real speaker-saver.
The AT899 is somewhat susceptible to mechanical noises, but not where you’d expect. Instead of generating noise when the mic assembly itself is bumped, the AT899 creates most of its mechanical noise from the cable. Tap or rub the cable, and noises come through loud and clear as clicks and “swishing” sounds. If you use care to get the mic’s cable immobilized, you shouldn’t have a problem.
Sonically, the AT899 is voiced for a smooth, natural sound. In contrast to microphones that offer a great deal of high-frequency boost to open up the sound, the Audio- Technica instead keeps its top end largely flat and free from hype. Considering that beneath the chin isn’t optimum placement for crisp, clear voice pickup, the true-to-life AT899 can sound a little muffled without EQ. I found that a few dB of lift on the top end — and a wide cut around 350 Hz— opens up the mic’s sound nicely.
With the low-cut filter off, low-frequency pickup from the AT899 is full without being muddy or overpowering. Engaging the lowcut filter thins out the very lowest octave of the male voice, but still leaves adequate depth. The filter does most of its work at the lowest, most problematic frequencies.
The AT899 is a case study in the challenges of microphone design: voice a mic to generate the sound that everybody wants right out of the box, and the mic’s versatility suffers; make the mic pick up a wide range of sound sources without undue coloration, and the resulting sound can be, well, flat.
I laud Audio-Technica’s decision to make the AT899 an uncolored mic suitable for all different types of voices, both speaking and singing. The mic’s wide frequency response and honest sound makes it useful for more than just voice. If you don’t need the isolation of a directional mic, the AT899 will give you excellent sound in many instrument applications as well.
If you’d prefer to shape a mic’s sound yourself, instead of having someone else do it for you, the affordable Audio-Technica AT899 will give you excellent service anywhere you clip, stick, or hang it.
