Madonna, Garth Brooks, and Britney Spears not withstanding, headset mics are not just for pop stars and aerobics instructors any longer. As the physical profile of these systems decreases, headset mics are finding their way onto the Broadway stage and into houses of worship as well, replacing the venerable lavalier mic in conditions where hands-free operation and superior signal-to-noise is desired.
Initial headset systems were big and bulky noise-canceling systems that were coupled with headphones and used by pilots and sports announcers. As microphone elements became smaller, headset mic systems began to find their way into use for corporate presenters and they became the de facto standard for aerobics instructors.
With miniaturized mic elements and components available in colors to match skin tones, they became inconspicuous, making them even more attractive to the house of worship market.
So, what are some of the benefits of headset mics over lavalier mics? Jonathan Pusey, national marketing manager for Hosa Technology, distributor of Da-Cappo microphones, says, "The primary benefit of using a headworn mic as opposed to a lavalier mic is that headworn mics maintain the position of the capsule relative to the user's mouth under all but the most extreme circumstances. With a lavalier the mic position changes every time the user turns his or her head. By contrast, an earset or headset mic moves with the user for optimum pickup every time.”
Chris Countryman, president, Countryman Associates, Inc. expands on that thought. “Headsets have two main advantages over lavaliers. They're much closer to the mouth for better gain, and they move with the head so the sound stays clean and consistent. For the best sound and the most gain before feedback, it comes down to how far the microphone is from your mouth. Move a microphone twice as far from the mouth and you get one quarter of the sound energy. Headset microphones are usually within an inch of the mouth, while a lavalier hidden in the hair might be five inches away, and one on the chest could be eight to ten inches away. The sound person has to increase the gain as much as 10 or 12 dB on the lavalier to get the same voice level as they would with a headset, which translates directly into 10 to 12 dB less headroom and 10 to 12 dB more ambient noise in the mix. Because a headset microphone always stays the same distance from the mouth, when ministers or performers tilt their heads down the sound doesn't get loud and boomy, and when they turn away it doesn't get quiet and thin like it would with a lavalier on the chest."
What's in a name?
Let's talk nomenclature. Typically a system that is secured to both ears is referred to as "head-worn.” Systems affixed to one ear are called "ear-worn.” What are the key differences (aside from where they are worn, of course) and why would you pick one over the other?
Dave Egenberger, product manager for Electro-Voice Wireless Microphones says, "While there are two basic styles, one-sided ear worn and two-sided head worn, there are subtle variations that include over- or under-ear, flexible or rigid boom, adjustable or fixed, etc. In general, the single-sided, ear-worn is best when used for one person so the fit can be just right and stay that way. For some applications, theatrical tape can be used to secure the microphone. For active applications (person moving around) and for sharing among several speakers, the adjustable two-sided style is best."
Karl Kussmaul, senior product manager, Sony Professional Audio, concurs, "Head-worn operation provides secure mounting for use during active movement (dancing, running, etc.) and ear-worn operation offers the best in comfort."
So now you're thinking: "These are pretty cool, but how would I use one in my church?"
Edward Byce from Provider Series Audio Products says, "Headworn microphones are very popular with pastors for sermons. However, a growing number of users are worship leaders. [Head-worn mics offer] a high gain before feedback, produce great vocals, and free up both hands for worship or playing piano, keys, etc."
Kussmaul from Sony comments, "Headset mics are typically used in conjunction with wireless microphone systems and can be used when hands-free operation is desired."
Karl Winkler, sales and marketing manager, Lectrosonics adds, "Most often, headset and earset mics are associated with speech, but they can also be used for music. The difference, however, is that with music, many performers are accustomed to a handheld microphone and the way to “work” that kind of microphone. Using headset mics for singing takes some getting used to."
Decisions, decisions
You've determined that a headset mic would be perfect for your worship leader, who tends to wander the stage with his guitar. But, what pick-up pattern will work best?
Winkler from Lectrosonics explains, "Omni headsets are the most common type. Breath and wind noise are minimized, and placement of the capsule is not as critical as with a directional microphone. Small omni elements do not exhibit proximity effect (accentuated low-frequencies) and thus tend to sound very natural wherever they are placed. The drawback is that omni mics do not have as much gain before feedback as their directional cousins. Cardioid headset mics have the advantage of greater gain before feedback when compared to omni mics, if placed at the same distance from the wearer's mouth. The downside is that because of proximity effect, placement becomes very critical – too close to the mouth and excessive bass response may be a problem, too distant from the mouth and they can sound thin. Finally, directional mics are far more sensitive to plosives and wind noise."
Bruce Myers, president, DPA offers his input on the topic, "Generally, anytime an omni will work with regards to gain before feedback and isolation issues, they should be chosen over directional designs. Omnis do not suffer from proximity effects, are less prone to ‘plosives' and breath induced wind noise as compared to directional designs. Also handling noise issues are much more subdued in omni designs. Cable noise is typically less of an issue with omnis. At DPA we recommend that our omni headworns be used unless gain before feedback is an issue and/or there is noise or other sources in the immediate vicinity that bleed into the omni mic. If either of the two aforementioned scenarios are present, one should then choose the directional design."
Steve Savanyu, director of educational services, Audio-Technica offers a couple of scenarios, "If I'm going to be singing and playing drums I probably would not want to wear an omni-directional because it's going to pick up all of the cymbals and stuff going on around me. On the other hand, if I'm a pastor in a church, I want something that's really low visibility because I don't want the congregation to even know that I'm wearing a microphone. I also want something that's lightweight and is not going to look cumbersome on my head."
Is there anything special that needs to be done to take care of a headset mic? Chris Lyons, manager technical and educational communications, Shure, provides some basic advice, "Like ultra-small lavalier microphones, lightweight head-worn and ear-worn microphones need to be handled carefully to avoid damaging the thin booms and headbands or super-fine cables. As with lavalier mics, sweat can be an issue, so allowing the mic to dry out thoroughly after use is important."
What else is important to know and what are some features to look for? A few folks weigh in on this topic.
Joseph Wagoner, product manager, Wireless Tour/Install Sound, AKG, lists his top points: "Comfort, well-behaved audio response, flat frequency response, and durable construction."
Robb Blumenreder, industry team manager, Sennheiser Music Industry Products says, "An important part of any product is the customer's ability to make repairs when someone comes to the engineer with the ‘I don't know what happened, it just broke,' look. Not too worry, though. Many manufacturers offer products that are modular in design. This is very important for houses of worship that have volunteers using the audio equipment. Another useful feature might be color variants. Many manufacturers offer a variety of color choices to better match the skin tone of the presenter. This can be quite useful if your HOW has video projection and you are concerned about the microphone standing out. "
As stated earlier combining a headset microphone with a wireless transmitter can provide unencumbered hands-free operation. Myers from DPA provides info on factors to consider when purchasing a microphone separately from a wireless system: "Adjustability and SPL capability. Also, look for mics that can be used with all wireless systems, not just the brand they are ‘paired' with. At DPA we offer an adaptor system of some 35 to 40 different connector/adaptors that allow DPA headworn mics to be used with virtually any wireless system currently available.”
Yule Jabara, national sales manager, Galaxy Audio adds, "It is best to look for comfort, sound quality, and durability. Also make sure the headset can be wired to work with the wireless system you intend to use it with. When ordering the headset be sure to specify the brand and model of wireless system the headset/earset mic needs to work with. Galaxy Audio can wire our headsets to work with any wireless system you may have or are looking to buy."
Some systems offer protective caps or filters. What are they and what do they do?
Wagoner from AKG says, "Most are a frequency-boost cap. Changing the cap to the alternate supplied with the mic will create a gentle presence rise for articulation and speech clarity."
Sennheiser's Blumenreder adds, "Systems that offer various caps for their lav or headset microphones generally serve two purposes: protection and equalization. A microphone that is supplied with a foam windscreen is designed to be used in conjunction with this accessory to reduce plosives. While this isn't always needed, be certain you hold on to the accessory items that come with your product in case the need arises someday. Other products may have caps to accentuate higher frequencies or to acoustically EQ the product to allow a more custom-tailored sound experience."
Cliff Castle, vice president of sales and marketing, Audix Corporation summarizes, "If a user really wants to work hands-free, then they really have to use either a lavalier or headset mic. Some users do not like the looks of a headset mic so a lavalier is the only choice. However, the trend over the recent years is moving towards headset mics, and the ultimate hands-free system is a wireless headset system. In these cases, the general rule of thumb is omni-directional for speech or presentation, and cardioid or supercardioid for musical applications. The greatest compromise when using either lavalier or headset mic is that, when compared to a wired dynamic or condenser vocal microphone on a stand, the sound quality is not as full and robust. The main question should be: “How important is mobility and hands-free vs. sound quality?”
