When it comes to miniature condenser microphones and headsets, Countryman is among the elite. Having made headset mics for decades, the company continues to push the envelope in electronic and acoustic design, while borrowing techniques and materials from other industries to make their products even better.
They offer both omnidirectional and directional/cardioid headsets, including the well-regarded H6 omni. In many cases, an omni headset is all you’ll need for the pastor’s sermon, and because of its wide pickup pattern, positioning it correctly is less critical. However, for example, if a music leader is working around louder audio sources, such as drums or amps, voices singing or speaking forcefully nearby, or similar high ambient noise levels, the H7 will provide much greater isolation–keeping those distracting sounds from being picked up in the vocal mic.
The H7 Headset
The diminutive mic mounted on the end of the thin boom is about a quarter-inch wide and an eighth-inch deep, with its cardioid condenser element facing in toward the mouth. Its frequency response is specified at 50 Hz to 20kHz, +/-3 dB, with a slight presence peak centered between 7-8kHz. Maximum peak SPL is 136 dB, and sensitivity is -41 dB.
The featherweight headset fits comfortably around the back of the neck, weighing only a quarter of an ounce.
The featherweight headset fits comfortably around the back of the neck, weighing only a quarter of an ounce. Adjustable earpieces telescope from a slight yet rugged frame that is about 1/16-inch in diameter, with each side able to be individually set by pulling the earpiece while gripping the back frame. When set, they have enough friction to stay in place. This design is adaptable enough to fit a child or adult, and appears to be sufficiently robust for years of use without becoming loose.
The mic boom is similarly adjustable, and can be slid to a proper corner-of-the-mouth position independently of the earpieces–for the smallest or largest of users. The headset ships with the boom on the right side of the head, although it can be easily moved to the left side by detaching the clips that hold it to the frame and repositioning it on the other side. It is secured by two clips on the frame and an additional point at the base of the earpiece.
The boom is rigid yet springy so that it can move and then return to its exact position.
The boom is rigid yet springy so that it can move and then return to its exact position. Its curvature can be subtly adjusted with firm pressure from the fingers, so that it places correctly slightly off the skin.
Rugged detachable cable
The 1.2 mm thin, flexible cable is surprisingly durable. Countryman uses space-age Aramid fiber materials to give flex and pull strength to the cable, along with special metal alloys for longevity under the stresses of constant use. The cable’s break strength from a pull is specified at greater than 35 pounds.
The cable’s break strength from a pull is specified at greater than 35 pounds.
The cable attaches to the end of the mic boom with a tight snap-on connector, double-sealed against the incursion of moisture. As secure and waterproof as this connection is, it can be changed out it seconds if needed. Countryman offers cables that mate with a variety of wireless transmitter brands, as well as having one that ends in a standard XLR connector, complete with belt clip, for wired applications. With different cables on hand, the same headset can be used with diverse transmitters or hard-wired, and modified within moments. Also, in case the durable cable is somehow damaged, a replacement can easily be obtained to put the headset back into service.
Checking It out
Starting with flat EQ and no reverb or effects, the audio quality was crisp with a smooth high-end response. Spoken word was quite intelligible, and sung vocals were also well handled. Plosive consonants, such as “p” and “t,” were well controlled, with no popping or other unwanted transients. I found that a low-frequency boost of a few dB warmed up the sound of vocals, which I preferred–made it sound more like a handheld mic with a bit of proximity effect.
Plosive consonants, such as “p” and “t,” were well controlled, with no popping or other unwanted transients.
Because the cardioid mic element faces in toward the mouth, the H7 offers impressive gain before feedback, even when fairly near the speaker system–considerably more level than even a high-quality omni headset could provide. However, it is less forgiving in placement than an omni, so closely position it just past the corner of the mouth, where it captures the voice directly–but not too much toward the center where excessive breath can generate noise. The adjustable boom length will help you find the sweet spot.
The mic is well isolated from off-axis sound sources, maintaining a well-behaved cardioid polar pattern. It didn’t pick up the sound of rubbing fingers around the back side of the element, or an acoustic guitar played quite near it. Talking into the mic element from all directions to test the polar pattern, the level was strongly attenuated as it approached 90 degrees from the face of the mic. Directly at the rear, there seemed to be slightly more sensitivity, but at a much lower level, and mainly in the low frequencies.
Positioning it as close as possible without touching the skin should give you all the level you need.
The audio pickup of the mic drops off very quickly as distance increases. Positioning it as close as possible without touching the skin should give you all the level you need. A tap or rub on the boom will transfer to the mic element, so take a moment to fit the headset to the particular user. It is very adjustable, and stable when set up, and shouldn’t take too much time to get it just right.
Isolation when needed
The Countryman H7 headset is a well-designed cardioid condenser headset that offers superior sound quality while remaining virtually unnoticed. Durably made, it should provide many years of reliable service. In situations where it is necessary to obtain more gain before feedback or isolate the user’s voice from other nearby sound sources, the H7 is a better choice than a comparable omni.
Since all of the parts are replaceable, if one component of the headset is ever damaged, it can be repaired–preserving your investment. Headsets and cables are available in four colors to blend with skin and clothing: light beige, tan, cocoa, and black. The H7 ships in a zippered case with Velcro straps to secure it in place for storage, with pockets for the provided windscreens and collar clips. It's priced at $599 MSRP.
