Not being able to 'work' the microphone for different timbres, and singing strengths has always kept me away from headsets (I tried in the 80's), and until I find anything as transparent as my EV N/D767a (new replacement for my N/D457 I used for ten years), I gotta pass on this one.

Plus, I still gotta put up a real mike for my T-bone....!

There are several things that I want to add to the debate regarding the Crown CM311A.

I have been using one for almost five years. It needed a repair only once - which was a few months ago - and the repair cost $20.

I hear a lot of complaints about a headset being problematic because a singer's high notes are louder, and you can't back away from the mic.

Since using a headset, my voice has adapted itself so that my high notes are only slightly louder than my low notes. I am not straining to hit them. I am learning that if I relax I will hit the high notes better, without the spike in volume. So that's a good thing.

Visibility with the CM311A could be an issue. It is quite conspicuous, and with my glasses and large nose, I'm sure I must look like a space creature to some of the seniors I play for who have Alzheimer's.

The Countryman E6 sounds interesting, but sturdiness is very important to me, especially if I'm going to shell out $400.

If I was in the market to buy another headset mic - if my CM311A totally fritzed out at me, I would look at the Countryman, and some of the other ones out there, but I'm very happy with what I have.

In case folks haven't read previous posts on the subject, one of the greatest advantages to using a headset mic with an arranger is that if you need to look down at your console, you can keep on singing and your voice will stay amplified. Furthermore, you can make effortless eye contact with anyone on either side of you and stay amplified.

Beakybird

I've been using the Crown CM-311A for three years, and never experienced any problems at all. I checked into the Countryman E6 unidirectional model, which is about $500 street price. The problem is the manufacturer and their major distributors say this is a special order mic and there is a no return policy. If you were to order their standard mic, which is omni directional, the price was about $100 less and if you didn't like what you heard they would take it back if it was returned within 14 days. I'll stick with the CM-311A for now.

I'm also rigged wireless with the CM-311A using a Samson Airline WSAX1 wireless mic system. It's clean as a whistle, the transmitter is the size of your thumb and plugs directly into any XLR mic plug, thereby making any mic, headset or handheld, wireless. The transmitter runs about 12 hours on a single AAA battery and the reciever is the size of a pack of cigarettes.

Gary

Gary: I can't find anything online on "Samson Airline WSAX1". Can you double-check the model number or provide a link?

I don't like lav mikes for singing at all. They are meant to be speaking mikes, not singing mikes. Also, if you use any kind of monitors on stage you will get feedback problems to no end using a lav. They are not meant to be used at high volumes. They don't usually have a really good frequency response and can sound kind of telephonish.

The countryman you guys are talking about, is that the one that just fits over your ear, it isn't really even a headset? I just used a Countryman like that a couple weeks ago, so I'm wondering if that's the one you're talking about. Although I liked the ease of putting it on, I didn't particularly care for the vocal sound. I sounded like a TV news anchor or something, again, great for speaking but didn't really like the sound I got from singing.

Typically I use an AKG wireless headset. I forget the model number. I really like it but for one thing. It seems to really accentuate the really high frequency, causing problems with syllibant (spelling?) sounds. You kind of have to know how to EQ it, but for rock or pop music which usually has pretty bright vocals anyway, it does sound rather nice. Doing country music, I like a little warmer sound, so I've learned how to EQ it.

am i breaking new ground here pulling out my own quotes? and is anyone going to try the cheek techneek? (0r is it chic technique?)

Mo

This is the system I use.



You'll find the details at Samson Wireless Mics

I don't know if this model is still in production, but I believe it is available.

Good Luck,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Gary: Thanks for the details.

since I have little need for invisibility and tend to be spacey re being careful about wires, the tiny earset won't be for me, but I saw there was a very sleek and very cool-looking headset mic that Countryman offers, and i'm wondering how that compares sonically and comfort-wise to the Crown headsets. anyone know?

i think i want to go wireless, I always will keep a dynamic and my little plug-in mic holder w/me, so if rf problems i can make a quick switch. but so many different types and brands of wireless to go with the above headsets, i don't know where to begin..

Mo

Mo I don't want to condemn your "cheek technique" without trying it (because I haven't) but I've been using my Shure headset (wired) for a while now, and I've noticed they're VERY directional (if you want to get the best sound) and I can only assume (yes, just assume) that if I used this technique myself, I'd have to turn my gain and volume up to feedback inducing proportions to get any decent volume level with the cheek placement.

I could be wrong, maybe you DO have something here, but I'm - quite frankly - afraid to try it for the sound quality/feedback reasons mentioned above.