Topic: A Comparison of Sixteen Popular Wired Lavalier Microphones

[kgreener]

An interesting and fairly in-depth review of some popular, and some not-so-popular, lav mics:

http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/lavs_brockett.html

Enjoy.

[spcyrfc]

nice read. thanks

[Gutbucket]

paging illconditioned..  

[ilduclo]

thanks!! I forwarded this to a friend who was looking to upgrade. great info. I like how he calls the folks "the talent"

[ambo]

When the "talent" are not around they are often referred to as "The meat".

[illconditioned]

paging illconditioned.. 

Yep, I'm on it!

  Richard

[hypnotoad]

Thanks for the link.  I bookmarked it to read over the weekend.

 

[wbrisette]

Just kind of as an FYI... He is working on a wireless version of this article too (which is much more common with these mics). All these lavs were tested using a wire. Also be aware that these were tested in situations where you are recording speech/talking, not music. 

Wayne

[John Willett]

Strictly speaking a miniature tie microphone is *not* a lavalier mic.

A lavalier mic. is one slung round the neck by a cord. But almost obsolete now as they are so large.

Sorry - just being a pedant. 

[wbrisette]

Strictly speaking a miniature tie microphone is *not* a lavalier mic.

A lavalier mic. is one slung round the neck by a cord. But almost obsolete now as they are so large.

Like many things in the industry, a term starts out one way and gets applied to many situations. I still call out "speed" when I'm ready, yet I'm not using a Nagra reel-to-reel. It's just one of those things that like it or not, miniature microphones will be known as lavalier mics. Besides, when manufacturer from DPA to Sanken calls them lavaliers, that's what they are going to be called.  Besides, I don't think ElectroVoice makes the old lavalier mic anymore.

Wayne

[rokpunk]

wonder why they didn't test the Shure WL 183/4/5?
they are kinda the sm58 of lav mics.

[Gutbucket]

Also be aware that these were tested in situations where you are recording speech/talking, not music. 

A most important point.

Sorry - just being a pedant. 

A pedant pendant pundit.

Besides, when manufacturer from DPA to Sanken calls them lavaliers, that's what they are going to be called.

DPA at calls them miniatures.

wonder why they didn't test the Shure WL 183/4/5?
they are kinda the sm58 of lav mics.

I wondered the same.  Mostly because I have one from college days 20 yrs ago.

[wbrisette]

DPA at calls them miniatures.

Only partly true... They seem to have a mixed message and call them both miniatures and lavaliers.

http://www.dpamicrophones.com/module.php?MID=101&itemid=4080-BM&PID=&function=pdescription


Wayne

[Gutbucket]

I stand corrected Wayne.  Seems they only put that label on the 4080 as far as I can tell, possibly because it is more specific to that application than the 406x series.

[DSatz]

John W., the original was a ruby necklace worn by a Mme. Lavaliere, no? That's the legend, anyway. Don't know anything about its polar pattern or frequency response.

--best regards

[landshark]

Anyone have any experience with those Countryman mics?  Just curious.

Mike

[chris319]

I don't think ElectroVoice makes the old lavalier mic anymore.

You would be surprised:

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/291202.html

[Gutbucket]

Anyone have any experience with those Countryman mics?  Just curious.

Mike

Doesn't really apply, but I had a guy stick two in my ears (they were either the tiny Countryman's or Knowles Acoustics) to do personalized HRTF and room response measurements for a headphone virtualization prototype demo a few weeks ago.  They looked about the size of tiny sand-fleas buried in the foam earplugs.  I didn't get to hear the sound of the mics directly, but the measurement data was spot on and the virtualization system amazing.  It corrected for head position (rotation), headphone/pina response and recreated the sound of whatever monitoring system was used to make the initial measurements.  So convincing I had to take the phones on and off to convince myself that the phones were turned on and I wasn't listening to the measured monitor system.

The developer mentioned they also used DPA 4060's which had a better dynamic range and lower self noise, but they were harder to fit completely in the earplug and the range of these were 'good enough' for their measurement purposes.