OT: Wireless mic adapters needed

[IraSeigel]

Hi,
A client of mine is ordering some headworn mics. They will be buying these mics - the Sennheiser ME3, most likely, or the Sennheiser HSP4 - with Lemo connectors designed to fit Sennheiser beltpack transmitters.

However, I also need adapters so that the client can plug these same mics into Shure beltpacks, which require a TA4F connector, or other Sennheiser beltpacks, which require 1/8" mini-plugs.

If the client winds up buying the mics with 1/8" mini-plugs, then I will need adapters to go to Lemo and to TA4F

The mic cable is a very small gauge, and the connectors are very small. I can't make these adapters myself.

Does anyone here know where I can get these types of adapters made? Can someone here make them at a fair price?

[Brent Evans]

Best bet would be to order with the 1/8" plugs, as female inline connectors for 1/8" are more readily available.

Might be able to help you with the adapters, PM me.

[jlklein]

Hi,
A client of mine is ordering some headworn mics. They will be buying these mics - the Sennheiser ME3, most likely, or the Sennheiser HSP4 - with Lemo connectors designed to fit Sennheiser beltpack transmitters....
Does anyone here know where I can get these types of adapters made? Can someone here make them at a fair price?

If they haven't already ordered them, an easy option would be to order a similar Avlex mic instead. The Avlex is connectorized for Mipro wireless bodypack transmitters, but also has adapters for just about every type of bodypack for about $20 each. Check out http://www.superlux.us/specialty.html for the different types of earset and headset mics. It's Ray Rayburn's site, who is a frequent Church Sound Check forum contributor and well-respected acoustics and audio consultant. Real helpful guy if you have any questions about the mics, or anything else for that matter

HTH,
Jeff

[RBIngraham]

You might want to have them check out the Countryman E6 earset mics. These have a small connector near the ear mic itself that allows you to swap out cables. Mostly this is because the wire breaks easily. But it also allows you to have cables for various transmitters types.

Unfortunately this is usually an issue with wireless and the solution normally is to just buy separate mics for the various transmitters you'll need. Or buy for the wireless that you do like and just always rent those units. One thing about renting from NYC shops with wireless is that in NYC they consider all mic elements to be "consumables". Which means you need to buy or provide your own, most shops will only rent you the transmitters and receivers.

Short of that I would call around to the various NYC shops and ask if they would be willing to craft some custom adapter cables for you. I think the issue will be that a lot of these connectors used on various wireless don't have great inline mating options. What I mean by that is they don't have a mate for the connector that is on the end of the mic that is meant to be cable mounted, only mounted inside a unit. Obviously that's not the case for a 1/8" TRS or the TA4 (tiny XLR) that is typical on the Shures. But I don't think I've ever seen a female lemo cable mount. But maybe that's just because I never looked?

Anyway I think what I would ask for would be some custom made tiny XLR adapters. I would buy the mics with no connectors at all, put on the tiny XLR ends and then build a tiny xlr to the appropriate connector for each style of wireless you may wish to plug into.

God I hate dealing with wireless!

[IraSeigel]

You might want to have them check out the Countryman E6 earset mics. These have a small connector near the ear mic itself that allows you to swap out cables. Mostly this is because the wire breaks easily. But it also allows you to have cables for various transmitters types.

Unfortunately this is usually an issue with wireless and the solution normally is to just buy separate mics for the various transmitters you'll need. Or buy for the wireless that you do like and just always rent those units. One thing about renting from NYC shops with wireless is that in NYC they consider all mic elements to be "consumables". Which means you need to buy or provide your own, most shops will only rent you the transmitters and receivers.

Short of that I would call around to the various NYC shops and ask if they would be willing to craft some custom adapter cables for you. I think the issue will be that a lot of these connectors used on various wireless don't have great inline mating options. What I mean by that is they don't have a mate for the connector that is on the end of the mic that is meant to be cable mounted, only mounted inside a unit. Obviously that's not the case for a 1/8" TRS or the TA4 (tiny XLR) that is typical on the Shures. But I don't think I've ever seen a female lemo cable mount. But maybe that's just because I never looked?

Anyway I think what I would ask for would be some custom made tiny XLR adapters. I would buy the mics with no connectors at all, put on the tiny XLR ends and then build a tiny xlr to the appropriate connector for each style of wireless you may wish to plug into.

God I hate dealing with wireless!

Hi RB,
Yes, the E6 might be the best option because of the various connector choices they offer. The Avlex mics that Jeff referred to earlier would be great except they are only offered as an omni, and I need cardioids for these people.

[RBIngraham]

Hi RB,
Yes, the E6 might be the best option because of the various connector choices they offer. The Avlex mics that Jeff referred to earlier would be great except they are only offered as an omni, and I need cardioids for these people.

You obviously know the act.... but I would say that you might be surprised just how much gain you can get with an omni ear set mic. I have done concert type musicals with them (Altar Boyz, a Peggy Lee Musical, etc..) And you can get pretty decent vocal monitor levels with them simply because they are so close to the mouth.

I actually don't care for the cardiod headset mics as it is hard to get them to sit in just the exact place and stay there perfectly. And if they are moving around at all, then the sound completely changes and it's a royal pain in the rear, at least in my experience and opinion. But I guess it depends on if you need ear splitting monitor levels or not. Even with Cardiods the mic ends up pointing either out in front of the performer or to one side or the other. So it's never like a handheld where you have great rejection in front of the performer and you have their body to block sound from behind them.

Just a thought... YMMV

[jlklein]

Hi RB,
Yes, the E6 might be the best option because of the various connector choices they offer. The Avlex mics that Jeff referred to earlier would be great except they are only offered as an omni, and I need cardioids for these people.

The Mipro MU-53HNSX headset mic (similar to the Sennheiser ME3) is cardioid. It's not adverised as having adapters but all the mics on that page say they plug into a Mipro bodypack and the other mics have adapters.

I'd shoot Ray an email and see what he might have available. There's a lot more he has than is listed on the webpages. The main site is http://soundfirst.com/.

Other than that, Rich's Countryman idea is another good one. The E6 is more expensive, but their cables are only about $40 and they now have a 2-ear headset adapter.

Jeff

[jlklein]

You obviously know the act.... but I would say that you might be surprised just how much gain you can get with an omni ear set mic....But I guess it depends on if you need ear splitting monitor levels or not.

This is true. We use omni's exclusively for the Pastor, short skits and full blown theater productions including speech and singing. They're much easier to place, no contact noise (i.e. cable or movement is not heard), and work well to pick up multiple close-talking characters (i.e. face to face, turn one off to eliminate comb filtering). It can be tricky trying to get a singer's voice in the monitor above an orchestra right in front of them but we typically minimize that, and in duets/trios try to put only the other voices in a particular person's monitor.

But, as already said, depends on your needs.

Jeff

[IraSeigel]

I went to a Church Sound forum to see what is being said about headworn mics: http://www.churchmedia.net/forums/mi...eaching-3.html

It SEEMS that there's a trend towards cardioids in highly reverberant environments.

RB, I very much respect your opinion and experience here. The placement of the cardioids is much more problematic, granted, As with you, I'm working with lots of on-stage leakage in very live rooms. Not using loud monitors onstage. For the situations here, I think cardioids for this client will be best.

Client, by the way, are adult twin sisters that do a children's music education show at various venues in the Pacific NW. Hence the need for their mics to be able to be adapted to whatever wireless beltpacks are provided, rather than having to buy new wireless systems to replace their now-"illegal" equipment.

[Butch Bos]

Apex has a headset mic that comes with all the adapters standard
Sounds pretty good and is only $100 or so

Butch