[SML] Suggestions on portable personal PA....

[Jon Ares]

All good points, thanks.  I've already encouraged her to use wired
handheld mics, but she's not too keen on that - plus that's more gack
to haul around from space to space.  If one hand can carry the sound
system, and the other can carry her music, I think I'll hear less
complaining.

Shared headworn mic: not going to be a problem.... there won't be any
sharing.  :)

 - Jon

On Mon, Mar 1, 2021 at 6:08 PM Stephen Lee via Stagecraft
<stagecraft at theatrical.net> wrote:
>
> Honestly, I would steer you towards a regular vocal mic on a boom stand instead of a headset/ear mic for a couple of reasons:
>
> - The dynamic range. As you alluded to, it's much easier to talk & sing into a regular mic because you can vary the volume by how close your mouth is. With a head-worn mic, you're stuck.
>
> - It'll cost a lot less. You can get a 3-pack of Behringer XM1800S vocal mics for $40. Believe it or not, they actually sound pretty good. Plus, at $13 a piece they're practically disposable. I bought a pack of them and use them for rental clients where I don't care if they get trashed. The mics also have an on/off switch on the side. The cheapest headset mic that I trust is the Shure WH20 for $80. They make a version with a regular XLR (WH20XLR) or one with a TA-4 connector for a wireless pack (WH20TQG).
>
> - Durability & service life. Headset mics are by nature lightweight and kinda fragile. Ear-worn mics are doubly-so. The cables are also thin and get pulled, smashed, and waded up. Personally, I figure that a year of regular use is about all a headset mic is good for.
>
> - Cleanliness. A headset mic is going to get scuzzy over time from sweat, makeup, hair products, and skin oil. The cables also corrode and break from sweat & moisture. Cleaning them can be a little tricky, as the capsule & connectors need to be kept dry. With the current pandemic, I'm not sure how many people would be comfortable sharing head-worn mics, anyway. On the other hand, a regular vocal mic can be wiped down with a disinfectant towelette and be ready to go. Even the foam inside the windscreen can be pulled out and washed if needed.
>
> For a speaker system, there are a lot of lightweight & portable systems that would be fine. The Fender Passport range of products are well-known and simple to use with a minimum of knobs. I would suggest a stereo pair of speakers because they can cover more people cleanly than a single speaker. If you need something that's battery-powered, those are available as well. However, the batteries add weight & cost, plus they need to be recharged after each use instead of just throwing it in the closet.
>
> My 2¢. :)
> Stephen
>
>
>  Jon Ares wrote:
>
> Hey folks....   I have a choral director looking for recommendations
> on an over-the-ear (boom) type mic, and perhaps a portable PA, for
> classes that need to move between two large spaces.  (She's returning
> to in-person instruction, and of course with spacing, the spaces are
> MUCH larger than typical.). She needs something robust, that isn't
> going to be too fussy (she's not big on technology or sound
> engineering).....  wireless would be preferable, BUT a wired system
> could work, too.  I'm imagining she could handle an amp that rolls (a
> la airport luggage) - and a mic system that plugs in.  But she'd of
> course like a mic with enough dynamic range so those high notes are
> clear of distortion.  (Some of the rolly PA systems I've used 15 years
> ago had terrible dynamic range, and I couldn't imagine a singer
> wanting to use them....)
>
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-- 
Jon Ares
www.arescreative.com