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Sports Headworn Microphone


Trey LaCroix

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Hey everyone! I just got hired on a job recording a live concert of sorts. I guess the group is going to be active while they perform and the client requilestrd a head worn mic. I immediately thought of the DPA and Countryman types but I guess they want something different. I asked for a picture as an example, but they haven’t been able to find anything.

 

i guess what they are looking for is a “silver headset mic with a very short boom and mic on it.” According to them it’s “very common in the sports world.” I don’t really work any sports so I’m wondering if there is a certain microphone I’m just completely unaware that they are referring to.

 

any help would be greatly appreciated!

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They would mean something vaguely like this, lots of options:

 

Image result for headphone mic sports announcer


As they were saying, very common in the sports world for announcers/commentators:

 

Image result for headphone mic sports announcer

Oh but silver? Not black. 
Not sure that is something I've often seen before. 

But why would they need headphones for the performance?!

I can't think of any common in the sports world without headphones. 

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2 hours ago, Trey LaCroix said:

Hey David, I’ve shown them those they were a no go. In the last phone call they said it was not a “commentator headset” but more like something the players would wear... but not a lav. Really starting to get confused.

Now I'm confused too.... players don't wear headset mics!

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1 hour ago, IronFilm said:

Now I'm confused too.... players don't wear headset mics!

Believe me I know! I’m the least sports literate person around and I know they don’t wear them.

 

1 hour ago, Philip Perkins said:

Some small advice: if these mics are for singers you need to do better than headworn mics sold for PA use with corporate presenters etc, ie talking.  Strong recommend for DPA for this.

Thanks, the lingering fear was that even if I find this illusive microphone, it will sound like crap. Maybe I should just very plainly tell them that if they want a fantastic sounding mic (they said it needed to be the best sounding mic possible haha) they really should go with the DPA.

 

I’m glad I’m not going crazy and that this isn’t a mic everyone knows about!

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Are they maybe thinking of something like what some pop singers use? For example:

britney-spears-autor-jen-wikipedia-creative-commons-320_1324063413.jpg

 

I just googled "Britney Spears microphone" and it looks like she used a couple models (or at least a couple screens) over the years. I don't know what she used, but a bit of GTS might turn up model numbers.

 

If the client can't provide a picture, perhaps they can describe who they've seen use it? Even "That guy on the GB Packers on ESPN" or "Justin Timberlake on tour a couple years ago" might help you chase down whatever it is they're talking about. 

 

And it looks like she uses/used a Crown (or re-branded AKG?) CM-311, as Ryan guessed (or knew) above:

https://www.akg.com/Microphones/Headset Microphones/CM311MiniXLR.html

 

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On which point, does any one know of headset mics which cost thousands and thousands of dollars? As some guy recently was bullshitting me that their live venue was using these ultra expensive mics for everyone which I don't believe at. The wireless? Yes, perhaps. But not the mics themselves. 

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30 minutes ago, IronFilm said:

On which point, does any one know of headset mics which cost thousands and thousands of dollars? As some guy recently was bullshitting me that their live venue was using these ultra expensive mics for everyone which I don't believe at. The wireless? Yes, perhaps. But not the mics themselves. 

 

I mean, the DPAs get pretty pricey in the 700-something dollar range...

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1 hour ago, Constantin said:

I bet they were in including the wireless gear in this „price“. So many people do that


I did explicitly get him to specifically make sure he is excluding that aspect from his claim, as I felt that was very likely, and yup he swore he just meant specifically the headset mic itself. 

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2 hours ago, IronFilm said:


I did explicitly get him to specifically make sure he is excluding that aspect from his claim, as I felt that was very likely, and yup he swore he just meant specifically the headset mic itself. 

 

Strange. Well, I for one have never heard of that. 

There‘s a popstar here in Germany who uses a Sennheiser handheld that’s decorated with diamonds. Bet that one is quite expensive, but that’s a one-off. Maybe they were using diamond headsets?

 

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Thank you for all the responses. They were never able to give me an example or a more detailed description as to what they wanted. The closest they liked was the Crown mic, but then suddenly changed their mind and decided the DPA was what they wanted (Phew!). And they decided they want skin colored now.

 

The ordered is placed and I’m praying they don’t change their mind again! At least I know of every headworn mic on the market now!

9 hours ago, John Blankenship said:

Silver?  Cover it with aluminum foil <g>

Ha! I was getting to that point!

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4 hours ago, Trey LaCroix said:

The ordered is placed and I’m praying they don’t change their mind again! At least I know of every headworn mic on the market now!

Hopefully they paid you in advance to cover you if they should change their mind again!

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