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[Debbie Dunkley]

Let me just say that I really like my Shure SM35 headset mic.
However, my only back up is my Shure PGA31 which lacks quality sound - I would only use it in a pinch. I need a better secondary mic.

As you guys already know I sing backing whilst running sound for one of the bands Chris plays in and I use a headset whilst mixing from the crowd. The SM35 works well because it is cardioid - so very little pick up from audience or FOH and it gives me enough clarity for my needs. I don't need much more as I sing very few lead parts.
I find the headsets to be quite fragile - they have to be to a certain extent I understand - but although I am crazy careful about mine, this worries me sometimes that if my headset was damaged or just stopped working I wouldn't have a decent back-up.
So..... I could just go ahead and get a second SM35 OR I could try something different just 'cos.

What would be a good alternative under $200 for me to try?
(I would have to have the TA4f connector for my Shure pack).

[Robert Piascik]

Crown CM311 or a second one of what you have. I use the Crown and just like you I wanted a second one for a back up. Over the years I've acquired about four of them and interchange parts as different things break so that's a vote for getting the same thing

[Debbie Dunkley]

Crown CM311 or a second one of what you have. I use the Crown and just like you I wanted a second one for a back up. Over the years I've acquired about four of them and interchange parts as different things break so that's a vote for getting the same thing

Good point about parts being interchangeable with same purchase - thanks Robert.

[John L Nobile]

Crown CM311 or a second one of what you have. I use the Crown and just like you I wanted a second one for a back up. Over the years I've acquired about four of them and interchange parts as different things break so that's a vote for getting the same thing

I've gone through a lot of Crown CM311's over the years. I think their sound quality and feedback rejection is great. However, I noticed a drop in build quality after they were acquired by AKG. I started going through a lot more after that.

Lately I noticed noise with my Shure ULX-D systems. The noise seemed to be caused by interference between the body pack and the inline transformer (?) on the mic. I wound up switching to Shure SM35's and no longer had the noise. There's threads about CM311's and digital systems on the web. Never had a problem with my old U4D system.

Bottom line was that I found the CM311 to be my fav mic but it was expensive and fragile and the noise was annoying. SM35 works very well though and it's relatively cheap. A little cut on the hi end smooths it out but the sibilance can be very pronounced depending on your singer. It's also more comfortable and less visible.

[lindsay Dean]

 why not have a  decent spare corded mic
ready, just in case.
question
When you sing from the console,
the time arrival must be a problem.
You use headphones during these moments, right

[Debbie Dunkley]

why not have a  decent spare corded mic
ready, just in case.
question
When you sing from the console,
the time arrival must be a problem.
You use headphones during these moments, right

I have many corded mics but how could that work from where I am located? ....I have thought about trying to get a line6 wireless instrument pack to work with an SM58 - not sure how the impedance would be and I'd need to wire a cord from XLR to Ts. I'd then need a mic stand so I can be hands free though so it would be too complicated...

Yes - there is some latency that I have had to get used to. I cannot use iems because I'd be constantly putting the phones in and taking them off as my vocals are in virtually every song and I'd not be able to hear FOH..... I have to compromise a bit. Over the ears don't work well due to the outside sound creeping in.
It isn't too much of a problem for vocals as singing doesn't stick to a beat but I tried to hit a tamborine one time and the guys shook their heads violently - apparently it sounded way off to them and so percussion does NOT work.
My biggest thing to get used to is that my voice in my head is ahead of my voice through the PA so I always sound (to me) like I have a lot of ADT on my voice. Others tell me it sounds fine to them so I go with that. My other issue is blending me in with everyone else because of that voice in my head so I have a friend who comes to basically all the shows and helps me with my levels when I sing - I have gotten so used to it though that I get the blend pretty good these days.
I also have to choose carefully where I sit to mix- too far away and the latency is bad - but too close and I can get some feedback.

It is a whole different animal and takes some experimentation for sure....

[Jason Glass]

Lately I noticed noise with my Shure ULX-D systems. The noise seemed to be caused by interference between the body pack and the inline transformer (?) on the mic. I wound up switching to Shure SM35's and no longer had the noise. There's threads about CM311's and digital systems on the web. Never had a problem with my old U4D system.

Bottom line was that I found the CM311 to be my fav mic but it was expensive and fragile and the noise was annoying.

As my favorite headset mic of all time (for off axis rejection, gain before feedback, and overall vocal audio quality) I was crushed to discover that it's a known and well documented fact that CM311 variants are incompatible with all of the current digital wireless TX modulation schemes. They exhibit an awful swishing sound because their shielding and RF rejection is insufficient for the application. I learned this the hard way, on a gig.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[Robert Lofgren]

If you are thinking of the line6 wireless pack for your sm35 (works really great btw) then you can just buy a spare line6 handheld mic for the receiver. Their mics sound really good and I have used my mics for at least four years.

Be aware of that the latest line6 wireless is not compatible with the older gear.

[John Ferreira]

Hi Debbie, bringing this thread back to life, what headset did you end up getting?

My expensive DPA D:Fine ($1100 CDN) is beginning to become intermittent, and to my horror it’s not the cable. I do front singing and guitar playing for a living, and vary between the D:Fine headset and an Audio Technica AE3300 on a stand.

[Debbie Dunkley]

Hi Debbie, bringing this thread back to life, what headset did you end up getting?

My expensive DPA D:Fine ($1100 CDN) is beginning to become intermittent, and to my horror it’s not the cable. I do front singing and guitar playing for a living, and vary between the D:Fine headset and an Audio Technica AE3300 on a stand.

Well you are not going to believe this - and if you do, you won't believe the results I am getting. I got a Pyle PMEM -S23... cost me $17.
I took a chance based on a couple of things I read online and I figured $17 wasn't much of a risk. Sound wise it is unbelievably good and compares to the Shure VERY favorably. So much so I use it all the time. Build quality is not so good and I don't think it would take any abuse. I have tried to buy more as back up but they stopped making them so that sucks. I did comment in another thread regarding this and was hoping to get another 1 or 2 of these but according to Pyle there isn't a substitute with a Shure connector so I suppose I'll be looking again..... sorry.

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