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[Adam Sykes]

Alternative to Gooseneck mics? What do you guys think?

I think the main reason why I'm ALWAYS being asked to use them is because all the client likes how they look. But I tell you I am fucking sick to death of them, The gain-before-feedback point is unacceptably low when day after day I'm working with douche-nozzles with no microphone technique, and it's always MY fault. I need to look at another alternative before I go crazy.

What do you guys think of using a shotgun mic mounted to the lecturn? I don't yet own one and am hesitant to buy one because I fear breaking it. on 50% of these gigs, the same no-mic-technique douche bag walks straight up to the mic and taps on it to get everyones attention, will this damage a shotgun mic? For a standard super-cardioid shotgun, how much tighter would the polar pattern be to traditional gooseneck if mounted about a foot and a half away from their face?

Let me know what you guys think.

What if you were to adhere a small, low sensitivity omni capsule to a cardiod gooseneck mic (like one might do for ENG, say) and setup some dynamics processing on the main mic that essentially cuts the mic out when someone eats the thing or taps on it and have the omni capsule set at an appropriate level as to pick up were your primary leaves off.   If you get a yeller who overdrives the main mic, the omni would be able to take over, as it won't have the issues with proximity effect and since a less sensitive capsule would be used, it may withstand the high source spl.  And because the omni capsule is at a low level, you may not run into cancellation issues.  I suppose you could even gate the omni appropriately to open up at the right spl as the main capsule is being clamped down on.

I even thought about trying this with one of the several, dual capsule kick drum mics available. Though I've never had the chance to try it.

I imagine this has been tried and there are likely some issues with it.  But it's a thought.


Adam

[Mike Caldwell]

The Beyer "Revoluto" looks to be more of video conference mic where GBF is not so much of an issue.

[Jim McKeveny]

Nobody ever objects to the 3 x 57 w/windscreen array on Shure's "presidential" clip. Only 1 actually feeds the house. You can PEQ the **** out of it, knowing nobody will try to adjust it. (They think the CIA is listening).

Of course, if someone insists on speaking into the littlelite, I have no solution...

[Keith Broughton]

with a good mic such as an AKG CK80 capsule on a GN30

I'm with Rick on this one.
I have had very good results with the GN30 kit and have a CK80 (shot gun), CK33(hyper card) and CK30 (card) capsules to choose from.
There really isn't a technical solution for poor mic technique.
Check out this product...http://www.sabine.com/Pro_Phantom_PMR_index.htm

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

I'm with Rick on this one.
I have had very good results with the GN30 kit and have a CK80 (shot gun), CK33(hyper card) and CK30 (card) capsules to choose from.
There really isn't a technical solution for poor mic technique.
Check out this product...http://www.sabine.com/Pro_Phantom_PMR_index.htm

Actually, Sennheiser refers to the CK80 capsule as "speech optimized hypercardioid".

[[email protected]]

IMO, rehearsals are the only real answer to the problem. If you have no chance to test the system with the actual participants all you can do is line check and make a few educated guesses.

Jim Wilkens is right that getting a flat respone from the system before ringing mics is your best friend.

When I'm using goosenecks I make sure to have 2 on the podium. Say one is for backup and no-one will deny you the gear.  I place them so they splay vertically at the d-noozle area and gaff them into that configuration. I find it gives me better coverage in situations when it's not politically correct to go and shove the mic back into said d-nozzle's face. Also helps when the 5 footer is followed by the former basketball player. I'm only ever using one of the mics so the phase coherence of the two isn't a real issue. Knock them out of polarity with each other if it helps you sleep better. 

I also try to get a graphic inserted on the podium channel or mix group. That way if GBF changes during the day you'll have a chance to do something about it.

[brian maddox]

with a good mic such as an AKG CK80 capsule on a GN30

I'm with Rick on this one.
I have had very good results with the GN30 kit and have a CK80 (shot gun), CK33(hyper card) and CK30 (card) capsules to choose from.

i think i've posted this before but...  the best lectern kit i ever had was an akg blueline rig.  i used the power supply remote cable to get the capsule to a decent size.  i then used the ck93 [hyper] capsule.  i would mount two on them in an sm57 dual mic clip that i squished down in a vise.  put that on a 3" [yeah, a 3"] gooseneck and add windscreens and voila'.

okay, if you read all that and understood it you're wondering if i'm an idiot or what.  well, yeah, that puts the mic about 18" to 24" away from most speakers mouths.  but if you place your pa correctly and do a little tuning, you can get very good results at those distances with a hypercardiod.  but what really makes it work is that it's too far away and too small for the 'special' speakers to muck with.  i've had them touch it, but they don't really know what to do with it.  and it's too low for anyone to 'eat' the mic as well.  the best part is that the typical speaker is then moving in an area between 18-22" away from the mic.  so their 4 inch movement is negligible.  whereas when they do the same with a typical gooseneck, it's from 4-8" away from the mic. so, you've got levels all over the place.

i used to do awards shows with this rig and i'd use a ck91 [cardiod] capsule on one of the mics.  that way, if i had a single presenter, i'd use the hyper.  when there was a pair, i'd use the cardiod.  worked like a champ.

i think i used this rig several hundred times.  in all those times, i think i only had to punt and put it on a longer gooseneck maybe twice.  and that was more about too much room ambience than it was GBF...

brian maddox
reformed audio guy...

[Iain.Macdonald]

The Beyer "Revoluto" looks to be more of video conference mic where GBF is not so much of an issue.

Not really! As with any piece of technology, it has varying uses. GBF in large video conferencing or assembly meeting rooms can be a huge problem.

Check this link.

Iain.

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