Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[RoundEFX]

The 2 Shure LX mics have never been live 100% at the mixer due to mic handling noise.  

However, I would like to get to the point where both mics could be left live—through training.  The benefits to the sound operator would be many.  The greatest would be: his error rate for concentration and sense of timing would go down.

Sunday:
The Mackie 75Hz low cut button was already depressed on all mics.

I set the low 80Hz EQ to a (-)7dB on both wireless mics.

The result?  a 20% easier situation to live with.  There are many other various frequencies that are generated by the bare plastic handles as mentioned by JR.

The BIGGEST discovery? The guts are loose within both Shure mics.  The 9V battery through the battery connections, acts like a pendulum.  It causes the innards to clunk against the plastic handle via gravity. Rotate the mic another 180 degrees and it will clunk the other way.


I think a drop of epoxy bonding the plastic to the battery connection will stop it dead in its tracks.

All these years and now I find out that some of the noise was not the mic passers fault.

[Mac Kerr]

RoundEFX wrote on Mon, 09 May 2005 00:45

The 2 Shure LX mics have never been live 100% at the mixer due to mic handling noise.   However, I would like to get to the point where both mics could be left live?through training.  The benefits to the sound operator would be many.  The greatest would be: his error rate for concentration and sense of timing would go down.

This is why you have a sound operator. Their job is to pay attention and turn the mics on and off at the right time. Handling noise is not the only noise being added to the system by having extra mics open. Any other noise near the unused open mic is also picked up. I'm glad you found a physical problem with the mics that can fix much of your problem, and the mic runners should be taught not to drum on the mic while it isn't being used, but proper mixing is the real solution.

Mac

[RoundEFX]

I read a statement on the church sound forum last night.

"You can teach a person to push buttons and move sliders but you can't make a sound operator.  You either have it or you don't."

Thanks for all the replies and insight.

I have enough confidence to purchase wireless mics again.

[Scott Smith]

A loose battery or rattling parts inside the older mic will definitely add to the noise.  My 9v Shure mics have a "pad" that keeps constant pressure on the battery, so it won't create physical or electrical noise.  The Shure SLX series use AA batteries that "snap" into a tight holder - no noise here.

I don't know how well the LX mic's were designed for "restless" hands 9 years ago, but the newer Shures are pretty solid...way better than some other brands I've used.

As far as tapping feet or paper rustling noise, the mic is just picking up sound as it is designed.  Operator error is a tough one to filter out.  A good super-cardroid pattern will help minimize this though...

[RoundEFX]

I did a silicone implant on the Shure LX’s and the clunking sound is completely gone.

I bonded all around the 9V female battery clip to the plastic case applying silicone with a toothpick on both microphones.  Both mics were absolutely silent today.

Additionally, I sanded down the edges of the 9V rechargeable batteries so they would easily fit inside the battery covers.
Previously, they were so extremely tight it split all the battery covers.

Trying to thread these tight covers on to the mic body may have been a major factor in breaking the guts loose.  With a battery that wanted to rotate inside the bolder, it would have put all the pressure on the battery clips.

The Shure mics are as good as new.  Shure has been vindicated.

The finger now points to Radio Shack and their 9V rechargables made in Mexico.