Some things on wireless headsets:
There are complete kits. Brands I’ve used and liked:
Shure
Sennheiser
Brands I’d avoid:
Nady—really cheap, poor construction
Samson—better than Nady
If you do a search on these mics, most of what we see are the
consumer, like Nady & Samson
Price range: $50 to $150
“Prosumer,” like Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, Line 6, and more
Price range: $200 to $1000
True Pro: Shure, Sennheiser, com and other
Price range: $1000 and up
Some sound guys stock up on the budget gear. They work, they break, they can
fix or repair them.
I’ve used Shure, Sennheiser, and Line 6. I loved the Line 6 mic, but it had
lots of problems with interference—it would cut in and out. Never had that
problem with the Shures or the Sennheiser.
Note that high quality mics like Countryman and DPA only make mics, you have to
purchase a transmitter (body-pack), and receiver system. I haven’t used the
Countryman much, though I have one. I have a clip-on DPA that I clip onto my
fiddle and use with a Shure DLX body pack. It’s the best mic in my gear, and
when I’m calling and fiddling I can work from the middle of the room, teach
while playing.
For calling I’m still a strong advocate of the handheld, and when doing fiddle
while calling gigs, I have the DPA on the fiddle and a Shure with a Beta 87
head on it on a stand.
DPA info: http://www.dpamicrophones.com/
~erik hoffman
Oakland, ca
