GoodBuyGuys Blog

Since we sell mic stands, I am not really too focused on highlighting web sites that are in direct competition with us. Still, I just came across a product that is too cool to ignoreWhile the notion of spending $800.00 for a mic stand seems completely out of control, it didn’t take long for me to remember at least a dozen times over my career as a sound person for large public events, when I wouldn’t have been willing to spend that kind of money to save an event that was teetering on the brink of disaster.

No matter how much high dollar equipment you have, and regardless of how brilliant a sound tech you might be, just one presenter afflicted with “mic-a-phobia” or “mic-ignoria” can bring the best planned presentation to its knees.

Any seasoned sound person knows that using a mic with a tight cardioid pickup pattern will give you the opportunity to get a lot more gain (volume) out of the sound system before feedback. Because the tighter pickup pattern rejects more of the direct and reflected sound from the speakers, it is possible to make things louder.

Unfortunately, the use of a tightly patterned mic requires that the presenter stay “on axis”, that is with their head and mouth within the pick up pattern of the mic. Once they stray from this area, either by turning to one side or standing too far behind, above or below the mic, they are lost. You stand helplessly at the sound board trying to twist any know you can to get a little more volume, spending all you time on the edge of feedback disaster.

How great it would be to just hit a switch, like that provided with the Chapman system, and bring the mic closer to the presenter. If you do a lot of these sorts of events, things like awards shows and multi-presenter forums, its not hard to imagine how a system like this could pay for itself. Particularly so, since it might well allow you to hang onto an important client (these events tend to be annual in nature) for many years without being sabotaged by a speaker who just doesn’t know how to use a mic.

Can’t afford this Cadillac solution. Then make sure you have an easily adjustable boom stand or a gooseneck on the mic that adjusts quietly. Don’t hesitate to approach all the presenters before their speeches or performances and remind them to adjust the mic before they begin.

If you want to strike fear in the heart of someone who sells batteries for a living, just tell them about the great rechargeable battery you’ve just discovered for your wireless mics. That fear won’t last long, though. For better or worse, a good rechargeable battery for wireless microphones doesn’t exist.Why not, you may ask? They work great in my flashlight, IPOD, cell phone-you name it!

Unfortunately, the answer comes not from the realm of “what works”, but rather “what happens when it doesn’t”. Let me explain.

Rechargeable batteries develop what is called a “memory”. The end result of this is that the battery, each time it is recharged, will hold less and less of a charge. This problem becomes more acute when you use a device that is not always allowed to fully discharge before you recharge it-a wireless mic is a perfect example of this sort of device.

When the rechargeable battery in your flashlight begins to lose power, the lamp simply becomes dimmer and dimmer. You get plenty of warning that trouble is coming. When your IPOD loses its charge, it simply shuts down and your song files are saved as the hard disk parks itself.

If you follow this model with a wireless mic, you’ll quickly see the problem. When a wireless microphone battery begins to lose charge, its version of a “flashlight getting dimmer” is to lose transmission power. The receiver tuned to the mic losing power continues to seek out the signal being transmitted even though there is less and less for it latch onto.

Remember, its the transmitter (the actual mic), not the receiver that is battery powered.

The receiver then becomes vulnerable to all sorts of spurious radio frequency information that wanted to invade the frequency you chose but was over ridden by the strong signal from your wireless transmitter. Your wireless mic receiver will amplify these spurious signals just like it was amplifying the voice of your singer or speaker. The results can be pretty funny (or terrifying, if you are the sound person). When your battery, rechargeable or otherwise, falls below the minimum frequency the transmitter needs to function up to specification, then chaos will rule.

The only way to defend your turf is to start your performance with a fresh battery and change it before it reaches the manufacturers minimum voltage level for satisfactory performance. Don’t trust the little led indicator on the transmitter or the receiver. More than once, I’ve seen these displays stay stable for hours and then drop like a rock. If you want to maximize your battery life, you’ll need a real volt/ohm meter. You can buy one at Radio Shack for less than $20.00 and it will pay for itself over the life of just a few batteries. It should be a part of every sound persons tool box.

Next time we’ll take a look at the future of rechargeable batteries for your wireless mics. A change is in the airwaves.

Got a tip about extending wireless mic battery life? Share it with us.