Lights and Sound: Help! Wireless Mics

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Help! Wireless Mics

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Lights and Sound
Forum Discription: Technical discussion
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2961
Printed Date: 5/18/25 at 11:35am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Help! Wireless Mics

Posted By: colleene24
Subject: Help! Wireless Mics
Date Posted: 2/06/08 at 1:24pm

Hi, This is my second year doing my school musical and last year our sound was awful. We only had hanging mics to work with. This year we have a new sound system and we are looking to purchase some wireless mics. We are a middle school and unfortunately have a gymnasium to work with. We have a nice stage and do a great job on sets and such.

I am hoping that someone out there can give me some info. about what to look for in wireless mics. We would like to get about 8-10 to start with. We also cannot afford to spend $600 or more per mic. We just need something that will work for what we need it to do, but something that will last a few years. They definately do not have to be anything too fancy.

Please help, our show is in just over a month.

Thanks a bunch!!!!

Replies:

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 2/07/08 at 4:56pm

I realise it is a gymeatre, but beyond employing hanging chorus mikes, would it not be easier to have the cast coached in vioce projection, rather than individual vioce reinforcement.

{Which can become a logistic nightmare with students}

What is the sound problem in the theatorium?

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

Posted By: colleene24
Date Posted: 2/07/08 at 7:17pm

I am dealing with middle school kids here, so they don't really know about projection yet. We try to show them, but they just aren't doing it. We will definately need more than hanging mics.

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 2/08/08 at 5:08am

Have a squint at the these posts on the 'Blueroom' about boundry mics, this may help!;-

http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=25123&pid=211764&start=0&#entry211764 - http://www.blue-room.org.uk/index.php?showtopic=25123&pid=211764&start=0&#entry211764

These are posts from pro theatre techies & niose boys.

The bigest hiccup with using a heap of radio mics with kids, is the logistics of tracking them & ensuring the unit is taken out, when they are off stage &/or they fiddle & switch them off!

Using the boundry mics as suggested on this forum would solve your problems I think!

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

Posted By: John Luzaich
Date Posted: 3/07/08 at 4:02pm

You don't have to spend a ton of money to make it sound fairly good. Check out Audio Technica in Ohio. We bought some lavalier mics from them at a pretty good price. Of course, you need someone to mix sound on a sound board that is fairly competent. But, you can make it as difficult and complex, or as easy as you want. I had a sound guy tell me he hates hanging mics overhead because they're not just picking up singing, they're picking up every noise that's underneath them. You can use wireless and make sure you buy plenty of 9 volt batteries, because you use a lot of them.

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John
cfct@cfu.net
http://www.osterregent.org
http://www.facebook.com/osterregent

Posted By: JoeMc
Date Posted: 3/07/08 at 9:07pm

Just to follow on from John on batteries. It is good practice everytime a radio mic is used, to replace the batteries before the show starts no matter what.

Which saves a lot of problems while on stage.

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[western] Gondawandaland
"Hear the light & see the sound!
TOI TOI CHOOKAS
{may you always play to a full house!}

Posted By: skyguy
Date Posted: 3/16/08 at 11:58am

+1 for audio technica lav mics! I purchased a bunch of the 3000 series for about $280 per unit (no mic included) from a place in Las Vegas. I'm on my third musical with them and they have performed beautifully. From all the research I did, the only real difference between the 3000 series and the higher models are features that would pertain to linking the units and a bit more flexibility in finding an open frequency. This is really only important if you plan on traveling with them to different cities. 200 frequencies is plenty if you stay in one area.

The absolute best part is that they run on AA batteries! With the newer rechargables out there, they still last for six to seven hours. I just recharge them for every show. This has saved me a fortune. Four rechargeable AA batteries = $9.00. This will power two wireless units for a couple hundred shows!!! If you look around, I think a couple of other companies are going to AA batteries as well.

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Can I have some more talent in the monitors please?