1 of 12
2 of 12
AKG MicroLite LC81 and LC82
Miniature directional or omni lavalier mics, with a variety of optional lavalier clips and single- or dual-ear headset attachments. Connectors are available for a variety of wireless transmitters.
3 of 12
Audio-Technica BP-894 MicroSet
A directional headset with the mic capsule in a rotating housing at right-angles to the boom, so it can be precisely aimed. Single- or dual-ear format all-in-one.
4 of 12
Countryman H6
Headset or earset with tiny 2.5-mm mic in omni or directional formats, models with three sensitivity levels, IP67 moisture resistance, and detachable cables. Connectors are available for a variety of wireless transmitters.
5 of 12
Mogan Elite Earset
2.5-mm omni element on a flexible mic boom, integrated with a cushioned, very stable single-ear headset that fits the left or right ear. Has detachable cables, with versions for most wireless.
6 of 12
DPA d:fine 66 and 88
Single- or dual-ear headsets with high-fidelity omni or directional mic elements, with short or long mic booms available. Has detachable cables, and versions for most wireless.
7 of 12
Galaxy Audio ES3
A single-ear omni headset with an adjustable, cushioned earpiece and flexible mic boom to fit the left or right ear. Has detachable cables, and versions for most wireless; dual-ear version available.
8 of 12
MXL FR-360
An omni lavalier mic designed for interviews, video production, and instrument pickup, terminated with an XLR connector. The FR-361 cardioid lavalier is also available.
9 of 12
Point Source Audio Embrace Earset
A very stable earset mic featuring the CO8W omni positioned discreetly right by the ear; IP57 rated. Shape and trim the earset for the particular user, with detachable cables for most wireless.
10 of 12
Rode HS2-B
Dual-ear headset with miniature omni element on a flexible mic boom. Small or large size headset, with cable terminated in a 3.5-mm TRS connector. Available in lavalier format with detachable connector.
11 of 12
Sennheiser HSP4
Dual-ear headset with MKE cardioid mic element on a flexible boom, with versions for most wireless transmitters. MKE2 miniature lavalier and ME2 omni lav also available.
12 of 12
Shure MicroFlex MX153
Low-profile, single-ear headset with omni element on a flexible boom, Kevlar reinforced cable, and terminated in a TA4F connector for Shure transmitters.
Overall, the best results for live spoken word reinforcement come from headset microphones, especially when higher gain is needed.
Headsets and lavalier microphones are essential audio tools for church tech teams. These high-quality, miniature microphones have made voice reinforcement unobtrusive, as well as much more consistent—allowing great freedom of movement while being comfortable and nearly invisible to the congregation.
The choice of a particular style of mic, and whether the pickup pattern is omni or directional, depends on the requirements of the user, and becomes a compromise between gain-before-feedback, frequency response and overall audio quality, and intelligibility. Combined with a wireless transmitter, a headset or lavalier microphone further extends the freedom of movement. In this article, we’ll explore applications for headsets vs. lavaliers, a few techniques to obtain the best performance from these tiny microphones, technologies that make then work well—and close with a look at some of the latest offerings.
Lavalier or headset?
The first choice is between a lavalier or a headset microphone. The headset uses a boom to position the microphone element close to the mouth, which does mean hooking the supporting frame onto your ears and having the mic visible on your face. However, modern headsets offer either dual- or single-ear supports and are quite lightweight, stable, and unobtrusive. The greatest benefit is that the microphone is adjacent to where the voice originates, so it will offer fairly high gain-before-feedback, consistent level since it moves with your head, and wider, more natural frequency response.
Lavaliers are placed on the chest or collar (or occasionally in the hairline), so your face is unencumbered. However, being located much farther away from the source of your voice than a headset or handheld, their pickup misses the direct output of the mouth, where the higher overtones of the voice emanate. To compensate for this less-than-ideal placement, lavalier microphones dedicated to voice reinforcement are designed with a shaped frequency response that includes a high-frequency boost and sometimes a mid-range dip to alleviate the effects of chest resonance—and in live situations they rarely sound as good as a headset.
Lower gain-before-feedback is also a common problem, and lavaliers don’t move with your head so levels can change as the presenter looks around. Overall, the best results for live spoken word reinforcement come from headset microphones, especially when higher gain is needed. If you only require a moderate amount of reinforcement and the presenter is not moving in front of the loudspeakers, a lavalier can be successful. Lavalier mics are also quite useful for on-camera voice recording, and specialized full-bandwidth miniature microphones can be a great solution to capture the sound of a musical instrument when properly mounted.
Omni or directional?
Omnidirectional mics pick up sound from all directions, including background noises and other voices and instruments in the vicinity, whereas directional mics (cardioid and related patterns) basically emphasize sounds coming into the front of the mic capsule—and have much less sensitivity at the sides and rear. In a live setting, directional mics will generally provide greater isolation when they must be placed at any distance from the sound source. In the case of headsets, with their mic elements typically positioned close to the corner of the mouth, the distance from the sound source is so small that an omni can provide isolation along with a broad, flat frequency response at relatively high sound reinforcement levels. Headsets with directional elements are also available to give even greater isolation, attenuating external sounds when being used very close to other presenters or louder instruments. As with all directional mics, careful positioning is critical for the best results.
Lavaliers are available in both omnidirectional and directional coverage patterns, to suit a variety of applications. Omni lavs typically sound more natural when placed off-axis to the voice and have fewer problems with level and frequency response variations as the presenter’s head moves, but are also more prone to capturing ambient noise with lower gain before feedback. They also exhibit less cable and handling noise.
Directional lavs are much more sensitive to handling noise, breath, and plosive consonants, with the tradeoff being that they’re more selective—capturing the voice while attenuating ambient sounds with higher gain before feedback. In placement when chest-worn, they should be aimed right at the mouth and the presenter must minimize extreme head turns when speaking. Head movement is less problematic when the mic is fixed to the hairline or otherwise secured, and moves with the presenter.
Specialized Technologies
Because of their size, and the miniscule mass of their moving transducer element, modern headset and lavalier microphones are almost always condensers. This yields the necessary sensitivity and output level, as well as a much wider frequency and better transient response. A few larger-format lavs at lower price points still use dynamic (magnet and coil) technology. The smallest of these condensers aren’t much thicker than a wooden pencil lead, yet can accurately cover the audio bandwidth. Creating such miniature microphones with consistent response characteristics requires precision manufacturing and specialized technologies, with ongoing quality control. The electronic components are akin to tiny computer circuit boards, and directionality is controlled by processes such as micro-drilling with hair-fine bits or lasers, or placing small interference tubes in front of the diaphragm.
The cables are similarly fine, and must also withstand the stresses of being caught, pulled and twisted repeatedly in use. To build the necessary strength in a flexible cable, durable and high-quality braided wires, insulators and cable jackets impregnated with Kevlar fibers and other tough materials are incorporated. The higher quality microphones often have tiny inline connectors so that the cables can be replaced if damaged, or cables with different connectors can be substituted to match a variety of wireless transmitters.
Lavalier and headset mics are used close to the body, and therefore are subject to sweat, makeup, and other elements that could cause them to fail. Many of the manufacturers build in features to withstand such problems, and their mics will be IP-rated (weather-resistant) against the incursion of water, dust and other contaminants. Also, since these mics are often used with wireless transmitters, adding RF immunity is another important design element.
Because certain sound sources and voices are widely different in level, a handful of manufacturers will offer their microphones with different sensitivities—two or three sensitivities in 10-dB increments. To reinforce a loud sound source or someone with a booming speaking voice, choosing a model with a lower sensitivity (and a higher maximum SPL capability) can help prevent the user from overloading the mic. Then, use the trim control on the mixing console for further adjustments.
Which should I choose?
Headset and lavalier microphones are offered in a wide range of prices, and to a great extent the audio quality, consistency, reliability, longevity and features follow suit. Some can be found for well under $100, while the very best professional headsets run $500 or more. What do you get for your investment? The better mics will typically be made from higher quality materials, manufactured with more care and testing, and be backed by a significant warranty and available support. They are likely to sound better with minimal EQ, have higher gain before feedback, be more consistent from unit to unit, and remain reliable for years of use.
For light-duty use with a basic sound system in a small meeting hall or church, a relatively inexpensive mic may be all you need to make your voice loud enough to be understood. Consider how much action these mics will see, so that your investment will stay functional long-term, without becoming noisy, having a mic boom that no longer stays in place, or no longer holding its adjustment. Also, realize that the overall quality of your sound system begins with the input, and a great mixing console, processor, or loudspeaker will not adequately correct the frequency response and polar pattern of an inferior microphone. Choose well, looking for the attributes that fit the people who will be using the mics—so that they sound and feel their best while presenting their message to the congregation.
The latest offerings
Certain companies specialize in miniature mics, while others will also produce handheld, recording and other microphone formats. The listing below includes a sampling of headsets and lavaliers, and is fairly representative of different price points and the latest technologies. transmitters.
Audio-Technica BP-894 MicroSet: A directional headset with the mic capsule in a rotating housing at right-angles to the boom, so it can be precisely aimed. Single- or dual-ear format all-in-one.
Countryman E6: Headset or earset with tiny 2.5-mm mic in omni or directional formats, models with three sensitivity levels, IP67 moisture resistance, and detachable cables. Connectors are available for a variety of wireless transmitters.
DPA d:fine 66 and 88: Single- or dual-ear headsets with high-fidelity omni or directional mic elements, with short or long mic booms available. Has detachable cables, and versions for most wireless.
Galaxy Audio ES3: A single-ear omni headset with an adjustable, cushioned earpiece and flexible mic boom to fit the left or right ear. Has detachable cables, and versions for most wireless; dual-ear version available.
Mogan Elite Earset: 2.5-mm omni element on a flexible mic boom, integrated with a cushioned, very stable single-ear headset that fits the left or right ear. Has detachable cables, with versions for most wireless.
MXL FR-360: An omni lavalier mic designed for interviews, video production, and instrument pickup, terminated with an XLR connector. The FR-361 cardioid lavalier is also available.
Point Source Audio Embrace Earset: A very stable earset mic featuring the CO8W omni positioned discreetly right by the ear; IP57 rated. Shape and trim the earset for the particular user, with detachable cables for most wireless.
Rode HS2-B: Dual-ear headset with miniature omni element on a flexible mic boom. Small or large size headset, with cable terminated in a 3.5-mm TRS connector. Available in lavalier format with detachable connector.
Sennheiser HSP4: Dual-ear headset with MKE cardioid mic element on a flexible boom, with versions for most wireless transmitters. MKE2 miniature lavalier and ME2 omni lav also available.
Shure MicroFlex MX153: Low-profile, single-ear headset with omni element on a flexible boom, Kevlar reinforced cable, and terminated in a TA4F connector for Shure transmitters.
