Countryman Lav Mics at DVinfo.net

Dave Largent · November 10th, 2003, 07:24 AM

Been looking around for a good lav. I had been considering DPA 4060 until I read something in one of their ads. They quoted some guy who does stage sound. He was "bragging" about how happy they were with the DPA. Then he commented that one nice thing about the mic is that sweat or water could get on it 5, 6 or even up to 10 times before it started going out. That mic in the summer time would only last me a month. I didn't know those things were so touchy. So now I'm looking for a water-resistant mic. I remember hearing the the Countryman reps have sold the mics by putting their B6 in a can of Coke and it still kept working. (They even recorded someone tapping on the can --
sounded lic a submarine.) Anyways, they also have a B3 and an
EMW. Anyone know anything about these mics? With the B6, are you mainly paying for it's small size or is it really that much better than the others? Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to audition these mics before I buy.

Dave Largent · November 11th, 2003, 04:35 AM

More bad news for me. Just heard from a Countryman dealer that all their mics require 48V phantom and XLR connector. Not my setup.
Any other water-resistant mics to consider?

Marty Wein · November 11th, 2003, 05:54 AM

Dave,
The countryman mics are available for almost ANY wireless system.

Bryan Beasleigh · November 11th, 2003, 07:12 AM

Marty is right. there are two versions listed. One for wireless and one for phantom. I didn't really check the list though

http://www.countryman.com/

Dave Largent · November 11th, 2003, 09:38 AM

To find accurate, complete info on lavs seems to be like pulling teeth. One says a particular one is great, the next says it's junk.
One says a certain hook up'll be fine, the next says not. Anyone know how many volts a wireless transmitter puts out to a mic? Really didn't think is was 48V. Supposedly the Countryman all *require* 48V. Now, the Sanken COS-11 can be purchased as a COS-11BP (battery box power) powered by a 1.5 volt AA. Had a guy in the business say if I were to snip the COS-11BP wire and cut the battery box out of the line and then terminate that line with a 3.5mm miniplug I'd be able to run that Sanken off the 3 volt plug-in power of a minidisc recorder. My huge two-capsuled true condenser Rode NT4 can be powered by one 9 volt. And a little Countryman electret condenser *requires* 48?
And that DPA 4060 which is supposedly as good or better than the Countryman comes wired optionally with a 9 volt battery box. I've been told a $20 Azden dynamic lav is "great" and that
I should go with that, then someone else says all dynamic lavs are "terrible". Wish I could test these out myself but I'm not in the Big City. Wouldn't even know where to go rent equipment in my area. Sorry for the rant; frustration is setting in.
P.S. The three dynamic lavs are on their way to me. Get to use the "mic in" of my sound card's breakout box for the first time. Was gonna once before but read it was only for non-powered mics and these'll be my first like that. Wonder how fast a window fan's slow speed setting is comparble to in wind miles per hour. I'm going furry-less. Oh, the tests I have in mind. (No Coke can submersions, though.)
Beas, thanks, I'll see what I can find out at the Countryman site.

Dave Largent · November 11th, 2003, 11:36 AM

Just got back from the Countryman site. I learned a lot. For example, the specs for their wired B6 lav shows a requirement of 9-48V of phantom power. The wireless version of their B6 only requires 1.5-3.5V! For the B3 it's 9-48V and 3-12V. For the EMW
lav it's 6-50V and 1.5-24V. And the wireless versions are available in about 20 different terminations, including 3.5mm
miniplug. (The wired versions have an inline preamp and terminate in 3XLR.)
On an unrelated note: If a 3-pin XLR "plug in" wireless transmitter is described as designed for low impedance dynamic mics, if a condenser mic--which had the same low impedance as a dynamic--were to be used with the transmitter, would there be any harm come? Off the top of my head I wouldn't think so.

Marty Wein · November 11th, 2003, 06:30 PM

Dave,
Lav mics, when they are Powered via 48v Phantom usually have better specs (higher SPL rating etc.) then the mics powered via the wireless.

About your plug-on question: It will not harm anything. However if the plug on transmitter does not provide phantom power you will not be able to use a condenser mic with it.

Dave Largent · November 11th, 2003, 11:25 PM

Marty (or anyone in the know),
My condenser has an internal battery so I imagine I'll be okay
to use it with the plug on, which does not provide phantom.
Perhaps you'd have some idea about this. I'm considering
three different dynamic mics for purchase, to be used with the
plug on (which is described as being designed for low impedance
mics). The impedance ratings of the 3 condensers I'm considering
are 150, 200, and 320 ohms. Should the impedance ratings of these mics be a factor as far as the output they'd have with
the plug on, or are the ratings so close so as to be a non-issue?
(By the way, the impedance of my condenser is 200 ohms.)

Marty Wein · November 11th, 2003, 11:32 PM

Will be a "non-issue"

November 10th, 2003, 07:24 AM	#1
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Countryman Lav Mics Been looking around for a good lav. I had been considering DPA 4060 until I read something in one of their ads. They quoted some guy who does stage sound. He was "bragging" about how happy they were with the DPA. Then he commented that one nice thing about the mic is that sweat or water could get on it 5, 6 or even up to 10 times before it started going out. That mic in the summer time would only last me a month. I didn't know those things were so touchy. So now I'm looking for a water-resistant mic. I remember hearing the the Countryman reps have sold the mics by putting their B6 in a can of Coke and it still kept working. (They even recorded someone tapping on the can -- sounded lic a submarine.) Anyways, they also have a B3 and an EMW. Anyone know anything about these mics? With the B6, are you mainly paying for it's small size or is it really that much better than the others? Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to audition these mics before I buy.

November 11th, 2003, 04:35 AM	#2
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	More bad news for me. Just heard from a Countryman dealer that all their mics require 48V phantom and XLR connector. Not my setup. Any other water-resistant mics to consider?

November 11th, 2003, 05:54 AM	#3
Marty Wein Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 229	Dave, The countryman mics are available for almost ANY wireless system.

November 11th, 2003, 07:12 AM	#4
Bryan Beasleigh Trustee Join Date: May 2002 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,922	Marty is right. there are two versions listed. One for wireless and one for phantom. I didn't really check the list though http://www.countryman.com/

November 11th, 2003, 09:38 AM	#5
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	To find accurate, complete info on lavs seems to be like pulling teeth. One says a particular one is great, the next says it's junk. One says a certain hook up'll be fine, the next says not. Anyone know how many volts a wireless transmitter puts out to a mic? Really didn't think is was 48V. Supposedly the Countryman all require 48V. Now, the Sanken COS-11 can be purchased as a COS-11BP (battery box power) powered by a 1.5 volt AA. Had a guy in the business say if I were to snip the COS-11BP wire and cut the battery box out of the line and then terminate that line with a 3.5mm miniplug I'd be able to run that Sanken off the 3 volt plug-in power of a minidisc recorder. My huge two-capsuled true condenser Rode NT4 can be powered by one 9 volt. And a little Countryman electret condenser requires 48? And that DPA 4060 which is supposedly as good or better than the Countryman comes wired optionally with a 9 volt battery box. I've been told a $20 Azden dynamic lav is "great" and that I should go with that, then someone else says all dynamic lavs are "terrible". Wish I could test these out myself but I'm not in the Big City. Wouldn't even know where to go rent equipment in my area. Sorry for the rant; frustration is setting in. P.S. The three dynamic lavs are on their way to me. Get to use the "mic in" of my sound card's breakout box for the first time. Was gonna once before but read it was only for non-powered mics and these'll be my first like that. Wonder how fast a window fan's slow speed setting is comparble to in wind miles per hour. I'm going furry-less. Oh, the tests I have in mind. (No Coke can submersions, though.) Beas, thanks, I'll see what I can find out at the Countryman site.

November 11th, 2003, 11:36 AM	#6
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Just got back from the Countryman site. I learned a lot. For example, the specs for their wired B6 lav shows a requirement of 9-48V of phantom power. The wireless version of their B6 only requires 1.5-3.5V! For the B3 it's 9-48V and 3-12V. For the EMW lav it's 6-50V and 1.5-24V. And the wireless versions are available in about 20 different terminations, including 3.5mm miniplug. (The wired versions have an inline preamp and terminate in 3XLR.) On an unrelated note: If a 3-pin XLR "plug in" wireless transmitter is described as designed for low impedance dynamic mics, if a condenser mic--which had the same low impedance as a dynamic--were to be used with the transmitter, would there be any harm come? Off the top of my head I wouldn't think so.

November 11th, 2003, 06:30 PM	#7
Marty Wein Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 229	Dave, Lav mics, when they are Powered via 48v Phantom usually have better specs (higher SPL rating etc.) then the mics powered via the wireless. About your plug-on question: It will not harm anything. However if the plug on transmitter does not provide phantom power you will not be able to use a condenser mic with it.

November 11th, 2003, 11:25 PM	#8
Dave Largent Trustee Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 1,483	Marty (or anyone in the know), My condenser has an internal battery so I imagine I'll be okay to use it with the plug on, which does not provide phantom. Perhaps you'd have some idea about this. I'm considering three different dynamic mics for purchase, to be used with the plug on (which is described as being designed for low impedance mics). The impedance ratings of the 3 condensers I'm considering are 150, 200, and 320 ohms. Should the impedance ratings of these mics be a factor as far as the output they'd have with the plug on, or are the ratings so close so as to be a non-issue? (By the way, the impedance of my condenser is 200 ohms.)

November 11th, 2003, 11:32 PM	#9
Marty Wein Major Player Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 229	Will be a "non-issue"