Best cheap lav? at DVinfo.net

Marco Leavitt · November 17th, 2009, 09:13 PM

I need to pick up eight lavaliere mics for roundtable interviews and so on. Since I need so many of them I need to find something on the cheap end of the spectrum, preferably under $50. The lavs need to be XLR terminated and phantom powered. Any suggestions?

Dan Brockett · November 17th, 2009, 09:52 PM

There are no lavaliere mics on the market for that price range with XLR connections. The cheapest begin at around U.S. $200.00 list. I would advise renting, $50.00 mics sound like crap regardless of the connection.

Dan

Richard Gooderick · November 18th, 2009, 03:46 AM

How about placing mics on the table instead?

Paul Cascio · November 18th, 2009, 06:40 AM

In a bind, I actually bought a $25 lav (non-XLR) at Radio Shack and was pretty amazed at the quality. Test it out for yourself and see.

I think if there is one type of mic that is more forgiving than all others, it's a lav. Try Giantsquid.com too. They are known to be pretty good.

Marco Leavitt · November 18th, 2009, 07:49 AM

Yeah, I've already tried placing mics on the table and it worked okay. I do like Giant Squid, but I don't believe he makes XLR terminated lavs. I need a balanced connection and I'm not going to deal with adapters. I am considering more SM11s.

Shure | SM11-CN - Lavalier Microphone | SM11-CN | B&H Photo Video

I already have three of them, so it's fewer left to buy, but they are obnoxiously big and don't quite have as much output as I would like. I have to max out the gain to get a decent level.

Rick Reineke · November 18th, 2009, 08:34 AM

The SM11 is a dynamic, and naturally has lower output. Probably handles higher SPLs though. May be great for a 'screamer' or working on a firearms show.

Dan Brockett · November 18th, 2009, 09:23 AM

I wonder if they used that lav on Billy Mays?

Dan

Marco Leavitt · November 18th, 2009, 07:53 PM

Hey Rick, I'm not faulting the SM11. It does pretty much what it's supposed to. I dangled them in front of some guitar amplifiers over the weekend and they sounded great. I was just hoping to finding something that was a little hotter, a little smaller, and maintained a balanced connection. The only reason I'm asking a "cheap mic" question is that I need so many of the things.

Mario Vermunt · November 19th, 2009, 02:26 AM

How about a good PZM mic? A good quality PZM placed in the center of the 'round table' picks up the sound very well.

Marco Leavitt · November 19th, 2009, 08:09 AM

Nope. A PZM is not gonna cut it.

Bill Wilson · November 19th, 2009, 11:29 AM

I have used a pair of them for 6 years, they really are good mikes. I believe they are made by A. T. for Radio Shack. I have been in pro audio (broadcast & recording studios) for 45 yrs.

In 2000-2003 R.S. had these lavs in a stereo pair for $30-; I recorded a symphony orchestra on my Akai mini disc everyone who has heard it thought it was a commercial recording.

With using R.S. products you have to know how to separate the truly good products from the rest of their line. I used to own Telefunken/Neuman U47's & Sony C37's when I had my on location recording service during the 60's, so I can easily tell if a mike is decent or not.

No sense spending money you don't need to.

Marco Leavitt · November 19th, 2009, 01:31 PM

When you say R.S., do you mean RadioShack? Is there a model number?

Les Nagy · November 19th, 2009, 02:39 PM

The Radio Shack mic is also known as the Audio-Technica ATR-35S. It is a cheap and dirty fix for having no microphone. I would not produce anything with it unless I had no choice. It is noisy and quite coloured sounding. It does not have balanced output.

Tom Dickerson · November 20th, 2009, 08:24 AM

I've use one of these for over a year. I have taped a person talking everywhere from the edge of a mountain rim with high winds to a quiet studio environment. It's been dropped in the dirt, stepped on, wadded up and thrown in a bag - I mean abused! Not intentionally, but stuff happens.

This IS the Radio Shack Mic: Hands-Free Tie-Clip Omnidirectional Electret - RadioShack.com

Check out the reviews and specs. I know a whole lot of people using this from hobbyist to pros. For a cheap mic that can reasonably get the job done - it's tough to beat it.

Now, if you have hundreds to spend...sure spend more if you have to.

Les Nagy · November 20th, 2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Dickerson

This IS the Radio Shack Mic: Hands-Free Tie-Clip Omnidirectional Electret - RadioShack.com

Well if this is the mic being discussed it is different than the one I know of, so my comments are obviously off track.

Sorry for the confusion.

November 17th, 2009, 09:13 PM	#1
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Best cheap lav? I need to pick up eight lavaliere mics for roundtable interviews and so on. Since I need so many of them I need to find something on the cheap end of the spectrum, preferably under $50. The lavs need to be XLR terminated and phantom powered. Any suggestions?

November 18th, 2009, 03:46 AM	#3
Richard Gooderick Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: London, UK Posts: 795	How about placing mics on the table instead? __________________ http://www.gooderick.com

November 18th, 2009, 06:40 AM	#4
Paul Cascio Trustee Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bristol, CT (Home of EPSN) Posts: 1,192	In a bind, I actually bought a $25 lav (non-XLR) at Radio Shack and was pretty amazed at the quality. Test it out for yourself and see. I think if there is one type of mic that is more forgiving than all others, it's a lav. Try Giantsquid.com too. They are known to be pretty good. __________________ Paul Cascio www.pictureframingschool.com

November 19th, 2009, 11:29 AM	#11
Bill Wilson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Leesburg, Fla Posts: 86	R. S Lav. Mike I have used a pair of them for 6 years, they really are good mikes. I believe they are made by A. T. for Radio Shack. I have been in pro audio (broadcast & recording studios) for 45 yrs. In 2000-2003 R.S. had these lavs in a stereo pair for $30-; I recorded a symphony orchestra on my Akai mini disc everyone who has heard it thought it was a commercial recording. With using R.S. products you have to know how to separate the truly good products from the rest of their line. I used to own Telefunken/Neuman U47's & Sony C37's when I had my on location recording service during the 60's, so I can easily tell if a mike is decent or not. No sense spending money you don't need to.

November 20th, 2009, 08:24 AM	#14
Tom Dickerson Regular Crew Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mesa, Arizona Posts: 86	Radio Shack Mic I've use one of these for over a year. I have taped a person talking everywhere from the edge of a mountain rim with high winds to a quiet studio environment. It's been dropped in the dirt, stepped on, wadded up and thrown in a bag - I mean abused! Not intentionally, but stuff happens. This IS the Radio Shack Mic: Hands-Free Tie-Clip Omnidirectional Electret - RadioShack.com Check out the reviews and specs. I know a whole lot of people using this from hobbyist to pros. For a cheap mic that can reasonably get the job done - it's tough to beat it. Now, if you have hundreds to spend...sure spend more if you have to.

November 17th, 2009, 09:52 PM	#2
Dan Brockett Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 2,109	There are no lavaliere mics on the market for that price range with XLR connections. The cheapest begin at around U.S. $200.00 list. I would advise renting, $50.00 mics sound like crap regardless of the connection. Dan

November 18th, 2009, 07:49 AM	#5
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Yeah, I've already tried placing mics on the table and it worked okay. I do like Giant Squid, but I don't believe he makes XLR terminated lavs. I need a balanced connection and I'm not going to deal with adapters. I am considering more SM11s. Shure \| SM11-CN - Lavalier Microphone \| SM11-CN \| B&H Photo Video I already have three of them, so it's fewer left to buy, but they are obnoxiously big and don't quite have as much output as I would like. I have to max out the gain to get a decent level.

November 18th, 2009, 08:34 AM	#6
Rick Reineke Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: New York Posts: 2,039	The SM11 is a dynamic, and naturally has lower output. Probably handles higher SPLs though. May be great for a 'screamer' or working on a firearms show.

November 18th, 2009, 09:23 AM	#7
Dan Brockett Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Los Angeles, California Posts: 2,109	I wonder if they used that lav on Billy Mays? Dan

November 18th, 2009, 07:53 PM	#8
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Hey Rick, I'm not faulting the SM11. It does pretty much what it's supposed to. I dangled them in front of some guitar amplifiers over the weekend and they sounded great. I was just hoping to finding something that was a little hotter, a little smaller, and maintained a balanced connection. The only reason I'm asking a "cheap mic" question is that I need so many of the things.

November 19th, 2009, 02:26 AM	#9
Mario Vermunt Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Rotterdam, the Netherlands Posts: 77	How about a good PZM mic? A good quality PZM placed in the center of the 'round table' picks up the sound very well.

November 19th, 2009, 08:09 AM	#10
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	Nope. A PZM is not gonna cut it.

November 19th, 2009, 01:31 PM	#12
Marco Leavitt Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Albany, NY 12210 Posts: 2,652	When you say R.S., do you mean RadioShack? Is there a model number?

November 19th, 2009, 02:39 PM	#13
Les Nagy Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: A Canadian in Canada, and sometimes Chile Posts: 265	The Radio Shack mic is also known as the Audio-Technica ATR-35S. It is a cheap and dirty fix for having no microphone. I would not produce anything with it unless I had no choice. It is noisy and quite coloured sounding. It does not have balanced output.