Custom Lavaliere microphone company?

[Jeff Harper]

Three maybe four years ago I purchased a custom configured lav mic for use with a wireless, and I can't remember the company I ordered from.

The company essentially uses the capsule of your choice and then configures the wiring and plug to work with the device you specify.

Anyone know the company I'm thinking of or one like it? As I recall the mics were great value, as they used high quality capsules and the price ended up significantly less than ordering pre-wired, giving a lot of bang for the buck.

[Steve House]

Originally Posted by Jeff Harper

...
The company essentially uses the capsule of your choice and then configures the wiring and plug to work with the device you specify.

....

Any pro audio shop can do that for you, Trew comes immediately to mind.

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks Steve, but the company I'm thinking of was particularly good because their website was devoted to this, and they have/had a variety of capsules listed specifically for this purpose, and it was all they did.

I'm not sure of the capsule I will want, but I'll continue to google this till I find something, thanks.

[Chris Harding]

Hi Jeff

Darn! I think I know who made up some custom stuff for Chip but he is on vacation at the moment down South..if he mails me I'll ask him to let you know who his audio guy is.

Chris

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks Chris, that would be great, there is no super rush, I have about ten days or so.

I believe, previously, that I ordered a Sennheiser capsule that normally is found on a preconfigured lav mic for $500 or $600 but doing it this way saved me about 1/2 the cost, as I recall, and it worked on my unit perfectly.

[Frank Glencairn]

Was it that company: Home

Frank

[Richard Crowley]

Not sure what is meant by "the capsule of your choice"? All commercial makers of lav mics offer their products wired for a variety of transmitters. Some even offer user-interchangeable connectors for all the popular transmitters as well as for phantom-powered XLR, etc.

[Rick Reineke]

As Steve stated, any of the 'usual suspect' pro-audio shops can put your choice of connector on a mic. For that matter most manufacturers offer their mics in a pre configured plug option for your favorite wireless transmitter, instead of the 'standard' XLR Phantom Power adapter or XLR battery module which are usually significantly more expensive than just a locking 3.5mm or TA plug... many lavs can be ordered with just 'tinned' leads for attaching your own plug, which can save additional funds. (if you can solder.. and know what your doing)

[Jeff Harper]

Frank, not that company, but interesting high quality choices there for sure, thanks for the link.

Rick. I don't solder if I can avoid it, and I don't know what I'm doing. I suppose if I can find a high-quality mic without a connector on it I could have a connector put on it locally, but it would be so much easier to find the company I ordered from before as they stock them in a variety of brands. It was nice having a one stop place who was set up to do this.

The Rode Lav might be the simplest solution, but I'm still looking.

I guess the easiest thing would be to choose the mic I want and then find it with a tinned lead as you say.

[Richard Crowley]

I am still not sure I understand the question. What mic are you looking for? What transmitter are you trying to connect to? Are you unable to find the microphone with the connector already assembled?

[Jeff Harper]

Richard, I'm sorry you are having trouble understanding my question.

Yes I can buy any mic already wired and ready to go. I understand this.

What I want to do is to by a high-quality mic with no connector on the end from a specific company because they sell them at a drastically lower price than preconfigured. I choose the mic I want, and they add the connector of my choice. For example, instead of paying $600 for a high quality Sennheiser lav microphone from B&H, I can get essentially the same microphone with even higher quality connector, or avoid using an adapter, as the case may be.

I just remember it was a hell of a lot of mic for a fraction of the cost, and that it was wired really nicely, and I believe I paid around $300 for a Sennheiser lav microphone that had I bought it preconfigured would have cost double. At least that's how I remember it. I recall this little outfit that I dealt with seemed to buy them in bulk directly from Sennheiser, etc.

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks guys, I'm going with a Rode lav and Micron 2 adapter, should work great with the H1. The H1 is available with accessories for $98. So for about $350 I'm done, and no hassles. I like the accessories with the Rode, especially the furry, very nice touch.

[Frank Glencairn]

Good move, I´m quite happy with my Rode.

[Richard Crowley]

I think many of us would like to find a source of less-expensive name-brand equipment. I hope we can re-discover who this vendor is. (Assuming they are not selling counterfeit goods, which is an increasing problem.) Connectorizing a lav mic for a wireless transmitter is not one of the easier tasks in DIY. Just finding authoritative information on the color-coding of the microphone leads and the pinout of the connector is not as easy as it sounds. And soldering those tiny connectors is not a job for the inexperienced. I couldn't do it without my lamp with the big magnifying glass.

[Jeff Harper]

Thanks Frank, it looks like the ideal solution, particularly with it's accesories and case, which is worth a lot to me. I have an outdoor wedding coming up and it should work out really well. I might get a second H1. The deal with the free mini tripod makes it too tempting to use as backup for toasts and whatever else I can imagine.

Richard I've had a lav mic wired locally at a pro sound shop and they didn't like doing it at all. I've had them do a variety of things like that so when I walk in they always appear fearful of what I'm going to ask for.