Karaoke Forums

So, here's the deal...

I've been using the GTD Audio and Phenyx Pro wireless mics. They are both very good, providing they are used properly. However, when a singer has the mic right against their mouth and doesn't move it back when there's a loud part of the song, there is clipping and the sound is distorted. With some singers, I anticipate this and use Gain Riding... but, you never know when someone's going to scream into the mic. When that happens, the mic is overloaded and distortion occurs.

Now, I also have expensive wireless mics too, like Sennheiser. These are $500 for one set (mic and receiver). They are much better at handling screaming singers. The problem is, I've always been very reluctant to put an expensive mic in just anybody's hands.

A lot of singers come up after eating those wings, or fried foods, with their greasy hands.... and even though the mics are better with clipping, I cringe to hand them an expensive mic so they can get greasy food all over it.

So, I have a dilemma... use the cheaper mics and deal with the distortion and clipping or use the expensive ones that can be mistreated by singers but have better sound and no distortion.

I believe we've talked about this in the past but now I have to decide what would be best for me and my shows during these times.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

If I were in your shoes, I'd probably stick with the cheaper microphones, depending on the environment. With the details provided, it doesn't sound like it's a case where people get more careless as the night goes on (I have a friend who switches mics halfway through the show once the crowd starts getting more drunk), but a place that the main issue is the food and other things which, I imagine, could damage the mics if it got into the workings of it.

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Co-host of The Greatest Song Ever Sung (Poorly), a karaoke-themed podcast

Yeah, as much as I want to use the better mics, you do have to consider the ramifications. To replace a GTD Audio or Phenyx Pro mic would cost under $40 versus $200 to replace the Sennheiser mic.

Personally, if it was me... I would wait until I was finished eating before singing and I would wash my hands. It's sad that some people show no respect for your equipment.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

I went back to using my Shure SM58 wireless systems(middle quality, not top or entry grade) Yes they get accidently dropped on occasion but only dents the ball which i simply replace. Been in service for about 5 years now

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

used Sennheiser for many years and never had to replace any of them. they are bulletproof, even getting dropped and even thrown across the room (she saw her guy hitting on another woman) they never once failed. i have replaced GTD mics, but never a Sennheiser.

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

Which model do you have? The wireless set that I have uses a e835 capsule, just like the wired version, but unlike the wired version, the body is ABS, not metal. Although, one of the benefits of ABS plastic is supposed to be strong impact resistance.

Maybe, I'll start using them and see how it goes.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

By going back to the Shure SM58 wireless, did doing so eliminate the distortion from the loud singers and screamers who have their mouth right on top of the mic? I understand that the SM58 can handle high sound pressure levels a lot better.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

I have the EW100 series with the 835 capsule

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Paradigm Karaoke, The New Standard.......Shift Happens

they still bottom out but nearly as noticeable with the gtds i had

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

OK, at my last two shows, I used the Sennheiser e835 (wireless) as well as an Electro-Voice ND86, which is an amazing mic, in the right hands.

Compared to the GTD Audio and Phenyx Pro mics, they sound better, have basically no feedback and are better at handling loud singers.

But.. there is still distortion if someone screams or sings loudly into the mic when it's touching their lips.

So, I will conclude... that no matter how good a mic is, if you overload the signal by having it right on top of your mouth and scream into it, it's going to distort. Plain and simple.

I try to tell this type of singer that the closer the mic is to your mouth, the worse you're going to sound. You're going to sound garbled and distorted and that the louder you sing the more your volume is going to be cut.

The bottom line is... it's not so much the mic... it's the singer.

I have a compressor in another rig that I haven't used but now I'm going to give that a try and see if the compressor will eliminate distortion from those loud peaks when a singer is screaming or singing very loudly on top of the mic.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

The comp4essor will not eliminate or reduce the distortion levels since the distortion is coming from the mic receiver but it will reduce the volume of the louder passages so distortion may not seem as noticeable.

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LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

So, I take it in this situation, it would be better to use a wired mic, correct? Also, I have my compression settings at -10 for Threshold and 3:1 for Ratio. For Attack and Release, should I use the fast settings or put it on Auto? Or, what do you think would be the ideal settings for loud singers/screamers who have the mic right on top of their mouth? Thanks.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

Let us get one thing clear, karaoke singers are not professional singers, they know little or nothing about controlling the mic, like most professional singers do. After doing this for years I have run the full course on hosts and singers in my local area. Some hosts I can hold the mic down at my waist and you can still hear me fine, others you can shout into the mic and it is hard to hear the singer over the music, and everything in between. At the end of the day you have to ask yourself do you really want mostly non-professional singers handling your expensive mics? I know some of you want to have the best karaoke experience possible for your patrons, on the other hand who can afford to have delicate equipment damaged and spending money to replace it?

At the end of the day you Alan are running a business, where you have to cut your overhead as much as possible, since the profit margins like every other business are being squeezed. That is why I use rechargeable batteries in my mics to cut down on the cost of replacing batteries, it is little things that can aid your bottom line. I mean after all if you are making 150.00 a gig you do have to deduct expenses, such as replacement of damaged equipment, the venue isn't going to pay for it.

The solution is to have decent mics such as the GTD's or other mid range acceptable alternatives, please don't go ultra cheap, like Vocal Pro like some local hosts have.

Yes, everything you're saying makes perfect sense, and it's what I've always done. However, when I use my good mics (Shure, Sennheiser), there is definitely a difference in sound quality compared to the GTD Audio. They sound better, are less prone to feedback and handle distortion caused by loud singers, much better. Not perfect, but better.

Of course, I want to provide my singers with the best sounding experience. But as you've pointed out, there is a trade off...

So, I can easily hand my good mics to the singers who actually know how to use a mic and that I trust... and for everyone else, give a GTD Audio mic.

The bad thing about that is we'll have to suffer through the distortion and feedback caused by the bad and loud singers. So, it comes down to either having good sound across the board, knowing that there is a chance that some drunk can drop or damage your mic... or have inferior sound with the feedback and distortion that goes along with it.

Personally, I have always been known for having the best sound. I've gotten many, many compliments on this over the years. When a customer comes out to my show, I want them to say, wow, I've never sounded better.

So, with that said... I think I would rather take a chance using the better mics than go the cheap route at the expense of inferior sound.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

It has been said before, but here goes again.

When it comes to choosing mics, the qualities of a microphone that you are looking for are:

1) Durability
2) Quality of sound
3) Affordability/Cheap

Pick 2 of the 3 choices, you won't get all three.

Some of this is true, but consider this? If the singer actually know how to use aka control the mike, he or she can take any mic on any song and make it ok. I have found out using GTD that it can be used by either great or average singers. I don't like have one mic for some patrons and another for others, just like when I host I use the same mic as everyone else, if asked to. Not a special one that makes me sound better.

Shure 58’s are tanks, no doubt about it! They’re probably your best bet for singer’s use, simply because they’ll take a beating, and still function. As for screamers, if you don’t already have one, you might consider a compressor/limiter. I’ve had a few idiots in my day try to do a primal scream into the mic, and my trusty DBX saved the day, on more than one occasion!
Just my 2 cents……

At my last show, I used my rig containing a Mackie ProFX16V3. It's got inserts that I have my DBX 266 compressor connected to. It's also got one knob compression on 8 of the Mono channels. It's in a SKB case... that is huge, heavy, and bulky. That's why I've always used my Allen & Heath mixer in a Gator case that's much lighter without the bulk. But the A&H mixer doesn't have inserts or one knob compression.

So, anyway... I did a test on the Mackie setup. First using the DBX 266. Then just using the one knob compression.

The results:

They both did an excellent job at keeping distortion from loud singers at bay. In fact, I hardly noticed any at all. The one knob compressor did just as good a job as the outboard DBX.

Now, if I can only find a mixer with one knob compression that will fit into my 8U slant top Gator case, I'll be happy, since I really don't want to lug around the humongous SKB setup which is 10U on top and 4U on the bottom.

But, I have proven that compression does work for loud/screaming singers, whether it be an outboard one or built in one knob.

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Electro-Voice Evolve 50... Taking Sound To The Next Level.

Was a die-hard believer in Shure 58's for years and then switched to the wireless Shure pgx 24. They are quality mics and no cords for people to fall over, etc. I've had them both for about 6 or 7 years and everyone, including me love them. My hosts use them as well.

On occasion I have brought out my mutant mics, but quickly realized that it was a bad idea.

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Sound Choice and Chartbuster Certified