inexpensive hand held mic
 

Saturday was a nightmare! Had my zooms and voice recorders set up nice then the flaming venue had a broken distorted hand held mic that sounds terrible! Got the same venue and would like to offer them my own nice mic instead of struggling with theirs? Anything good but cheap

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Better to get the venue to afford a proper quality mic that won't futz out on them.

Andrew

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Recording what on the mic - musical vocals or speech such as stand-up comedy or what? Are you sure their mic was faulty or did the FOH engineer not know what he was doing?

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Yes steve the speeches! The mic had a banging noise when moved slightly and rustled like a distorted noise.
Cheers steve

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Will try ringing them tommorow andrew!

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

It also could be the mic cable. Often the XLR connector will have an issue that will allow for this type of handling interference. Hand miss are built to take a lot of abuse. Cables not so much.

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

If it's a PA set-up then carrying a cardioid dynamic in your kit bag may be useful. A shure SM58 is the std PA mic in the UK but if you are after a low cost gen purpose mic then a studiospares one would do:

Studiospares S945 Dynamic Vocalists Mic w/Switch at Studiospares

Note that mic has a switch which may be what they have for weddings but they also do one without a switch.

Personally I carry several dynamic mics for such use including an SM58 and a sennheiser with a switch that is similar to the one above, I also have omni directional dynamic mics for use when there is no PA system to consider.

You are right to ask the venue as it may be the cable as others have pointed out or if the mic has been dropped the capsule may be loose inside the mic casing.

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Many if not most wedding venues in the UK that use a PA system are using wireless handheld mics for the speeches and to complicate things further are also using ancient out of date frequencies. And the staff knowledge extends to little more than how to switch the system on and off - understandable as they have contractors to do anything more. And in the UK unlike in the USA the DJ seldom if ever has responsibility for anything other than running his music, evening only.

Even if you were luck out and find a venue running Senny G3's 606-648 you still have to match that up in the little time available.

When I've had this scenario I've asked that the speakers dispense with using the mike altogether. Fortunately in most venues with a seated capacity up to around 150 for the speeches the room acoustics are good enough for all the guests to hear. And using a mic can sound worse than not using one even if its working as it should! I either fit out the speakers with lavs or run H1's close to them, or both.

Pete

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Brilliant Gary thanks! I think it is the cable inside as I can hear it rattle!! Steve

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Thanks peter I usually get rid of the mic but this occasion the room is very large and guests always shout can't hear!!!

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Shure SM58. Since 1966. Affordable and pretty much indestructible.
However.. there are millions of 58 look alike clones from both legitimate and downright fraudulent manufactures. Buy from a reputable source.

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Cheers rick

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Never buy a 58 on ebay - brand new ones should come from Shure's dealer network, and they don't sell on ebay, and now people are selling brand new fakes as hardly used to make them appear genuine. Shure 58s and often Sennheiser 835's are almost certain to be fakes on ebay!

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Not to mention they're not that much to begin with.
Shure SM58-CN - Cardioid Dynamic Microphone at B&H=$109.00
You won't save anything buying it off Ebay since the chances are, it's not a real Shure SM58.
I tech'd a big conference for the last 3 days. 4 break out rooms, each had 2 to 4 SM58s. Average age of them was probably 15 years. Beat to hell, but worked like new. I believe you could pound nails with an SM58 and in between nails, use it for a seminar or conference.
I carry 2 in my audio bag just for emergency use along with the SM63 in my camera case for HH on camera work. Not as tough, but more elegant looking and has a bigger range. When I bought it, it was about $125.00 so again, little cost factor.

Re: inexpensive hand held mic
 

Cheers don & Paul