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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #315524 is a reply to message #314790 ]

Wed, 23 April 2008 12:29

Erik Jerde
Messages: 195
Registered: May 2004

Has No Life

Aaron, contact your local dealer or find a rental company you can rent one from for a show.

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #316228 is a reply to message #315524 ]

Thu, 24 April 2008 21:43

Brian Harden
Messages: 23
Registered: July 2007

Here Often

I agree with those that use the e6 for the theater.... they do tend to work well. As for durability, I use the thicker cable now (after learning a very expensive lesson with the mini cable). That being said, I still do use the lav over the ear approach (WL50's and WL93's) and depending on placement and the singer, I can get as good or better than the E6's with them... though the E6's usually win out!

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #316240 is a reply to message #314246 ]

Thu, 24 April 2008 22:27

Greg Branch
Messages: 25
Registered: August 2005
Location: Melbourne, FL

Should Get Out More

I'm not sure of the model number, but I use DPA's version and find it to sound better and be a lot more stable for the person wearing it. We have tried both and for people that move around quite a bit DPA is the way to go, the Countryman would move around a lot.

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #316706 is a reply to message #314246 ]

Sat, 26 April 2008 12:12

JorgenBrotnov
Messages: 41
Registered: August 2004
Location: Seattle WA

Should Get Out More

I like the E6, but I much prefer the sound of almost any DPA.

I have 4066s, 4088s, and also the new cardioid lav, the 4080.
I would prefer any of those to the E6 (also have one of these).
My favorite is the 4088.
Nothing I have tried compares to the quality of speech that I get using the 4088.
It sounds almost like a hand mic, except with consistent mic technique!
Probably the only downside is that visually it is much larger (especially with foam windscreen).
I was pleasantly surprised when I first used the 4080 as well. Definitely my new first choice when I need a lav.

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318675 is a reply to message #314246 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 01:43

Craig Smith
Messages: 41
Registered: January 2006
Location: Moorpark, CA

Should Get Out More

I'm using 6 in a current show. Sound quality is way better than lavs, and much better than the Shure and Sennheiser headsets I had to compare them with. They are all omnis yet we have almost no feedback problems. We do sometimes have a hard time getting them to stay securely, and positioning affects the sound quality quite a bit. A bit of tape right next to the ear helps greatly. We broke a regular E6 this week trying to mold it. Note that there are 3 different caps that also dramatically affect the sound; in some cases we have removed the cap completely although that's not recommended. When it still doesn't sound good a little EQ usually fixes it, as another poster said.

As another post said there is a behind the head mount for it now, and they sell a larger headset as well. But most people don't like wearing them.

The DPA sounds great, but it doesn't appear anything else has the combination of looks, sound, and price that the E6 does.

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318676 is a reply to message #314246 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 01:47

Craig Smith
Messages: 41
Registered: January 2006
Location: Moorpark, CA

Should Get Out More

What I want to know is how do you you get such decent sound from a B3 headworn mic without feedback?

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318696 is a reply to message #318676 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 07:08

Jordan Wolf
Messages: 470
Registered: November 2006
Location: Huntington, IN (College) ...

Has No Life

Craig Smith wrote on Fri, 02 May 2008 02:47

What I want to know is how do you you get such decent sound from a B3 headworn mic without feedback?

A good parametric would be my tool of choice (KT DN405)...along with proper mic placement and a tuned system so as to get as much GBF as possible. A digital EQ would have more options and more filters to use, so that might be more advantageous. Either way, an EQ is pretty much useless if the system isn't tuned well (or at all) and the mic placement is incorrect for the application.

Wolf
<><

A lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.

"With that much comb filtering you could probably part your hair just by walking through the room." - Dick Rees

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318725 is a reply to message #318696 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 09:01

Daniel Ellis
Messages: 36
Registered: March 2007
Location: Texas

Should Get Out More

I must have a bad mic or something... The E6's I have been using (two of them, and the only 2 I've ever used), are next to impossible to get a natural speech sound from. I've tried different caps and the one that sounds the best to me still doesn't sound GREAT.

I have to use a lot of channel strip EQ to get rid of feedback, and in doing so the speech just doesn't sound right. The shure Beta 53 I have is run flat on the board with a 120Hz HPF and sounds perfect.

I was really hoping for more people to agree that it's a bad sounding mic, so I could get the boss to buy some better ones.. But it seems like I'm the only one having this big of a problem.

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318747 is a reply to message #318725 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 10:06

Craig Smith
Messages: 41
Registered: January 2006
Location: Moorpark, CA

Should Get Out More

They definitely work better for some than others; it sounds like it's just not the right mic for them. What model do you have? Have you tried removing the cap completely? I only use the channel EQ to shape the tone, not remove feedback. Can monitor volume be reduced?

I may try to rent a Shure or DPA and compare them today; the problem with the Shure is we have all Sennheiser wireless systems. I could make an adapter cable but I have other things I'd rather worry about. Are there no other good options, perhaps cheaper but not as nice looking?

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318789 is a reply to message #318725 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 12:19

Aaron Siebert
Messages: 14
Registered: May 2007
Location: Pittsburgh PA / Morgan Hi...

Here Often

I got 4 Beta 53s with a rental package for a musical yesterday. I must say although they're a bit clunky compared to the E6, once I changed the caps and high passed them they've been sounding great. I have to overcome the band on stage and I get plenty of gain. I don't think they've actually fed back yet.

What are people's views about using them in theater? Does the size and look keep them below the E6.

-Aaron Siebert

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318804 is a reply to message #318789 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:04

Phillip Ivan Pietruschka is currently offline

Phillip Ivan Pietruschka
Messages: 33
Registered: January 2006
Location: Australia

Should Get Out More

I find the Beta 53 unacceptable for Theatre use.

It is relatively large and ulgy, and I can't think of any Director who given a choice would tolerate it for visual reasons.

I have also never been impressed with the sound quality.

They are very quick and easy to fit, though the inflexible boom is a blessing and a curse.

For what it's worth every time I have been supplied them for use with the show I tour with, I have been stuck with the impression that the local production company hired does not usually work in theatres.

I am inclined to suspect that they are much more robust than the typical Countryman, DPA, and Sennheiser models which would make them ideal in some situations.

[Updated on: Fri, 02 May 2008 13:05]

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318824 is a reply to message #318725 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:45

Tim McCulloch
Messages: 3819
Registered: April 2004
Location: Wichita KS USA

Has No Life

Daniel-

Either the mics have some kind of problem (physical or electrical), the placement is all wrong, or you have "pilot error" issues.

I *really* hope you aren't trying to put these in foldback wedges or sidefills. Even with the cardioid E6 you will have relatively little GBF compared to a conventional hand-held cardioid mic.

The vast majority of sound quality issues with the E6 can be traced back to improper placement/positioning of the mic.

Exactly how are you using your E6s?

Tim Mc

"It's not your fault if he can't play the part. Let him suck out loud."

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318908 is a reply to message #314246 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 18:15

Karl Maciag
Messages: 24
Registered: November 2007
Location: Buffalo, NY

Here Often

Are you using the same wireless systems for all of the mics? Perhaps if they are different you're noticing the difference of the wireless units. I have 6 E6 mics and like them, but they are slightly more fragile than i would like. I've demoed the DPA 4088's, and did notice a difference, but i was also using a better wireless system. The AT headworn mic is phenomenal as well. I think as far as sound quality though, they are all very close, and i think all 3 of those options are acceptable based on sound quality. Fit and durability is a seperate argument though...Try trouble shooting your settings, is the gain on the transmitters set properly? i would try adjusting things like that before you dismiss the mics.

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318928 is a reply to message #318908 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 19:17

Daniel Ellis
Messages: 36
Registered: March 2007
Location: Texas

Should Get Out More

Well the tour where I was using those mics is over so I can't troubleshoot anything else..

But for those of you who are wondering... I was using the flat capsule, Shure ULXS14 wireless units. Not the greatest unit, but I was using the same model for both E6 mics and the Beta53..

I'm thinking that maybe my problem is that the gain on the transmitters are too low...?
I have them pretty low because the guys wearing them get really loud and clip the wireless units easily if I turn the gain up much.. The gain for the guy with the Beta53 is much higher.

Can anyone back me up on this? Is that why they don't sound good to me? And if so, are there any suggestions on how to fix that problem without clipping the pack?

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #318954 is a reply to message #314246 ]

Fri, 02 May 2008 21:24

Ben Harris
Messages: 71
Registered: September 2006

Should Get Out More

i love the Countryman E6, it's a great mic, and for what I use it for, it sounds great. I am doing a show this week with and using the Ansr Audio AM-17 and AM-16 microphones. (http://www.ansraudio.com/itemlist.aspx?id=2) They are very durable and have a great sound to them. I would highly recommend them any day.

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Re: What's so great about Countryman E6?? [message #319059 is a reply to message #314246 ]

Sat, 03 May 2008 11:23

Karl Maciag
Messages: 24
Registered: November 2007
Location: Buffalo, NY

Here Often

I would think the gain difference could have a lot to do with the poor results. I'm not saying that was the only reason, but i think it's a good place to start. I wouldn't give up on them, maybe another shot with them will yield better results. I'm not familiar enough with the packs you were using to suggest a better way to set the gain on them. Usually in preproduction i will go through my packs and mic, and optimize the gain settings with my own voice through trial and error, speaking loudly and softly, and then make adjustments if necessary when the artist/actor is using the mic.

[Updated on: Sat, 03 May 2008 11:25]

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