{"id":5333,"date":"2017-11-14T07:02:35","date_gmt":"2017-11-14T15:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pro.harman.com\/insights\/?p=5333"},"modified":"2017-09-21T09:43:51","modified_gmt":"2017-09-21T16:43:51","slug":"building-your-personal-pa-part-4-getting-the-right-mics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pro.harman.com\/insights\/entertainment\/building-your-personal-pa-part-4-getting-the-right-mics\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Your Personal PA Part 4: Getting the Right Mics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to part four of the Building Your Personal PA<\/em> blog series. \u00a0So far we’ve looked at why having a good PA is important<\/a>, and we’ve examined key components including mixers<\/a> as well as speakers and amplifiers<\/a>. This time around, we\u2019ll turn our attention to the topic of microphones. Quality mics are essential because they\u2019re the point of contact between sound and your PA system. If your mic doesn\u2019t do a good job reproducing your vocals or instruments, it doesn\u2019t matter how good the rest of your system is.<\/p>\n

There are several factors to consider when choosing mics for your PA, including polar patterns, frequency response, durability, what kind of instrument you\u2019ll be using it on and more. Let\u2019s dive in and explore so you can get the right mics for your unique PA setup.<\/p>\n

Polar Patterns<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"

The AKG P5i is a dynamic vocal mic with a supercardioid pattern that\u2019s part of the HARMAN Connected PA.<\/p><\/div>\n

Perhaps the biggest problem you can face with a PA system is keeping feedback at bay. A feedback loop is created when sound from the speakers is picked up by the mic, sent back to the speakers and is then picked up by the mic again. As you\u2019ve probably experienced yourself, the sound of feedback is unpleasant\u2014even painful\u2014and can distract the audience and performers.<\/p>\n

One of the best defenses against onstage feedback is using a unidirectional mic. (For basic info on microphone pickup patterns, read this article<\/a>.) Typical stage mics have a cardioid pattern, which picks up more from the front and less from the rear and sides. If your mics are behind the main speakers (as they always should be), and pointing away from the monitors, the rear rejection of a cardioid will help reduce the potential for feedback.<\/p>\n

Two other variations of cardioid are hypercardioid and supercardioid. These patterns reject even more of the sound coming from the sides than a cardioid mic, making them more directional.<\/p>\n

More directionality reduces the chances of feedback if correctly placed, because the mic picks up less sound coming from the speakers. It also means less pick up of \u201coff-axis\u201d sounds (captured from the less sensitive parts of the pattern, such as the rear on a cardioid mic), which have lower fidelity than sounds picked up directly into the mic.<\/p>\n

Inhibit the Wind<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unlike instrument mics, vocal mics feature built-in windscreens. Vocal mics usually have a round protrusion around the capsule to accommodate the built-in windscreen.<\/p>\n

Internal windscreens not only reduce pickup of wind noise at outdoor venues, they also reduce breath noise from the singer. If you try singing into an instrument mic that has no internal windscreen, you\u2019ll notice that not only will it pick up more breath noise, but also more \u201cplosives\u201d\u2014those popped consonant sounds (especially \u201cp\u201d and \u201cb\u201d), which are definitely not desirable. Try to avoid miking a singer with an instrument mic.<\/p>\n

Durability<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"

Small diaphragm condensers like the AKG P170 make great drum overheads.<\/p><\/div>\n

A live sound environment is not as controlled as a recording studio. As a result, stage microphones tend to get banged around, especially handheld vocal mics. They also get exposed to the elements when used in outdoor performances. For these reasons, stage mics need to be heavy duty.<\/p>\n

The great majority of vocal mics are dynamic mics, which are less fragile than condenser mics. Most dynamic mics have the added benefit of handling higher SPL (sound pressure levels, i.e., volume) before distorting than condensers. This is especially important on instrument mics. They also tend to cause less feedback. Finally, dynamic mics don\u2019t require phantom power from the mixer, like condenser mics do.<\/p>\n

That being said, some PA owners love using condenser mics. For example, a small-diaphragm condenser like the AKG C451B<\/a>, or the more economical AKG P170<\/a>, are excellent choices as drum overheads.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019re willing to spend extra for a vocal mic, there are good handheld condensers available that are designed to be more durable than studio condenser. Because of their superior reproduction of highs and transients (the initial attack of a sound), they can offer better quality for some singers. A good example is the AKG C7<\/a>, which is a supercardioid condenser vocal mic.<\/p>\n

Make the Right Choice<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re buying mics for your PA system, it\u2019s not a time to hunt for bargains. Quality mics are better built, and will last longer through the use and abuse that stage mics are prone to.<\/p>\n

You want to get the right mics for the right applications. Here are some suggestions for the mic types to get for common live-sound applications:<\/p>\n