Why I HATE lav mics.

Why I HATE lav mics.

 I HATE  lapel, or lavelier mics, whatever you want to call those horrible things.

And let me be clear, this is for live events with a PA in the room, and maybe foldback monitors.

Maybe I haven't come across one that I like but every one I have come across, I don't like it.

Cardiod, Hyper, Omni, I've tried them. 

I've tried all the tricks, I've used Compression, EQ, low-cut, flip the phase, bring it closer, move it further away, put it on the collar, use it as a tie clip, put it on the lapel, where it is supposed to go.

BUT I GET THE SAME RESULTS.

A weak, thin voice with no power or presence, that is too soft, rustles like mad (and rustles my jimmies) when anyone moves,.

And then feedback - and I'm not talking about :"We can't hear the speaker...".

I'm talking about audio feedback. 

The biggest indicator that a sound engineer is bad at their job. 

The loud squeal of incompetence. 

Feedback sometimes carries fines or penalties, and at the very least, you annoy your audience. 

So let's all position our lapel mics where they should be. 

On a film set. In a TV studio.

Or in the bin.

A Caveat:

Some people, myself included, are able to get perfectly usable and acceptable results with lavaliere microphones. There are fantastic products made by companies that really know what they are doing, no my opinion, ultimately means nothing.

But I do not like them. 

I do not like lav mics.

I will not use them on a chest.

I will not put them on a vest. 

I do not like them on a collar.

but I will use them for a dollar.

Life is too short and too difficult to make it harder. 

Use tools you like.

Get results you like.

Profit.